vik@lynx.uucp (Vikram Sohal) (01/17/89)
Anybody out there know how the FoxBase multi-user database for Microport
system V compares to the likes of Informix and Oracle?
Vikevan@telly.UUCP (Evan Leibovitch) (01/19/89)
In article <5187@lynx.UUCP> vik@lynx.UUCP (Vikram Sohal) writes: > >Anybody out there know how the FoxBase multi-user database for Microport >system V compares to the likes of Informix and Oracle? Watch out. The ONLY multi-user versions of FoxBase+ I know of are available for the NCR Tower and SCO Xenix ONLY. I am quite positive that SCO FoxBase will *NOT* run on Microport 286, and will not run on Unix V/386 editions earlier than release 3.2. In other words, it's available as XENIX binaries only, and unless you have a Microport (or anyone else's) Unix which runs XENIX binaries (R3.2), you're out of luck. Assuming you're still interested, FoxBase is essentially the same as dBASE III+ with additional hooks for multi-user hooks, Unix printer support, termcap, etc. It's a substantially different product from an SQL DBMS like Informix, in that on-the-fly queries aren't as easy to do (or write), and that FoxBase/dBASE is essentially a programming LANGUAGE. FoxBase works more like Informix 4GL than like the SQL-alone product. One BIG disadvantage of FoxBase I have come across is that I haven't yet been able to get it to run backround tasks (ie, overnight report generation using cron). It appears to die quickly unless it has control of your screen - my guess, they're probably too dependent on curses and haven't provided for programs which can run without screen display. Hope this helps. ________ Evan Leibovitch, SA of System Telly "I am most concerned that Located in beautiful Brampton, Ontario, Canada nobody will remember me evan@telly.on.ca -or- uunet!attcan!telly!evan when I am dead" - Anon.
karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (01/22/89)
In article <477@telly.UUCP> evan@telly.UUCP (Evan Leibovitch) writes: >In article <5187@lynx.UUCP> vik@lynx.UUCP (Vikram Sohal) writes: >> >>Anybody out there know how the FoxBase multi-user database for Microport >>system V compares to the likes of Informix and Oracle? > >Watch out. The ONLY multi-user versions of FoxBase+ I know of are available >for the NCR Tower and SCO Xenix ONLY. ..... >One BIG disadvantage of FoxBase I have come across is that I haven't yet been >able to get it to run backround tasks (ie, overnight report generation using >cron). It appears to die quickly unless it has control of your screen - my >guess, they're probably too dependent on curses and haven't provided for >programs which can run without screen display. Right.... Now consider this little program (incomplete, but so small I just had to post it): main(argc, argv) int argc; char *argv[]; { for (x = 0; x < NFILE; x++) close(x); /* Close control term */ setpgrp(); /* You're on your own baby! */ (void) fopen("/dev/tty12", "r"); /* Establish a "control" */ (void) fopen("/dev/tty12", "w"); (void) fopen("/dev/tty12", "w"); /* Pick a terminal :-) */ putenv("TERM=ansi"); /* Make sure type is set */ /* Now exec the real program */ execlp("foxplus", "foxplus", argv[1], (char *) NULL); puts("Oops; can't run foxbase"); /* We blew it; not located */ perror("foxbase"); /* (probably not in path */ exit(-1); } I think with a little work that fragment might do what you want (given an inactive line on tty12, the last virtual console. Make sure you have all 12 established in your system configuration). The trick (of course) is to change your control terminal to be a unused (make sure it's not enabled!) virtual console, and then insure that it's a type FOXBASE+ will deal with.... Execute that fragment from cron with an argument of the .prg file you need executed.... ought to do the job quite well. If you're going to use this for general consumption you will also want to do some checking for reasonable conditions (ie: set a lockfile or somesuch if your system barfs on two people opening a line at once in this fashion). --- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, ddsw1!karl) Data: [+1 312 566-8912], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality solutions at a fair price"
jon@altos86.UUCP (Jonathan Ma) (01/24/89)
In article <477@telly.UUCP>, evan@telly.UUCP (Evan Leibovitch) writes: > Watch out. The ONLY multi-user versions of FoxBase+ I know of are available > for the NCR Tower and SCO Xenix ONLY. I am quite positive that > SCO FoxBase will *NOT* run on Microport 286, and will not run on Unix V/386 > editions earlier than release 3.2. In other words, it's available as XENIX > binaries only, and unless you have a Microport (or anyone else's) Unix > which runs XENIX binaries (R3.2), you're out of luck. FoxBase+ 1.0.4 is available from Altos for both 286 Xenix/Unix 5.3 and 386 Unix5.3. > Evan Leibovitch, SA of System Telly -Jon- Jonathan Ma, Altos Computer Systems UUCP: {pyramid,sun}!altos86!jon Disclaimer: those openions are mine, not my employer's.
allbery@ncoast.ORG (Brandon S. Allbery) (01/24/89)
As quoted from <5187@lynx.UUCP> by vik@lynx.uucp (Vikram Sohal): +--------------- | Anybody out there know how the FoxBase multi-user database for Microport | system V compares to the likes of Informix and Oracle? +--------------- I'll be getting direct experience with it soon for a client. In the meantime, I noticed that the available documentation states that it buffers I/O internally. This means that either (a) it leaves records locked for longer than it really should or (b) it doesn't have real concurrency control / locking mechanisms. Either one pretty much emasculates its multiuser ability. (If someone at SCO or Fox can tell me otherwise, speak now! I can't in conscience recommend this package to any of our Unix clients if it doesn't handle concurrent access correctly. [The client who *is* going to be using it is really only using it single-user, and bought it with the understanding that it was risky to use multi-user.]) ++Brandon -- Brandon S. Allbery, moderator of comp.sources.misc allbery@ncoast.org uunet!hal.cwru.edu!ncoast!allbery ncoast!allbery@hal.cwru.edu Send comp.sources.misc submissions to comp-sources-misc@<backbone> NCoast Public Access UN*X - (216) 781-6201, 300/1200/2400 baud, login: makeuser
jb@aablue.UUCP (John B Scalia) (01/26/89)
In article <477@telly.UUCP> writes: >Assuming you're still interested, Foxbase is essentially the same as dBaseIII+ Hmm..... How right you are! :-) Quoting from my latest copy of UnixWorld - (February 1989 page 14): "Ashton-Tate has filed a copywrite infringement suit against Fox Software Inc. and The Santa Cruz Operation, charging them of copying the concept and appearance of four versions of dBase, Ashton-Tate's best-selling database software." [continued, but you get the point.] I guess this means to get it while its hot! -- A A Blueprint Co., Inc. - Akron, Ohio +1 216 794-8803 voice UUCP: {uunet!}aablue!jb Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who FidoNet: 1:157/697 wants to spend their life in an institution. EchoNet: US:OH/AKR.0