The following is the text of an article written by Bruce Walthers and
published in the Milwaukee PAF Users Group newsletter. There are some 
occasions when there are problems with the Notes files even though FRCHK 
says they are ok. The corrective actions described clear up the problem. 
As always, back up you data files before trying this procedure.

CHECKING YOUR NOTES FILE

Recently, while creating a Focus file based on notes information,
I got error messages indicating bad notes records.  This was a
surprise, because FRCHK told me that my notes files were OK.  I
called Salt Lake City and was told that 

     "Problems sometimes develop when PAF 2.1 or 2.2 notes files
     are converted to PAF 2.31; and these problems may not be
     detected or fixed by FRCHK."  They said I would have to
     print my notes file to find and correct the errors.  

In other words, if you created notes records with PAF 2.1 or 2.2,
and are now using PAF 2.3, there may be problems in your notes
files even though you run FRCHK (the program that "checks your
data"), and even it PAF says "these records are OK".

TO FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR NOTES.

>From Pedigree search, select U for Focus/Design
6 = Add by matching Data
3 = Add records that match notes data
enter "checkfile" (or any other word or phrase).  The program
will now look through all the notes records to see if it can find
"checkfile".  If you get no error messages, you have no problems. 

If it encounters any bad records, you will see an error messages,
but it won't identify the bad records.  You need to go to the
next step to identify them.  

TO IDENTIFY THE BAD RECORD(S)

>From Pedigree Search, press P for the Print Menu
1,2 = send print file to disk.  (Print to Screen will take MUCH
longer and Print to Printer will waste paper.)
3 = select Range Print
enter the range of RIN numbers in your file (i.e. 1-1000).  The
higher number will be the highest RIN number in your file.  If
you do not know how many RINs you have, enter a number that you
KNOW is too big.  This will make sure you print them all.  (press
enter)

Answer questions as follows:
1 = print all notes
Indicate the drive and file name for the print file.  The default
is C:\PRINT.DAT  (Actually, this will It will go to the directory
where you have your PAF program.)  

As the file is printed, you will see messages appear on the
screen, "printing individual No. 1 of 1000", etc.

If the program encounters a bad record while you are printing,
the program will stop and display an error message.  Locate the
"pause" key and be ready to press it immediately after pressing
enter.  The screen will then show you the next RIN number (next
after the bad one).  

Write the bad record number on a piece of paper.

IMPORTANT:  You must write down the bad record number while the
file is being printed.  I could not identify bad records by
reading the file.

I have a 386 machine and had no problem reading the RIN numbers,
but if you have a 486 or Pentium, and it scrolls too fast, you
may need the "pause" key.

When you are all through, you should have a list of the RIN
numbers of the bad notes records.

FIXING THE RECORDS

Now go back to Pedigree Search and bring up the individual RIN
number of the bad records.  (Press R, type the number, press
enter).

Press "I" to display "Individual Data"

Press "N" to go to the notes field.  If this is a bad record, you
will see an error message.  Press "enter" as requested, which
will return you to the "Information" screen.  Then press F1 to
Save and exit.  The record should now be OK.

If you did not get an error message when you pressed "N", you
probably have the wrong record.  Return to pedigree search and
try neighboring records.

LASTLY, go the directory containing your PAF program files and
delete the PRINT.DAT file.  

Bruce Walthers
330 E Beaumont Ave #201
Milwaukee WI 53217

7/11/95
