Ot; Old Wish list requests
Richard D. Williams
richard at appgrp.net
Mon Mar 26 08:18:57 PDT 2018
Well put Wayne.
Why is he even on this list?
Oh yes, he wants to sell One-Gate.
Richard
On 3/26/2018 10:05 AM, Wayne Smith via Filepro-list wrote:
> In all the years I have seen you try to berate filePro I have yet to see
> any examples of what you have written. Why don't you just shut that clap
> trap of yours and let us fp programmers from level novice to expert, get
> our work done in peace without your criticism of which has never been
> welcome or useful in any way.
>
> Wayne Smith
> Port Orange. Florida
>
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
> On Sun, Mar 25, 2018 at 11:04 PM, Fairlight via Filepro-list <
> filepro-list at lists.celestial.com> wrote:
>
>> In the days when your alternatives were assembly, BASIC, or COBOL, I
>> suppose it made sense as a low barrier-to-entry language.
>>
>> These days, it's a bad time investment. You'd be better off taking the
>> time to learn something proper like Perl or Python, and develop skills
>> which are more or less transferrable to other languages.
>>
>> I've lost track of the times something went wrong in fP because either the
>> engine itself was flaky (record locking comes to mind), or because some
>> obscure part of the language bit someone squarely in the arse. I'm -not-
>> a fan of strongly typed languages, but fP takes it too far in the other
>> direction. Combined with the piss-poor syntax checker and abysmal
>> error reporting, which mis-report your actual issues more often than they
>> illustrate it correctly, the entire combo is just plain aggravating.
>>
>> In all the time I've used filePro, I don't think an error on Index.A has
>> -ever- ACTUALLY been an error on Index.A. Seriously.
>>
>> m->
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Mar 25, 2018 at 11:20:11PM -0400, Richard Kreiss thus spoke:
>>> Mark,
>>>
>>> What I posted was written in 1993 well before PCL6.
>>>
>>> I think that the new PDF printing option is their way of compensating for
>>> the inability of their output program to handle anything but PCL 3 or 5
>> on
>>> the Windows platform.
>>>
>>> It is not a perfect answer but it does work. I think that PrintWizard
>> is a
>>> much better solution as it doesn't need a lot of rewriting and can be
>> made
>>> transparent to the user. It also has a lot for flexibility once one
>> learns
>>> how to use it.
>>>
>>> Again, PDF etc. were not options in 1993.
>>>
>>> Also, keep in mind that some of the functions which were added may be
>>> functions that FP Tech needed to maintain their primary client. I have
>>> discussed the implementing the Spell Checker with a few of my clients who
>>> are running versions that have it. None of them wanted it implemented.
>>> However, I did implement the PDF printing for one client who is also
>> using
>>> PrintWizard. They want to be able to have some form letters (with logo)
>>> either printed or a PDF created from input processing with the ability to
>>> select the printer. This seemed to be a good place to use filePro's PDF
>>> creation option.
>>>
>>> I know that filePro is not perfect as it is missing a lot of
>> functionality
>>> that other databases have but it is still a programming language that
>> can be
>>> learned fairly quickly, for doing basic applications. But is capable of
>>> handling a lot of sophisticated programming. The tools are there, one
>> just
>>> needs to work out how to use them properly and when necessary make use of
>>> other programming languages to fill the gaps.
>>>
>>> Richard Kreiss
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Filepro-list [mailto:filepro-list-
>>>> bounces+rkreiss=verizon.net at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf Of
>> Fairlight
>>> via
>>>> Filepro-list
>>>> Sent: Friday, March 23, 2018 12:42 PM
>>>> To: filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
>>>> Subject: Re: Ot; Old Wish list requests
>>>>
>>>> Hell, how about emulation of PCL5 -> PCL6, so people can buy any old
>>> printer
>>>> they want. Finding affordable PCL5 printers has become a challenge in
>> the
>>> last
>>>> decade or so.
