I have given up on A4V7!!

[William Fike]

Is it possible to get my money back for this program? We have tried every thing to get this program to print, and we have had no success. We downloaded the patch, we change our settings to LPT1 from USB, and Getty says now we have a problem with Microsoft's DOS. I have had it with this program. Does anyone have any suggestions of a program that is similiar to A4 that I can purchase and not get the headaches.

Warmest regards,

Bill Fike

[Rick Sloan]

That's too bad William.

We are using Win98 and use HP Printers. It seems to work fine here. We have downloaded the patch and it has cleared up the blinking problem, but also has seemed to have corrected other conflicts as well (granular crashes so far).

I upgraded my printer to the HP4100. I used the (DOS configuration) in alpha "HP II III IV". It seems to cover all types of HP lasers.

Good Luck

RS

[Ken Fleming]

That is just about my conclusion TOO. I have been trying to get a two page report to print with NO LUCK. I have delete the printer and re-configered it. Also set the fonts but now it does NOT print anything at all. Usually I can REBOOT and it prints what I have told it to print. But, now it is DEAD seems like. I got 3 or 11 or 16 records on a page last night when I set the Standard page length to YES. When I changed the Standard page length it would print ONLY ONE page. Even the header of the second page on the botton of of the FIRST Page. I don't think this is right. Everything else works fine but the printing more than ONE page don't work at all for me. I have the page breaks set to YES too.

I've tried to attach a file but cannot seem to get it. That leaves me hanging. How do I know what file will be attached to a message. All I see is the Attach file on the bottom. NO way to TAG the file to Attach.


Ken

[Carl Person]

I may be joining your ranks. My program is completely crashed won't run at all. My thoughts are to begin looking at Fox Pro. I am running Windows eXtra Problems. Everything worked fine in Windows 98 but the new computer has Windows eXtra Problems.
Carl Person

[Tom Cone Jr]

Ken,

I was able to print a multi-page report from your database after making a few simple adjustments in the report parameters. See the other thread in this forum.

-- tom

[Rick Sloan]

Hi guys

Any new computers I get, I insist on Windows 98 2nd edition. Everything seems to work with it.

Good Luck in the future.

(MAYBE THESE PROBLEMS WOULD BE ELIMINATED WITH A FULL WINDOWS BASED A4. SEE A4 IS IT WORTH IT?)

RS

[Linda Fasoli]

I'm there too. Unfortunately, it's taken me longer than the 30 day window to figure out that there is no way I am going to get this program to work the way I need it to. My printer drivers are all screwed up - I have one local printer printing reports for the whole company. My memo fields have disappeared. I've spent as much time as I can afford on trying to fix these problems. We're putting our server back on Windows 98, and I'm going to go back to V.6 (if I can - does anyone know the answer to that question?).

I'm going to try and get my money back, because I honestly don't think that 30 days is long enough to test and retest all the different solutions that have been suggested to me.

Sorry for the rant - I'm just fed up.

Linda

[Jeff Fried]

William, have you considered the possibility that YOU are the problem, not A4V7? Don't denigrate a great product just because you can't figure out how to use it!

[Ray Fernandez]

How about all the other people having the same problem. Is it their problem also?

I’m happy Jeff that A4v7 is working for you, but for many others, it is not!

RF - ARS Motorola

[Jeff Fried]

My point is that A4V7 (and prior versions) is an excellent product which can be made to do just about anything needed for database development. When I hear someone say that there is a fundamental flaw with a product this good, this stable, and this mature, it's intuitively obvious that the problem is not with the product but with the person's ability to make it work. In the case of printing, they simply need to download the correction that was issued after the first release. There are always corrections with software; it's never perfect on first release. If he managed to speak with someone at Alpha (Getty) who happened to miss the boat on his problem, that's not a product flaw. That a Getty flaw. I don't think it's fair to Alpha Software or Alpha Four when someone takes it upon themselves to declare in public that the product is inferior. I know about the sincere dedication the people at Alpha Software have towards making their products exceptional. Misguided statements like some of the ones made in this thread are reckless and unfair.

[Ray Fernandez]

Jeff

I've read the post and I cannot find words "flaw" or "inferior" ever used. I think if you read the post you would see that he did download the patch and still this problem did not go away. This is also the same issue that many other users are experiencing even after applying the patch. My problem has nothing to do with printing and has to do with the screen issue, issues still not solve and being experienced by other users.

I agree I think ALPHA 4 is a fantastic program, but it does have its flaws just like any other great programs out there. I've made a tremendous amount of money in my business using Alpha 4 for the past 10 years, were in the process of migrating our system to a SQL database we created in-house, using Delphi as a front end.

