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Alpha5 LAN Server Application

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    Alpha5 LAN Server Application

    Hi,

    I'm new to Alpha5 (ie., barely a month yet), so forgive me if I'm going to shoot some neophite questions here.

    I already developed an Alpha5 dbase application and loaded it to our LAN server (running on Windows 2000), I wonder how I would introduce new modifications on forms and reports now that it's already running live. In MSAccess, I just usually modify a master database, import the tables of the dbase at the server to my master dbase, create an compressed runtime (mde) file, and upload it back. In less than 2 minutes, the end-users will be running a modified interface already. There's no interruption made.

    I have not figured out yet how to do this in Alpha5. Any help is highly appreciated.

    Regards,
    Gary Bangoy

    #2
    RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

    >>In MSAccess, I just usually modify a master database
    TYVM :) kenn

    Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

      Kenn,

      Thanks for your quick advice. I'll check on that post. I still have a very steep learning curve here, but I should be able to get into it soon.

      I'll get back to you then when I will have some more difficulties. Well, Alpha5 does have a lot of significant advantages that MSAccess haven't thought of.

      Regards,
      Gary

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

        Yup, Been there - Did that.

        kenn
        TYVM :) kenn

        Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

          Gary,

          To elaborate on what Ken said, I'd offer the following:

          1) Familiarize yourself with the pieces found in every Alpha Five database. The DBF and FPT files hold your data. You won't have an FPT file if your table doesn't have a memo field. The CDX files are your permanent index files. Everything else is part of (a) the database dictionaries - these all have a filename extension beginning with 'A', like .ADB, .ALB, etc. (b) the dictionaries for a table - these have filenames which include your table name, and extensions that begin with 'D' like .DDD, .DDM, etc. or (c) the dictionaries for a set - these have filenames that begin with your set name, and have extensions that begin with 'S', like .SET, .SEM, etc.

          2) Updating the application on the server, without changing the live data would involve copying all the revised pieces of your application to the Server EXCEPT for the DBF, FPT and CDX files. When I first started working with Alpha Five I wasn't sure where my changes were stored, so I updated applications by copying EVERYTHING except the DBF, FPT and CDX files. This is how I first learned to do it. Later on, as I became more familiar with where things are actually stored, I was able to minimize the number of files copied over considerably. The trick here is to learn where your designs, field rules, scripts, and functions are stored. Here are some tips: (a) Your layouts that are based on a single table will be stored in the dictionaries for that table. This includes forms, saved browses, letters, labels, and reports. Your layouts that are based on a set of tables will be stored in the dictionaries for that set, not in the dictionaries for each table that is a member of that set. (b) Global scripts, functions, menu and toolbar designs, saved to the Code Page of the Control Panel are saved in the dictionaries of the Database. There's more, but you get the point.

          So, if your change to the app is a redesign of a single form, you need not overwrite all the database 'pieces', just the dictionaries for the table or set involved in the form. See what I mean?

          3) All of the foregoing assumes your revision to the application does not involve structural changes to your tables, new index tag definitions, or new tables or set. Different arrangements would be required. You'd want to do something like you describe was customary on your Access databases. Freeze the user's data. Copy their data into your tables, and then replace everything on their server.

          To recap: The precise methodology for updating an application that's gone live depends on a number of different things. One size does NOT fit all situations.

          -- tom

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

            Tom,

            That was a huge bowl of Alpha5 wisdom for me. Thanks... That will surely put me in a better perspective. I wonder where I could get a detailed documentation of that.

            By the way, I have a new question to throw, hope you won't mind. We actually, mistakenly, bought a 5-user Full-developer version Alpha5. Having no knowledge about it, I started installing and activating the 4 licenses on 4 workstations, not realizing I only need a runtime version. When I got to the point of asking how should I hide the control panel from the user's, I ended up calling the Alphasoftware customer service, who told me that we made mistake of buying 5-user Developers' license. Whew, that mistake actually cost us $800 at least as we now see the need of buying a 10-user runtime version.

            Do you have any advice on what I should do on the 4 developer's versions that I already installed? I don't want that the users on those machines would be able to tinker on my database designs at the server.

            Best regards,
            Gary

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

              Houston, We've got a problem! Well, not a big one but one you'll need to address by incapacitating the control panel. You'll need to hide the control panel and do a few other things I'm sure others who have been down that road can talk about.

              Is Alpha willing to exchange the 5 pack for a single user and a 10 user Runtime? There's an element of trust there but you're the one spending the $$$$$.

              kenn
              TYVM :) kenn

              Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                Kenn,

                This is certainly a mistake in good faith by our President who shoot the order. He was just probably delighted to see an Alpha5 dbase do all what he was dreaming of. Unfortunately, I already activated the licenses before I called up customer service who in-turn turned down my request for a compromise. Well, yeah, we're like eating a delicious food and trying to return to because it was wrong order. A costly mistake, I guess. Maybe, that's part of the learning curve.

                So, if I would disable the control panel, would that act then as a runtime version? Thanks.

                Regards,
                Gary

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                  Hello Gary,

                  Yes, you can hide the control panel and the full version will effectively function as a runtime. However if a user does manage to get to the control panel, they will have the ability to do whatever they want to the app. You could also password protect the layouts and scripts.

                  Good luck,

                  Jim

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                    Gary

                    As a new user, you should check the newsletters for interesting articles as well as the documentation. Sometime a search of this board will provide many answers. You can also post just about any question here and someone will answer.

                    Jerry

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                      Thanks to all of you guys out there... I just feel I'm really welcome here. Hope you'll be with me in my journey to my Alpha5 mastery. Looks like I will have a crashed-course.

                      Regards,
                      Gary

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                        Gary

                        Just read your dilema

                        Dont worry.

                        Please contact me at 781 229 4500 x 22 or [email protected] and we will sort this out for you.

                        Thanks
                        Richard Rabins
                        Alpha Software
                        Richard Rabins
                        Co Chairman
                        Alpha Software

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                          Gary,

                          The message from Richard (and the unbelievable technical help from Selwyn) are the primary reasons Alpha Software is miles ahead of any other database product you can think of. IMHO, the quality of the product is secondary to the total committment of the brothers Rabin.

                          Dave
                          Dave Jampole
                          www.customalpha.com

                          Women and cats will do whatever they want. The sooner men and dogs realize that, the happier they will be.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                            Hello Richard,

                            Just opened up this forum message and I got this one from you. I'll try to check on your number then.

                            Actually, we had a management meeting this morning where I updated everyone on the development of our Alpha5 database. Of course, they were all pleased. However, our President was a bit disgusted when I recalled to him about our 5 Full-version order. So, he went back to the Alpha5 site where he made the order, and showed how misleading the list was. He was pointing to me that the Full-version and the runtime were nowhere explained in that page. How would he know he was making a wrong order then? Sure he saw 5 pack, 10 pack runtime, and so forth,,,, but being new to Alpha5 and was just excited about the stuff, he just simply pushed on one of the options and the order was made. If he knew, he could have clicked the top-most button to get a 1-developer license, and then clicked the 10 pack runtime order button to get things done.... Hmmm, I think he got a valid point on that.

                            Well, I'll check you out in a couple of minutes then. Thanks....

                            Regards,
                            Gary
                            CST Services, Inc.
                            System Operations Manager

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: Alpha5 LAN Server Application

                              I second that! I had an issue with an outdated product and Richard Rabin was quick to solve the problem to my COMPLETE satisfaction.
                              Thanks Alpha Guys!
                              -Rick Hamilton

                              Comment

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