HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: accdak@vaxa.hofstra.edu
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: About Dataflex
Date: 24 Jan 93 17:31:45 EST

I've used Dataflex on and off for about .. jeez, can it really be 7 years?
Yup.  

place where the variable appeared.

The strong points/advantages of Dataflex are:
  1) Network versions handle the file locking superbly (so you don't have
     to deal with the multi-user aspect)
  2) Code need only be recompiled (tokenized) to run on different 
     platforms and operating systems.  It runs on a large number of PC
     operating systems as well as Unix and VMS.

The nicest thing about the language is the screen handling in that you can
refer to a screen location as a variable.  This enables you to ACCEPT to a
variable which is actually a screen location.  My original database was 
Dataflex, so it took some getting use to to other databases because with 
others I had to write code to obtain a variable then place the variable's
value on the screen at the appropriate location.  With Dataflex it was a 
single operation.  Redesigning the screen automatically repositioned the 
There are some neat tricks in the language to use a "deactivated record" to
do your (Foxpro) SCATTERs and GATHERs.  I find Dataflex's index handling 
syntax lookups more sensible than that in Xbase.  

For many, the biggest  difference between Dataflex and Xbase languages is the
fact that you cannot RECALL a deleted record.  The other side of the coin is
that Dataflex data files do not require packing because the file handler
automatically  reuses the deleted record space. This also allows you to use the
record  number as in index reference (there by giving you access to the
speediest record lookup you can get).

Anyway, the newest version of Dataflex is object-oriented.  I never
made the switch primarily because the debugging facilities were and remain
primitive.  This may not be a drawback to some, but I'm a bad programmer and
need a good debugger.


Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: viking@iastate.edu (Dan Sorenson)
Subject: Re: dBASE III+/Foxbase Question
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 02:34:14 GMT

tleylan@pegasus.com (Tom Leylan) writes:

>Avoid uncontrolled loops.  Yes you can EXIT, no you should not.  Set a
>variable or controlling expression and exit from the end of the loop.

	One thing I've started doing is naming my endless loops something
appropriate, like hellfreezesover, pigsfly, etc...  

>Consider not adding a CASE statement that doesn't do anything.  If you
>need an empty "default" the OTHERWISE "case" is provided but even that
>isn't needed here.

	Always use the OTHERWISE clause, even if it's to place something
like: OTHERWISE
	clear
	@10,10 say 'You should never see this.  There has been an error.'
	@12,10 say 'Please press your PrintScreen button to document this.'
	do myerroroutine with (enter your own parameters you like)
	wait
	clear
	@5,10 say 'Since this is so unusual, let's quit and start over.'
	wait
	quit
       Endcase

>Hope this has been of some benefit to the parties involved,

	Even if it hasn't, it's going to be of invaluable benefit to
the next person who is charged with maintaining your code.  After a
few months of minor changes, I like to run FoxDoc and place output in
a folder for the unlikely event I'll be sick or get a six-figure job
in Rio handed to me.  Whoever replaces me will have it much easier,
and this kind of attention to your replacement makes for glowing
references from managers.

< Dan Sorenson, DoD #1066 z1dan@exnet.iastate.edu viking@iastate.edu >
<  ISU only censors what I read, not what I say.  Don't blame them.  >
<     USENET: Post to exotic, distant machines.  Meet exciting,      >
<                 unusual people.  And flame them.                   >
From: davidm@consilium.com (David S. Masterson)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: database normalization tools
Date: 24 Jan 93 22:24:19 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Consilium Inc., Mountain View, California
In-reply-to: sugino@panther.mot.com's message of 19 Jan 93 21:24:46 GMT
X-Posting-Software: GNUS 3.13  [ NNTP-based News Reader for GNU Emacs ]

>>>>> On 19 Jan 93 21:24:46 GMT, sugino@panther.mot.com said:

> Is there any database normalization tools available for Unix either
> public domain or commercial.