I have the utmost respect for Alpha 4, without it I would never have achieved the steps necessary to migrate to something like Delphi, just like when I migrated from Q&A to Alpha.

I usually do not respond to postings, but after reading yours, I felt that you were in some type of attack mode and I don't think that is fair when people are trying to find solutions to their problems.

RF - ARS Motorola

[Jeff Fried]

Ray,

This is a response to your message.

I was responding specifically to the first message in this thread. I thought that was clear; my mistake if it wasn't. Here's the content of that message:

"Is it possible to get my money back for this program? We have tried every thing to get this program to print, and we have had no success. We downloaded the patch, we change our settings to LPT1 from USB, and Getty says now we have a problem with Microsoft's DOS. I have had it with this program. Does anyone have any suggestions of a program that is similiar to A4 that I can purchase and not get the headaches."

To someone reading this, such as myself and someone else who was looking over my shoulder at the message -- who said, "Sounds like a pretty bad piece of software" -- I felt an obligation to defend Alpha Four since it is anything but how it's been represented by this person. "Flaw" and "inferior" are interpretations of the message taken from "I have had it with this program" and "not get the headaches". I guess I don't agree with your representation that I was in attack mode, since I really intended to be in defense mode against a wrongful attack against Alpha Four, and by implication, the dedicated people who do their best to make it work properly.

On a more specific note, if you are having a display problem that you would like to solve, I'd be interested in hearing more about it and give you my 2 cents to solving it. I've been working with V7 and haven't found any issues except that early-on printing error, fixed by the patch, and an inability to accept mouse clicks in Windows 2000.

[Carl Person]

I don't like to get into the verbal contests but can't resist responding to this. First I started using Alpha3 and have been through several versions of A4. Currently I have a computer with Windows eXtra Problems and A4 will not load. I have been in contact with Microsoft over the problem. My last contact was a week ago and they haven't figured out the problem yet. At this point I would hate to have to find an alternative program but if A4 is not going to run what is my option?
Carl Person

[BILL SALTER]

Linda-
I'm using Alpha4v7 with no problems, under Win98. However, to avoid surprises I always run a new version parallel with the old version until I'm sure its ok. Sounds like some of your data is corrupted. If you don't have backup copies, you might try one Norton's Unerase programs to find the missing data. Then re-load Alpha4v7, this should clear your driver problem Then try runing it again. Remember, version 7 will not run under Windows in the typeset print mode, only in the standard mode. good luck! bill

[Linda Fasoli]

Bill,

Thanks for the response. You're right. My data was (or I guess maybe IS) corrupt. I didn't even know that V6 wouldn't run on Windows 2000 until about four months after I switched over to 2000. That's when I discovered my memo fields were disappearing. I just happened to run across something about 2000 on this site, freaked out and upgraded. Restoring from a four month old backup - it would be six months old now - was just not an option. After many hours of reconstructing those memo fields and following tech support's directions on how to "uncorrupt" the database, I find myself back in the same boat - they're gone again. I can live with that - I just wish I hadn't wasted the time to begin with. I honestly have no idea when or how the memo fields are disappearing. These are brand new memo fields, and the data's just gone. POOF! I can find it on backups, though.

As far as the typeset mode goes - that's a major problem. I have tons of reports in all kinds of databases, written in typeset mode, that run from applications on a network. I just can't get it to work. I had no problem with V.6. Once I installed V.7, I was setting up printer drivers every day, and they were defaulting back to the wrong drivers by the next day. They were printing on printers all over the place, and they weren't printing in typeset mode. It's just taking up too much of my time (I have a regular job too - don't we all?), and I can't expect everyone in the company print from one local printer.

Thanks for your help here. Do you know if I can run the data on V.6 after I've used V.7? I really am ready to throw in the towel. It's not like I'm new - I've been using A4 since the late 80's, and I love it (till now).

Linda

[Mike Konoff]

Carl,

Can you list which specific version of Alpha Four you're using with which specific version of Windows?

Thanks,
Mike

[BILL SALTER]

linda-
sorry that you've had so much trouble. if alpha software issues an upgrade of A4v7 with a windows driver for typeset mode, your problem should be solved. also, i've run data on version 6 after running it on version 7 without any problems. however, if your data has been corrupted, you'll probably have problems running it on any program. good luck! bill

[Carl Person]

Mike,
I have Windows eXtra problems Home edition. Came loaded on a Compaq 5320US Pent 4. I am attempting to use A4v7. It initially ran but printed only the first page of a report. After downloading the patch the whole program crashed. Alpha sent me a replacement disk with the patch. That would not load at all. Selwyn suggested reloading the original. I did that after deleting the program through DOS as it would not erase with the program delete in the Windows program. The original then loaded as it should. From the menu the program will not run. Trying to get it run with a DOS prompt I get the following message, "C:progra~1Alphaf~2>a4v7.exe-2 DOS/16M Error| [17] system software does not follow VCPI or DPMI specifications".

