Data Based Advisor articles from May 1992

Data Based Advisor archives from May 1992

Dataline.
May 1, 1992... SAN FRANCISCO -- Microsoft's pending acquisition of Fox Software wasn't the only news to come out of the aisles of DB/Expo (to learn more about that, see "Editor on the Go"). Borland International, Inc. took the opportunity to introduce a new...

Feedback. (Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 1992... Clearing The Air I've received numerous messages about my article, "10 Ways to Speed Up Your Clipper Application" (March). All positive, but two items seem in need of elaboration. * Creating indexes on the server -- Clipper can...

Custom Database Solution. (R!Genesis, an add-in/on software for R:Base 3.1c data base management system) (Brief Article)
May 1, 1992... Custom Database Solution is shipping its latest version of R!Genesis Database Manager, which now supports R:BASE 3.1c from Microrim, Inc. R!Genesis is an application manager that provides for checking, reloading, packing, and recovering...

Outside looking in. (Apex Software Corp.'s Agility/VB data base and six other products) (Test Drives; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... Several exciting new database and development products for Windows were unveiled recently. Here's an overview of some products you may want to try. Agility/VB is a single-user database library specifically designed for use with...

Action Plus Software. (ClipWord/SpellClip 2.01 add-on software) (Test Drives; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... Action Plus Software release ClipWord/SpellClip 2.01, a Clipper add-on that allows you to add word processing and spell checking capabilities to compiled apps. The new version allows block, copy, move, and delete operations, support for ASCII...

Tools of the trade. (Sybase Inc.'s SYBASE APT Workbench 5.0 program development software) (Client/Server Advisor; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... Sybase, Inc. announced a major new release (5.0) of its SYBASE APT Workbench, a 4GL-based application development environment for the SYBASE system. The SYBASE system is a client/server-based relational database management system (RDBMS) for...

SQL Server Resource Kit to the rescue. (Microsoft Corp.'s program development software) (Client/Server Advisor; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... Microsoft Corp. is now shipping the Microsoft SQL Server Resource Kit, a package of utility programs and technical information designed to help SQL Server 4.2 customers implement Windows-based client/server programs. The Resource Kits are the...

PowerBuilder gets a 'face' lift. (Powersoft Corp.'s DB2 Interface for PowerBuilder graphical client/server development environment) (Client/Server Advisor; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... Powersoft Corp. released a new DB2 interface for its PowerBuilder graphical client/server development environment. Developers can now create/server applications with GUIs that directly access corporate data stored in IBM's RDBMS--DB2. Access...

It's client/server, and it's extended. (Extended Systems Inc.'s ExtendBase for NetWare 386 network software) (Client/Server Advisor; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... Extended Systems of Boise, Idaho produced a product that combines the performance advantages of client/server technology with dBASE III PLUS, dBASE IV, and Clipper. The new product, ExtendBase for NetWare 386, works with existing databases to...

The latest in designer databases. (Cadre Technologies Inc.'s DB Designer program development software) (Client/Server Advisor; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... From Cadre Technologies comes DB Designer, a new power tool for designing and re-engineering relational databases. Through innovative technologies, DB Designer brings a high degree of automation to all aspects of relational database design....

Database confidential.
May 1, 1992... The pedal's to the metal at Nantucket to get Matt Whelan's Compiler Kit, dBASE IV Edition out the door. Buzz hears that some beta testers have been promised free copies of Clipper 5 if they give the Kit a thorough workout -- fast. What's the...

Calendar of events.
May 1, 1992... TEXPO '92 -- A data and voice communications conference. May 5-7, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA, (800) 462-8397, (714) 999-8939. International DB2 Users Group Conference -- Meetings of special interest groups, panel...

Clipper 5.1. (Bugs and Fixes) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Compiling Why does the following scenario produce the runtime error: "Error BASE/1003 Variable does not exist: nVar"? ** Mainprg.prg ** Compile /w/b CLS DEMO () ** Subprg.prg ** Compile /w/b STATIC nVar := 1 FUNCTION DEMO () ? nVar...

FoxPro 2.0. (Bugs and Fixes) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... dBASE data compatibility In Foxpro 2.0, the evaluation of a non-existent date like {02/31/91} returns an empty date or {//}. dBASE III PLUS, dBASE IV, and some other Xbase dialects perform internal date arithmetic in such situations...

