Data Based Advisor articles from April 1992

Data Based Advisor archives from April 1992

A smooth segue between Clipper and NetWare. (HRF Associates Inc.'s SEGUE application programming interface) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
April 1, 1992... Many developers find themselves applications in a Novell network, only to be frustrated by Clipper's inability to take full advantage of NetWare's special features. Wouldn't...

Breathe new life into old applications with Alpha RPL. (Alpha Software Corp.'s program development software) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
April 1, 1992... It's a major challenge to complete a However, the difficulties are more severe when a programmer is asked to update and add new options and functionality to a program written by...

TxtView adds memo capabilities to Paradox. (The Burgiss Group's add-in software) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
April 1, 1992... I think Paradox is great, but like to use a third-party product to mimic Xbase-type memo field capabilities. At the April 1991 International Paradox Users Conference in Phoenix,...

Mixing DOS and UNIX with DESQView/X. (Quarterdeck Office Systems' graphical user interface) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
April 1, 1992... Need to run both UNIX and DOS computer? That's the idea behind DESQview/X, a new offering from Quarterdeck Office Systems, publishers of DESQview. DESQview is a program...

Data-driven input screens. (Hardcore Clipper column) (includes related article on the UK Nantucket Clipper Developer's Conference) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... Data-driven" is a familiar term to Clipper programmers. It means using databases to store program information rather than hard-coding it into your programs. Your program then drives itself from...

dBASE IV menus dmystified! (dBASE Developer column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... Those of you who've worked with dBASE III PLUS all written a "light bar" menu using the INKEY() function to trap key presses. Although these menus worked, they usually occupied several ...

What's your status? (Hands-on FOXPRO column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... Before changing an Xbase SET status from ON to OFF a good idea to store the current status of the SETting to a variable, then change it. When your routine or function has completed its task,...

Undocumented error messages. (Paradox Developer column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... When Paradox is run in protected mode, Paradox errors simply as "GP" errors. By this, I mean that the error message contains the string "GP", with the numbers in the string referring to...

Client/server helps a software reseller respond to its customers. (Client/Server Advisor Case Study)
April 1, 1992... In 1990 Corporate Software, reseller of thousands of PC software and hardware add-in products in Canton, Mass., began moving VAX-based applications to a PC-LAN...

Dataline.
April 1, 1992... TEMECULA, CA - SuccessWare has begun shipping version 1.2 of its Babelfish Data Driver. It includes the Clipper 5-compatible Replaceable Database Driver (RDD) that allows concurrent access from Clipper programs to Borland's Paradox,...

Borland meets Xbase. (Editor on the Go) (Editorial)
April 1, 1992... Hi-ho, hi-ho, to Santa Cruz we caused by the Borland Database Retreat, held at Chaminade, a conference facility overlooking Monterey Bay a few miles south of Borland's...

Feedback. (Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 1992... Talkback Your "Guide to Choosing the Right Database Management < System" (February) was impressive, but it wasn't complete. You left out DataBoss, from Kedwell Software. This surprises me, since DBA...

Loesgen Software, Inc. (StarClass 1.01 class library for Clipper 5.01) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... Loesgen Software, Inc. library for Clipper 5.01. Written using the Class(y) library, it allows you to create objects for user interfaces. It comes with a complete...

Softsystems Inc. (FasTBrowse code generator tool for Clipper) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... Softsystems, Inc. released FasTBrowse, a code generator-like tool for Clipper which allows you to develop and design tBrowse objects using the WYSIWYG concept. Add picture clauses and set filters without writing the appropriate code blocks, or...

The Jorf Co. (Jorf 2.0 object-oriented business application programming system) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... The Jorf Co. released Jorf 2.0, an object-oriented business application programming system that supports the same source for DOS and Windows. Jorf reduces the complexity normally associated with OOP systems by downplaying the role of objects and...

Pinnacle Publishing, Inc. (ChartBuilder for Visual Basic graphics and charting library) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... Pinnacle Publishing, Inc. released ChartBuilder for Visual Basic, a graphics and charting library for the Visual Basic design environment. ChartBuilder includes 2-D and 3-D charts, including bar graphs, pie charts, X-Y graphs and more....

