HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: monty@blackhole.lerc.nasa.gov (Monty Andro)
Subject: File/Record locking in Foxpro 2.0
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Distribution: comp
Date: 16 Nov 92 04:35:50


Hello,

I have a few questions on a group of Foxpro commands that auto lock
files and records like READ, SHOW GETS, etc ...  These commands lock
the record or file before executing.  Do these same commands unlock
the record or file after they complete?  If these same commands unlock
the record after completion, do all other previously placed locks on
other records get released in addition to the one placed by the
command?

Any help on my above questions would be greatly appreciated.

Monty
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: barjun@leland.Stanford.EDU (ASHWIN BULCHANDANI)
Subject: Recommendation for DBMS
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 08:15:50 GMT



Hi.

I am trying to decide which (R)DBMS to use with a number of Novell Networked
PCs for my business.  Has anyone had significant problems/good experiences with
any products.

Thanks very much,

Please reply directly to barjun@leland.stanford.edu





-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Ashwin "Timeslice" Bulchandani
                         barjun@leland.stanford.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Garth_Johnson@mindlink.bc.ca (Garth Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Clipper s87 - Need BIG cursor
Date: 22 Nov 92 19:16:30 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada

Help!

A program of mine is now being run on a laptop computer, (MONO VGA), and the
user can not find the underscore cursor.

What I need is a BIG block cusor instead of the default _ underscore.

I have tried using Norton Control Center, and a couple of other programs that
redefine the cursor size, but after the light bar menu appears,
(Prompt/Menu),
the cursor is reset to the standard underscore character.

Is there a simple way of defining a cursor that will not be reset by the
Prompt/Menu combination every time.

All help is greatly appreciated!

- Garth
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: raz@opus.freac.fsu.edu ()
Subject: Unify RDBMS error
Followup-To: comp.databases
Organization: FSU/FREAC/CAR
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 15:12:14 GMT


	We were making some changes to the database schema
	and before making the changes Unify asked whether we
	wanted to make a backup.  We answered yes and the
	program proceeded to make the backup.  A few moments
	later we got an error saying...

						Read rec : error

	And the database stopped...

	Does anyone have and idea of what's going on?

	We're running SCO Xenix 2.3 and Unify RDBMS v 4.0.

Thanks in advance!
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: aahz@netcom.com (Mean Green Dancing Machine)
Subject: Re: Query by example?
Organization: Don't blame me, I voted for Bill 'n' Opus
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 02:16:32 GMT

In article <4669@cruzio.santa-cruz.ca.us> rhaven@cruzio.santa-cruz.ca.us writes:
>
>One note: QBE cannot do as many sub-query operations as SQL can; one
>often has to link several QBE Queries together to get complete 
>summary information, for example.

You mean that Paradox's QBE can't do sub-queries as well as SQL; that
doesn't mean that someone can't come up with some new QBE syntax that
would allow such operations.
-- 
                         --- Aahz (the *other* Dan Bernstein)
                             @netcom.com 

Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6

Trying to be happy is like trying to build a machine for which the only
specification is that it should run noiselessly.
From: mancini@fermat.cs.jhu.edu (Todd A. Mancini)
Subject: Re: Does the -space option work for any Paradox users?
Organization: Johns Hopkins Computer Science Department, Baltimore, MD
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 18:46:15 GMT

In article <1eh6g3INN6lk@matt.ksu.ksu.edu> jeffs@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Jeff Smith) writes:
>I'm still trying to get better speed performance out of Paradox 4.0.
>I have written a very simple application using the workshop.
>It only uses 2 tables, and the menu only has 2 options.
>
>Anyways I heard of messing with the -codepool argument and in
>the Paradox User's Guide page 699 it says you can use the
>-space option and it will print out its current memory allocation.
>
>This does not happen for me....  It seems like there might be
>something that gets flashed on the bottom right corner, but
>there is no way to see it.
>

It is important to remember that the output of -space only
appears (as far as I can tell) when you are in main mode with the
standard paradox menu showing (and running under the 4.0 User Interface).

So, if you have an application running which is using its own menus and
canvas on the workspace, you will not see the output of -space.  Try exiting
your application back to the main paradox menu, and you should see the
details you want.

Back in 3.5 I simply added a MESSAGE command to many of my modules and a global
MEM_DEBUG variable which gave me similar output to -space of 4.0.  If you
need to track memory when your application is running, this is one way.  In
fact, in 4.0, you could dedicate a window to holding the memory status, and
frequently updating it.


