HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: charlesa@niwot.scd.ucar.edu (Charles Albrecht)
Subject: Re: 4th Dimension questions
Organization: Scientific Computing Divison/NCAR Boulder, CO
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 17:11:13 GMT

In article <27JAN199313352985@sscvx1.ssc.gov> dlittle@sscvx1.ssc.gov (DENNIS LITTLE) writes:
>I'm very new to programming in databases in general and 4th Dimension in 
>general and have several questions.
>
>1.  Is there a way to copy fields?  I have a few databases which
>    have the same setup but only one character difference in the 
>    name and it would be nice to be able to just input the first
>    set and then copy and modify the rest.

I think 4D Mover may be able to help you here, but there is an additional 
cost involved.

>
>2.  Is there a way to set up a 1 character alphanumeric field?
>    according to what I've read so far, alpha fields must be at
>    least 2 characters long and I need this one to only allow one
>    character.
>
>me

You can add an Entry Filter to your input layout to restrict the entry to
a single Alpha character.  See Design Reference (DR) 149-155 (v.2) or
DR5-27 to 5-35 (v.3) for more info on creating custom entry filters.

-C   charlesa@ncar.ucar.edu


Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
From: roto@elena.dei.unipd.it (Roberto Totaro)
Subject: Database engine wanted
Organization: Universita' di Padova, Italia
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 09:35:51 GMT

	Hello net readers, I'm searching for a *good* C callable database
	engine for the Macintosh.

	Is anybody out there with suggestions?

	E-mail answers will be very appreciated! Thanks in advance,

					Roberto Totaro

	E-mail to: roto@elena.dei.unipd.it
From: ratcliff@ucsd.edu (John Ratcliff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: FM Pro Help
Date: 21 Jan 93 22:58:31 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.databases
Organization: ucsd

I am trying to summarize info in an Invoice/Purchase order type
format. Repeating fields are nice but seem very limited.
Maybe I am asking too much of a non relational DB.

Does anybody have any recommendations for summarizing items
on an Invoice. That is , how do you find all items of a certain
type code in one repeating field and total the dollar amounts
from another repeating field.

To try and make it clearer suppose each record looks like this:

Item      Description                 Type Code     Amount
 1        Acme Road Runner Trap       AB123         $55.00
 2        10 D Nails                  AB121         $ 1.01
 3        2 by 4 10 ft                AX432         $ 4.89
 4        Chicken Wire                AB123         $ 2.05

How do I get a dollar total across multiple records of this
type with possibly Multiple Type Codes in one record.
Sub Summaries only pick up the first occurence in repeating fields.
Unfortunately the number of possible type codes is large and it
would be difficult to predict which ones will be entered.
So some sort of dynamic Type Code summarizing is needed.

ie:    Type Code     Grand Total 
        AB121          $45.56
        AB123          $34.45
        AB234          $ 3.98
        AX432          $ 5.50

Thanks for any help.
John Ratcliffe  UCSD
ratcliff@ucsd.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
From: photo@theporch.raider.net
Subject: Re: FileMaker Pro margins questions?
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 12:59:25 GMT
Organization: MacInteresteds, Nashville's Macintosh User Group

Bob_Harlow@bmug.org writes:


>Problem: I can't see how to eliminate the margins in FileMaker
>Pro so that my Layout will match my label sheets.  Or should I just look for
>more appropriately arranged label sheets? 

>You guessed it! The sheets to use are the ones with 1/2" margins top and
>bottom, which give 10 labels by 3 columns, or 30 labels per sheet.(I think
>they are Avery 5120)

I use the 3x10 sheets all the time and have had no problem.  Don't have to
sacrifice labels or anything.  You have to make sure that in page setup
you've checked "print larger image area" or whatever the wording is.  If you
can't get it to work, let me know and I'll poke around in FileMaker to see
what I did about the margins.