>>>>
>>>> You'd think that would take precedence over things like...spell
>> checkers.
>>>> Also...regex implementation for processing.
>>>>
>>>> Of course, most of this is moot except for a few select clients who
>>> upgraded.
>>>> The majority of of my clients haven't moved past 5.0.14, nor do they
>> plan
>>> to.
>>>> m->
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Mar 22, 2018 at 06:22:19PM +0000, Richard Kreiss via
>> Filepro-list
>>> thus
>>>> spoke:
>>>>> I came across this letter to Small Computer from 1993. I think that
>>> some of
>>>> the items are still viable requests.
>>>>> Although some of these have been addressed or are obsolete such as
>> using
>>>> WordPerfect print drivers.
>>>>> One Item - having one key and many data records making header and
>> detail
>>>> files easier to handle. I was asked, if memory serves, by Howie how do
>>> this. My
>>>> answer was, "you're the programmers".
>>>>> It might be convenient to have a way of linking a header file to a
>> data
>>> file
>>>> through filePro rather than linking them in programming and using an
>>> index.
>>>> Also, it would be convenient to be able to define an output by
>> assigning
>>> the each
>>>> section to a file. As an example the header could be linked directly
>> to
>>> the
>>>> necessary fields in the header file. The detail section could be
>> linked
>>> to the data
>>>> file thereby allow real fields to be used rather than using temporary
>>> fields or
>>>> vice-versa.
>>>>> Most of us would like to have the ability to update records from a
>>> browse
>>>> lookup. Yes, I have done this through programming but is a pain to do
>>> especially
>>>> getting the popup screen to overlay the browse line properly.
>>>>> I still would like to have the ability to define a multi-level array
>>> similar to what
>>>> one can do in Basic.
>>>>> Most of these Wishlist items have not been added.
>>>>>
>>>>> See letter below:
>>>>>
>>>>> Richard Kreiss
>>>>> 539 Fairway Drive
>>>>> Woodmere, New York 11598
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> March 24, 1993
>>>>>
>>>>> Small Computer Company
>>>>> 41 Saw Mill River Road.
>>>>>
>>>>> Hawthorne, New York 10532
>>>>>
>>>>> Attention: filePro Wish List
>>>>>
>>>>> PRODUCE A MORE COHESIVE MANUAL.
>>>>> Print one index for all versions 3, 4 and 4.1. It is
>> almost
>>> impossible to
>>>> find anything if you don't recall what version it comes from.
>>>>> When new commands are added, give more examples of how
>> to
>>> use
>>>> the command.
>>>>> 1. FilePro's Menu: (@once appears to answer this request)
>>>>> Allow for passing parameters to @pm field by prompting
>> the
>>>>> user for a response. This would be similar to prompting for a
>>>>> qualifier using the -qm option. You might define this a -rm. (I
>>>>> realize this may conflict with -rm command on Unix/Xenix systems)
>>>>>
>>>>> 2. Define output:
>>>>> A. Allow for "Delete Blank Line" control for each
>> section
>>> of an output
>>>> (ie. Header, and each break section).
>>>>> B. Allow for the defining an absolute line(s) for a
>> break
>>> field(s) to begin
>>>> printing when defining the output rather the in output processing.
>> This
>>> is
>>>> especially true when creating a multi-lines form, such as an invoice,
>> from
>>> a
>>>> header file and a detail files or printing checks.
>>>>> C. Allow for break fields to be defined in sort/select
>>> processing.
>>>>> D. Better control of printers when printing boxes and
>>> lines on a report
>>>> or form.
>>>>> E. Allow for the importing of graphics when printing
>>> reports and
>>>> forms. (can be done using print codes)
>>>>> i.e. Logo's etc
>>>>>
>>>>> 3. Processing
>>>>> A. Allow for the defining a specific line for data to
>> be
>>> printed at using a
>>>> print command - @print("47") which would advance the printer to line 47
>>> and
>>>> print out the information to be printed. (This command would be
>> instead of
>>> or in
>>>> addition to 2.B).