Xref: sparky comp.databases:7992 comp.databases.oracle:2261
From: dsp92+@pitt.edu (Huang Chichou)
Newsgroups: comp.databases,comp.databases.oracle
Subject: ORACLE vs. R:BASE
Date: 20 Nov 92 22:33:20 GMT
Followup-To: comp.databases
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: dsp92@unixd1.cis.pitt.edu

Hi Netters,

I am new in this group.  And I have been working on persuding my boss to
use Oracle instead of R:Base for our new medical studies.  R:Base has been
using for one study for some time.  The study has enjoyed it because it is 
much inexpensive and it runs on DOS (no fear for DBAs and users  
learning OS like Unix).  My concerns are 1> the capacity that Oracle provides
so that for the studies to come, we will have the capability to 
accommidate all of them (or most of them); 2> The security levels Oracle
provides; 3>The multi-platform OS that Oracle supports;  4>The documentation
ability; 5> The ease of expansion.  

At this point, I need input on Oracle vs. R:Base.  I have a little experience
about ORACLE in installation and configuration but not extensive.
 
Please send me Email at ydfst@vulture.lis.pitt.edu or post your response
on this news group.

All opinions are welcome.

p.s. I will be the DBA for the new Database.

Thanks in advance.

-Jessica Hsieh
From: eb@felix.Sublink.Org (Enrico Badella)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Is ERWIN information modelling tool still available?
Date: 19 Nov 92 17:56:09 GMT
Organization: Soft*Star s.r.l, Torino, Italy

Recently I was shown the manual of a information modelling tool
called ERWIN created by Logic Works Inc. Apparently ERWIN runs 
on DOS and uses IDEFIX. 

Has anyone used this object? I'd be interested in evaluating it on
a Sun 4 platform as a low cost case.

If you know how to reach Logic Works Inc please drop me a note.

Thank you


-- 
Enrico Badella				Internet: eb@felix.sublink.org
Soft*Star s.r.l.			          eb@icnucevx.cnuce.cnr.it
Via Camburzano 9			Phone:    +39-11-746092
10143 Torino, ITALY			Fax:      +39-11-746487
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: Q3885@pucc.Princeton.EDU
Subject: Paradox 4.0 and an Application Workshop problem
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 14:47:25 GMT

I'm having a problem with Paradox 4.0's Application Workshop.
From within an application I am designing, I am trying to allow the
modification of a predefined Graph.  If I run a script (or a PROC 'tried both')
like the following:  "Menu {Image} {Graph} {Modify}", I get an error
from the Workshop as follows:
 
  " Workshop aborted!  System Mode was not left in Main or Coedit mode."
 
Does anybody know a fix for this or a way around this.  I want to be
able to edit a graph's titles from within the Application.
 
Help much appreciated.  (Note: Already called Borland on this, they weren't
                               very helpful)
 
Phillip M. Immordino......Manager of Equipment Installations..................
Princeton University...Computing and Information Technology..Technical Support.
171 Broadmead.............Princeton, NJ 08544................USA..............
Phones...Voice: (609)-258-6780 or x6069....FAX:  (609)-258-1930...............
Internet: Q3885@PUCC.Princeton.EDU....NeXT Mail: pimmo@citlab3.Princeton.EDU..
Applelink: U1596..............Novell Pegasus Mail: Phil@techbill.Princeton.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: joet@dcatlas.dot.gov (Joe Trott)
Subject: Re: Query by example?
Organization: U.S Dept. of Transportation
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 21:18:16 GMT

gary@delfin.com (Gary Bartow) writes:

>I just heard the phrase "Query By Example" and was wondering if anyone knew 
what it was all about.  It seems to be a technique to help users form their
queries more precisely.

Basically, Query-By-Example lets users type in examples of the data they
are trying to find.  In a procedural language, for example, a query is
more like a programming statement, e.g.:

print report2 where state eq "MD" and zipcode ne "212*" and amount ge 12500

In QBE, a table or even a user defined form appears, and the user directly
types in his criteria in the appropriate fields, e.g. "MD" in state,
NOT "212*" in zipcode, and >12500 in amount.

(This was a simple example; they can get more complex, but you see how much
easier QBE can be to the typical non-programming (l)user)

It isn't really a matter of precision, but one of ease, however something
that is easier will presumably produce less mistakes, so maybe it *is* more
precise sometimes.

By the way, please break your lines at somewhere around 72 characters.  Joke
editors like VI that don't have reasonable cursor movement keys are difficult
to use on such messages; the screen shows multiple lines, but VI just beeps
at any attempt to move DOWN :(.