-David Anderson
Nashville TN

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
From: aa192@Freenet.carleton.ca (Graydon Patterson)
Subject: Re: 4D Field Incrementing
Organization: National Capital Freenet, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 02:06:02 GMT


Here is the standard procedure I use to create unique ID's..
`	NextID
$0:=[NextID]ID
[NextID]ID:=[NextID]ID+1
SAVE RECORD([NextID])
`    end script

To obtain a unique ID in any file use the following...
[Clients]Client Number:=NextID    ` NEXTID being a function

The NextIF file has only one field called ID and only one
record, the next ID to be called.
(pardon my typos)
--
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Distribution: world
From: Richard_Tickle@bmug.org
Organization: BMUG, Inc.
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 17:22:35 PST
Subject: Re: FMP v2.0 & QuickTime

Simon Kok @ mindlink.bc.ca  WRITES:
Can somebody please tell me if this is a 'safe' application to use?
Does the movie get stored in the FileMaker Pro document?
Does it cause slowness in searches etc?

Yes. But boost the application memory significantly.
Yes.
Yes.


**** From Planet BMUG, the FirstClass BBS of BMUG.  The message contained in
**** this posting does not in any way reflect BMUG's official views.
From: James.Mitchell@CoE.drexel.edu (James E. Mitchell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: FMPro Hints Database?
Date: 24 Jan 93 22:46:32 GMT
Organization: Drexel University
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A788946096010CE6@n1-12-230-telecommunications-and-networking-group-development.ocs.drexel.edu>
X-Xxdate: Sun, 24 Jan 93 23:45:52 GMT
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d13

Does anyone know of the location of a (presumably FMP) file containing
hints on how to use FMP? I would hope there might be one at one of the
FTP sites. It would be the equivalent of a FAQ.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
From: larson@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU
Subject: considering 4D, what can it do?
Organization: St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 06:25:41 GMT
Reply-To: larson@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU
X-Posted-From: tigger.stcloud.msus.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

  1. Does 4th Dimension compile worksheets able to used with the
     runtime programs?

  2. Are the runtime programs Appleshare capable and would they be
     able to do file-sharing?

  Please e-mail information and other references to 4th dimension to:

  john larson
  larson@tigger.stcloud.msus.edu
From: James.Mitchell@CoE.drexel.edu (James E. Mitchell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: FMP - Numbering Subsets of Records?
Date: 24 Jan 93 22:57:21 GMT
Organization: Drexel University
X-Xxmessage-Id: <A78896E44A020CE6@n1-12-230-telecommunications-and-networking-group-development.ocs.drexel.edu>
X-Xxdate: Sun, 24 Jan 93 23:56:36 GMT
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d13

Imd like to number subsets of records in a reasonable way. To be
specific, I have a database of people with multiple records per person.
Imd like to create a sequence number for each record within the group,
starting with the number one. i.e. Imd like the record set to look like
this

Jones	1	.....
Jones	2
Jones	3
Adams	1
Adams	2
Smith	1
Smith	2
Smith	3
Smith	4

The numbers are to be in their own field and should be revisable as new
records are entered.

It seems as though I ought to be able to do this with 
same file, but Imve run into trouble because relooking-up always goes to
the first instance of the record. Any suggestions are welcome - even a
good reference on how to use relookups effectively. More specifically, is
there a way to copy the value of a field in the previous record to one in
the current record? I believe that would solve my problem.

BTW I saw an old Claris note suggesting the use of exporting to a clone
and then doing a fancy lookup. Thats too much for me.
From: pdt@unix.brighton.ac.uk (taylor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Databases from C or Pascal
Date: 22 Jan 93 14:15:40 GMT
Organization: University of Brighton, UK

Does anyone know of a relational database package that can be accessed
from THINK C or pascal?

Paul Taylor
Research Assistant
University of Brighton
From: grub@bbs.draco.bison.mb.ca (Gordon Grieder)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Filemaker security with ARA
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 12:43:46 GMT
Organization: The Draco Unix System [BBS]

This is something I don't think I've read here before, so here goes.

As you know, when someone on your net has a FMPro file open as non-exclusive
anyone on the net can try to open it via the Network button in the open
dialog box.  This also applies if a person happens to be calling up with
ARA !!!   Even if you're ARA access is limited to a dropbox on the server,
you can still launch FMPro at the remote end and try hacking passwords til
the cows come home.
I consider this a *MAJOR* weakness in an otherwise superb piece of software.

A friend and I were discussing the FMPro security over a few beers and we
can't think of any realistic method of boosting the security, other than
making all your files exclusive; which is impossible in my situation and
most other peoples', I'll wager.

If anyone has any advice; I'm all (electronic) ears.

Thanks!


