v105mahs@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Peter P Donohue) (08/30/90)
I am going to have to work on a MS-DOS PC-based database project later this semester and was wondering which program to use. A short while ago I was given Clipper as a gift, but have never used it. On the LAN at school, they use and support dBase IV (which I have also never used), but there is usually a wait to get on a computer. Other than the fact that Clipper is compileable, how different is it from dBase? If I create the program in Clipper and give the teacher the code, is it similar enough to dBase that he could understand it (he hasn't used Clipper before)? The assignment shouldn't be too involved (the dBase section is only about one-quarter of the course). I realize that these are hypothetic questions and apologize for any vagueness. Thank you in advance for your help. Pete ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Peter P. Donohue - University at Buffalo, Graduate School of Management bitnet: V105MAHS@UBVMS . "Education is a journy internet: V105MAHS@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU . not a destination..."
jeffw@dbase.A-T.COM (Jeff Wilson) (08/31/90)
In article <34247@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> v105mahs@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu writes: > > I am going to have to work on a MS-DOS PC-based database project >later this semester and was wondering which program to use. A short >while ago I was given Clipper as a gift, but have never used it. On >the LAN at school, they use and support dBase IV (which I have also >never used), but there is usually a wait to get on a computer. > Other than the fact that Clipper is compileable, how different is it >from dBase? If I create the program in Clipper and give the teacher the >code, is it similar enough to dBase that he could understand it (he >hasn't used Clipper before)? It's not a cut-and-dried situation. I've developed systems using both dBASE IV and Clipper (Summer '87) and have found they have different areas of strength. Note that my remarks assume that you're referring to version 1.1 of dBASE. It's MUCH better than 1.0. If you want to get an application up and running with a minimum of code, have it look nice, and have multiuser essentially built in, go with dBASE IV. The drawback is that you don't have the kind of fine control over the user interface you have with Clipper. As long as you're willing to do it "the DBASE way" you'll be fine. If you want total control over every aspect of the application, and are willing to spend a considerable amount of time with 3rd party libraries and external tools, go with Clipper. You can do just about anything with it. The drawback here is that you have to exercise this leverl of control over every aspect of the system. You can't just sit back and let it write the code for you. Personally, I like to have my personal stamp on my applications, so I usually prefer Clipper. I have been very favorably impressed with the new dBASE, though. In fact, I just did a direct port of about 12,000 lines of Clipper code to dBASE IV. The program in question has received some comment in Databased Advisor and others as an example of how A-T has to use it's competitor's product for it's own internal systems. We should be able to put this issue to bed now - the resulting program only totals about 6,500 lines of code, and I'm quite pleased with the performance. As to your second question about the professor: You can write the code so that it's pretty plain vanilla in clipper and have your prof be able to understand it. But if you're going to do that, just do it in dBASE and get the advantages of interactive browse, etc. Hope this helps... Jeff
awd@dbase.A-T.COM (Alastair Dallas) (09/01/90)
In article <34247@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, v105mahs@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Peter P Donohue) writes: > > I am going to have to work on a MS-DOS PC-based database project > later this semester and was wondering which program to use. A short > while ago I was given Clipper... > ...at school, they use and support dBase IV... > > Other than the fact that Clipper is compileable, how different is it > from dBase? If I create the program in Clipper and give the teacher the > code, is it similar enough to dBase that he could understand it (he > hasn't used Clipper before)? Clipper is a fine product. However, it includes many extensions to the language implemented in dBASE III PLUS which may surprise your teacher. Although you could force yourself to use only the portion of the language that Clipper has in common with dBASE IV, it would require committment. dBASE IV, for its part, includes extensions which Clipper does not--MDX files, for example. Using Clipper would mean not only forcing yourself not to take advantage of their extensions, but losing out on the dBASE IV extensions, as well. I've recommended Clipper here in the past (I'm speaking for myself, not my employer, obviously) but it doesn't sound like the way to your teacher's heart in this case. Besides, you'll like dBASE IV's form designer, full-screen debugger and, of course, the interactive interpreter for development. /alastair/