Data Based Advisor articles from January 1994

Data Based Advisor archives from January 1994

Fall Comdex 1993: bigger, louder, more outrageous. (computer industry trade show) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1994... Fall Comdex, held in Las Vegas in November, broke attendance records as more than 180,000 crammed together for the most important computer show of the year. Long-time Comdex goers are calling this years's confab the most hyped up version yet....

Windows NT databases on display. (Microsoft Corp.'s Windows NT operating system) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1994... There were a number of databases for Windows NT at Fall Comdex, Oracle 7.015. No word yet on when Oracle Tools will be available on Windows NT. Reach Oracle at (415) 506-7000. Progress (617-275-4500) is shipping Progress version 6 for...

DEC sheds mainframe image. (Brief Article)
January 1, 1994... Digital Equipment Corp. (508-493-5111) seems to be casting off its big-iron image. DEC chose a cabaret motif and an Otis Redding-like singer to deliver its message. We were impressed with the organization of the booth. Key individuals had...

IBM wants in, too. (VisualAge and VisualAge Team application development software packages)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... DEC isn't the only "mainframe" company that's trying to move into the client/server arena. IBM (914-642-300) recently announced a number of application development offerings aimed at client/sever enthusiasts, including VisualAge. IBM says...

Things looking up for Borland. (Paradox 4.5 Development Edition for Windows client/server development software package and Client/Server Scalability Pack integrated software package)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Borland International (408-431-1000) has defined its client/server strategy serving companies that are upsizing, and has introduced its first client/server devlopment bundle. Paradox 4.5 Development Edition for Windows contains the Borland SQL...

Gupta and Lotus see eye to eye. (Gupta Corp. and Lotus Development Corp. develop common interface for SQLWindows application development software and Lotus Notes work group software) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1994... Lotus Development Corp. (617-577-8500) and Gupta Corp. (415-321-9500) will provide a common interface for access to SQL and Notes data using Gupta SQLWindows applications. Lotus Notes sites will be able to use stored by Notes. This effort...

Need quick queries? (Computer Associates' CA-Visual Express for Windows 1.0 data access, query and reporting software package)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Computer Associates (516-342-5224) continues to beef up its suite of development tools. CA-Visual Express for Windows 1.0 was introduced at Comdex, and should be available in the first quarter of 1994. It's a data access, query, and reporting...

CA takes on VB. (Computer Associates' CA-REALIZER 2.0 application development software competes with Microsoft Corp.'s Visual Basic)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... In an aggressive move to take on the successful Microsoft Visual Basic, CA is selling CA-REALIZER 2.0 for $99 until March 31, 1994. The new release, regularly priced at $247, supports both Windows and OS/2. "The same CA-REALIZER code that...

SQL Server for OS/2 gets features from NT version. (Microsoft's SQL Server 4.2b for OS/2 data base management system, IBM's OS/2 operating system, Microsoft Windows NT)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Microsoft (200-882-8080) is shipping SQl Server 4.2b for OS/2 designed to be consistent with Microsoft SQL Sever for Windows NT. The 4.2b upgrade is supported on OS/2 1.2 and OS/2 2.1. From SQL Server for NT, the OS/2 version gets the SQL...

Free CD-ROM includes developer tools. (Programmer's Shop markets popular software development tools on CD-ROM disks package CD SELECT) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1994... The Programmer's Shop of Hingham, Mass., (617-740-2510) is marketing CD SELECT, a server of CD-ROM discs containing software targeted at developers. The first CD will include a range of offerings-development tools from Microsoft, Blue Sky...

A winter of travel. (Editor on the Go) (Editorial)
January 1, 1994... What a month! I've been to Researcg Triangle Park, North Carolina for the 1993 Develwpers Competition, Las Vegas, Nevada for Comdex, and Brussels, Belgium for a Clipper conference. In fact, I'm writing this while watching the snow fall as CNN...

Feedback. (Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 1994... ReportSmith Review Untrue I read with interest the artile in the September 1993 issue entitled, "Your Guide to Windows Report Writers." However, there are a number fo factual errors I'd like to point out. First, the reviewer...

Corrections. (Correction Notice)
January 1, 1994... Having recently discovered your magazine, I am writing to tell you how useful and enjoyable we find it. The article on ERA modeling in the October 1993 issue was of particular interest to us. Unfortunately, it contained a few errors: The...