I don't have the information in front of me, but the only normalization tool
that I've heard of is the Canonizer by Six Sigma Case.  You might try
contacting Marshall Hibnes (mah@6sigma.UUCP)
--
====================================================================
David Masterson					Consilium, Inc.
(415) 691-6311					640 Clyde Ct.
davidm@consilium.com				Mtn. View, CA  94043
====================================================================
I'm opposed to these unsupervised weekend furloughs for first-degree
murderers.
                -- George Bush, asked whether the Pledge of Allegiance
                   would be his only campaign issue in 1988.
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: DTodd@massey.ac.nz (D.M. Todd)
Subject: Re: Revelation paint -- Define Page
Keywords: Revelation Paint
Organization: Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
X-Reader: NETNEWS/PC Version 2c
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 21:50:20 GMT

Cliff,

You hit the nail on the head on my "define page" problem.  If there
is a label in the area that is selected, you just get a 4 option
popup on F2 (object options: drag, color, copy, delete).  Guess I'll
have to move all my labels off the screen to define pages.

Thanks very much.

David
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: hh2x@crux3.cit.cornell.edu (Danish)
Subject: picking between FoxPro and Paradox
Keywords: help
Reply-To: Aaron Peromsik <hh2x@cornella.cit.cornell.edu>
Organization: Cornell Information Technologies
Date: 25 Jan 93 13:22:22 GMT

I'm working with a group on a large (10k+ lines) C program that manipulates
large amounts of data in various ways. We want to buy a database so that we
can perform some more standard manipulations on our output data. The main
thing is sorting the data quickly on any field. Which program -- Foxpro or
Paradox, or is there something faster I haven't heard of yet-- is faster
when sorting huge data files up to 150 meg? can they both handle files of
this size? if not, which handles larger files, and what are their limitations?

If Foxpro and Paradox are equal in this respect, then it would be helpful
to know which one is easier to manipulate. Half of us are c programmers who
could get by either way, but the other half might be aided by an easier
interface... which program makes this easier to provide?

Response via email appreciated.
Aaron Peromsik
hh2x@cornella.cit.cornell.edu
--

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron Peromsik       |    Good Morning! Are we having fun yet?
peromsik@cornell.edu |    Give an inch and they take a foot.
From: lowell.butters@synapse.org (Lowell Butters) 
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: MS Access GP Faults -- Help!
Date: 22 Jan 93 09:32:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: SYNAPSE BBS - GATINEAU, QUEBEC - 819-561-4321
Reply-To: lowell.butters@synapse.org (Lowell Butters) 

From: lowell.butters@synapse.org
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 15:30 GMT

-> While using Microsoft Access 1.0, I am experiencing frequent "General
-> Protection Faults" after completing many operations (e.g. importing,
-> update queries, adding keys to a file, etc.).

-> Environment:  DTK 386/40 8MB RAM, DOS 5.0, Win 3.1, Access 1.0,
-> Pathworks 4.1, QEMM 6.0.

Joel,

   I too have a 386-40 with 8 megs ram and have yet to encounter any
problem with MS Access.  Perhaps the culprit is QEMM.  Access uses a
LOT of memory and there might be an upper memory conflict.  I am not
using any upper memory manager.  Hope this helps.

Lowell Butters                      Ottawa, Ontario
lowell.butters@synapse.org          Canada's National Capital
                                                                                              
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: mikef@som.yale.edu (Michael Fanara)
Subject: Re: FLIMPORT equivalent for Pdox 4.0??
Organization: Yale University School of Management
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 18:00:12 GMT

In article <93022.110733U58373@uicvm.uic.edu> <U58373@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
>However, I have 2 questions:
>
>1) Why is there no FLIMPORT equivalent supplied with Pdox 4.0?
    I asked the same question, and was told that Borland did away with
    Flimport for version 4.0.  I don't know why.
>
>2) From your experience, what is the best way to import these types of
>   ascii files, i.e. is there a better way than using FLIMPORT?
    The best way is a 3rd party program called Condiut from Kalista, INC.
    This program handles this type of problem and many,many other types 
    of file conversions.

    I have not bought it yet, but I will because I have the same type of 
    problem you do.  At the present time, I'm still using Flimport. The problem
   is that it creates 3.5 tables. This is fine if your creating a table with the   import, but won't work with an existing 4.0 table.  What I do is create the
   file with flimport and then restructure it in 4.0 to convert it.


Mike Fanara    mikef@homey.som.yale.edu   Yale University



Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: twc@swamp.cacs.usl.edu (Tat W. Chan)
Subject: Debugging problem
Followup-To: twc@swamp.cacs.usl.edu
Organization: The Center for Advanced Computer Studies
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 01:23:30 GMT

Hi, 

   I would like some comments about some problems that I encountered recently.