Accelerated Software. (PRO-dVELBase Lite relational database system) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... Accelerated Software released PRO-dVelBase Lite, a trimmed down version of Pro-dVelBase 2.0, their dBASE compatible relational database system. It allows users to design...

Windows watch. (Brief Article)
April 1, 1992... Mozart 3.1, a multi-platform lets programmers enhance mainframe and midrange host applications with GUI capabilities in Windows and DOS. Applications created for one...

Control get input. (Clipper Tip column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... Here's a function for Clipper 5.0 that can give users control arranged in vertical columns. The up- and down-arrow keys behave normally. The tab key causes the cursor to move to the right, shift-tab key...

AREV tip. (Brief Article) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... Use REDUCE to signal AREV to select applicable records and When you execute an Rlist statement that includes both a sort < and select, AREV executes them differently,...

Database confidential. (Column)
April 1, 1992... Good guy and frequent Data Based Advisor contributor Michael Masterson has a new title: Director of Developer Relations. What's that at the top of his card? BORLAND?! Buzz...

Doing client/server without replacing hardware and software. (Client/Server Advisor Case Study)
April 1, 1992... CPS is a consulting and information consisting of two divisions-- the acturial division, CPS Actuaries, and the information services group. The actuarial group provides...

SQL Server and Visual Basic help a utility company do financial forecasts. (Client/Server Advisor Case Study)
April 1, 1992... Recently, I was a member a client/server system for Pacific Gas and Electric. The application allows the company's financial and industry analysts to prepare more...

CIGNA streamlines the process of calculating rates. (Client/Server Advisor Case Study)
April 1, 1992... It used to take as long as six CIGNA's Special Benefits Division to calculate rates for group insurance policies. The part-manual, part-automated system (nicknamed "Rater")...

Primerica takes charge of its personnel data. (Client/Server Advisor Case Study)
April 1, 1992... In early 1991, Primerica of Baltimore, Maryland, a Fortune 100 financial services firm consisting of Smith Barney, Harris and Upham brokerage firms, Primerica Financial...

A developer links Fox to Sybase SQL Server. (Client/Server Advisor Case Study)
April 1, 1992... I recently completed a research the feasibility of connecting FoxBASE+/Mac and Sybase SQL Server. The project was supported by my employer, Stanford Business Systems of Los...

The consolidation challenge: which managers will survive? (Client/Server Advisor: Memo to Management)
April 1, 1992... As IT organizations shrink, managers who reign over vendor-neutral systems will become the most One of the few constants I've < observed in the ever-changing world of information technology (IT) is the cycle...

RAID to the rescue: redundant array of inexpensive disks technology offers the performance and fault tolerance required by today's demanding database operations. (includes related article on major RAID developments)
April 1, 1992... Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks technology offers the performance and f ault tolerance < required by today's demanding database operations. Speed and databases. Using these two words in the <...

Multimedia, tuning Oracle, and more! (Client/Server Advisor: Systems Integration Tips)
April 1, 1992... For years I've been hearing that CDROM I can see now that multimedia is real. Almost anyone can press a CD-ROM disk. (The replication costs are only a few dollars per disk--after...

Scrolling SQL Server data: SQL Server 1.x doesn't support cursors but you can still browse SQL Server tables. (Client/Server Advisor) (includes related article on remote performance) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... SQL Server 1.x doesn't support cursors but you can still browse SQL Server t ables. < The key is in it's support of clustered indexes... Do your clients want to scroll backward and forward <...

Field report: Oracle analysts' day: Oracle executives spent the day previewing a spate of new products and reassuring analysts that the company has recovered from its financial troubles. (Client Server Advisor)
April 1, 1992... Oracle executives spent the day previewing a spate of new products and reass uring analysts < that the company has recovered from its financial troubles. SAN FRANCISCO--Oracle Analysts' Day (January 23, ...

Experts speak on object-oriented development! (Roundtable)(includes a glossary on object-oriented terminology) (Panel Discussion)
April 1, 1992... According to some observers, object-oriented programming will soon be what everybody does. Object-oriented databases might become what everyone uses. So now might be a good time for you to find out what object orientation is all about....

dBASE IV 1.5: Ashton-Tate's last hurrah? (Software Review) (Evaluation)
April 1, 1992... This new release is the legacy of Ashton-Tate, who was working on it prior to the company's purchase by Borland. Users will find an enhanced QBE, mouse support, as well as...

