ric@pyuxh.UUCP (R. Acosta) (11/18/85)
Superbase128
Superbase 128 (~$90 from Precision Software) is a powerful
database management program for the new user as well as
experienced programmers. Among its features are:
- user defined data entry and retrieval screens.
- a menu interface to access data entry, selection of records,
reports, sorting routines, or batch programs.
- selection by one or more fields
- sorting by multiple criteria
- user defined reports
- help screens for all menu entries. A user can also define help
screens for specific applications
- a programming language for batch (or interactive) processing
Applications programs can also be protected (i.e., unlistable
and unmodifiable but can be copied)
- some spreadsheet capabilities
Its predecessor (Superbase 64) had the same capabilities. In
fact, compared to the c64 version, the enhancements seem to fall under
2 categories. In one category we have enhancements that take advantage
of the 128 features (disk speed, 80 columns, BASIC 7.0). In the other
category, the changes were to the documentation. The c64 documentation
was difficult to understand and poorly organized. Examples were few
and the information needed to accomplish a task (e.g., copying records
from one to another database) were scattered in different sections.
Executing a program was referred in two different ways within the same
section. While these details may seem picky to a programmer, they
rendered the product unusable for a portion of the population (naive
users). It seems that reworking the documentation may be a cost
effective approach to increasing the market share. The 128 version
works most of these details (but see "conversion" below). Consistent
terminology, how-to sections, and a re-organized programming section
are the major revisions in the document. Other than those changes,
the c64 and c128 versions are very virtually identical.
One section that was unclear was how to convert files from a
c64 database to a c128 one. The manual gave some strange instructions
about defining a screen on the c64 disk, and/or using a utility (that
I could not find in the diskette). This seemed a little odd when one
could
- use Superbase64 to write a sequential file of all database
records to be transferred,
- copy the file to a formatted (Superbase 128) diskette
- use Superbase 128 to read in (IMPORT) the sequential file.
Does anyone know why this may not work? I followed the above procedure
and kept enough backups to keep a paranoid happy.
General question: Has anyone used TIMEWORKS Database management
software? If so, what are its features? I am trying to decide whether
to convert to the TIMEWORKS series, or JANE or plug along with
different packages. Please send your comments & i will summarize
to the net.
*** I am in no way connected with the maker/seller/distributor/whatever
of Superbase128. The impressions presented here are simply those of a
user *****
Rick Acosta
UUCP: ihnp4!pyuxh!ric
Disclaimer: The opinions presented here are my own. Not necessarily
those of my employer, the hamster, any other sentient being in the
universe, or myself an hour from now. Did I say it right?