New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

[limme99]

Hi everyone,

I am quite new to Alpha Five software.

If I develop a system with A5 and deploy it onsite, how can I update the system with new tables and screens
at a later stage ?

I am thinking of an automated update method but has no idea on how to go about doing it.

Can anyone make a suggestion ?

Thank you.

Regards,

Limme99

[DaveM]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

If it is on your own site and you are there, you would just add the new tables and overwite all else except your dbf, fpt and cdx files(after a complete backup is saved). I use astrum installer for my installs and updates. With astrum, I copy(backup) the app to a save folder, install the update, append the data from the save folder to the new app. For this I use a bootstrap adb that just makes the appends and then copies the real adb files over itself.

Hope this at least gets you going in the right direction.

[limme99]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Hi Dave,

Thanks very much for the advice.

Most certainly very helpful !

Thanks again.

Kind regards,

Limme99

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Lim
I've never had a hitch keeping it simple, I've sent dozens of updates to clients this way.
1. Close all windows except for control panel, Select TOOLS | ZIP DATABASE
2. The Zip database dialog opens, at the bottom select "Unmark files" and check "Data Files only"
...All those files Dave mentioned will be unchecked.
3. Give a name to the zip (relevant to the update for your future reference to be able to revert for testing) and click "Zip Files" button

Take (or email) that zip to the user to unzip into the application overwriting all.

[limme99]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Hi Ray,

Thanks very much for your feedback.

Your solution sounds simple and effective !

I have another query. If the existing system requires the addition of new columns to an existing table, what do I need to do to automate the deployment of the changes ?

Very much appreciate any ideas from you or Dave.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Lim

[mronck]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

In my opinion, Alpha has always lacked a well thought-out updating system for applications made with it.
What is available is a zip-function where you can easily select the user-related-data on the one side and the tables and forms etc on the other side.
Normally, when you did not make any changes to the tables itself, but only to let's say forms, reports etc, you would update your users application by simply selecting all files and deselecting the user-related-data files. In that way, the user gets your new application but saves the old data.

It gets trickier if you changed the underlying table(s). Alpha has no built in solution for that.
So, what I always did was built in a data-export-function in the old version (or first make an update that makes that possible for the customer) and then before running the update let the customer execute the data export function. The data will then be in some directory in ascii format. You can make this function as neat and luxury as you want, and as time progresses you will change it to work perfectly at minimum effort of the customer.

After you did the export, run the update. You can easily create a script that does that all for your customer so he can hardly make any mistakes. The update may be a full one, since you have exported the data. After the update has ran, import the data again and you are good to go.

Make sure you bench-test EVERY part of this operation many times before you deploy it with your customer. It must operate bomb-fool-proof, and that takes some engineering and testing.

Once you are done, you need never worry anymore about how and what to update. Just see to it that the export routine is maintained well, and keeps on track with the application of which it should protect the data.

In the end: updating always provides an extra risk for your customer, no matter how you do it. Make sure your client understands the risks involved. Make sure your client makes a full blown backup of his system that he can fall back on might something go wrong.

The export option is labor-intensive, and overkill if you only need to add let's say 1 field. You may be able to do that with an xbasic script adding a field to the table.

Tailor the solution to your specific needs, as you should always do when working for any customer.

Success with it!

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Quite correct - that is a little more advanced.
When I prepare a new release I have documented all changes , where these include table fields added, I place the release ref no and some code in the autoexec prog
Example added four fields to two tables since the last update, one table stockitems and one field being named "gone"

tbl=table.open("stockitems")
fnames=tbl.field_name_get()
tbl.close()
if "gone"$fnames = .F.	 'if this has been run previously then stockitems->gone will exist and return .T.
	A5_ADD_FIELDS_TO_TABLE("stockitems","gone,L")
	A5_ADD_FIELDS_TO_TABLE("stockitems","lot,N,5")
	A5_ADD_FIELDS_TO_TABLE("stockdeleted","gone,L")
	A5_ADD_FIELDS_TO_TABLE("stockdeleted","lot,N,5")
end if

[DaveM]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Much simpler and nicer with astrum and no user intervention.

I did the add fields as laid out above before I found I could save time for myself and the end user with such a small investment.

Before astrum: Thinking all the changes through and implementing it many times to make sure I had it right took me a minimum of 1 10 hour day. Then I had to trust the end user to do the right thing or sequence.

after astrum: when I first did it, it was about 2 hours and to reset it all for the next time, it I about 30 minutes and it is ready to install. Makes an exe that the client executes, then client starts the app and the app does the rest.

Your choice.

[mronck]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Can you elaborate a bit more... what exactly DOES the app do? Fields will still need to be added, I don't grasp how Astrum works just now? I for now fail to see how the way of delivering affects the chosen solution for upgrading an Alpha app? I have always used Qsetup for my installation programs.

[limme99]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Hi guys,

Really appreciate all you guys' contributions to this thread. I think you guys
have given me enough info. to work something out.

Thanks again.

Best regards,

Lim

[DaveM]

Re: New Tables and Forms to enhance existing system

Marcel,

I have never used or heard of Qsetup.

Astrum is just an installer that does what you tell it to. It does have the facility to copy files and/or folders as well as place same. It can write to the registry, write files on an as needed basis. in other words like: if exist x, do not, else overwrite. It makes an exe that when executed, does all that you instructed.

The way I use it is to have it copy a folder or files to a save folder. The bootstrap I use for that is the same name as the production adb that I sent with a different name. when the user starts the adb(boot), it does the append(s) from the saved folder and any other I may have needed, then the boot adb copies the production adb over the one running. The one running boot adb shuts itself down and when the user starts again like instructed, he is using the real adb.

Basically the new fields are empty when sent as all of the table fields are in those selected. The append from the boot adb fills them from the saved folder's files. a littler reindexing and/or whatever else you need.