dB iV 'forgets' records in dbf file but not in Index file!

[df2ss]

Hello everybody!
Cannot help myself anymore, found this forum. Hope for help!
We have dbase IV V2.0. A network using netware 4 server, all workstations Win98SE. All our invoicing etc. is done by a quite huge self-written dbase application. What happens when different workstations access the same databases, i.e. different workstations are writing invoices: suddenly crazy error message appear. The reason always is that a record is missing in the dbf file, but NOT in the MDX or NDX file.
But is WAS there. Example: writing an invoice creates a new record. Some other *.prg prints the invoice. So the record must have been there...
But then suddenly the record has gone... Then the index file points to EOF or some other record - crash!
After reindex every thing is fine.
I have NO more clue at all. As I understand it cannot be a mistake in a .prg file.

The problem happens since some weeks and its a TERRIBLE problem. It happens only if two or more workstations do the same thing. I could not find any changes made to our software/hardware some weeks ago.
But: last year we made a trial setup of a WinXP workstation, trying to get it running with dbase. In fact we succeeded to get dbase running on XP. But then the same problem appeared (with the XP workstn only).
We immediately shut down the XP workstn and forgot the whole story.

I am quite desperate already.... dont dare to leave the company for holidays as there is no other dbase programmer here!

Thanks for any help and hints!
Volkmar

 

[Blorf]

You are using Win98 yes?

Is there any chance that one of your work stations is using smartdrive in the dos shell when you run DBase?


ChaZ

There Are 10 Types Of People In The world:
Those That Understand BINARY And Those That Don’t.

http://mysite.verizon.net/res0n4sv/

 

[df2ss]

Yes win98.

Have checked the autoexec.bat of EVERY workstation, none has a smartdrv.exe invoked.
Thanks
Volkmar

 

[Blorf]

Then I am stumpped.

Can you determine if it's any one of the machines causing it?

ChaZ

There Are 10 Types Of People In The world:
Those That Understand BINARY And Those That Don’t.

http://mysite.verizon.net/res0n4sv/

 

[df2ss]

Thats what we tried the last weeks but we could not isolate a machine.
Hope you pull out some more good ideas from somewhere...
Thanx
Volkmar

 

[Blorf]

I don't know if this will solve it, but I would consider forcing the users to shut down windows, and run in dos only, instead of running a dos shell under win 98, and see if that does any good.

ChaZ

There Are 10 Types Of People In The world:
Those That Understand BINARY And Those That Don’t.

http://mysite.verizon.net/res0n4sv/

 

[df2ss]

Hi,
sorry thats impossible... they have many other applications i.e. Outlook running... and this dbase is needed all the day, it contains our customers/articles etcetc...
And finally it might be quite a prob to find the right drivers to get the wokstns hooked up to the server in DOS mode...
Maybe there is a better idea?
Volkmar