#--------------------------------------------------------------------------#
|  grub@bbs.draco.bison.mb.ca (Gordon Grieder; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) |   
              |
#------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
|  "Why do you think she is a witch?"   "Well she turned me into a newt!"  |
|  "A newt?"                            "I got better..."                  |
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------#
From: hades@coos.dartmouth.edu (Brian Hughes)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Re: FM Pro Help
Date: 25 Jan 93 17:27:26 GMT
Reply-To: hades@Dartmouth.Edu
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Disclaimer: Personally, I really don't care who you think I speak for.
Moderator: Rec.Arts.Comics.Info

ratcliff@ucsd.edu (John Ratcliff) writes:

>To try and make it clearer suppose each record looks like this:

>Item      Description                 Type Code     Amount
> 1        Acme Road Runner Trap       AB123         $55.00
> 2        10 D Nails                  AB121         $ 1.01
> 3        2 by 4 10 ft                AX432         $ 4.89
> 4        Chicken Wire                AB123         $ 2.05

>How do I get a dollar total across multiple records of this
>type with possibly Multiple Type Codes in one record.

    If Amount is a repeating field, then you can use the calculation
formula Sum() which takes a repeating field as input and gives you the
total of all the elements in the field. You would then be able to use
a Summary Total field to get the totals across multiple records.

>Unfortunately the number of possible type codes is large and it
>would be difficult to predict which ones will be entered.
>So some sort of dynamic Type Code summarizing is needed.

>ie:    Type Code     Grand Total 
>        AB121          $45.56
>        AB123          $34.45
>        AB234          $ 3.98
>        AX432          $ 5.50

    This kind of information would be extremely difficult to get using
FM Pro. You would need a separate record for every item and then you
would be able to distinguish which items used which codes. This will
give you a database with a ton of records that are all really small, as
opposed to a database with a smaller number of records that are fairly
large.

-Hades
--
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
From: jjs@vfl.paramax.com (James Solderitsch)
Subject: Spreadsheet Frames In ClarisWorks DBs
Keywords: database spreadsheet summary
Organization: Paramax Systems
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 14:02:00 GMT

I am trying to create a simple invoicing set-up for a psychologist
friend of mine.  She is currently using an old version of Microsoft
Works and creating separate spreadsheet files for each patient to
contain treatment data, and then creating a separate billing letter
file (also for each patient) that she cuts and pastes the relevant
treatment data into to create her billing invoices.

I prefer ClarisWorks and am trying to set up a semi-automated system
where there is a ClarisWorks database file containing a record for
each patient and a separate treatment DB file that contains financial
data for each patient, one record per treatment.  The "link" between
the two files is a patient ID.  What I thought I would do was collect
the relevant records for each patient (last billing date to the current
date) and then cut and paste the found records into a spreadsheet frame
that I install into a layout for the patient file.  Suitably formatted
and totalled, the resulting form would make an ideal invoice.

My problem is that if the spreadsheet frame is put into the layout,
data can be cut and pasted into the frame only when I am actually
in layout mode, not when I am physically looking at the records themselves
(called browse mode in CW).  This means I can only assemble data for
one patient at a time -- what I want is to generate a report of invoice
records, one for each patient, that I can then print as a group.

Has anyone attempted anything like this in ClarisWorks?  I have
Filemaker Pro 2.0 which I may turn to, but the use of spreadsheet
frames within a database layout appears at first glance to do what I
want, except I can't put different data values into each spreadsheet
frame on a per record basis.  Am I asking too much of CW?  Also, what
is the latest CW version? -- I have 1.0v2.

Thanks for any information.  I will post a summary if interest in this
topic develops.


-- 
Jim Solderitsch

jjs@vfl.paramax.com

215 648 2831
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Distribution: world
From: Dave_Burnett@bmug.org
Organization: BMUG, Inc.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 10:33:14 PST
Subject: Re: FMPro Hints Database?

James.Mitchell@CoE.drexel.edu writes:
Does anyone know of the location of a (presumably FMP) file containing
hints on how to use FMP? I would hope there might be one at one of the
FTP sites. It would be the equivalent of a FAQ.

Do you want to know how to use FileMaker or how to create databases.  If the
latter, the databases Claris ships with FileMaker, if taken apart, are pretty
useful as examples...