[DAVID GROOVER]

Bill:
I wish I had read your comments before I bought the program. I hate to leave alpha but its worthless unless it prints.
Did you get yours fixed?
David

[forskare]

Bill,

Do you have to use v7? Will v6 be sufficient? If not, how about Alpha5?

kenn

[BILL SALTER]

david-
A4v7 prints fine in standard mode with a Windows printer, and under both standard and typeset modes with a DOS printer. Hopefully Alpha Software will upgrade A4v7 to handle typeset mode with a Windows printer. bill

[Albert Cain]

We have installed V7 but in my opinion and from our experience here in a high volume fulfillment order entry operation, the best way to run Alpha 4 is through an earlier operating system, the operating system it was designed to operate under when it was developed. We use System Commander and run Alpha4 V6 on MS DOS, Windows 3.1. We have it installed on 95/98/NT, but why fight the reliability issues? We have not had a crash or loss of data in a year and we run highly complex sets in high volume.

With System Commander we get a choice when booting up to choose 95/98/NT or DOS. Our new programs are on the newer operating systems. A4 is on DOS/ Win 3.1. This may seem like a cop-out but we could not possibly suffer what is described as "data corrpution" caused running V7 on the newer XP, 2000 operating systems.

Alpha Four is the best database program on the market based upon a lot of experimentation here. Even our warehouse people can use this mouse-less, intuitive program in their work, something they could not do with Version 5 or Access. It is fast, easy to program, and reliable when used in its native environment, DOS.

Reliability and ease of use is everything. A little inconvenience of rebooting to NT minor compared with restoring lost data trying to press A4 into the newer operating systems not designed for this product.

[BILL SALTER]

Albert-
I agree that Alpha4 is a terrific dbase program. I've no comment on your preference for running v6 on dos printer.
I've had good experience running v6 on dos printer like you, and using v7 on a windows printer. The problem is the printer manufacturers are gradually ceasing to make dos printers. bill

[DSG]

Albert;
We use A4v6 extensively in our operation and are using it right now on Win 3.11, Win 95, Win 98, and Win 98 SE equipped machines. While I agree with you that it runs very well under Win 3.1(1) (I still use it periodically on a 386 here for certain applications), my experience is that it runs even better (certainly faster) under Win 95 and Win 98.

I am currently "testing" V7 on my machine (running Win 98) and find that it is certainly more stable than V6.

For what it's worth.

Duncan

[Rick Sloan]

Hi all.

Most HP Laser printers still recognize PCL5 and 6. I find you cannot go wrong using HP printers.

Call HP before you purchase a new printer and ask if it is DOS compatible. If at the end of the conversation it is compatible, ask for the conversation "case number". They will give you a number relating to your conversation which has been recorded. If you get the printer home and it is not satisfactory, you may take it back to the place of purchase for a refund. You will not be able to do that without the case number.

HP developed the computer language for printers. I am sure most of them will be DOS compatible.

RS

[Tom Cone Jr]

Rick,

I'm not so optimistic about HP and DOS compatibility.

The newer color printers and multi-purpose (copier, scanner, printer, fax) units arrive with special software which loads each time Windows sends a print job to the device. This special software sits between Windows and the printer. Can't print without it, so far as I've been able to tell. I'm skeptical that these arrangements will accommodate DOS print sequences.

-- tom

[Mike Konoff]

I have an HP DeskJet 970 Cse...relatively new. I plug in control codes in my printer setup and it uses many of them without a problem. I do this in A4V6.

Mike

[DSG]

Tom;
We use A4v6 here quite extensively, with "typeset" printing being the major component of our print jobs. I would second Rick's conclusions on HP Laserjets ... we use an HP 4050 and a couple of very old HP IIIs for a majority of our jobs. But for colour A4 printing, we have an HP 1170C (a combo printer/scanner/copier) and using a Deskjet 850C driver I get very good colour typeset printing ... a little slow, but good quality. My point is that I bet an existing HP Deskjet driver will likely be usable for most(?) HP Deskjets.

Duncan

[BILL SALTER]

tom, rick & duncan-
there sure are HP printers that are NOT DOS compatiable. I have one of them... a HP OfficeJet 610. bill

[Tom Cone Jr]

Duncan,

I believe you, and I'm glad it's working out. I just wouldn't want to bet the business on things continuing to work that way forever. The incentive for getting the HP customer base to gradually replace and upgrade everything is so powerful that I don't think HP will be able to withstand it, eventually.

-- tom