     1. Debugging a large program which input data is huge and not 
        well-structured (as it is common in the domain of this newsgroup), 
        is there any effective ways to locate the bugs? Should we deal with 
        the program first, or the data first, or both?

     2. If there is any good way to solve #1, is it different from debugging 
        techniques in other domains in which the input data is not so intensive?


Thanks in advance for any help!
From: glasstetter@bmcw.com
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Evaluation Insight ? (retry)
Date: 26 Jan 93 11:06:02 MST
Organization: BMC West Corporation

Our company is currently in the process of evaluating RDBMS and 4GL systems. 
So far, we have been looking at ORACLE, SYBASE, INGRES, RECITAL, FOCUS,
EMPRESS  and PROGRESS.  Most of our requirements are pretty cut and dry, so
I won't go  into them in any detail.  However, one of the primary
requirements is less clear.  I know that other organizations must have this
problem, and I was  hoping to get some feedback on how others have solved it
and what products you have used.

Problem: We want the RDBMS/4GL here at corporate for a variety of
development projects on VAX/VMS.  However, we also have 28 remote retail
locations that have PC/DOS and UNIX/SCO.  We would like to develop 
applications using our RDBMS/4GL here at corporate and deploy them standalone
at the locations.  Since our locations are not in the business of computing, 
we don't like the idea of paying to fully license "cadillac" software for 
each of them.  Ideally, we'd like to  ship out "run unit" programs that can
access the local data that can later be retrieved by corporate.  We'd like to
stay with one 4GL development tool that will run on these multiple platforms.

The sales representatives of the above companies all have their own
solution, however, I would greatly appretiate some insight from the "real
world".

Thanks in advance.

 -----------------------------------------------
| Dan Glasstetter        | Ph: (208) 387-4385   |
| BMC West Corp.         | Fax:(208) 387-4367   |
| Boise, Idaho           |                      |
 -----------------------------------------------



Xref: sparky comp.databases:9330 comp.databases.sybase:722 comp.databases.oracle:2916
From: mdiamond@caldera.usc.edu (Mark Diamond)
Newsgroups: comp.databases,comp.databases.sybase,comp.databases.oracle
Subject: Looking for Sample DDL for oracle,sybase and other rdbms
Date: 22 Jan 1993 10:14:46 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: caldera.usc.edu

I'd like to compare the DDL's of the various rdbms vendors to see how
they differ in syntax/features. Specifically, the syntax for creating
tables, indexes, keys, foreignkeys and the variations in standard
datatypes. I'd like to have actual code examples, if possible.

Thanks,

Mark
-mark@objy.com

Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: brad@hawk.adied.oz.au (Bradley Edelman)
Subject: Application Programming Interfaces
Keywords: Pre-compilers Call Interfaces
Organization: Australian Defence Industries
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 00:33:44 GMT

Why do databases support pre-compilers ahead of low-level call interfaces?  They
must all have call interfaces to enable their pre-compilers and they are much
more flexible.  It is very difficult (impossible?) to establish a general
database interface using pre-compilers.  Anyone tried it?

Brad. [brad@hawk.adied.oz.au]
Australian Defence Industries Ltd,
Enterprise Unit 3, Technology Park,
Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.
Tel: (09) 333 8888.  Fax: (09) 333 8889.
From: ken.lundberg@tfd.coplex.com (Ken Lundberg) 
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Dataflex?
Date: 21 Jan 93 21:53:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Ky/In PC User's Group - Louisville, KY - 502-423-8654
Reply-To: ken.lundberg@tfd.coplex.com (Ken Lundberg) 

TO: Alastair_McColl@mindlink.bc.ca

FR: ken.lundberg@coplex.com

On Tue, 19 Jan 1993, Alastair McColl asked:

>Hi Folks,
>        Can anyone give me a brief impression of Dataflex versus another
>DBMS, say Access? Dataflex is apparently a 4GL, but I'm not even sure I know
>what that means, so it gives you some idea where I'm coming from.

 Hi Al. I used DataFlex on a PC (Novell LAN) and found it very capable,
 fast and easy to code. There was a bit of a learning curve to understand
 the way they do interfile relationships, how to build the correct indices,
 and then access those with proper coding. However, once you have it, its a
 piece of cake. Coding and screens are easy - easy!

 I've no experience with Access, but understand there is a good sized
 learning curve there also. DataFlex is certainly more mature chronologically.