Dave Burnett

**** From Planet BMUG, the FirstClass BBS of BMUG.  The message contained in
**** this posting does not in any way reflect BMUG's official views.
From: geoffb@coos.dartmouth.edu (Thumper)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Re: Filemaker network problems
Date: 26 Jan 93 17:06:05 GMT
Reply-To: geoffb@Dartmouth.EDU
Organization: Amos Tuck School
Disclaimer: I don't represent Dartmouth and Dartmouth doesn't represent me.

In <1993Jan26.103054.15244@bio.vu.nl> ebido@bio.vu.nl (Etienne Bido) writes:

>There is a main database on a server with several extra files
>in the same folder which the main database uses for lookups.

Question... what kind of server? AppleShare? Novell NetWare?

>If I go to, say Mac nr 1, and acces the main database then I have to
>tell it where his lookup files are. I will tell him.
>
>If I go to Mac nr 2, the same story, I show him where the lookup
>files are and it works fine.
>
>If I go back to Mac nr 1, it tells me again that it can't find 
>the lookup files!!

Are these files being accessed by multiple users? Is the 'Single-USer'
option unchecked in the File menu? You should get a different error if
this is the case but something could be screwing that up.

-Geoff
--
geoffb@Dartmouth.EDU - Computing Support Consultant, Tuck School of Business
_____________________________________________________________________________
Cerebus for Dictator in 1993!! | "One less mouth to feed is one less mouth
    "Vote for me or else."     |  to feed" - Cerebus (as the Eastern Pontiff)
From: hades@coos.dartmouth.edu (Brian Hughes)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Re: Filemaker network problems
Date: 26 Jan 93 14:33:16 GMT
Reply-To: hades@Dartmouth.Edu
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Disclaimer: Personally, I really don't care who you think I speak for.
Moderator: Rec.Arts.Comics.Info

ebido@bio.vu.nl (Etienne Bido) writes:

>I've been having problems with Filemaker Pro 2.0x and an ethernet
>network (7-8 Macs)

>There is a main database on a server with several extra files
>in the same folder which the main database uses for lookups.
>If I go to, say Mac nr 1, and acces the main database then I have to
>tell it where his lookup files are. I will tell him.
>If I go to Mac nr 2, the same story, I show him where the lookup
>files are and it works fine.
>If I go back to Mac nr 1, it tells me again that it can't find 
>the lookup files!!

>What am I doing wrong?????

    Wow. I don't think I have seen this problem before. Do you get the
same messages when you use the files from the server itself? How are you
accessing the database files on the server? Are you mounting it onto the
desktop of the client mac as a fileserver or some other method?

--
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
From: dremsen@mbl.edu (David Remsen)
Subject: FM Pro 2 - Updating files from files
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.databases
Organization: Marine Biological Laboratory
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 93 14:31:41 GMT

We are trying to develop an accounting system for our Marine Resources
Dept., a small internal department that ships out marine specimens.  We
would like to have several Filemaker files; a inventory/specimen file, and
an invoice file.  The invoice file can perform lookups from the specimen
file to fill out ordered animals.  Where I am stuck is that I would
(ideally) like to be able to deduct from the inventory file when an animal
is shipped on an invoice.  In other words, if I put 2 animals on an invoice
in the invoice file, it should be able to automatically deduct 2 from the
inventory file.  At present, the only way to do this is to manually open
the inventory file and manually edit the field.   Is there any way to
automate this process? I guess the bottom line request is if there is any
way to modify one filemaker file from within another?

Any suggestions are most appreciated.

David Remsen
Marine Biological Laboratory
From: aw@bnr.co.uk (Alan Wilkinson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: ClarisWorks, how many records can it handle?
Date: 28 Jan 1993 16:45:05 GMT
Organization: BNR Europe Ltd
NNTP-Posting-Host: 192.100.101.77

How many records can a ClarisWorks database handle? 

I'm interested in building a database with records containing 
about 8 text fields and a date field. Could ClarisWorks be used 
realistically to create a database with a few thousand such records?
The host machine would probably be an LC.

Thanks,

Alan Wilkinson.
From: marcs@slc.com (Marc San Soucie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Re: GemStone from Servio (OODB) ?
Date: 27 Jan 93 18:20:10 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Servio Corp, Beaverton Oregon, US

Mike Kranzdorf (mikek@fred.Colorado.EDU) writes:

> From the MacWorld Networking Guide, page 384:
> "An example of an object-oriented database for the Mac is GemStone, from
> Servio Corporation."