EMS adds more products. (EMS Professional Shareware adds to dBUtility Library of Xbase programming utilities and PAL Utility Library for Paradox programming utilities) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1994... EMS Professional Shareware has added 171 programs to its dBUtility Library, a library of Xbase utilities, for a total of 2,983 public domain and shareware products for dBASE, Clipper, and FoxPro developers. As well, the PAL Utility Library, a...

Windows interface for System Architect and PowerBuilder. (Popkin Software and Systems' SA/PowerBuilder Link interface between System Architect 2.4 computer-aided software engineering software and PowerBuilder 2.0 application development software)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... SA/PowerBuilder Link is an interface between System Architect 2.4, Popkin's PC CASE tool for Windows and OS/2 Presentation Manager, and PowerBuilder 2.0. SA/PowerBuilder Link can import and export design information, which can include data...

New runtime and C library product. (Page Technology Marketing Inc.'s FastFont Label Manager)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Page Technology Marketing, Inc. released FastFont Label Manager (FLM), a runtime and C library that includes printer independent support for more than 100 types of Avery label formats for 600-plus printers. A lite version, FLMlite, supports...

Middleware app development tool. (Digital Communications Associates Inc.'s QuickApp for Windows applications development software)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... QuickApp for Windows, a middleware applications development tool from Digital Communications Associates, Inc., allows developers to create PC-to-hostr communications apps using Visual Basic. DCA says that QuickApp for Windows, when used with...

DataWidgets improves on VB's DataControl. (Sheridan Software Systems Inc.'s Data Widgets custom controls for Microsoft's Visual Basic) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... Like the ring of Pavlov's bell, Microsoft whet the appetite of database programmers by adding database capabilities to Visual Basic 3.0. Unfortunatley, developers never got the feast expected due to some of Visual Basic 3.0's limitations. The...

Soup up Clipper apps with SuperLib. (Functional Software's SuperLib 3.5 database application development software for applications created with Clipper application development software) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... Functional Software's SuperLib for Clipper 5 is a collection of over 300 functions covering all aspects of program design and development. The latest release, version 3.5, polishes many of the existing functions and adds major new...

For starters - The Bar Code Kit. (Enabling Systems Inc.'s bar code printer/reader system) (Hardware Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... Stores use them, the post office uses them, courier services use them. If you're thinking, "Why should I use bar bodes?" there are two major reasons: to save money and to streamline data entry. With bar codes, for example, you can get reduced...

Visage gives Paradox forms, reports a facelift. (Ensemble Corp.'s Visage report and form software package based on the Paradox applications development software language) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... The addition of mouse support to Paradox for DOS--to resize windows, select databases, resize columns and operate dialog boxes--is a welcome one, and makes using Paradox more productive and even fun. However, the fun stops when you need to work...

To the rescue: tools to avert computing disasters. (Micro 2000 Inc.'s Micro-Scope 5.0 hardware diagnosis software and Gibson Research Corp.'s Spinrite 3.1 disk/file diagnosis software) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... Today's sophisticated software can accomplish truly amazing things. But, despite all that years of improvements, the integrity of today's computers remains subject to assault from the same two enemies as in the past, hardware conflicts and...

Build applications that travel. (Microsoft's FoxPro, Blyth Software's Omnis 7 and Claris Corp.'s FileMaker Pro application development environments with cross-platform features) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... Microsoft FoxPro 2.5, $495; Microsoft FoxPro for Windows 2.5, $495; Microsoft FoxPro for the Macintosh, $495; runtime SDK; distribution royalty free Microsoft Corp. One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052-6399 (206) 882-8080 Omnis 7; $1,250;...

Strike a balance: try this approach to Windows development. (includes related company directory)
January 1, 1994... The promise of Windows, "Information at your Fingertips," implies the painless availability of information--for users. How does this accessibility to information make the task of Windows programming difficult for developers? Isn't "seamless...

The ideal Windows platform. (Developers' advice on database development under Microsoft Windows)
January 1, 1994... The notion of an ideal windows development platform is like the notion of an ideal car. Sure, driving a Ferrari would be nice, until my eighteen-month-old spills juice all over the leather seats. Or, if my wife and I want to go to the shore...

