SJD9@psuvm.psu.edu (03/01/91)
Several questions/issues about 4th Dimension: 1) For commercial products, how can you set up a 4D db to detect the number of users and make sure they don't exceed licensing requirements of limited number of users? Ideal solution would be transparent to uers while letting them define new users as employees leave the company. 2) Is there any way to select a layout for viewing based on preferences of each user? For instance, some users may prefer reports that omit certain fields, but include others. Be nice to be able to do this without the user needing to deal with the report generator. 3) Are there any 4D-oriented periodicals, other than what ACIUS puts out? I'd be glad to hear from anyone working on 4D commercial db's, since there is so much to know, and each person probably picks up things someone else might miss. Steve ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Steve Dahm BITNET --> sjd9@psuvm | | InfoSolutions, Inc. (business acct on VM) | | 147A Silverdale Rd. | | Julian, PA 16844 Internet --> sjd9@psuvm.psu.edu | | 814-355-2983 AppleLink--> dahm1 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------
alex@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Edmund Davis) (03/02/91)
In article <91059.194720SJD9@psuvm.psu.edu> SJD9@psuvm.psu.edu writes: >Several questions/issues about 4th Dimension: > >1) For commercial products, how can you set up a 4D db to detect the >number of users and make sure they don't exceed licensing >requirements of limited number of users? Ideal solution >would be transparent to uers while letting them define new >users as employees leave the company. I understand that this is rather difficult to do correctly (i.e. eliminating dead nodes, etc.), but I am sure that ACIUS has some elaborate solution. I generally do custom work where number of users is not a question. > >2) Is there any way to select a layout for viewing based on >preferences of each user? For instance, some users may prefer >reports that omit certain fields, but include others. Be nice >to be able to do this without the user needing to deal with >the report generator. There is much that can be done along this vein, but in general, everything must be predefined. That is, the user is viewing a given screen or dialog, and choose an item from a fixed list that then branches to one of several (as I said, predefined) screens. I do not know of anyone who has re-created the report generator to any degree success (where success is defined as combining generality, flexibility, and a superior interface). > >3) Are there any 4D-oriented periodicals, other than what ACIUS >puts out? No, but realize that ACIUS' prime effort at technical support is thru its Compuserve forum. On the forum, there are many discussion subsections and a considerable library (sample code, externals...) (stuff deleted...) > >Steve have fun. alex ---- Edmund A. Davis Internet: alex@eniac.seas.upenn.edu ACIUS Registered Developer Compuserve: 70471,3342 US Mail: 233-F So. Melville St. (215) 386-3305 Philadelphia, PA 19139