ReWrite for GUI

#11

This was my thinking too. My biggest grip with VB is that it is what is
sometimes referred to as BloatWare. Also it come from a not very reputable
source and before you know it you could have your work tied into any number
of their other products. I am very much old school and was taught about such
things as elegance and that it's a good idea not to change everything beyond
recognition with each release. I find myself diametrically opposed to their
ideology in almost every way concievable. Powerbasic seems to be tightly
designed and anti 'Bloat' but I have never used it seriously.

As I mentioned before. At this stage I really want to build a list of
sites/products that ought to be considered.

"Mark Brown" <mbrown (AT) drexelmgt (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

If you've ever loaded anything on your PC that used a Setup.Exe, it was
probably written in either VB or VC++. You can create a setup routine
that
will intall everything your applications needs in the way of libraries and
data files.

I'm a full time employee right now, so I'm not at liberty to distribute
technology, but i can give advice to anyone (crazy enough) to take it.

Data can always be stored as strings. You can define a Microsoft Access
table with nothing in it but an id field and 1 "memo" data type. Those
can
be up to a GigByte each. First you write a Read function like:

(General Declararions)
dim AA, VV, SS, rs as recordset

Function Read(itemID) as Boolean

set rs = db.OpenRecordSet("select dta from CustTable where id = '" &
itemID
& "'",dbOpendynaSet)
Read = (rs.eof = false)
AA = vbNullString ' reset dynamic array
If Not Read then exit function
aa = split(rs.dta,chr$(254)) ' this create a VB dynamic array
End Function

Then you make properties like:

Public Property Get CustomerName() as string
CustomerName = AA(1)
End Property
Public Property Let CustomerName(sName as string)
AA(1) = sName
End Property

Public Sub Update()
dim sStr as string, iCx as integer
for iCx = 0 to Ubound(AA)
sstr = sstr & AA(iCx)
if iCx < Ubound(AA) then sStr = sStr & chr$(254)
next
rs.edit
rs.dta = sstr
rs.update
End Sub

Once the data is in the variant array, it can be bound to intelligent
controls like the Videosoft FlexGrid. Then you don't actually have to
populate the grid, just the array.

Mark Brown

"Claude" <leavego (AT) once (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:bm1pvj$f7j$1 (AT) newsg2 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk...
If I can be of any help, please let me know.

Mark Brown
Ex Pickie moving on

Thanks for the offer Mark . I didn't know it was easy in VB to
distribute
exe's Have you any VB tools for MV that you would be willing to share?

#12

Great stuff Ed,

As soon as my 9month old son gives me a break I will be onto the case. I
still haven't absolutely decided on PowerBasic yet but it's on the top of my
shopping list so far.

"Ed Turner" <edt (AT) pc (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

Sorry about that. The url for the first site is
http://home.san.rr.com/greatguru .

"Ed Turner" <edt (AT) pc (DOT) net> wrote in message
news:UT0hb.23592$th6.232 (AT) twister (DOT) socal.rr.com...
Claude,
You can indeed accomplish your goals using PowerBasic for Windows. I
have
been doing so for years now. Most of the tools you need can be
downloaded
for free from my 2 web sites ( http://home.san.rr.com and
http://www.m4ware.com ). These include a visual designer (written with
PB),
and some 'Include' files which will allow you to use some of the old
'Pick'
standard basic statements (DCOUNT, INSERT, etc.). One of the nice
things
about PowerBasic for Windows is that it lets you generate very small,
stand-alone executables and there are no monster run-time programs such
as
is required by tools like Visual Basic. (I would never consider using
something like Visual Basic for creating commercial apps.)

Anyway, you can contact me through the e-mail addresses on the m4ware
site
if you decide to go the PB direction and I can supply you with some free
dll's and other code (and/or advice) that will help you to speed up the
process.

Regards... Ed

"Claude" <leavego (AT) once (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:bm0uin$iok$1 (AT) newsg1 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk...
I have an old AP-DOS system that I would like to re-write and
distribute
as
free windows executables. There is a lot of databasic but not much use
of
the enquiry language ACCESS or whatever it's called. I came across
PowerBasic on the net and this seems a possibility although I would
like
to
keep the 3D file structure so may have some work to do to emulate this

structure in the file IO.

