28 Dec
28 Dec
5:18 a.m.
HA! :-D I programmed in dBase a _long_ time ago... I did some work for the
compnay my dad works for. Next time I talk to him I will ask if *maybe* they
still have it somewhere..
They also used to use GEM (hmm... I remember the pixels being really blocky!)
and DisplayWrite 4
Specifically, dBase 5 and dBase Compiler.
Peace... Sridhar
11:32 a.m.
On Fri, 28 Dec 2001, Boatman on the River of Suck wrote:
Specifically, dBase 5 and dBase Compiler.
dBase 5? Was there ever such a beast? I have the FoxPro 2.6 (for DOS)
developer kit if you'd rather do it with that (I recommend it).
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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12:08 p.m.
New subject: Multitech Micro Professor III
I have one of these computers but no keyboard for it. If anyone has a
keyboard, or the whole computer that they might be willing to sell or
trade -or even the pin-outs for the keyboard connection on the computer,
please contact me.
Thanks.
Ernest
ernestls(a)attbi.com
1:41 p.m.
On Fri, 28 Dec 2001, Sellam Ismail wrote:
On Fri, 28 Dec 2001, Boatman on the River of Suck
wrote:
Yup, there indeed was a dBase 5. I can't do it in anything else, because
the software was written by me years ago, and it relies on some commercial
extension libraries that I still have the disks for. If I were writing
this from scratch, I would do it on S/390 with DB/2 8-)
Peace... Sridhar
Specifically, dBase 5 and dBase Compiler.
dBase 5? Was there ever such a beast? I have the FoxPro 2.6 (for DOS)
developer kit if you'd rather do it with that (I recommend it). 
29 Dec
29 Dec
1:05 p.m.
On 28-Dec-2001 Boatman on the River of Suck wrote:
Specifically, dBase 5 and dBase Compiler.
I might be able to get my hands on that. At a quick check, I have
dBase IV ver 1.2
Clipper 5.0
Which aren't what you want. But let me heartily recomend Clipper. It
compiles 99% of dBase programs and more. The 2 features I really liked
of Clipper where that it worked like a real compiler (ie, compiled to .obj
files, linked to .exe. Back in the day I used a 3rd party incremental
linker which saved much time during compiles) but above all, XCOMMANDS!
These allowed you to add new syntax to the language, which would be mapped
onto function calls. Think of it as a sophisticated pre-processor. I've
heard rumours of someone implementing Fortran as Clipper xcommands.
-Philip
1:31 p.m.
On Sat, 29 Dec 2001 gwynp(a)artware.qc.ca wrote:
Which aren't what you want. But let me heartily
recomend Clipper.
It compiles 99% of dBase programs and more. The 2 features I really
liked of Clipper where that it worked like a real compiler (ie,
compiled to .obj files, linked to .exe. Back in the day I used a 3rd
party incremental linker which saved much time during compiles) but
Yes, I used an incremental linker as well ("Blinker" is what it was called
if I'm not mistaken). It made a tremendous difference on a 286 :)
Clipper did/does rock, but once I got into FoxPro I preferred it.
above all, XCOMMANDS! These allowed you to add new
syntax to the
language, which would be mapped onto function calls. Think of it as a
sophisticated pre-processor. I've heard rumours of someone
implementing Fortran as Clipper xcommands.
Never used or even heard of those but that sounds cool.
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
* Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *
30 Dec
30 Dec
7:06 p.m.
On 30-Dec-2001 Sellam Ismail wrote:
Eeep! Then you either switched to FoxPro too soon, or didn't drink fully
of Clipper.