-JTT
From: birgenom@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (T.B. Shows/ Maureen Sion)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Using memo fields in FOXPRO2 reports
Date: 18 Nov 92 20:00:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

I would like to print out a memo field in a report using foxpro 2.0
is this possible and if so how ?

THanks in advance,
Maureen
Birgenom@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: marti@nugget.inf.ethz.ch (Robert Marti)
Subject: Re: Normalizing 2NF -> 3NF
Organization: Dept. Informatik, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, CH
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 08:10:19 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.135135.3108@odin.diku.dk>, elgaard@diku.dk
(Niels Elgaard Larsen) writes:
|> marti@nugget.inf.ethz.ch (Robert Marti) writes:
|> >[...]  Yhe solution with R'(A*,B) and R"(B*,C) is much better than
|> >the other one with R'(A*,B) and R"(A*,C).  Why?  Well, if you
|> >perceive an FD B -> C in the real world, you probably would
|> >like your system to enforce this integrity constraint. [...]  The
|> >simplest (and in some systems still the _only_) way to enforce an
|> >FD is to make its left hand side a key for a relation consisting of
|> >the attributes listed on both its left and right hand side.
|> 
|> Yes, but this might not be efficient. Fx, if there are two groups of users
|> that wants to see an (A,B) and an (A,C) view resp., it requires a lot of
|> unnecessary joins. Eg, (A,B,C) == (Name,Address,Phone#). You typically look up
|> addresses from names and phone-numbers from names---not phone# from addresses.
|> 
|> A DBMS should be able to check other integrity constraints than primary keys. 

Agreed, they _should_.  But like I said, many (still) don't.  And
since you raise the issue of efficiency, I'd just like to point out
that the R'(A*,B), R"(A*,C) solution requires that you join R' and R"
in order to check the FD B -> C which in turn is much more expensive
than a solution with a unique index.  So it all boils down on the
access patterns.  (I know, you siad this yourself in your earlier
posting.

Finally, I'd be very surprised if the FD Address -> Phone# held indeed
in Denmark.  It certainly doesn't in Switzerland.

-- 
Robert Marti                    |  Phone:    +41 1 254 72 60
Informationssysteme             |  FAX:      +41 1 262 39 73
ETH-Zentrum                     |  E-Mail:   marti@inf.ethz.ch
CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland     |
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: rex@iqsc.COM (Rex Black)
Subject: Re: Report Generator...
Organization: IQ Software Corp.
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 01:46:02 GMT

Jose M. Febus writes:
>	I am a clipper 5.01a programmer and i am tried of
>beaing coding LONG, LONG, LONG reports. Please let me know
>if there is a program that can create reports sources or a
>library to help me.

Our product, Intelligent Query w/ IQ Access, can help you out, Jose.
It works with ISAMs and SQLs on VAX, DOS and Unix systems.  If you 
want more details about it, call (404) 446-8880.

Rex
Newsgroups: comp.databases,comp.databases.ingres
From: cs_mj@gsbacd.uchicago.edu (Mark Jaeger)
Subject: Re: Ingres questions
Organization: 
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 22:31:20 GMT

In article <25987@sybase.sybase.com>, wong@sybase.com (J. Wong) writes:
> In article <1992Nov11.180040.7771@dcatlas.dot.gov> sethg@dcatlas.dot.gov 
> (Seth Grimes) writes:
>>I don't know of any workaround other than vertically partitioning your tables.
>>On the other hand, Ingres 6.5 to be released in the spring will support BLOBs
>>and presumably remove the 2000-byte limit (based on Ingres's current page
>>size of 2048 bytes) on general fields.
> 
> Wrong!  INGRES 6.5 will support BLOBs as columns, but will not remove the 2000
> byte limit on tuple size.

That's my understanding also.  You will be able to have a table with a
BLOB column, and that column takes n bytes as part of a row (where n is
small, say, less than 20), but the _data_ returned for the column is a
BLOB type (i.e., very large).  What's really stored in the table itself
is not the BLOB value, but rather just a pointer to it.  

If I understand things correctly, you'll still be limited to an absolute
maximum of 2008 bytes per row (2048 less 40 byte per page overhead),
counting a BLOB as n bytes (from above).

It probably was not prohibitively hard for Ingres to implement this,
since it probably involved use of the Object Manager and creation of a
new INGRES datatype.  They might have had to make changes to the ADF
(abstract data facility) and the GCC code (communications) to support
the possibility of so much more data being passed back and forth.  