I'm after

1] No runtime licence costs required to run the application
2] Proper GUI interface rather than console or pseudo GUI
3] Easy download /install / run off you go.

I realise that users will not be able to develope / compile their own
programs etc.,

What I would like is some possible alternatives to PowerBasic , which
I
haven't even tried yet.

Thanks Claude

#13

Regretfully yes - developer copies cost money - but free runtime
executables, easy deployment and a functionally rich toolset with complete
win32 integration has to be worth something, no? <g> (Free upgrades for all
your clients using runtimes as well...) It's actually easier to call WinAPI
functions from OI Basic+ than it is to call them from VB, OI deals with all
the data typing for you...

"Patrick Payne" <patrickpayne (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

Open Insight - But it appears the developer costs money.

- Patrick

"Mark Brown" <mbrown (AT) drexelmgt (DOT) com> wrote

As anyone who's seen my posts will attest, I'm a Visual Basic guy
myself.
You can attach an Access database and distribute your executables for
free.
There's almost nothing you can do in PickBasic that you can't do in VB
if
you're willing to do a little work. FIELD, CONVERT, EXTRACT and REPLACE
and
multivalues can all be handled natively with a little extra code and the
proper attitue.

If I can be of any help, please let me know.

Mark Brown
Ex Pickie moving on

"Claude" <leavego (AT) once (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:bm0uin$iok$1 (AT) newsg1 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk...
I have an old AP-DOS system that I would like to re-write and
distribute
as
free windows executables. There is a lot of databasic but not much use
of
the enquiry language ACCESS or whatever it's called. I came across
PowerBasic on the net and this seems a possibility although I would
like
to
keep the 3D file structure so may have some work to do to emulate this
structure in the file IO.

I'm after

1] No runtime licence costs required to run the application
2] Proper GUI interface rather than console or pseudo GUI
3] Easy download /install / run off you go.

I realise that users will not be able to develope / compile their own
programs etc.,

What I would like is some possible alternatives to PowerBasic , which
I
haven't even tried yet.

Thanks Claude

#14

I already posted on the powerbasic group but you might want to check out
tsunami if you want to go the PB route.

-Bob

"Claude" <leavego (AT) once (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

This was my thinking too. My biggest grip with VB is that it is what is
sometimes referred to as BloatWare. Also it come from a not very reputable
source and before you know it you could have your work tied into any
number
of their other products. I am very much old school and was taught about
such
things as elegance and that it's a good idea not to change everything
beyond
recognition with each release. I find myself diametrically opposed to
their
ideology in almost every way concievable. Powerbasic seems to be tightly
designed and anti 'Bloat' but I have never used it seriously.

As I mentioned before. At this stage I really want to build a list of
sites/products that ought to be considered.

"Mark Brown" <mbrown (AT) drexelmgt (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:uC_gb.2862$Z86.2765 (AT) twister (DOT) socal.rr.com...
If you've ever loaded anything on your PC that used a Setup.Exe, it was
probably written in either VB or VC++. You can create a setup routine
that
will intall everything your applications needs in the way of libraries
and
data files.

I'm a full time employee right now, so I'm not at liberty to distribute
technology, but i can give advice to anyone (crazy enough) to take it.

Data can always be stored as strings. You can define a Microsoft Access
table with nothing in it but an id field and 1 "memo" data type. Those
can
be up to a GigByte each. First you write a Read function like:

(General Declararions)
dim AA, VV, SS, rs as recordset

Function Read(itemID) as Boolean

set rs = db.OpenRecordSet("select dta from CustTable where id = '" &
itemID
& "'",dbOpendynaSet)
Read = (rs.eof = false)
AA = vbNullString ' reset dynamic array
If Not Read then exit function
aa = split(rs.dta,chr$(254)) ' this create a VB dynamic array
End Function

Then you make properties like:

Public Property Get CustomerName() as string
CustomerName = AA(1)
End Property
Public Property Let CustomerName(sName as string)
AA(1) = sName
End Property

Public Sub Update()
dim sStr as string, iCx as integer
for iCx = 0 to Ubound(AA)
sstr = sstr & AA(iCx)
if iCx < Ubound(AA) then sStr = sStr & chr$(254)
next
rs.edit
rs.dta = sstr
rs.update
End Sub

Once the data is in the variant array, it can be bound to intelligent
controls like the Videosoft FlexGrid. Then you don't actually have to
populate the grid, just the array.