>>>>> B. With filePro 4.X's ability to enter 121 character
>> per
>>> line, need the
>>>> ability to send print control code(s) to the printer when printing
>>> processing
>>>> tables. This is especially true if one wants to continue to print
>>> processing tables
>>>> using 8½x11 paper by using condensed type. Yes, many new printers will
>>> allow
>>>> for controlling this function at the printer. However, older printers
>>> don't make
>>>> this that easy and some of us are not necessarily sitting at or near
>> our
>>> printer.
>>>> (Without going to the Printer Definition and initialize in condensed
>> mode
>>> each
>>>> time)
>>>>>
>>>>> 4. Define Files:
>>>>> A. Allow for the creation of a file which allows for 1
>>> KEY RECORD to
>>>> have multiple DATA RECORDS associated with it. This would make it much
>>>> simpler to handle programs which now require a header file and a detail
>>> file,
>>>> which contains multiple records associated with a key field in the
>> header
>>> file.
>>>>> Such programs as order entry and/or invoicing,
>> which
>>> may have a
>>>> large number of line items associated with them would be easier to work
>>> with.
>>>>> B. Have a memo field edit which can be used to add
>>> comments to a
>>>> record. (Finally available)
>>>>> C. Add binary field type for graphics display on
>> screen
>>> (and outputs).
>>>> (available but doesn't allow for display)
>>>>> 5. Updating Records:
>>>>> A. Allow for the updating of multiple records while
>> using
>>> browse. This
>>>> function is available in dBase and some other data base managers and
>> makes
>>> it
>>>> very simple to handle the updating of multiple line items such as
>> during
>>> Accounts
>>>> Payable or Accounts Receivable data payment entry. This would include
>>> doing
>>>> processing on each record updated.
>>>>> B. Allow for full program control of function keys at
>> the
>>> field level
>>>> when using when processing.
>>>>> C. Allow for the redefining of the function keys when in
>>> input processing
>>>> so that when a specific function key is pressed, no matter what field
>> the
>>> cursor is
>>>> in, the action takes place.
>>>>> D. Allow for multi-level arrays
>>>>> i.e. dim array ("1","50") = array(1) to array(50)
>>> defined once or dim
>>>> array ("1", ct) = array(1) to whatever variable "ct" equals, allowing
>> for
>>> variable
>>>> number of array elements depending on requirements. This would be very
>>> useful
>>>> when a header an detail files have been defined and the details are
>>> entered from
>>>> the header file and posted to the detail file after all details are
>>> entered as on
>>>> order entry.
>>>>> 6. DEFINE PRINTERS
>>>>> Allow for the entry in the printer definition table, the
>>> number of
>>>> characters/inch for the defined font. This information would be used
>> when
>>>> "RESOLVING" fields. this would allow for easier alignment of fields
>> when
>>> using
>>>> other than a 10 pitch font.
>>>>> Make a deal with WordPerfect Corporation to use their
>>> Printer Drivers.
>>>>> Modify output programs to use WordPerfect printer drivers. This is
>>> possible as
>>>> they have drivers for their programs running all the platforms that
>>> filePro runs
>>>> on.
>>>>> This will allow for the most flexible report generator
>> for
>>> any database
>>>> program. Full use of all printer functions including printing graphics
>>> would be
>>>> possible. This is especially true of laser and inkjet printers which
>> are
>>> awkward to
>>>> handle now.
>>>>> 7. Create a "PACK" command option which would look through a
>>> file and
>>>> remove blank records. This would be much easier the present multiple
>>> steps and
>>>> large amount of disk space which may be necessary currently.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Very truly yours,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Richard Kreiss
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>>>> --
>>>> Audio panton, cogito singularis.
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>>>
>> --
>> Audio panton, cogito singularis.
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