Alpha Software Mobile Development Tools:   Alpha Anywhere    |   Alpha TransForm subscribe to our YouTube Channel  Follow Us on LinkedIn  Follow Us on Twitter  Follow Us on Facebook

Announcement

Collapse

The Alpha Software Forum Participation Guidelines

The Alpha Software Forum is a free forum created for Alpha Software Developer Community to ask for help, exchange ideas, and share solutions. Alpha Software strives to create an environment where all members of the community can feel safe to participate. In order to ensure the Alpha Software Forum is a place where all feel welcome, forum participants are expected to behave as follows:
  • Be professional in your conduct
  • Be kind to others
  • Be constructive when giving feedback
  • Be open to new ideas and suggestions
  • Stay on topic


Be sure all comments and threads you post are respectful. Posts that contain any of the following content will be considered a violation of your agreement as a member of the Alpha Software Forum Community and will be moderated:
  • Spam.
  • Vulgar language.
  • Quotes from private conversations without permission, including pricing and other sales related discussions.
  • Personal attacks, insults, or subtle put-downs.
  • Harassment, bullying, threatening, mocking, shaming, or deriding anyone.
  • Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language.
  • Sexually explicit or violent material, links, or language.
  • Pirated, hacked, or copyright-infringing material.
  • Encouraging of others to engage in the above behaviors.


If a thread or post is found to contain any of the content outlined above, a moderator may choose to take one of the following actions:
  • Remove the Post or Thread - the content is removed from the forum.
  • Place the User in Moderation - all posts and new threads must be approved by a moderator before they are posted.
  • Temporarily Ban the User - user is banned from forum for a period of time.
  • Permanently Ban the User - user is permanently banned from the forum.


Moderators may also rename posts and threads if they are too generic or do not property reflect the content.

Moderators may move threads if they have been posted in the incorrect forum.

Threads/Posts questioning specific moderator decisions or actions (such as "why was a user banned?") are not allowed and will be removed.

The owners of Alpha Software Corporation (Forum Owner) reserve the right to remove, edit, move, or close any thread for any reason; or ban any forum member without notice, reason, or explanation.

Community members are encouraged to click the "Report Post" icon in the lower left of a given post if they feel the post is in violation of the rules. This will alert the Moderators to take a look.

Alpha Software Corporation may amend the guidelines from time to time and may also vary the procedures it sets out where appropriate in a particular case. Your agreement to comply with the guidelines will be deemed agreement to any changes to it.



Bonus TIPS for Successful Posting

Try a Search First
It is highly recommended that a Search be done on your topic before posting, as many questions have been answered in prior posts. As with any search engine, the shorter the search term, the more "hits" will be returned, but the more specific the search term is, the greater the relevance of those "hits". Searching for "table" might well return every message on the board while "tablesum" would greatly restrict the number of messages returned.

When you do post
First, make sure you are posting your question in the correct forum. For example, if you post an issue regarding Desktop applications on the Mobile & Browser Applications board , not only will your question not be seen by the appropriate audience, it may also be removed or relocated.

The more detail you provide about your problem or question, the more likely someone is to understand your request and be able to help. A sample database with a minimum of records (and its support files, zipped together) will make it much easier to diagnose issues with your application. Screen shots of error messages are especially helpful.

When explaining how to reproduce your problem, please be as detailed as possible. Describe every step, click-by-click and keypress-by-keypress. Otherwise when others try to duplicate your problem, they may do something slightly different and end up with different results.

A note about attachments
You may only attach one file to each message. Attachment file size is limited to 2MB. If you need to include several files, you may do so by zipping them into a single archive.

If you forgot to attach your files to your post, please do NOT create a new thread. Instead, reply to your original message and attach the file there.

When attaching screen shots, it is best to attach an image file (.BMP, .JPG, .GIF, .PNG, etc.) or a zip file of several images, as opposed to a Word document containing the screen shots. Because Word documents are prone to viruses, many message board users will not open your Word file, therefore limiting their ability to help you.

