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Adding clientid and separating tables

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    Adding clientid and separating tables

    I have a database that was designed over 15 years ago in Alpha5 v4. Recently upgraded it to work in Alpha Anywhere.

    Now we are ready to make changes to the database to add functionality. The original designer created one massive table that needs to be split into many tables with a key or clientid to link them. The table contains the personal info of a client, address, information about the visit, fields for 7 family members (with all their personal data), current employment, and it goes on and on.

    So, as you can imagine, they can only have 7 people in a family. When someone comes back for a second visit, the original get overwritten!

    The specific questions i have are:

    1. How to auto-fill a clientid field on existing data? I've created the field and added a rule, but can't seem to get it to auto-increment existing data.

    2. Is there an easy way to split out chunks of data, say the address info, into a new table and maintain the clientid? Thinking maybe to copy the table to a new table, then delete the columns i don't need.

    I'm sure there will be more questions along the way! Thanks.

    #2
    Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

    The autoincrement field rule is for data entry only. To populate existing records set the field to user entered and use an update operation. Then implement the autoincrement rule.

    You can design a copy operation to copy as many fields as you like to a new table. Once satisfied with the new table you can edit the original table structure and remove the copied fields. (Backup first)
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

      Thanks Stan, just what i was looking for.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

        If you are making these changes should you not consider SQL?

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

          Going from DBF to SQL would require a massive rewrite of the entire app. Unless the person converting is already fairly fluent in the web/client server platform, there would be an enormous learning curve.
          Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
          972 524 8714
          [email protected]

          ____________________
          "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

            This is my only Alpha. Other databases i support are LAMP, so I'm familiar with MySQL. I toyed with using the desktop app with a MySQL back end, but didn't get very far with it. The current setup sharing the Alpha database from a file share seems to be sufficient. They have less than 10 employees accessing it at any given time, usually more like 5. If they ever require remote access i may look at learning the Alpha web server model.

            Thanks for your advice.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

              RE: Converting from DBF to SQL. This is not necessarily a difficult task. It depends on the app. If the app has little or no custom xbasic code, custom query calculated field, Alpha-based "views", etc. it can be relatively easy to convert to SQL.
              Steve Wood
              See my profile on IADN

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

                Converting to sql for such an app is fairly easy, but the app will run faster with dbf as you have describe the usage.
                Dave Mason
                [email protected]
                Skype is dave.mason46

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

                  I don't agree that moving a dbf app to sql is easy. If the app is really really simple, like recipes for your mother, or similar, and you don't care too much for what it looks like, then it may be easy.

                  But converting an app where appearance is important, it seriously emulates a desktop app, and the app is typical and full blown, you will find that you have bitten off a lot. And you may have to study and become fluent in several platforms, like Java, etc., to get the desired results.
                  Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
                  972 524 8714
                  [email protected]

                  ____________________
                  "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

                    like Java, etc
                    Did you mean JS-JavaScript.
                    I don't believe much Java(if any) will run in a desktop app.
                    JS, html, and other may come into play, but you can run your sql through a dbf file and make it work. Or you could use the tools and make it a web on the desktop. Of course you could still use dbf or switch to sql, mdb, etc.

                    Again, you would be better in most cases to keep your dbf
                    Dave Mason
                    [email protected]
                    Skype is dave.mason46

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

                      was referring to going to the client server/web app
                      Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
                      972 524 8714
                      [email protected]

                      ____________________
                      "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

                        Not picking on you Martin, just keeping the words right. I think you meant JS not Java.
                        Pretty sure Java is its own platform like php and others and would have no use in alpha whatsoever whether web or not. JavaScript(JS) is pretty universal and can be used in alpha and many other platforms.

                        We need to keep it straight in the even someone else comes on here and gets confused.

                        Java can be a platform on windows, Linux and apple.
                        Dave Mason
                        [email protected]
                        Skype is dave.mason46

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Adding clientid and separating tables

                          Thanks for the correction
                          Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
                          972 524 8714
                          [email protected]

                          ____________________
                          "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

                          Comment

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