Suitable version of dBase

I am using dBase III Plus and Clipper (Summer 87) for an application for my
Client. As this is a DOS based version, various problems are faced while running
the application in Windows OS.

I want to upgrade to a suitable version which would work on Windows platform
with minimal recoding of programs and having the simplicity of dBase III plus
for users. At the same time I want to utilise the new functionalities provided
by GUI based dBase versions.

Can somebody suggest me the alternatives ?

with Warm Regards

Prasad Mahatme wrote:
> I am using dBase III Plus and Clipper (Summer 87) for an application
> for my Client. As this is a DOS based version, various problems are
> faced while running the application in Windows OS.
> 
> I want to upgrade to a suitable version which would work on Windows
> platform with minimal recoding of programs and having the simplicity
> of dBase III plus for users. At the same time I want to utilise the
> new functionalities provided by GUI based dBase versions.
> 
> Can somebody suggest me the alternatives ?

At some point you're going to have to give up on the idea of "minimal
recoding" and "simplicity of dBASE III Plus for users" bits.
Seriously.

The older versions of dBASE aren't well supported, and you can't 
purchase through dataBased Intelligence the 16-bit versions. I suggest 
you jump into the pool and start working with the latest - dBASE Plus. 
There are tutorials available, and a couple of books ...

Ken

-- 
/(Opinions expressed are purely my own, not those of dataBased
Intelligence, Inc.)/

*Ken Mayer* [dBVIPS]
/Golden Stag Productions/
dBASE at goldenstag dot net
http://www.goldenstag.net/GSP
http://www.goldenstag.net/dbase/dBASEBooks.htm

In article <RA9wojbWIHA.1532@news-server>, pa.mahatme@yahoo.co.in 
says...
> I am using dBase III Plus and Clipper (Summer 87) for an application for my
Client. As this is a DOS based version, various problems are faced while running
the application in Windows OS.
> 
> I want to upgrade to a suitable version which would work on Windows
platform with minimal recoding of programs and having the simplicity of dBase
III plus for users. At the same time I want to utilise the new functionalities 
provided by GUI based dBase versions.
> 
> Can somebody suggest me the alternatives ?
> 
> with Warm Regards
> Prasad
> 


Prasad,

Ken is right. Since the days of DOS, programming has changed (from 
procedural to object-oriented) and the operating system has changed 
(from DOS through several versions of Windows). As a consequence, the 
expectations of users have changed, too. They like Windows and are 
accustomed to programs which have the same basic functionality (ex: F1 
is always Help and ctrl-x, ctrl+c and ctrl+v are Cut, Copy and Paste).

dBASE PLUS (dB+) is very different from dBASE III+. dB+ is object-
oriented. It has more features than the DOS versions. But, it will also 
look familiar at times. Commands like FOR/NEXT, IF/ELSE/ENDIF, 
CASE/ENDCASE, and many of the functions like FLOOR() or DTOS() are still 
there. You can still read and write to the same dBASE III+ tables, 
though there are level 5 and, now, level 7 tables which offer more types 
of fields and features.

There is a definite learning curve, but you can use these news groups as 
much as you like to answer questions as you encounter problems. There 
are tutorials you can download for free and two dBASE Books (by Ken 
Mayer) you can buy.

-- 
Geoff Wass [dBVIPS]
Montréal, Québec, Canada

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