hi, I'm trying to adapt some old db3+ prg into wider screen size,
could be 1024x768 or whatever superior to original 640x480 -only 80x25 col/lines-
this is all I need >>> MORE LINES AND COLUMNS!
POSSIBLE or not????
if not, what is the soft to migrate to??
dbase4-clipper-dbaseplus-visual dbase?????
thanks
Carlos
  

Try the various suggestions here in thread290-1137622: DBase opens in small window
 

Older dBase programs such as yours were written for the DOS environment before Window became a popular standard.  Therefore you are limited to certain limits.  Filenames must be in the 8.3 format, screens default to 80x25, not aware of Windows screen sizes Windows-installed printer drivers, etc.

You may want to try this command to give you more lines, there are more options but these are of most interest to you.  Sorry, you're stuck with the 80 column limit.

SET DISPLAY TO VGA25  && 25 lines (default)
SET DISPLAY TO VGA43  && 43 lines
SET DISPLAY TO VGA50  && 50 lines

There are newer versions of dBase you can buy that are Windows-aware but it would likely require some rewriting.

Be aware it is a bit of a niche market. Even Microsoft Visual FoxPro (version 9) which was even more popular is no longer being actively developed except by extensions added by developers and open source add-ons.

THANKS DBMARK!!
please what about "there are more options"
and tell me about"newer versions of dBase that are Windows-aware " little rewriting, please

hi dbMark
i've tried in db3plus
-SET DISPLAY TO VGA50  
and NOT KNOWN message appeared
-looked in the help SET TO COMMANDS HELP and there's no SET DISPLAY TO VGA50  ??
may be in DBASEIV?
regards

 

Those commands work in dBase 5 for DOS.  Could you type at the prompt "HELP SET DISPLAY" and see whether the help menu recognizes it and can list valid options?

Really, if you will do any major amount of programming, you should get newer software that is much more capable in so many ways.

You can browse www.dBase.com to determine whether you want to upgrade to a version of Visual dBase.  I'm more familiar with FoxPro, a dBase near-lookalike in the 1980s that was bought by Microsoft in the mid-1990s and developed into Visual FoxPro.  It has many more developers than dBase.  The Visual FoxPro forum here is very active.

forum184: Microsoft: Visual FoxPro
forum182: Microsoft: FoxPro (old versions 1 to 2.6)

Hi imag3d

Try this :
SET DISPLAY TO EGA43  or
SET DISPLAY TO EGA50

Default is EGA25

It will run fine.

Regards.

 

hi dbmark,
thanks for your interest
I've tried SET DISPLAY ....
AND GOT ERROR MESSAGE "error sintax..."
then looked for all SET COMMANDS and didn't find it!!!
perhaps not db3plus command????
regards
  

It's possible you would have to consult the manual or try typing which may or may not give you a list to select from:

HELP SET

SET DISPLAY TO EGA43
 * or *
SET DISPLAY TO EGA50
 

I know dBase 5 for DOS has it.  I skimmed the sales on eBay and didn't see any there.  It may be hard to find.  You may want to consider dBase 5.0.5 for Windows or maybe 5.5 would be more solid?  They seem affordable. Likely the Windows versions may mean you'd have to do some rewrite (unless they have a compatibility mode to use only DOS logic, just a wild guess).

dBase 3 Plus (dBase III+) only knows 80x25.  dBase IV knows EGA35, and maybe 43 & 50.  dBase 5 for DOS knows VGA50.  dBase is up to dBase Plus v 2.7 and is available at www.dbase.com.  It's a whole new beast writing for windows, but much of the language is similar.

Mike.