 * SLMR 2.1a * ------------------------------------------Ken-in-Kentucky
From: johnboyd@ocdis01.UUCP (John Boyd)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Help converting Clarion databases
Date: 27 Jan 93 21:18:02 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma

In article <2947@wrdis01.af.mil> wdieteri@wrdis01.af.mil (Will Dieterich) writes:
>I am looking for a program to convert Clarion version 2.1 databases files, to
>text files or to dbase files.  If you know of a ftp site that has such a
>program please e-mail me.
>
Isn't there a filer utility that comes with Clarion that will do that?  I
know there was in Clarion 1.?, cause I played with moving files back and
forth about a year ago.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do..
Disclaimer: My opinion represents only me, and sometimes not even that.
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: phurm@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Paul J Hurm)
Subject: Symantic Q&A Question
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 02:59:35 GMT

Symantic Q&A help needed.  (VER 4.0)
 
I have a multi-word field that contains the description of a photograph.
In many cases people's names will be part of the description.
 
Q&A includes a soundex search whose syntax is "~soundslike".  This works
great if the field contains only one word.  I have used the manual's
examples with success.
 
What I really want to do is perform a soundex search on the multi-word
description field.  This would enable finding a person's name if it is
contained in the description field even if the exact spelling is not
known.
 
The "~soundslike" syntax does not work on the multi-word field.  I
suspect that the program is trying to produce a "sound" for the entire
description field as a whole rather than looking at each word
separately.
 
You can search through a multi-line, multi-word field using the syntax
"..search.." as long as you are trying to match the word "search".
This seems to check every word in the multi-word field.
 
QUESTION:  Does anyone know a way to combine the ".." method with the
soundex "~" method so that I can find a single word from within a
multi-word field using a soundex match rather that a literal match?
 
ANY thoughts would be appreciated but a speedy method is rather
important since I will be searching through about 10K records.
 
Paul J. Hurm                                                      !
Box 8, Hamilton, OH 45012         (Captain Starburst Lives!)   -- * --
phurm@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu                                  / \
(or paulhurm@delphi.com)
From: torbecvs@ucbeh.san.uc.edu
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: How does ones...
Date: 23 Jan 93 18:02:24 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: Univ. of Cincinnati

In article <1jrjnaINNkjs@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, cxf12@po.CWRU.Edu (Christopher Fenton) writes:
> 
> ...create a numeric field in DBASE III that doesn't truncated the
> leading zeros???  Is there a way to fill the leading space with
> zeros???  I'd make the field a character field, but the numbers
> get processed further down the line and it create a whole bunch
> of data type mismatches.  Any ideas???
> 
> 	Thanx...
> 
> 	C. H. Fenton

Dear C. H.,

	Are you operating inside a program, or from the <.> prompt?

	If inside a program it seems like your best bet would be to go ahead
and use a character field (use a picture statement to define user input to 
numbers ie.  PICTURE "9999999.99").  Then convert this string to a number 
through the use of the VAL() function.

	If you are operating from the <.> prompt, sorry I can't come up with
any useful ideas.

	Hope I've been somewhat helpful.

	Scott
From: durai@ortta.umn.edu (Durai Venkatasubramanian)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Format of R:BASE files
Date: 25 Jan 93 21:31:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: ortta.durai.144.727997507
Organization: U of Mn

In article <8303@kielo.uta.fi> helin@vehka.uta.fi (Mikko Helin) writes:
>
>Does anyone out there know where I can get the format of the R:BASE
>files, or even better, the converter program that converts from
>the R:Base format to the DBASE format (or Paradox or plain text format)?

R:Base has a built in utility (file gateway) that helps you with the 
conversion to text, dbase formats.  I am not sure about Paradox.  (I stopped 
using R:Base, with version 3)  
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: Mary.Curtin@bbs.actrix.gen.nz
Subject: Re: Paradox question
Organization: Actrix Information Exchange
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 11:03:22 GMT


In an article, J. D. McDonald (mcdonald@aries.scs.uiuc.edu) wrote:
> 
> 1) I can't get the "modify" or "data-entry" things on a table to
> come up automatically with the proper form for that table ... I
> have to change it manually every time with Image. How does one do this?
> Some sort of simple macro? 

If you are setting up some sort of application for others to use, then
you would use a script.  But if you just want to set up a working
environment which suits you, try F10 Image Keepsettings (when you have
used F10 Image Pickform to select the right form.