> Does this really exist? Anyone have any info or a phone number for Servio?

Servio supports a 'C' client interface on the Mac. The database engine itself 
runs on a UNIX server. In the past we have offered a Smalltalk V/Mac 
interface as well. The current version of GemStone does not work with 
Smalltalk V/Mac, but we're working on it.

Commercial information follows by mail.

    Marc San Soucie
    Servio Corporation
    Beaverton, Oregon
    marcs@slc.com

===============================================================================

    Servio Corporation
    950 Marina Village Parkway
    Suite 110
    Alameda CA 94501

    Tel: 800-243-9369
    Fax: 510-814-6227
From: dent@DIALix.oz.au (Andrew Dent)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Re: Question on Lookup feature in FM Pro
Date: 22 Jan 1993 00:34:39 +0800
Organization: DIALix Services, Perth, Western Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: localhost.dialix.oz.au
X-Newsreader: NN version 6.4.19 #1

The biggest problem with lookups in FM Pro is that they are UNRELIABLE!!!!!

This (now that I've got your attention) stems from the matching of words.

eg: if file schools contains (IN ORDER)
  St Columba's Primary School
  St Columba's School


then a lookup to schools of "St Columba's School" will return the FIRST
of the entries.

So will a lookup like "School St".

The matching is to the first entry matching ALL the WORDS in the lookup
field.

Be VERY careful about the implications of this one - I was hoping FM v2 would
have a fix - it doesn't.

Andy Dent (A.D. Software - Mac & VAX programming)
94 Bermuda Dve, BALLAJURA  Western Australia  6066
Phone/Fax: 09 249 2719 (local)  +619 249 2719 (International)
       Internet: dent@DIALix.oz.au    Compuserve: 100033,3241

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases,comp.databases
From: markmc@halcyon.com (Mark McWiggins)
Subject: Best Mac Dbase clone for unsophisticated users?
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.databases
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 18:58:27 GMT

They now have dbXL for the PC and are having problems with it.

Thanks in advance.
-- 
Mark McWiggins        Hermes & Associates		+1 206 632 1905 (voice)
markmc@halcyon.com    Box 31356, Seattle WA 98103-1356  +1 206 632 1738 (fax)
From: eaton@pacersoft.com (Mark W. Eaton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Re: Databases from C or Pascal
Date: 25 Jan 93 20:34:15 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.databases
Organization: Pacer Software, Inc.

In article <1993Jan23.000502.21026@enterprise.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com>,
enterprise.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com (Darrell Merrick) wrote:
> 
> In article <1993Jan22.141540.3712@unix.brighton.ac.uk>, pdt@unix.brighton.ac.uk (taylor) writes:
> > 
> > Does anyone know of a relational database package that can be accessed
> > from THINK C or pascal?
> > 
> 

It is also possible to code directly to DAL through DAM.

Mark W Eaton
Pacer Software, Inc.
eaton@pacersoft.com

Disclaimer: I work for Pacer Software, Inc. and develop Unix-based
AppleTalk and DAL products
From: boz@coos.dartmouth.edu (John Boswell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.databases
Subject: Unique numbers in FMP
Date: 27 Jan 93 19:51:15 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Hi,
	Could someone please give me some hints on how to do the following?
I have a library database to keep track of my books.  One of the fields
is a category field (science fiction, non fiction, biography, etc.).  One 
field is an auto-serial number (unique), and yet a third field is a calcula-
tion field that contains something like:  Upper(Left(category,3)) &"."& num
(where num is the autoserial field); this results in stuff like:
SCI.588  or BIO.212  etc.

My problem is, that I would like any books in a specific category to
go sequentially, i.e., SCI.400, SCI.401, SCI.401, etc.  As I have it
set up, if I enter a SCI book, then a Biography, then a SCI book, I'd get:
SCI.400, SCI.402  (since the biography would get BIO.401).  I can't set
up separate "autoserial" number fields for each category, since they
would ALL increment by 1 as soon as I create a NEW record.  Is there a
way for me to do what I'd like?

Thanks much in advance,
-John Boswell


--
****************************************************************************
Dr. John Boswell	boz@coos.dartmouth.edu (preferred address)	
Dept. of Medicine/GI MCN C2104	BOSWELJS@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (alternate)	
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN  37232	615-343-4747