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Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

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    Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

    In 2000, I created a couple of applications for the business I worked at using Version 4. They liked it so well, they want me to upgrade to Version 11, using windows 7. At this time I am retired and am digging back into Alpha 5. The application is straight forward, using only a couple of scripts. Am I better off doing a complete rewrite, or modifying what is already there? Some things seem to work nicely, but there are occasional glitches. If I can modify, are there things in general that are known complications and need to be changed? The reports that I created in Version 4 seem to work well, but some of the input forms with browses have given me some problems. I appreciate any general guidelines you can give me. Please note that I am talking in very general terms just to send me in the right direction. Thanks for any help

    #2
    Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

    Hi Brian,

    For the most part, nothing should have to be done.

    However, there are a few built-in functions that may have changed in very small ways that could be a small issue.

    Also, variable array syntax had changed from arrayname() to arrayname[] with brackets. If you have any use of them, implicitly or explicitly, you need to update them. To update any action scripts, open them up in a code editor, and resave them, and they should be updated automatically (except for inline xbasic, which must be done manually).
    Regards,

    Ira J. Perlow
    Computer Systems Design


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      #3
      Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

      Thanks Ira. You are a name I remember from the past, when I was on the forum a long time ago. I will head down the path you suggested, which I was headed down initially. I did not want to go to far and then realize I had to rewrite. Thanks for your quick response.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

        Originally posted by brcorbett View Post
        Thanks Ira. You are a name I remember from the past, when I was on the forum a long time ago. I will head down the path you suggested, which I was headed down initially. I did not want to go to far and then realize I had to rewrite. Thanks for your quick response.
        Wow....this all sounds so familiar to what I'm also going through. Did some work on an Alpha Five V4 app about 10 years ago and the client is now upgrading to Windows 7 and will move to Alpha Five V11 at the same time. I haven't touched their app since then.

        I am wondering about the upgrade process in general:

        1. Can I load V11 to their machine and have both versions installed at the same time?
        2. Does the database need to be modified or upgraded (.dbf files if I recall correctly)?

        Thanks for any responses!

        John

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          #5
          Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

          1. Yes
          2. No

          Windows will likely make V11 the default application for opening the database so they will need a shortcut that specifies to use prior version like

          "C:\Program Files\a5V4\alpha5.exe" "C:\Executive\Bue\Bue.Adb" -INCLUDE="C:\Executive\Bue\Bue_HNF POS.startup"
          There can be only one.

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            #6
            Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

            I'm converting an A5v4.5 app myself.

            Here are the "issues" that I've bumped into:

            a) if you use arrays in your scripts then the syntax has to be changed. Alpha now uses square brackets, rather than parentheses. ( I believe this has already been mentioned above. ) Cal's array fix utility is a godsend.

            b) the canExit event in your forms may work a bit differently. I found I needed to change code that keeps the form open until the user finally pushes the button I need them to push in order to close the form.

            c) the embedded browse has been totally rewritten a couple of times in the years that have passed. Its much more flexible and powerful now, but you may find that they don't behave exactly like you may be used to.

            -- tom

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              #7
              Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

              Well I was hoping to be able to have both V4 and V11 running concurrently while we get our 3 machines upgraded from XP to Win7 but from a conversation with Alpha Support, it's sounding like the upgrade to V11 will modify the structure of my .dbf files and V4 will no longer be able to read them.

              Anyone have thoughts on this?

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                #8
                Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

                No,
                I can still read the dbf files with v11.
                If you are talking about alpha4 versus alpha5, there are differences, but that is in the memo files.

                If you are thinking to run the app in both versions, I don't think so. In fact, I would copy the whole app to a new folder(completely separating it) and work on the new while the users are still on the old. Once you have it ready, append all the records over from the old app. That is when you go live. That is what I do for safety purposes.

                Once I go live with an app, I make sure to break the links to the old one so users don't get confused.

                As an aside, v11 works great on winxp3.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

                  thanks Alsie - so does it sound possible to have Alpha Five V4 and V11 loaded onto the same machine accessing the same dbf files and both versions function properly? I'd like to be able to do this because it provides me a parallel test setup while I transition to customer over to V11. Once Windows7 is loaded to this machine the V4 version becomes obsolete (customer doesn't want to use the Windows XP Mode in Win7).



                  Originally posted by amorris View Post
                  No,
                  I can still read the dbf files with v11.
                  If you are talking about alpha4 versus alpha5, there are differences, but that is in the memo files.

                  If you are thinking to run the app in both versions, I don't think so. In fact, I would copy the whole app to a new folder(completely separating it) and work on the new while the users are still on the old. Once you have it ready, append all the records over from the old app. That is when you go live. That is what I do for safety purposes.

                  Once I go live with an app, I make sure to break the links to the old one so users don't get confused.

                  As an aside, v11 works great on winxp3.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

                    John,

                    If you want to run parallel, put duplicates of your data in a different directory and enter transactions there for comparison. I do not think its wise to use both A5v4 and A5v11 against the same data tables.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

                      Thanks Tom,

                      I guess I did not say it plain enough.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

                        Originally posted by Tom Cone Jr View Post
                        I'm converting an A5v4.5 app myself.

                        Here are the "issues" that I've bumped into:

                        a) if you use arrays in your scripts then the syntax has to be changed. Alpha now uses square brackets, rather than parentheses. ( I believe this has already been mentioned above. ) Cal's array fix utility is a godsend.

                        b) the canExit event in your forms may work a bit differently. I found I needed to change code that keeps the form open until the user finally pushes the button I need them to push in order to close the form.

                        c) the embedded browse has been totally rewritten a couple of times in the years that have passed. Its much more flexible and powerful now, but you may find that they don't behave exactly like you may be used to.

                        -- tom

                        Tom - could you do me a quick favor. I'm trying to just open up my A5V4 app and can't even get it to open up in V11 (there's no .adb file to open) I'm trying to determine if it existed under the old version. Do you have an .adb file in the folder where your old app executes from?

                        Thanks,
                        John

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

                          A5V4 or A5V4.5 will not run above XP.
                          You may think it is, but it is not reliable.
                          You can run it in an XP virtual machine.
                          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

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                            #14
                            Re: Guidelines for going from Version 4 to Version 11

                            Hi John,

                            Originally posted by John Graves View Post
                            Tom - could you do me a quick favor. I'm trying to just open up my A5V4 app and can't even get it to open up in V11 (there's no .adb file to open)
                            If there is no adb file, then you need to recreate it. Create a new adb, and add the tables to it. This will create most of what you need.

                            For the most part, the only thing in the ADB (and associated ALM, ALB, ALX files) are the table list, global scripts, udfs, menus, toolbars, bitmaps and import operations and some database settings. Most typical users of a5v4 would have had some import operations and maybe some toolbars/menus, but most did not have toolbars and menus.

                            Everything else is in the data dictionaries and data files of the tables and sets.
                            Regards,

                            Ira J. Perlow
                            Computer Systems Design


                            CSDA A5 Products
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                            CSDA Barcode Functions

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