LM30 has retained the best features of earlier versions. The preview feature, for example, serves to check on the accuracy of the data input. Moreover, editing features which include cut and paste, search and replace, and word-wrap (in the description field) contribute to LM30's ease of use. Keyboard input of accented characters and font-attribute handling (with hidden font change characters indicated on the status line) are valuable extras.

Unfortunately, a description of LM30's default data-entry conventions is well buried in the documentation. It wasn't until chapter 12 (!) of the tutorial that I learned that personal names had to be entered last name first, and that dates had to be in month/day/year order. Of course, some valid formats, such as those for the date field, can be defined by the user. But, since users learn about format conventions by using the defaults first, this is information which should be readily accessible.

Reference Management

Information about references is stored in records whose characteristics vary according to the type of reference being described. Databases consist of varying numbers of different types of records. There are 28 pre-defined record types (maximum 65000 characters) and more than 50 pre-defined fields from which to choose. Experienced users may want to design their own record types. Either way, for database creation, there are four choices to be made: the number of record types required, the database model (BIBLIOI or BIBLIO2), if any, on which the new structure will be based, the names to be assigned to the record types, and the fields and attributes and their arrangement within each record type. Modifications to field and record structures may necessitate corresponding modifications to the Format Files and Style Sheets used for generating the bibliographies. Since this involves learning dot commands and other programming conventions, users in general and humanities scholars in particular should be aware that the default record types and field attributes will meet most bibliographic needs.

LM30 can interact with a user's word processor and replace "citation markers" (which have been entered into a document and the abbreviation field of a LM30 record) with formatted citations. In testing this feature, I used the MS-DOS task-switching shell (included with MS-DOS 5.0-6.0) to switch between LM30 and WordPerfect 5.1. I experienced no problems inserting the file containing the citation information into my document and automatically creating a bibliography from the references.

Searching

Not much has changed in the search functions since Version 1.24. Global searches to look at all records in a database, approximate searches for phonetic matches, Boolean searches, lexical searches which ignore case and punctuation, searches for empty fields, and wildcard searches are still possible. Numerical fields can be searched with relational operators such as greater than and less than. Specialized search strategies for the contents of an entire field, the first expression in a field, and expressions within a field are also featured. For searches on the contents of an entire field, indexing makes access very efficient. Records found can be saved or used to generate a bibliography.

Importing/Exporting

LM30 provides an extensive customizable import program. Import filters are provided for 18 word processing and other bibliographic database formats. In addition to the filters, clean-up macros are included for most of the 33 CD-ROM and on-line information service formats which the system handles. Users can modify existing filters, and create new filters and clean-up macros for additional sources. An optional add-on program, Data Magician, is available for adding the ability to import and export file formats that are not supported with the built-in import feature.

LM30 exports to other database programs using a tagged ASCII text file. Exporting to word processors is done directly. Users also have the option to design custom export files.

Bibliography Generation

Format Files, Style Sheets, and Sort Order Files are all used in generating bibliographic reports. The default files can be modified or new ones can be created. Format Files determine the overall page layout of the report and some will produce indexed bibliographies which group records based on the contents of the field. For example, the Format File, SUBBIB, will group records according to the contents of the Subject field. A special set of files for generating specialized Anthropological bibliographic formats is also provided.

Style Sheets control the arrangement of fields and the punctuation between fields. Styles may vary among record types. They can be used with almost any Format File. Anthropological Style Sheets must be used with one of the set of Anthropological Format Files. Most styles used in humanities scholarship, such as Chicago Type A,Turabian, and MLA, among others, are supported. Supplemental style sheets can be called by Format Files for special purposes.

Sort Order Files identify the fields to compare when sorting records. Each file of this type is designed for a particular database structure. Sort Orders can be customized according to date author, and title in either ascending or descending order and work with an editable list of words which are never capitalized in a bibliographic format.

LM30 generates either an entire database or a subset thereof. Data can be sent to the screen, to a printer or to text files in most major word processors (e.g., Ami Pro, Microsoft Word, Nota Bene, PC Write, Word Perfect 4.x, 5.x, 6, WordStar, and Wordstar 2000). For other systems, LM30's LIBSETUP program will install new word processor and printer drivers.

General Assessment

The robustness of this package is remarkable. Its support for a myriad of record and field types, and its handling of all the major academic bibliographic styles is impressive. LM30 allows the busy scholar, who has neither time nor interest in customization, to generate accurate bibliographic reports efficiently and easily by simply entering the data and using the structures provided. More importantly, it is ofetn the case that what LM30 seems to lack, can be added through careful customization. Talk about flexible! Every data structure available in this package can be modified. From the field, record, and database structure attributes required for organizing the data, to the format, style, and sorting options required for presenting it-- this is a toolbox for customized databases.

LM30 runs in Microsoft Windows, provides a Program Manager icon and supports the Windows clipboard. However, integration is with Windows is limited. For example, it does not even offer mouse support. In fact, its dated interface may deter many prospective users from learning about its excellent features.

In reading the tutorial and reference manual, I encountered inconsistencies between instructions and the software. For example, I noticed a missing README.TXT file, the "wrong version" of a style sheet, an erroneous instruction and several typographical errors. Of course, these are relatively minor concerns for a package whose context-sensitive help and written documentation empower many types of users to meet their own individual needs.