swamprabbit
Technical User
I am new to the forum. In 1986, I bought a Kaypro computer running CPM and, for software, bought Wordstar and DBase. Using DBase's programming language, I wrote my own accounting system. When DOS came along, I converted to DOS. When Windows 95 came along, I converted to that. After several DBase versions, I finally settled on DBase III+ as the most useful to me, and I have been running it as a DOS app (along with Wordstar 6.0) ever since. Both ran successfully under Win95, Win98, Win 2000 Pro and, most recently, under XP Professional, v. 2002, Service Pack 1. Both run full screen, which is what I prefer.
I always run two computers, one for the net and one for work, to avoid corrupting my work files. On 5/30/03, I bought a new Net computer running XP Pro v. 2002, w/SP 1. It has an Intel 2.4GH processor and a 250GB hard drive, among other attributes. It runs both Wordstar and Dbase III+ as DOS apps full screen just fine. The only fault I have with it is the monitor sometimes blanks and has to be turned off and then on again to work. My techs (the ones who sold me the computer) can't seem to fix that.
On January 15, 2004, I bought a new work computer. It has a 2.79GHz Intel Xeon processor, a 120GB hard drive and is running Windows XP Professional, v. 2002, Service Pack 1.
MY PROBLEM: The new computer will run Wordstar full screen just fine, but will only run DBase III+ in a window. When I try to run it full screen, it gives me a black screen with a blinking while cursor in the upper left-hand corner, and I cannot exit without using the task manager. I have tried everything I know and the service techs here have tried everything, including fooling with the compatibility settings in Properties. Nothing works. The only thing I haven't tried to change is the buffer size, which is 50, and the number of buffers is 4.
What am I complaining about, you ask? Why not run DBase in a window?
When I run it in the window, there is some kind of lag between keystrokes and the screen, so that I end up with a lot of typo errors, like characters being typed on top of one another, forcing me to back up and correct them. It is a real hassle and slows my work substantially.
I could swap the Net and work computers, but I would not like to do that unless all else fails.
I have noticed that, although the operating systems tell me they are the same, the newer computer has a slightly different "Properties" pane than the one running on the Net computer. The compatability tab is slightly different, although it seems to offer the same choices. Could that be the problem?
One of the techs here has suggested that the problems lies with the processor.
Until I am driven to it, I do not plan to "upgrade" from DBase III+ to some kind of Windows database, for fear I won't be able to write all those utilities I routinely write daily to help manipulate the database. I have written literally thousands of programs in DBase for my accounting system, and I use DBase daily. I do not consider myself a programmer, but an enduser. I just like to write programs because it helps me in my work. I am an engineer, by the way, with an M.S. Most 17 year old kids, however, know more about computers than I do.
Any suggestions out there?
I always run two computers, one for the net and one for work, to avoid corrupting my work files. On 5/30/03, I bought a new Net computer running XP Pro v. 2002, w/SP 1. It has an Intel 2.4GH processor and a 250GB hard drive, among other attributes. It runs both Wordstar and Dbase III+ as DOS apps full screen just fine. The only fault I have with it is the monitor sometimes blanks and has to be turned off and then on again to work. My techs (the ones who sold me the computer) can't seem to fix that.
On January 15, 2004, I bought a new work computer. It has a 2.79GHz Intel Xeon processor, a 120GB hard drive and is running Windows XP Professional, v. 2002, Service Pack 1.
MY PROBLEM: The new computer will run Wordstar full screen just fine, but will only run DBase III+ in a window. When I try to run it full screen, it gives me a black screen with a blinking while cursor in the upper left-hand corner, and I cannot exit without using the task manager. I have tried everything I know and the service techs here have tried everything, including fooling with the compatibility settings in Properties. Nothing works. The only thing I haven't tried to change is the buffer size, which is 50, and the number of buffers is 4.
What am I complaining about, you ask? Why not run DBase in a window?
When I run it in the window, there is some kind of lag between keystrokes and the screen, so that I end up with a lot of typo errors, like characters being typed on top of one another, forcing me to back up and correct them. It is a real hassle and slows my work substantially.
I could swap the Net and work computers, but I would not like to do that unless all else fails.
I have noticed that, although the operating systems tell me they are the same, the newer computer has a slightly different "Properties" pane than the one running on the Net computer. The compatability tab is slightly different, although it seems to offer the same choices. Could that be the problem?
One of the techs here has suggested that the problems lies with the processor.
Until I am driven to it, I do not plan to "upgrade" from DBase III+ to some kind of Windows database, for fear I won't be able to write all those utilities I routinely write daily to help manipulate the database. I have written literally thousands of programs in DBase for my accounting system, and I use DBase daily. I do not consider myself a programmer, but an enduser. I just like to write programs because it helps me in my work. I am an engineer, by the way, with an M.S. Most 17 year old kids, however, know more about computers than I do.
Any suggestions out there?