Fit Windows tools with the application. (developers' advice on database development under Microsoft Windows)
January 1, 1994... We'd like to put to rest the concept that there exists an ideal development platform under Windows suitable to all tasks and applications. The adequacy of any tool or development environment depends on the use to which it is applied. The best...

Tool builder or tool user? (developers' advice on database development under Microsoft Windows)
January 1, 1994... from The Devil's DP Dictionary: programmer n.1 One who claims or appears to be engaged in the perpetuation of programs. 2 The systems analyst's diplomatic attache at the alien court of the CPU. 3 One engaged in the practical, nonsystematic...

The best of all possible worlds. (developers' advice on database development under Microsoft Windows)
January 1, 1994... When I think about what the essentials of an ideal Windows development system should be, the importance of visual development tools and object-orientation immediately comes to mind. It makes no sense to hand-code screens, and the complexity of...

Produce report apps. (Conquest Data Systems Inc.'s ProPoint Report 3.0 report generator software and C Code Generator 3.0 code generator software packages)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Conquest Data Systems, Inc. released version 3 of the ProPoint Report and C Code Generator. ProPoint can produce report applications from existing dBASE, Paradox, Btrieve, and ASCII tables. With a C compiler, the C Code Generator option can...

Btrieve database access in Visual Basic. (Smithware Inc.'s Visual Controls for Btrieve add-in database application development software for Btrieve)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Smithware's Visual Controls for Btrieve is a set of bound controls and library routines for Btrieve access in Visual Basic. Visual Controls for Btrieve provides TextBox, PictureBox, OptionButton, CommandButton, CheckBox, ListBox, ComboBox, and...

Codewright for Windows NT. (Premia's text editor for Microsoft's Windows NT operating system )(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Codewright for Windows NT from Premia includes the following: choice of standard key mappings--CUA, Brief, re-programmable key mappings, multiple-file search and replace, color syntax highlighting and change markings, language support for C,...

Documentation product for P4Win. (Tipton Cole+Co.'s d'Art documentation software package for Paradox for Windows database)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... d'Art, a documentation product for Paradox for Windows, produces formatted ASCII text files that reveals information in a Paradox for Windows form or report (.FSL or .RSL file). The documentation shows the object hierarchy for the form or...

Document storage and retrieval software. (Paperless Corp.'s PaperLess Filer 2.3 database management system)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... PaperLess Filer 2.3 (PF 2.3) can now manage non-image data and application software from within its application framework. The network version contains multi-level security and can restrict users' access to imaging data and program...

Data aware image handling custom control. (Media Architects's ImageKnife/VBX 1.3 application development software package)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... ImageKnife/VBX 1.3 is a data-aware release of Media Architects' Visual Basic image handling custom control. ImageKnife/VBX allows developers to create programs that read and write images using the Access OLE Object field. The control can be...

LAN management, Fuzzy searches on the Horizon. (Horizon Technology Inc.'s LANauditor 3.0 local area network inventory software and Fuzzy Search Engine Developer's Kit information retrieval software)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Horizons Technology, Inc. (HTI) released LANauditor 3.0, a LAN inventor program that can now audit Macintosh, OS/2, and Windows for Workgroups workstations, and provide more information on DOS and Windows workstations, and file servers. ...

Extend computing power. (Intelligent Graphics Corp.'s VM/386 3.0 operating system)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... VM/386 version 3.0 is a 32 bit PC-based multi-user/multitasking operating system that supports DOS applications that comply with the DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI) sStandard for using memory above 640K, and Windows 3.1. VM/386 3.0 allows...

New pricing for client/server environments. (IQ Software repackages software packages) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1994... IQ Software, makers of end-user report writer and query tools, will package certain utlities, and offer a new server (host) based "runtime" option. The new packaging includes a DBA (Database Administrators) kit, Server Runtime versions for...

Use optimized and verified Data Structures. (Natural Systems' Data Structures container object hierarchy)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... Data Structures, a container object hierarchy from Natural Systems, allows programmers to use optimized and verified data structures in their programs. The company says you can store an unlimited number of elements, bound only by available...