The 2000-byte limit is so ingrained in LAR (the logging and recovery
system) that it's probably a _much_ more difficult limit to break.

--Mark Jaeger				internet: cs_mj@gsbvax.uchicago.edu
Graduate School of Business		yellnet:  (312) 702-0328
University of Chicago			faxnet:   (312) 702-0233
Disclaimer: My opinions are my own and not those of my employer.
Ich bin ein Virus.  Mach' mit und kopiere mich in Deine .signature.

Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: mikef@som.yale.edu (Michael Fanara)
Subject: Re: How About COMP.DATABASES.PARADOX ?
Organization: Yale University School of Management
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 16:38:01 GMT

 I think that a seperate group for Paradox would be an excellent idea.  I've
spent days, that's right days, trying to get through to Borland Tech Support.
When I'm developing a application like I'm doing now, I can't wait days.  I've
also just signed up for a Compuserve account because that's the only other 
source available for Paradox.  Also, I'm the only person in my department who
knows PAL, so I can't bounce problems off fellow workers.  

Access to the USENET is a very easy task for me and would prove to be an
invaluable service to me.

Just my $.02 worth.


S
Mike Fanara
Network Administrator
Computer Services Department
Yale School of Management
Mikef@Homey.Som.Yale.Edu

Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: trupti@octel.com (Trupti Mehta)
Subject: Displaying real time in Foxpro
Keywords:  Foxpro time
Organization: Octel Communications Inc., Milpitas Ca.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 22:15:43 GMT

I am evaluating feasibilty of using FOxPro for an application, and I need to 
know how FoxPro handles real time.
	Is it possible to display real time on the screen with other 
application running on the rest of the screen? Also, is there a concept of 
timer interrupt/ event so that application can be terminated on the interrupt ?
	Another question not related to real time, Is it possible to highlight 
a text button from the values in the database, when displaying the buttons?

Thanks in advance,
Trupti.



Trupti Mehta
Octel Communications Corporation
890 Tasman Drive
Milpitas  CA 95035
{vsi1,aeras,uunet}!octel!trupti


-- 
Trupti Mehta
Octel Communications Corporation
890 Tasman Drive
Milpitas  CA 95035
{vsi1,aeras,uunet}!octel!trupti
From: DVaz@cup.portal.com (David D Vazquez)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Normalizing 2NF -> 3NF
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 92 16:56:09 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: world
  <1992Nov16.135135.3108@odin.diku.dk> <69674@cup.portal.com>
  <1ejt9qINN340@hrd769.brooks.af.mil>

Dave Burges writes:

>  One of the references I use when I teach this course (Mary E.S. Loomis) says
:
>"A relation is in 'third normal form' if, and only if, it is in 2NF and no 
>non-key attribute is ''transitively dependent'' on the primary key."
>

Exact definition I learned for 3NF.

>  A Student/Dormitory relationships might be a good example of the original 
>question.  R1(A,B,C) == (Student Name, Dorm, Dorm Address), where every
>student has a room in a dormitory.  The Address of the dorm is Functionally
>Dependent on the Dormitory (yes, or vice versa, it's only an example), not
>the student name.  In addition, every student is in a dorm.  This relation
>is NOT in 3NF.  The dependency between R1(A) and R1(C) is transitive (at best)
>based on the value of R1(B).
>
>|
>|It may make that specific query faster, but it can wind up costing you more
>|disk space.  While R1(A*,B) and R2(A*,C) are in 3NF given the above stated FD
s
>,
>|you will have alot of redundant (repeated) data (3NF is supposed to solve thi
s
>|correct?).
>|
>
>  Where is the redundancy?  In the foreign key element?  That is where your
>cardinality will help determine the actual implementation, but we are talking
>Form Normalization, not implementation.  In normalization, the concepts of 
>query speed and disk space have no place.  Save them for the physical
>implementation phase.
>

I agree, but physically implemented tables generally tend to look alot like 
their abstractly designed  relatives.   You can also save alot of time and
headaches if you implement your tables just like they've been designed.  Just
think, you've spent 7 hours designing a database only to have your programmer/
implementor spend another 7 hours trying to figure out the better implementa-
tion (and for something silly like R1(A*,B)/R2(A*,C) vs. R1(A*,B)/R2(B*,C).
The database implementor shouldn't have to make these kinds of decisions!  
Supertype/subtype and recursive relationship implementation should be the exten
t
of implementation issues.

