cjn@calmasd.CALMA.UUCP (Cheryl Nemeth) (12/28/86)
Does anyone have any experience with this product?
verber@osu-eddie.UUCP (Mark Verber) (01/05/87)
I have used Reflex a bit. It is not really a Borland product. It was written
by a company called Singlar Software (or something like that) and was called
Interlace. It is a fairly simple (but nice) relational database that is
very easy to use. It is much more powerful that Reflex on the PC. I would
not use it to build extremely large/complex databases but it is just find
more most things.
There are three 'views' which you work with. The first views is where you
describe the databases. Each file is displayed an a rectangle with the
field names inside. The fields can be modified (int/char/date/...) through
a menu. The create a relational link between different files is simple.
All you do is add a new field to the databases, push the mouse down in one
of the newly created fields, and draw it over to the other newly created
field. A line will be drawn reflecting a relational link.
The second view which can be used is for data entry and queries. This isn't
bad, but it isn't great either. Reflex automaticly creates a data entry
form when you create a new database. This form can be modified in a more or
less Mac-style. There are movable text items which are used as labels, and
retangular boxes for the dialog items. You can resize the boxs, change the
location of any item, and add/remove text prompts.
The queries are done from this same display. You are able to select a
number of relations through query dialog. You select the relations
(>, =, <, contains string, string starts with, ...) via radio buttons
and a text item where you type in the values you are looking for.
The third view is a report generator. The user interface is something like
the data entry view. You are able select which fields you wish to be
displayed. Then you just say "create a report" and it does.
There are two things that I don't like about it. The first is that there is
no way to biuld a custom form entry system which will put data into multiple
files. The second problem is that there is not a fancy interface to use the
relational links. All and all though, this is a nice product.
Cheers,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Science Department Mark A. Verber
The Ohio State University verber@ohio-state.arpa
+1 (614) 292-0700 cbosgd!osu-eddie!verber
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in the middle of a change over. Sigh!graifer@net1.UCSD.EDU (Dan Graifer) (01/06/87)
In article <2123@calmasd.CALMA.UUCP> cjn@calmasd.UUCP (Cheryl Nemeth) writes: >Does anyone have any experience with this product? I have used it a fair bit. It is a nice product, especially at the price (I got mine from MacConnection). The major limitation is in the data entry forms. The report writing capabilities a great, and a great example of how powerful a few simple definitions can be if they were well thought out. I have written a long letter to Borland about the entry forms, and their reply indicated they were working on it. No commitment about anything of course. I certainly haven't heard of anything nearly as powerful for anywhere near as cheap. Dan Graifer graifer@net1.UCSD.EDU Usual Disclaimers....
canopus@amdahl.amdahl.com (Alpha Carinae) (08/17/87)
I am using Borland's REFLEX relational database package on a MAC+,
and I am having a problem getting page headings to print.
I have followed the "directions" for creating a page heading as
written in the Manual, but nothing happens. Any clues?
Thanks in advance...
Frank [ihnp4,hplabs]!amdahl!canopus
--
UUCP Address: ...!{ihnp4,cbosgd,sun}!amdahl!canopus
[This is the obligatory disclaimer..]lonetto@phri.UUCP (08/19/87)
In article <12361@amdahl.amdahl.com> canopus@amdahl.amdahl.com (Alpha Carinae) writes: >I am using Borland's REFLEX relational database package on a MAC+, >and I am having a problem getting page headings to print. >I have followed the "directions" for creating a page heading as >written in the Manual, but nothing happens. Any clues? Having had the same problem in the past, I'm afraid that the answer is that reflex, for some brain damaged reason, will not print a header on the first page!!!! This rather nasty quirk is actually referred to in the suitably quoted "directions" (though it's pretty well hidden). The reason given is that the header might conflict with any labels at the beginning of the report!! NOW, since one can specify special headers for within repeating collections this strikes me as at least silly, and at most seriously brain damaged. What you have to do to get a first page header is put it in as "labels" at the top of the report. (you may have noticed by now that footers and subsequent page headers do print). Good Luck. ml Michael Lonetto UUCP:(allegra!phri!lonetto) USMAIL: Public Health Research Institute, 455 1st Ave, NY, NY 10016 -- Michael Lonetto UUCP:(allegra!phri!lonetto) USMAIL: Public Health Research Institute, 455 1st Ave, NY, NY 10016