Alaska xBase++ Limitations?

[GriffMG]

Hi All,

I have a large app, which I a) didn't think could be converted and b) now have to! from Clipper 5.0x into xBase++. Most of it is going ok.

I have xBase 1.30, and one headache at the moment.

When I have all my tables and indexes open - and then create a couple of extra temporary ones for reporting the '?' and '??' commands stop working as they should and both behave as '??'. I've tried using the inbuilt xBase QOut() and QQOut() functions instead - but they do the same thing.

Silly though it may sound, I've cooked up a temporary work around by dropping one of the open tables that isn't required for the report - this is ok as far as it goes, but now I'm worried that there might be other 'gotchas' like this that might not be so easy to find. Does anyone have any ideas?

Much appreciated

Martin

Regards

Griff
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[Bozz]

If it is a bug then looking at the latests (1.82) version may solve your problems. You could always just issue ?? and add a chr(10)+chr(13) on the end.

Ian Boys
DTE Systems Ltd

 

[GriffMG]

Hi Ian,

I can't just add the CrLf - because I don't know (for certain) when it's going to do it! And with it being a little obscure (the link between number of tables/fields/variables and not printing the crlf) I am a little scared that there may be other 'side effects' - perhaps the maths won't work properly, or some other function will behave erratically... PadL padding to the right instead or not at all!

I spent a while thinking about the problem over the weekend and - based on my workaround - reckon this is some kind of variable limitation (I don't know how many variables are allowed off hand).

I've to order the latest version for my client anyway, so perhaps it will just 'go away' - my version 1.3 is more than a couple of years old.

Thanks for your thoughts though

Regards

Griff
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[wildcard]

Hi,

Had a similar problem with old version of xBASE++. This
has been completly resolved since I went up to the latest version 1.82.

Because I plan for the application to be around for a long
time into the future I also put some effort into
using the Windows Printers and specifying different
fonts so that users see a seamless Windows solution with
fancy fonts that impress their users and customers.
The best way I found to do this was so spend a little extra
and get eXPress++ from Donnay-Software... this provided
exactly what was needed but the result was less than
perfect until I changed all of my '?' and '??' entries to
@ nRow,nCol DCSAY "my text" and DCEJECT()

Now, the end result is stunning! No more limitation of DOS
printers (LPT1, LPT2, etc)... every network printer is
available for selection and all the printer attributes and
fonts for the selected printer are transparent to the application.

You say you 'have to' convert the application.
Therefore it is worth doing the job properly. Get the latest xBASE++ and the comparable latest version of eXPress++ and enjoy the benefits. And... If you contact Alaska-Software.com quickly they have a special upgrade deal at the moment that will save you several hundred dollars.

Jim Wild
T/A Wildcard Systems - New Zealand

 

[GriffMG]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for all your thoughts, I have 1.8x on it's way this week. My client is not likely to fund the eXPress though, not in the short term.

I have, I think, an advantage in that the reports are written using udf to produce fancy fonts, lines and so forth - in HP PCL. At the moment that all goes to a file which is read by a package from Lincoln called PageView, once there the users can print to anything - so there is no rush to convert.

I 'have' to complete the basic transfer from the DOS based version to a completely interoperable 32 Bit one by next Monday - so revising the reports at this point is not a goer!

Once the client has bedded in the new version, complete with some windows features (push-button menus, pop-ups and splash screens) it may be that in order to impress THEIR clients - they find the odd 50K to complete the exercise. Then again, it's a 10 year old package with 100,000 lines of code and maybe they won't!

Thanks for your help.

Incidently, while doing this I have come across a great 'freebie' from a guy called Ashok, by including a .ch and some very minor mods to the code - you can get your @ SAY GET stuff with Windows bits! not the DOS style ones! so apart from a few niggles with clear gets... it looks nicer, quicker!

Regards

Griff
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[wildcard]

Griff,

Have been away - sorry - lateness, etc
Thanks for the tip - eXPress++ fortunately included
similar functions all set up in .CH files.

By now your new 32bit yeehaw Windows version is up
and running and everyone is ecstatic - right?

Some feedback from your client would interest me.
Your feedback after this exercise would interest me
even more!! I also have 10-15 year old packages
with 100,000 lines plus of code and have received
very positive feedback from users after migration
to xBase++

Cheers,
Jim

 

[GriffMG]

Jim,

Just back from 'the other office'... I do have a message from my client on the answering machine, but it is too short to assess much - except that there are 'problems', otherwise unspecified!

Monday will tell.

Thanks for your thoughts

Martin

Regards

Griff
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[GriffMG]

Jim,

A follow-up to my previous queries...

The client accepted the system about a week ago, but only got round to trying it multi-user this week and it runs like a dog compared to Clipper when there is more than one user!

I've upgraded to 1.82 and it isn't any better, are there any tricks to getting xbase++ to run quick on a network?

TIA

Martin

PS I found a reference to the ?/?? problem in the alaska KB - it says there is no known workaround for this problem!

I have cooked up a solution though, I add a chr(1) and a space to the beginning of each line then process for it's presence when printing

Regards

Griff
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