Provide high-level functions to users. (XVT Software Inc.'s XVT-PowerObjects graphical user interface development software package)(Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1994... XVT-PowerObjects, from XVT Software, Inc., are custom controls that GUI developers can incorporate into a user interface. PowerObjects includes a table object (rows and colums of cells for storing text), a spreadsheet object with table...

PowerBuilder goes cross platform. (Powersoft Corp.'s PowerBuilder application development software for Microsoft Windows, Powersoft Pres Dave Litwack) (Interview)
January 1, 1994... Powersoft Corp. of Burlington, Mass., maker of the popular Windows development tool, PowerBuilder, plans to make PowerBuilder a cross-platform tool. Here's what Powersoft president David Litwack says is driving the cross-platform push and what...

Visual Basic is the ideal for now and the future. (Microsoft's application development software package)(developers' advice on database development under Microsoft Windows)
January 1, 1994... Visual (VB) is my ideal development tool for Windows. Even neophyte VB programmers who haven't a clue about the Windows Application Programming Interface (API) can build robust Windows apps. Better still, programmers who know the ins and outs...

Vendor battles mean better tools. (developers' advice on database development under Microsoft Windows)
January 1, 1994... As far as I'm concerned, right now there is no idea Windows development platform. I'm excited at the battles presently being waged by the major vendors to provide me with an ideal environment. Microsoft, Powersoft, Borland, Computer...

Windows tools for every occasion. (developers' advice on database development under Microsoft Windows)
January 1, 1994... Let me begin with a qualifying statement. Our firm, Stanford Business Systems, Inc., develops custom graphical user interface-based client/server database applications using 4GLs only. Although we use third-party C-based APIs and VBX type...

Finally ... FoxPro for Macintosh is here! (Microsoft Corp.'s FoxPro for Macintosh database application development software)(includes related article on converting FoxBASE+/Mac software applications to FoxPro for Mac)(First Look) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... FoxPro for Macintosh, the long-awaited, highly anticipated update to FoxBASE+/Mac, finally brings all the capabilities of FoxPro to the Apple Macintosh platform. With the introduction of FoxPro for Mac, Microsoft finally delivers on their...

Check out the competition! (1993 Developers Competition, journal-sponsored application development contest)
January 1, 1994... What would bring more than 350 computer programmers to Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, in early November? Well, it is a very pretty place. But the actual reason is more motivating--a challenge. Programmers like challenges. It's...

When Dr. Fulton talks, FoxPro developers listen. (Microsoft VP Dave Fulton, enhancements for next release of FoxPro database application development software package)(includes related article on third-party products for FoxPro)
January 1, 1994... Orlando, Florida--From Dave Fulton's opening address at the Fifth Annual Microsoft FoxPro International Developer Conference in October to Roger Heinen's closing video interview with Bill Gates, Microsoft reps emphasized FoxPro as the database...

Build ODBC apps that use block and scrollable cursors. (Microsoft Corp.'s Open Database Connectivity application program interface)(Client/Server Advisor) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... Imagine you have to develop a application to maintain a list of subscribers to a magazine. The application will be part of a client/server system where multiple users access a common database. The application will present a large subset of...

Build apps with Borland C++ and SQL Server's DB-Library. (Borland C++ database application development software, Sybase/Microsoft's SQL Server DB-Library)(Client/Server Advisor) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... If you've tried to use Sybase/Microsoft SQLServer DB-Library when developing Windows applications with Borland C++, you know it can be tricky to get the error and message handling working properly. This article outlines the key points to get...

Design better apps with SilverRun. (Computer Systems Advisors' SilverRun database application development software)(Client/Server Advisor: First Look) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1994... Computer Systems Advisors 50 Tice Blvd. Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675 (201) 391-6500 Fax (201) 391-2210 SilverRun $2,500 for each module, except RDM, which is $3,000; $10,000 for all four modules. The new...

Chemical company makes middleware work. (Air Products and Chemicals Inc. integrates mainframe and local area network)
January 1, 1994... For most organizations, the question isn't whether or not to unplug the mainframe, but how to best integrate mainframe resources with fewer, more versatile technologies. Ron Krikorian, Lead Information Technology Specialist at Air Products and...