'Redundancy?', you ask.  Given R(Student, Dorm, Dorm Address); if you implement
as R1(Student, Dorm) and R2(Student, Dorm Address), you are repeating values
of Dorm Address for each student as well as not enforcing Dorm -> Dorm Address
(or vice versa); you'd have to do some extra coding..  Also, you'd need two
copies of Student's names (one to find the dorm and one to find the dorm's 
address); this is a waste.

The problem I see is that you never have one correct answer when it comes to
getting a database into 3NF.  Should there be one, maybe?

>TSgt Dave Burgess
>NCOIC, AL/MIS
>Brooks AFB, TX

  -Dave. "dvaz@cup.portal.com and dvazquez@sdiserv.cs.uno.edu"
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: aahz@netcom.com (Mean Green Dancing Machine)
Subject: Re: Paradox 4.0 and an Application Workshop problem
Organization: Don't blame me, I voted for Bill 'n' Opus
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 18:42:56 GMT

In article <168A589AE.Q3885@pucc.Princeton.EDU> Q3885@pucc.Princeton.EDU writes:
>I'm having a problem with Paradox 4.0's Application Workshop.
>From within an application I am designing, I am trying to allow the
>modification of a predefined Graph.  If I run a script (or a PROC 'tried both')
>like the following:  "Menu {Image} {Graph} {Modify}", I get an error
>from the Workshop as follows:
> 
>  " Workshop aborted!  System Mode was not left in Main or Coedit mode."
> 
>Does anybody know a fix for this or a way around this.  I want to be
>able to edit a graph's titles from within the Application.
> 
>Help much appreciated.  (Note: Already called Borland on this, they weren't
>                               very helpful)

Tech Support would not be able to give you much help with this, unless
you were already a proficient PAL programmer.  *You* need to take
responsibility for ensuring that you return to Workshop in the same
state that you left it.  This means doing one of two things:

1)  Go into ECHO NORMAL and use a GETCHAR()/GETEVENT loop, or

2)  Use an ACCEPT to get the title and use TYPEIN to put it into the
graph.

Then you need to return back to Main mode.
-- 
                         --- Aahz (the *other* Dan Bernstein)
                             @netcom.com 

Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6

Trying to be happy is like trying to build a machine for which the only
specification is that it should run noiselessly.
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: dtodd@titan.ucc.umass.edu (David M. Todd)
Subject: Re: AREV MULTIVALUE Symbolics
Keywords: AREV MULTIVALUE SYMBOLIC
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 14:24:06 GMT

In article <cpetersn.722406918@vincent2.iastate.edu> cpetersn@iastate.edu (Clifton R Peterson) writes:
>This should be as simple as using the following oconv[ersion]
>
>"MD02" 
>
>which displays zero decimal points but divides the number by 100 before
>applying the zero decimal place rule.
>
>Clif

Right you are--almost.  Should be "MD20".  And it does work on
multivalues.  I remember struggling with "scale" (the last digit in
the conversion) when I was trying to figure out how to round off
numbers.  I never figured out that 0 would maintain the decimal
position from the original value.  This is such a common operation
that it should at least be clearly and explicitly documented and
indexed.

Thanks Clif.  I can simplify some of my routines now.


|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ David M. Todd ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
|Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 USA|
|Phone: 413/545-0158 ___ <DTodd@Titan.ucc.UMass.EDU> _____  Fax: 413/545-0996|
From: rhaven@cruzio.santa-cruz.ca.us
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Reading list for Query Theory
Keywords: Query QBE SELECT SQL relational
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 22:08:23 PST
Reply-To: rhaven@cruzio.santa-cruz.ca.us


I'm looking for a reading list to learn more about the mechanics, theory,
techniques, and practices on relational database queries.  I have a good
grasp of the practical uses of QBE and SQL, but I want both a more general
theoretical grounding and also an understanding of the state of the art
of implimentation.  I can deal with C++ and OOPs as well as general
algorithms.  Please include the publisher with your suggestions.

Thank you
From: yfeng@tssmed.hsc.usc.edu (Jeffrey Feng)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: dBase IV label and report generating problems
Date: 17 Nov 1992 11:31:13 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: tssmed.hsc.usc.edu

I have a problem with dBase IV label and report generating programs.
It seems to me the trim function is not working properly because
the trailing blanks in the labels are not eliminated. This is the same
with the report generating program. dBase III Plus does not have this problem.
Anyone has any suggestions on this?

Another question regarding dBase IV. Is there a linking program to make
*.dbo files into OS executable programs?

Your ideas will be highly appreciated.