Microsoft bags Fox! (Microsoft Corp. proposes to buy Fox Software Inc.) (Editor on the Go) (Editorial)
May 1, 1992... What if the person who said that was Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corp.? It wasn't a complete surprise, yet it wasn't expected either. But it's happened. Rumored for years (and almost done two years ago), Microsoft has agreed to buy...

Fieldworks Development Corp. (FieldWorks Purge, FieldWorks Cleanup, FieldWorks Editor; add-in/on software for Paradox data base management software) (Test drives; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... FieldWorks Development Corp. is shipping several Paradox add-in modules. FieldWorks Purge now allows you to find, mark, and delete duplicate data in a single batch run, or examine four fields of any data type in up to 12 tables of any...

Visible Systems Corp. (SQL Capture, a new reverse engineering feature for the Visible Analyst Workbench 4.2 client/server computer-aided engineering tool) (Test drives; Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
May 1, 1992... Visible Systems Corp. added a reverse engineering capability to Visible Analyst Workbench (VAW) 4.2, their PC-based client/server CASE tool. The new feature, SQL Capture, allows users to create data models from existing database structures....

Clip2 3270 lets Clipper Work out with big iron. (Dabiwa Ltd. Clip2 program development software) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
May 1, 1992... IBM was perhaps first to attempt cooperative processing with 3270 PCs when they came up with a set of interfaces allowing it to read from and write to 327x mainframe screens (the basic dumb terminal architecture used to communicate with 37x...

AdHoc Q&R simplifies report generation. (Infogence Corp.'s report generator) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
May 1, 1992... No matter how easy it is to use some products, some people always need something simpler. With Paradox, I was impressed with how easy it was to set up complex inquires and reports (vis a vis dBASE III PLUS). However, I've subsequently run into...

Application development with Artful Two. (Artful Applications Inc.'s program development software) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
May 1, 1992... Before you read this, I have a confession to make--this is a glowing review. Artful Two, from Artful Applications, Inc., is a function library for developing robust, polished, complete database applications under Clipper 5. Before using...

Quality Software Management. (book by Gerald Weinberg) (Test Drives) (Brief Article)
May 1, 1992... Most developers want to create quality software, but don't always succeed. Written using a witty, engaging style, Gerald Weinberg's new book, Quality Software Management, should give you some new ideas about managing software projects to...

Choose your color. (Clipper 5.0 program development software) (Hardcore Clipper; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... I realized a long time ago that my choice in colors seemed strange to most users! They didn't like my choice of bright magenta on brown for menus, red on green for dialogue windows, and brown on blue for help text. Some users even preferred...

The improbable, impossible browse. (adding hot keys and hot legends to Fox Pro 2.0 data base management system for browsing at any time) (The Fox Files; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Our situation: The client had a form that had to be replicated exactly on screen. (Sound Familiar?) The form, however, wasn't concrete. As a variant of an invoice, it contained fixed information concerning where, when, and from whom the...

Drop-down menu systems. (dBASE IV data base management system; includes related article on the Escape key) (dBASE Developer; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Unlike menus, which always get their entire definition from the programmer, popups can be used in more than one way. You can define the popup like I showed you in April, or you can use several other options that dBASE IV provides. The...

Data Manager: two C tools in one. (Raima Corp.'s Data Manager 3.21 data base management system) (C/C++ Developer; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... C language application developers use the Raima Data Manager (version 3.21), previously known as db [underscore] Vista III, to gain access to databases. This C library provides a fast traditional relational database engine as well as a faster,...

Reports with embedded legends. (generating reports with Paradox data base management system) (Hands-On Paradox; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Paradox has a terrific report writer. However, it has its limits--count on users to find them. Suppose you've been asked to convert an older system such as a project review or purchase-order tracking system with some Paradox replacements....

Database NLMs - are they safe? (NetWare Loadable Modules) (Client/Server Advisor)
May 1, 1992... When Novell's NetWare 386 shipped in 1989, it included a powerful new feature that let users extend the operating system. This new facility was the NetWare Loadable Module, or NLM. NLMs can add a lot of functionality to NetWare, and NetWare...