Mark Brown

"Claude" <leavego (AT) once (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:bm1pvj$f7j$1 (AT) newsg2 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk...
If I can be of any help, please let me know.

Mark Brown
Ex Pickie moving on

Thanks for the offer Mark . I didn't know it was easy in VB to
distribute
exe's Have you any VB tools for MV that you would be willing to share?

#15

Ed,

I have the same basic requirements as Claude and decided to sample some of
your stuff.

I downloaded VM4GL and the help talks about Sample code. I can not seem to
find that.

Also, some of the buttons on the tool bar do not seem to refresh properly.
The screen has to be minimized and maximized to get them back sometimes!

I have lots of questions on how data is retrieved. We use D3 and I am
evaluating a rewrite to something GUI either using D3 as the backend DB or
something SQL like My-Sql.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Steve

"Ed Turner" <edt (AT) pc (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

Claude,
You can indeed accomplish your goals using PowerBasic for Windows. I have
been doing so for years now. Most of the tools you need can be downloaded
for free from my 2 web sites ( http://home.san.rr.com and
http://www.m4ware.com ). These include a visual designer (written with
PB),
and some 'Include' files which will allow you to use some of the old
'Pick'
standard basic statements (DCOUNT, INSERT, etc.). One of the nice things
about PowerBasic for Windows is that it lets you generate very small,
stand-alone executables and there are no monster run-time programs such as
is required by tools like Visual Basic. (I would never consider using
something like Visual Basic for creating commercial apps.)

Anyway, you can contact me through the e-mail addresses on the m4ware site
if you decide to go the PB direction and I can supply you with some free
dll's and other code (and/or advice) that will help you to speed up the
process.

Regards... Ed

"Claude" <leavego (AT) once (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:bm0uin$iok$1 (AT) newsg1 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk...
I have an old AP-DOS system that I would like to re-write and distribute
as
free windows executables. There is a lot of databasic but not much use
of
the enquiry language ACCESS or whatever it's called. I came across
PowerBasic on the net and this seems a possibility although I would like
to
keep the 3D file structure so may have some work to do to emulate this
structure in the file IO.

I'm after

1] No runtime licence costs required to run the application
2] Proper GUI interface rather than console or pseudo GUI
3] Easy download /install / run off you go.

I realise that users will not be able to develope / compile their own
programs etc.,

What I would like is some possible alternatives to PowerBasic , which I
haven't even tried yet.

Thanks Claude

#16

Steve,
I believe the sample code that the help file is talking about is for the 6
or 7 sample projects that are included with the package. There is no 'Pick'
code in any of that. Only some samples to give an idea how to use some of
the windows features. Can't imagine what the problem is with the toolbar
images. I use it constantly on Win95, Win98, NT4 and Win2K with no problem.
Bear in mind that the IDE was written specifically for my own needs so I
don't doubt there are plenty of shortcomings in it. The good news is that
another gentleman (Paul Squires) is about to finish beta testing a new
Visual IDE (named Firefly) and it should be available in the next couple of
weeks. It has just about every good feature of VB6 but will generate very
compact, stand-alone executables. I will probably switch from my own IDE to
that one when it is available.

