How to make a .DAT browse box into a usable database app?

[murrayQuestions]

How can I make use of a .dat file that I can browse from within the dictionary window? I want to use it in my Database application but battle to find out how?

Thank you

 

[ShankarJ]

Hi Murray,

Do you know how to program in Clarion? If not, there are training courses/CDs offered by Soft Velocity

http://www.softvelocity.com.

If you want to try out on your own, I would suggest reading the Help/Manuals first (start with Getting Started) to get an idea followed by creating a dictionary and using that dictionary to WIZARD an Application. Also, what version of Clarion do you have?

Regards

 

[murrayQuestions]

I have used the app wizard and created a dictionary file, but how do I get my imported .dat file(which I can browse from the dictionary window)into the dictionary to use in the normal way. Creating an application with it's associate dictionary is easy. Get my .dat file to work with it, I do not understand?

 

[ShankarJ]

Hi Murray,

You did not say which version of Clarion you have as some feature will not be there in previous versions.

Anyway, to import a Table/File into a dictionary, you Click on FILE --> Import Table on the menu within the dictionary editor. Save the dictionary. Open a New Application, use the saved Dictionary file, make sure the Application Wizard is checked and allow Clarion to generate an Application based on the Dictionary tables i.e. it will generate a Browse/Form/Report for all the Tables in the Dictionary.

You can study the generated application and beautify it.

Regards

 

[murrayQuestions]

I have Clarion 2.0 and 6.0 Professional. I tried the above. I get the .dat file imported into Clarion but cannot get the wizard to accept my .dat file as the data for the table/forms.

 

[ShankarJ]

Hi Murray,

Since I cannot post images in this forum, I do not know how to explain the process. Let me try a step-by-step approach as I would do in Clarion 6.2 EE (the version I am using). I assume the DAT file is a file created by the CLARION file driver.

Creating a Dictionary
---------------------
- In the Clarion IDE, choose File -> New -> Dictionary.
- Choose the folder and the filename you want to give the dictionary and click on SAVE. You have now an Empty dictionary file.
- Choose File -> Import Table. Choose the File Driver as Clarion and click OK.
- Click the ... button and chose the DAT file to import and click OK.
- On the "Edit Table Properties" window, change as required and click OK. You now have one table in the Dictionary.
- Import other DAT file in a similar way and then click on the CLOSE button and save the changes. Now you have a saved Dictionary with the Tables in it.

Creating a Wizard application
-----------------------------
- In the Clarion IDE, choose File -> New -> Application.
- Choose the same folder where you saved the dictionary and click on SAVE.
- In the "Application Properties" window, click the ... button on the Dictionary file line and choose the dictionary file you created earlier. Make sure you have the "Application wizard" checkbox ticked and click OK. Make appropriate selections in the windows that popup and you have now an Wizarded Application file. Click File --> Save to save it. Click on Project -> Make & Run to compile the application into a EXE and run it.

Have fun.

Regards

P.S. : As much as I would like to help you, it is NOT possible to teach you Clarion through Forum Postings. So consider the training options I mentioned earlier.

 

[murrayQuestions]

Hi,

I got as far as creating the dictionary and the table, but the part where the apllication in the ide is created, I lost. Can you possibly go step by step on that too? I do not see the windows you are seeing. Be more explicit on what there names are and where they are(inside dictionary or inside application). I tried line for line but no luck.

 

[murrayQuestions]

Okay, I used 6.0 Professional and that worked but the wizard in the browse window where I can see all the records but is not searchable by different criteria. It has 1 column not 2 so I cannot sort items. The other (bigger) problem is, how do I get files from Excel into Clarion? I have strings of text 240 chatacters long and the method I use only take 64 characters. What I do is to save the file within Excel as a DBII file and from Clarion 2.0 for DOS, I import the DBII file and convert it to Clarion 2.0 For Windows as a Clarion type. This gives 64 Characters only.

 

[ShankarJ]

Hi Murray,

Clarion 2.0 is an OLD version. No point continuing in it.

Save files from Excel as a Text file or better still, buy EasyExcel from

http://www.ingasoftplus.com

to directly get the values from Excel. That way, you will not be limited to the 64 byte limitation of DBII nor would you have to do a 3-step conversion process.

Without knowing how to use the Clarion IDE and program in Clarion, you are going up a steep hill.

Regards