The client/server benefit program. (Client/Server Advisor)
May 1, 1992... The success of a client/server-based application can vary depending on the initial investment the company makes on the client/server project. In today's economy, tight MIS budgets are the norm. Managers are often leery of the initial outlay of...

Build apps by pointing and clicking. (Spinnaker Software Corp.'s Personal Access text management software) (Client/Server Advisor) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Spinnaker Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., markets Personal Access as a personal query tool, but it can be used to build applications if you're willing to learn "Plus," its development environment. Using Personal Access 1.0,I completed a simple...

The economics of downsizing. (Client/Server Advisor)
May 1, 1992... Downsizing isn't easy or cheap, but there is a genuine opportunity to save money in the long run. There are many documented success stories of companies that have reduced their dependence on the mainframe (or unplugged it entirely!) and in the...

What OS/2 2.0 means for database developers. (IBM's OS/2 operating system) (Client/Server Advisor)
May 1, 1992... OS/2 2.0 is close to being out the door! Now the battle is on between IBM and the other 32-bit operating system contenders, including SUN's Solaris, the soon-to-be Microsoft NT, and various flavors of UNIX. If a company can dominate in the...

Optimizing your network for database rigors. (Network Solutions) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Databases and networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Optimizing their performance demands that both network administrators and database specialists examine the cause/effect relationship of databases running on networks. This article...

It lives! Why Computer Associates bought dBFast. (Computer Associates International Inc.'s dBFast compiler could be aggressive competitor against Borland International Inc.'s dBASE for Windows data base management system) (Database Report)
May 1, 1992... It's tough to get a handle on Computer Associates' purchase of dBFast. After all, we're talking here about the world's first or second largest independent software company, which, in the last year alone, has vigorously swallowed up such...

Protect your data! (Database Report) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... BOTTOM LINE In most cases, implementing a data protection strategy costs less than recreating data after it's damaged. Focus on these areas: 1. Take advantage of built-in components in your database management and network operating...

Why object-oriented is going to win. (Opinions)
May 1, 1992... As the advantages of object-based information management become increasingly apparent, consumers of information technology are being faced with a difficult dilemma: Do they buy a "pure" object database from one of the new object database...

Why we still need the relational model. (Opinions)
May 1, 1992... Object orientation is a methodology for thinking about application programming with objects as surrogates for real-world, physical entities. Its history comes from the world of simulation and, as such, object orientation has strong...

Getting resourceful. (using resource editors on software package for Microsoft Windows graphical user interface) (The Expert Series: Windows) (Column)
May 1, 1992... Unlike DOS programs that consist entirely of program code, Windows programs have two parts: code and resources. Resources are things such as menus, dialogs, bitmaps, icons, etc. When you buy a DOS program, if you don't like the way it...

A DBF from thin air. (creating data base files on dBASE IV data base management system) (The Expert Series: dBase IV; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Have you ever needed to create a database file from "thin air" from within your application without using external] programs, BIN routines, or having an existing DBF file to use with COPY STRUCTURE TO or CREATE..FROM? On a network, for...

Testing for table corruption. (adding the verify() routine to Paradox data base management system) (The Expert Series: Paradox; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Paradox tables become corrupted when some external failure occurs, such as a power irregularity, a severed network connection, or a flaky hard disk sector. Data in corrupted tables is often really intact, but the tables' internal record...

How we captured real-time data with Clipper. (using Clipper 5.0 program development software to capture real-time data) (Case Study)
May 1, 1992... When I was approached by BILTRITE INDUSTRIES to develop a real-time data acquisition system, I was initially a bit hesitant. Although I had some experience in real-time applications, I was certainly a bit rusty. I could take the standard...

Interactive output: plan your FoxPro route to results. (FoxPro 2.0 data base management system; includes related article on how to Use BROWSE and SELECTs Together for Special Effects) (FoxPro Basics; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... Welcome back to FoxPro Driver Education! In the last "lesson," you may have become a little impatient as we went over the parts of the car without starting the engine. Now let's go on a test drive and see how output and display are handled...

Multi-user record locking. (Paradox data base management system) (Paradox Basics; Column) (Tutorial)
May 1, 1992... When CoEditing a table, users can modify data using three basic actions user: add new records; change records; and delete records. Each action requires different locking and unlocking requirements. Let's look at each of them. Adding new...