> 2) I can Ask to my heart's content and it works fine, but getting a 
> report on the result is a pain .. I have to COPY a report type to
> the Answer table by hand every time I create a new Answer .. is there some 
> way to make this stick .. I tried copying Answer over an old table to
> which I had already attached a report, but that seems to lose the report 
> already attached.

That's fundamental to the way Paradox works.  Forms and reports are
associated with particular tables.  Every time you Ask a query, you
create a brand new Answer table, deleting any Answer table that was
sitting in your current working directory.

The way I worked was, for reports I wanted to produce often, to keep a
second table (I referred to it as a 'skeleton table' but this
terminology is strictly non-standard!) which has exactly the same
structure as the Answer table I wanted to report from, but no data in
it.  Use this second table to design reports, forms etc.  Every time
you do a query and want to use one of the reports or forms, do a F10
Tools Copy Justfamily "skeleton" "Answer".
 
(I'm guessing that you're more interested in manipulating your data
than in creating applications to assist in entering or reporting on
it.  If this is not true, then some other methods may be more
appropriate.)  



-- 
\   \/   /  |  
 \/\/\/\/   |  mary.curtin@bbs.actrix.gen.nz
From: bhargava@vnet.ibm.com (Gautam Bhargava        (408) 463-3599)
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 93 14:43:27 PST
Cc:   TAMMIED@STLVM14.VNET.IBM.COM
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Foxpro feature

An append for a co-worker:

    An earlier append has said that Foxpro 2.5 are to be released
    around Feb. 1, 1993.  Does any one know if it contains OLE (Object
    Linking and Embedding) feature?

    Tammie Dang

Gautam Bhargava
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: stevevr@ecs.comm.mot.com (Steve Vranyes)
Subject: Report Generator for Interbase
Organization: trunking_terms
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 19:14:20 GMT

Hello -

Does anyone know of a package that will allow a user to create their own 
custom reports for an Interbase DB?  I am looking for a package that has
a Motif UI and runs on an HP700.  Please e-mail me with any suggestions 
and I will post a list of what I receive.

Thanks in advance
Steve Vranyes
stevevr@ecs.comm.mot.com 
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: lobssuth@fig.citib.com (Lou Obssuth)
Subject: RBASE Question
Originator: lobssuth@swcdev
Keywords: rbase
Organization: Citibank IBISM
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 21:05:13 GMT



	filegateway questions:


	does the program accept parameters and/or switches, if so
	please help.

	before doing a export can you change the value of null so that
	the exported file has the new value of "null", can't seem to get 
	this to work. 

	please help.

	thanks

Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: umnoor@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Nasir Ahmed Noor)
Subject: Re: database normalization tools
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 04:16:30 GMT

sugino@panther.mot.com writes:

>Is there any database normalization tools available for Unix either
>public domain or commercial.

Borland makes available an example query for Paradox as Technical Information
sheet. This example illustrates how to automate the normalization process.
You may wanna look at it and port the concept to the language/package you 
have available. I dont have the sheet so cant help you further.

--nasir
Newsgroups: comp.databases
From: bangell@cs.utah.edu (bob angell)
Subject: Re: Paradox questions
Date: 21 Jan 93 13:03:41 MST

>1) I'm writing a script that changes the field types of several fields in a
>	table.  Since I couldn't figure out how to do this directly from the
>	manual, I recorded a script where I manually changed the file types,
>	and checked out the script.  The script looks something like this:
>
>	{Modify} {Restructure} {table_name} Down Down Down .....
>	Right Right Backspace Backspace "A8"
>
>	Now, this works ok, but doesn't allow me to change this field's
>	relative position in the table, without going back and changing the
>	script.
>
>	Is there a way to do something instead, like:
>
>	{Modify} {Restructure} {table_name} {field_name} {student name}
>	{field_type} "A40"
>

try something like this:  Menu {Modify}{Restructure} typein tablevar
				typein fieldvar typein studentvar
				typein fieldtypevar "A40"


>	??
>
>2) 	How does one access the contents of a field name that have been passed
>	as an arguement to a procedure?  Do I need to use EXECUTE to do this,
>	or is there an alternative?

yes, you will find that you need execute "function("+variable+")" etc...
quite a bit ....
>
>Thanks
>
>Brian
>-----
>field@cs.pitt.ed


Newsgroups: comp.databases