As for data retrieval, if you are sticking with MV (D3, UniVerse, whatever)
you need some way to let your windows programs communicate with the MV
database. I have written my own emulator (which you can download for free
from the web site) and also use Accuterm. All that is needed is for a
client dll to be able to communicate with a program on the MV system. This
small program simply responds to the requests from the windows program to
retrieve/update databases and sends/receives strings of data back and forth.
I also have written the dll's and server programs that takes care of all
that stuff. I use DDE (don't pooh-pooh it... it is far faster and simpler
than COM) for the Accuterm emulator and of course, can talk directly to my
own. I gave up on ODBC long ago as it is slow, cumbersome, and a nightmare
to install and maintain on an MV system (but that's another discussion). I
haven't posted any of that on the web site but I will provide it to anyone
who has a need and is serious about it.

If you would like to move away from MV systems (yet another discussion), I
can also recommend several other alternatives. I personally have been
migrating away from MV to a file system called VB/ISAM (I am able to treat
it like an MV database and still use all the commands and statements that I
have become accustomed to over the years) and am intertaining the thought of
also moving to another database called Cheetah.

Regards... Ed

"Steven S" <srs (AT) perfectionforgetaboutitsoftware (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

Ed,

I have the same basic requirements as Claude and decided to sample some of
your stuff.

I downloaded VM4GL and the help talks about Sample code. I can not seem to
find that.

Also, some of the buttons on the tool bar do not seem to refresh properly.
The screen has to be minimized and maximized to get them back sometimes!

I have lots of questions on how data is retrieved. We use D3 and I am
evaluating a rewrite to something GUI either using D3 as the backend DB or
something SQL like My-Sql.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Steve

"Ed Turner" <edt (AT) pc (DOT) net> wrote in message
news:UT0hb.23592$th6.232 (AT) twister (DOT) socal.rr.com...
Claude,
You can indeed accomplish your goals using PowerBasic for Windows. I
have
been doing so for years now. Most of the tools you need can be
downloaded
for free from my 2 web sites ( http://home.san.rr.com and
http://www.m4ware.com ). These include a visual designer (written with
PB),
and some 'Include' files which will allow you to use some of the old
'Pick'
standard basic statements (DCOUNT, INSERT, etc.). One of the nice
things
about PowerBasic for Windows is that it lets you generate very small,
stand-alone executables and there are no monster run-time programs such
as
is required by tools like Visual Basic. (I would never consider using
something like Visual Basic for creating commercial apps.)

Anyway, you can contact me through the e-mail addresses on the m4ware
site
if you decide to go the PB direction and I can supply you with some free
dll's and other code (and/or advice) that will help you to speed up the
process.

Regards... Ed

"Claude" <leavego (AT) once (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:bm0uin$iok$1 (AT) newsg1 (DOT) svr.pol.co.uk...
I have an old AP-DOS system that I would like to re-write and
distribute
as
free windows executables. There is a lot of databasic but not much use
of
the enquiry language ACCESS or whatever it's called. I came across
PowerBasic on the net and this seems a possibility although I would
like
to
keep the 3D file structure so may have some work to do to emulate this
structure in the file IO.

I'm after

1] No runtime licence costs required to run the application
2] Proper GUI interface rather than console or pseudo GUI
3] Easy download /install / run off you go.

I realise that users will not be able to develope / compile their own
programs etc.,

What I would like is some possible alternatives to PowerBasic , which
I
haven't even tried yet.

Thanks Claude

#17

I use a cgi interface to my jBASE system using apache. I can access the
system using PB, VB, java or flash. (There are others but I haven't tried
them.) It is basically a roll your own RPC mechanism.

-Bob

"Ed Turner" <edt (AT) pc (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

Steve,
snip/
As for data retrieval, if you are sticking with MV (D3, UniVerse,
whatever)
you need some way to let your windows programs communicate with the MV
database.
snip/

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ReWrite for GUI

comp.databases.pick comp.databases.pick

Re: ReWrite for GUI - 10-09-2003 , 02:41 PM

Re: ReWrite for GUI - 10-09-2003 , 02:43 PM

Re: ReWrite for GUI - 10-09-2003 , 06:28 PM

Re: ReWrite for GUI - 10-10-2003 , 01:34 AM

Re: ReWrite for GUI - 10-10-2003 , 06:47 AM

Re: ReWrite for GUI - 10-10-2003 , 05:54 PM

Re: ReWrite for GUI - 10-10-2003 , 10:37 PM