Here are 2 examples or xcommands:
#xcommand DEFAULT <v1> TO <x1> [, <vn> TO <xn> ]
;
=> ;
IF <v1> == NIL ; <v1> := <x1> ; END ;
[; IF <vn> == NIL ; <vn> := <xn> ; END ]
This maps the command :
default foo to "hello"
To
IF foo == NIL ; foo := "hello" ; END
the <vn> an <xn> mean that
default foo to "hello", bar to "world", biffle to 10
turns into
IF foo == NIL ; foo := "hello" ; END
IF bar == NIL ; bar := "world" ; END
IF biffle == NIL ; biffle := 10 ; END
Here's a more complex example :
#command @ <row>, <col> GET PASSWORD <cWord> [PICTURE <cPic>]
;
[SEND <msg>] [COLOUR <clr>] [valid <fvalid>]
;
;
=> SetPos( <row>, <col> ) ;
; AAdd( GetList, ;
GetNew( <row>, <col>, ;
{|cNew| IF(pcount()==0, <cWord>, <cWord>:=cNew)}, ;
<"cWord">,<cPic>,<clr>)
;
):reader:={|o| Pass_read(o) } ;
[; ATail(GetList):<msg>] ;
[; ATail(GetList):postblock:=<{fvalid}>] ;
; Pass_disp(ATail(GetList))
This extends the @ ...GET so to add a password entry (ie, echo * instead
of what's typed). AAdd and ATail were array manip functions, GetList is a
global array of what's in the current @ ... GET page. GetNew is a
constructor in the crude OO that clipper 5.0 had. Pass_read and Pass_disp
where functions I supplied.
Perl (source-filters) and Forth (redefine basic words) allow similar
tomfoolery. I've always found language that allows one to change and
augment the basic syntax to be Extra Good.
-Philip
On Sat, 29 Dec 2001 gwynp(a)artware.qc.ca wrote:
Blinker it was.
Which aren't what you want. But let me
heartily recomend Clipper.
It compiles 99% of dBase programs and more. The 2 features I really
liked of Clipper where that it worked like a real compiler (ie,
compiled to .obj files, linked to .exe. Back in the day I used a 3rd
party incremental linker which saved much time during compiles) but
Yes, I used an incremental linker as well ("Blinker" is what it was
called if I'm not mistaken). It made a tremendous difference on a 286 :) Clipper did/does rock, but once I got into FoxPro I
preferred it.
What did foxpro have that clipper didn't?
above all,
XCOMMANDS! These allowed you to add new syntax to the
language, which would be mapped onto function calls. Think of it as a
sophisticated pre-processor. I've heard rumours of someone
implementing Fortran as Clipper xcommands.
Never used or even heard of those but that sounds cool.
2 Jan
2 Jan
4:23 a.m.
On Mon, 31 Dec 2001 gwynp(a)artware.qc.ca wrote:
I think the DB engine was just better. Faster and more robust. Plus
Compound Index Files are a huge advancement over the old dBase index file
format (I don't know if later versions of Clipper than I used added some
type of compound index file).
The language syntax was very well developed, and you could also do
(limited) SQL queries inline. It also had nice elements for building
forms.
I'm sure later versions of Clipper (5+) had cool features that perhaps
matched FoxPro but I wouldn't know.
Clipper
did/does rock, but once I got into FoxPro I preferred it.
What did foxpro have that clipper didn't? Eeep! Then you either switched to FoxPro too soon, or
didn't drink fully
of Clipper.
Here are 2 examples or xcommands:
Very cool. FoxPro definitely didn't have this. But of course you could
still do functions ;)
Perl (source-filters) and Forth (redefine basic words)
allow similar
tomfoolery. I've always found language that allows one to change and
augment the basic syntax to be Extra Good.
Yes.
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
* Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *
7:06 a.m.
On Wed, 2 Jan 2002, Sellam Ismail wrote:
On Mon, 31 Dec 2001 gwynp(a)artware.qc.ca wrote:
> > Clipper did/does rock, but once I got into FoxPro I preferred it.
>
> What did foxpro have that clipper didn't?
Now that it matters, I've totally forgotten which application the
original request was about. (Yes, if I tried I might be able to further
wreck that grammar.)
At my favorite thrift store, there's a boxed set of Clipper on 5.25
diskette, in a 3-inch-wide set and a 1.5-inch-wide set. The small box
has only documentation, the large one has an unopened package (4-6) of
5.25" diskettes, 2 loose diskettes, and more docs. They want $3 and $8
respectively, IIRC. I couldn't find any version info, and you can tell I
know nothing about the app itself, nor am I very interested in trying to
find out.
I'm totally strapped for cash right now, but if I had a firm commitment
for the store price + S&H (probably 8-15 USD), I'd go get them, and ship
on receipt.
Doc
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bpope＠wordstock.com -
doc＠mdrconsult.com -
ernestls＠attbi.com -
foo＠siconic.com -
gwynp＠artware.qc.ca -
vance＠ikickass.org