Similarly, if you are uploading a zipped archive, you should simply create a .ZIP file and not a self-extracting .EXE as many users will not run your EXE file.
See more
See less

Alpha five books question

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #31
    RE: Alpha five books question

    I think that a starting manual with a concise explanation of the features of A5, integrated with Xbasic would be a place to start. Right now, we have to print out the manual from a word processor and make our own books. I would like to see the same manual available in a preprinted bound, book form. Currently, the index page numbers do not correspond with the page # printed from the word processor.

    For more advanced users, I think a book with some common application solutions would be useful. Whereas an application would contain several different techniques using Xbasic solutions.

    I hope these ideas are useful in your planning.

    Alex Levy
    Alex Levy
    Tampa, FL

    Comment


      #32
      RE: Alpha five books question

      Dear Folks,

      I have been following this thread with great interest.

      I too have some really good DOS applications to upgrade to Windows.

      I have even purchased a copy of A5 v4.5, tinkered with it and discovered that this is a SOLID product.

      There are many bugs. There are many features that can be improved.

      However, there is JUST ONE thing that still hold me back.

      Lack of GOOD Quality Documentation.

      YOu can be sure that the if the developers at Alpha Software accept the reality that good documentation is necessary and do something about it, Alpha Software's future WILL BE IN VERY GOOD HANDS. I would dare say that even Microsoft will start to wonder who this Alpha Software is, and worry about it.

      The only downside? That MS might buy up the company.

      Please developers, do a good write-up of the manuals, expecially xbasic and the advanced feature, tips and tricks.

      It is not too much to ask for since we are going to tie-up our future to your products.

      This appeal is from the heart...that your product is sitting on a gold-mine.

      Miku



      Comment


        #33
        RE: Alpha five books question

        I've tried to keep up with the tread, but honestly haven't read all the messages,so excuse me if I repeat.

        I'd be willing to pay for "White Papers" on various topics. So instead of depending on an all encompassing book, a series of "White Papers" on specific areas might be more easily accomplished. Kind of like "Best of Breed" vs a "Suite".

        For example, without the option of turning off continuous enter in browses, where does one hang some script (this.commit()) to prevent going on to a new line? I just haven't figured out browses yet, but am willing to learn.

        One more suggestion. Thanks for listening.

        Tom

        Comment


          #34
          RE: Alpha five books question

          This may be tardy, but here's my 2 bits: The reference books that came with A4 were the best anywhere. They made it possible to get a good understanding of A4, and built one's confidence. On the other hand, the docs accompanying A5 were no way comparable. It kept the learning curve flat. Using A5 has been very frustrating as a result. PLEASE do it like you used to... it the best. At a reasonable price

          Thanx

          Comment


            #35
            RE: Alpha five books question

            I agree wholeheartedly with Al and the others concerning the documentation that came with A4 being the best.

            That said, I also agree that a very good, sound, well thought out users manueal based on the quality of the A4 manual be produced. Beyond that, there is a wide field of possible books.

            Some could be industry specific such as medical, legal, etc. Just like word processors that have so many features, most don't get used in the every day world. The same holds true here. If I were to work on an app for a vet for example, a book that had functions, scripts, etc. already in use would be helpful in designing for that specific app.

            One last comment, and I understand A5V5 is bringing it back, is the conversion of A4 apps to A5 and not having set level field rules. A book explaining the differences and how to accomplish this conversion using xbasic would be very helpful.

            Oran

            Comment


              #36
              RE: Alpha five books question

              Richard,

              How about zipping down this message board to a searchable database which could be downloaded by registered Alpha users. I'm new to Alpha and has found several good solutions here. It's probably one of the best boards I ever seen. It would be a great help file to have installed on the hard disc.

              Thanks
              / Jens

              Comment


                #37
                RE: Alpha five books question

                I would love to see better documentation of A5. The example given is a very good basic understanding but wen trying to expand the theory into other complicated programs, the present books are little use.