The SQL Server alternative. (MEGAbase Inc.'s Xbase/Server) (Packets; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... MEGAbase, Inc. has developed a The new Xbase/Server stores data in DBF format, and also supports the transfer of data between clients and server. MEGAbase claims that all it...

A higher IQ. (IQ Software Corp.'s Intelligent Query 3.0 report writer and query tool) (Packets; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... IQ Software Corp. released version 3.0 query tool--Intelligent Query. The screen painter has been expanded to include areas for subheadings and footers. New user-defined margins in...

Dun & Bradstreet enters the fray. (D&B Software announces partnership with Sybase Inc.) (Packets) (Brief Article)
April 1, 1992... Dun & Bradstreet Software (D&B Software) announced its new partnership with Sybase, Inc. Under the new terms, D&B Software will incorporate and resell Sybase SQL Server...

A client/server starter kit...such a deal. (Packets) (Brief Article)
April 1, 1992... The first starter kit for the rapid development been compiled through the efforts of four companies. The new package includes Channel Computing's Forest & Trees Client/Server Edition,...

Improved access to 4th DIMENSION databases. (Metropolis Software Inc.'s MSI Access for 4D) (Packets; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... Metropolis Software released a development access to 4th DIMENSION (4D) databases. The new product, MSI Access for 4D, lets developers run client applications written in 4D, HyperCard,...

A compound-effort communications server. (Digital Communications Associates and Microsoft Corp.'s DCA/Microsoft Communications Server 1.1) (Packets; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... Digital Communications Associates version 1.1 of the DCA/Microsoft Communications Server (Comm Server). The new server features a client/server interface opened to Windows and...

Oracle supports Macintosh System 7. (ORACLE for Macintosh 2.0) (Packets; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
April 1, 1992... Oracle Corp. introduced a key component strategy: ORACLE for Macintosh 2.0. New tools include Server Manager, to simplify database administration; Oracle Workshop, a HyperCard-based...

How Paradox uses memory. (Paradox Basics column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... When building a Paradox application, you should have a good grasp of what steps Paradox takes to manage memory, as well as what steps you can take to better use memory. How Paradox manages memory is a complex topic, but understanding it...

Tap the power of FoxPro's interface. (FoxPro Basics column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... To become the developer, you must first become an end user. This statement Not just another pretty < interface Putting yourself in your users' position < is...

A pop-up get reader. (The Expert Series: Clipper column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... This function, PickReader(), presents a list of Clipper 5.01's @..GET command provides < several enhancements over Summer '87. One of these is the SEND...

What Xbase code generator should you use? (includes related templates directory)
April 1, 1992... Xbase code generators can do away with process of creating applications. The best produce tight code and offer flexibility in the way you specify your programs. Mike...

Use template programming to speed development. (includes related article on template tips and a template product directory)
April 1, 1992... Writing and maintaining applications takes time. Leverage your programming talent with template technology. Your productivity gain will outweigh the learning curve. Many programmers tire of rewriting the same modules after developing one...

Alleviating maintenance hassles. (The Expert Series: FoxPro column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... To make maintenance easier, trap and handle The longest phase of the application development < cycle is maintenance. As developers, we're constantly...

Can Microrim weather the storm? (Opinions)
April 1, 1992... As a developer, it's difficult to admit that the database (for me it's been close to nine years!) is rapidly fading from the scene. But much to the chagrin of the R:BASE development community, this is...

Microrim responds: yes, we will! (Opinions)
April 1, 1992... Although Paul Litwin makes some points that I would where his opinions don't jibe with the facts. Several years ago my company began to develop a vision for what it thought would be needed to...

Tool up for Clipper 5. (Clipper Basics column) (Tutorial)
April 1, 1992... If the Clipper 5 application environment seems a bit daunting, that may be because it's taken a divergent--though wisely orchestrated--path away from the Xbase standard....

Share and share alike: the old adage about sharing is just as important in the computer world. (DB Connections; DBADVISOR forum on CompuServe)
April 1, 1992... The old adage about in the computer world... Whether it's a new technological < paradigm or just a clever coding trick, sharing...