Under the hood of SQL-92. (American National Standards Institute Structured Query Language relational database management system standard)(Client/Server Developer: Database Access)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... I recently attended a presentation by Scott Gongwer, one of my colleagues, which included, a discussion of SQL-92 (ANSI X3.135 1992) as well as a bit of its evolution and some hints about where the standards are heading in the future. SQL-92...

Process messages with SAL. (SQLWindows Application Language for database application development, Structured Query Language for Microsoft Windows)(Client/Server Advisor: Inside SQLWindows)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... Last month, I explored the Windows event-message-action paradigm by describing how SQLWindows Application Language(SAL) programs consist of a variety of parent and child window objects that execute actions by processing messages that are caused...

Incorporate graphics in PowerBuilder applications. (PowerBuilder database application development software)(Client/Server Advisor: PowerBuilder Pro)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... PowerBuilder 3.0 supports an extensive business graphics set that allows the developer to easily incorporate graphs in an application. This article will review the fundamentals of creating graphs, as well as point out some useful programming...

Where's Lotus going with Approach? (Lotus Development Corp. Lotus Approach Database Division, Approach relational database tool inventor Kevin Harvey)(Client/Server On-Line) (Interview)
January 1, 1994... Kevin Harvey, General Manager of Lotus Approach Database Division, founded Approach Software Corp. in 1990 with a vision of providing end users with a relational database tool that would support MIS standards. In June of 1993, Approach was...

Squashing those client/server bugs. (solving bugs in Microsoft SQL Server application development software)(Client/Server Advisor: Systems Integration Tips)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... I used to hate software bugs. Now I look at them as challenges. Once I changed my attitude, finding and solving bugs became a lot easier and more fun. Fortunately, many of them have workarounds and patches--more fun. Here are few client/server...

Get user input. (POPGET() program obtains user information through screen window)(dBase Developer)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... Two month's ago I ended my article by promising to talk about a function that "will become one of your favorite programs!" Big talk. Well, now it's two months later and I'm about to deliver. The function is called POPGET(). It puts up a...

Use Clipper error objects as generic message handlers. (includes related article on Clipper error instance variables)(Clipper Developer)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... Clipper's error handling system allows an application to report on any interesting program event, not just error conditions, and respond appropriately. This article shows how, using the Clipper Error class creatively (particularly its...

Triggers, rules, and NULL prevention. (Data integrity in relational databases created in SQL Server or Xbase development environments)(FoxPro Developer)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... It's often said that the Xbase variations arenht relational DBMSs. This point of view is resanoable because part of the formal definition of a relational DBMS is that it maintains integrity between entities. For example, in a parent--child...

Error handling with Visual Basic. (Microsoft's Visual Basic database application development environment)(includes related article on Visual Basic Error Handler program)(Visual Basic Expert)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... Developers, it seems, all hail from Lake Woebegone--Garrison Keillor's mythical town where all the men are strong, all the women are beautiful, and all the children are above average. I say this because developers seem to assume that nothing...

How to: power picklists. (programming data-entry fields in applications in dBase application development environment)(dBase Professional)(Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... After taking an informal survey of dBASE IV developers in the CompuServe dBASE forum, I got the distinc impression that most developers aren't satisfied with the built-in features provided by dBASE to present picklists to users. Of the...

More error handling in ObjectPAL applications. (programming language for Borland Paradox database application development software)(Paradox Basics) (Column) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1994... In last month's column, I described the error-detection and handling tools that are built into ObjectPAL. I talked about how Paradox deals with error if you don't provide customized error processing. This month, I'll cover how you can provide...

Electronic sales pitch. (DB Connections) (Column)
January 1, 1994... Consultants often use brochures to market their skills to prospective clients. Today, the "electronic" brochure--press releases or text files that contain information about a consultant's products or services--are becoming more common. Some...

Calendar of events.
January 1, 1994... Software World USA, The Advanced Application Development Conference and Exposition--Devoted to application developers, software engineers, systems analysts, managers, and vendors (formerly called CASE WORLD Conference and Exposition). Featured...

Database confidential. (humor) (Column)
January 1, 1994... How do you capture the attention of Comdex attendees? If you're Microsoft, you buy up the receipts from Vegas cabbies, print "Windoes NT" on them, and hand them back to the much sought-after drivers. That's right, Comdex attendees who...