                I have used A4 for several years now and have moved to A5 this year. I work for a ploice department and am attempting to develope a reporting system specific for their use, which has been difficult to say the least. Examples like the documentation in A4 books would be great.

                Overall i love the A5 product, especially for simple quick programs of only 4 or 5 databases with a few forms and letters etc., however my present project contains many many more and all must possess unique control numbers not found in the other databases....?

                I would love to see detailed books on A5 for sure.

                Comment


                  #38
                  RE: Alpha five books question

                  Al Palmer says it all very nicely. I was able to maintain some sort of learning curve with all Alpha versions, until Alpha 5. It stopped me cold. The prior books were absolutely excellent.They enabled newbies to learn the product--a good way to increase sales. I very strongly hope you folks will do it like you used to... the A5 stuff is a flat out poor excuse for a manual. Your newer versions require more complete manuals, as they are more complex. Without improvement, no way I'll try it again.

                  with hopes,
                  Al w.

                  Comment


                    #39
                    RE: Alpha five books question

                    I think it was Q&A Database Version2 for DOS that had a superb manual, all examples were written in red ink and next to every line of code it gave an explanation of what that line did. It was written so that an amateur could understand. Also on Q&A, when you pressed the F1(help key), it took you directly to the help section of whatever you were working on. Another feature of Q&A was that on the On-Screen-Help it noted the page of the manual where you would find all your information. The manual for Alpha4 was superb, but if they could get hold of an old Q&A manual, it would give them more great ideas.

                    Comment


                      #40
                      RE: Alpha five books question

                      There are several excellent suggestions, so I need not (nor could I) make any more. My desire is to see a book on Alpha 5 like the one Alpha 4 had. It was excellent. Without the message board I would not be able to use Alpha 5 to the capacity that I am using it. John De Jong, Jr., as well as others, has excellent suggestions.

                      BTW - thanks for asking!
                      Wanda

                      Comment


                        #41
                        RE: Alpha five books question

                        Just in case anyone gets down this far in the message Q...
                        How about an on-line reference manual? That way it doesn't have to be static. A user could enter a keyword into a simple on-line form and the useage and examples would pop up. It could start out with what you have now and grow day by day.

                        Looks like to me that the A5 users are pretty long-winded, so we probably wouldn't mind contributing examples and notes to add to the manual. Alpha software would just need an editor to check the submissions and enter them into the on-line database.

                        So, if I'm using the on-line manual and find that I need, say, multiple fields in my query.order, I could make up a simple example after I tinker and find out, and submit it for inclusion.

                        Many of us who have been watching the message board for a while have seen the same questions pop up over and over, so this would be a way to get the answers out, plus it wouldn't interfere with the "how-to" books. (and leave us more time to discuss grammar and lutefish!)
                        Pat Bremkamp
                        MindKicks Consulting

                        Comment


                          #42
                          RE: Alpha five books question

                          I like this idea. See my comment this thread dated 02/03...

                          Comment


                            #43
                            RE: Alpha five books question

                            I like it too.

                            Excellent idea.

                            J P B�dard

                            Comment


                              #44
                              RE: Alpha five books question

                              Richard, I have JUST installed Alpha five, version 2 (purchased 3 years ago!) It's my first time using ANY database, & I'm finding "Getting Started" & online help WOEFULLY INADEQUATE for a beginner! I would be grateful for ANY KIND OF v.2 MANUAL FOR WINDOWS 95 so that I can harness the full power of what appears to be some pretty awesome software! (I'm quite dismayed that the company has no manuals currently available for v.2; I've posted an SOS on your message board, but meanwhile I'm pretty stuck without more detailed help.)
                              Carol Graham (in Customer Service) has my email address, if you have any advice to rescue me. Thanks! - Debbi

                              Comment


                                #45
                                RE: Alpha five books question

                                Debbi -

                                Don't mess with version 2 - the current version is 4.5. You will be using a version that has been out of date for some time. Alpha 5 improved considerably from version 3. Those improvements are well worth the cost to upgrade.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X