Goodbye Alpha Five !

[ibiro_ro]

Alpha Five v6
The Revolutionary Way To Build Sophisticated Database Applications...

Hi all, (especially for A5 developers)

I have more than 20 years experience in programming (Basic, MAC, Fortran, Cobol, Pascal, C, Fox, Delphi, Access) and I know the "perfect programming langues" is not exist, everyone of these are advantages and imperfections.
I was very optimist hearing about A5 and reading articles about him, finally I purchased this application. In last 2-3 moths I tried to understad how work, but the A5 not satisfy my initial optimism; I must declare: "The A5 is not a way for sophisticated database applications". Maybe is "revolutionary" for begginers.
Maybe is very good in WEB applications or Reports (I don't tried), but is very poor in the basics and importants things for programming: design (browse, edit text,...), manipulation of numeric data (aligment, formatting,...), etc.
In my oppinion is wrong idea to link forms (especialy dictionaries) with a physical tables or sets, the number of files is not a good idea (DBF,CDX,FPT,DDD,DDM,DDX just for one table !), the Code Editor is for amateurs, Xbasic (what is - expert basic ? extended basic?) is just a interpreter without possibility of compilation, the syntax check is just formal.
What is good idea? The "Interactiv window", "field rules" and maybe "Xdialogs" (for experienced programmers).

"The time is money" and I haven't "money" for study months the trivial things which is very easy in other applications.

I don't forget the existence of A5, but I must wait to use this for a version "XXX".

Good luck for perfections A5, and ... good by Alpha Five !

[csda1]

I'm sorry that you have not had a good experience with Alpha 5, but I wish to address some of your comments for others that may be reading.

I must declare: "The A5 is not a way for sophisticated database applications". Maybe is "revolutionary" for begginers.
Maybe is very good in WEB applications or Reports (I don't tried), but is very poor in the basics and importants things for programming: design (browse, edit text,...), manipulation of numeric data (aligment, formatting,...), etc.

Just about every formatting you need can be done with Alpha 5. If the format is not there, write a UDF (User designed function) to create it. The only real alignment option that Alpha is missing is a "decimal" alignment (for printing), and it can be gotten around if really needed.

In programming they have an extensive underlying language (XBasic and XDialog) that can do pretty much anything needed under the sun. Browse design is due for an update and Alpha Software has said as much (mostly multi-line browse objects), and is certainly a weakness, but it's only 1 aspect, and it will get better.

In my oppinion is wrong idea to link forms (especialy dictionaries) with a physical tables or sets, the number of files is not a good idea (DBF,CDX,FPT,DDD,DDM,DDX just for one table !), the Code Editor is for amateurs, Xbasic (what is - expert basic ? extended basic?) is just a interpreter without possibility of compilation, the syntax check is just formal.
What is good idea? The "Interactiv window", "field rules" and maybe "Xdialogs" (for experienced programmers).

Linking forms with tables is from history of earlier versions. The XDialog boxes are not linked to any table. The number of files for tables is due to it's history of using the DBase III/IV format, and because the data dictionaries are simply renamed DBase tables to hold information for the tables, 3 files are the requirement. It now can work with any database format via ODBC and the like, so who cares what the native format is. Client-Server versions of Alpha 5 will hide the distinction even further.

The code editor is OK, could be better, but I've seen worse. Or do it in an offline editor if you prefer. XBasic/XDialog is the language, name doesn't matter. The code is pseudo-compiled! (as are many other languages) What does it matter as long as it's fast. The tokens and strings can be encrypted in the compile so they are not easily visible to binary viewers for added safety. The Interactive window is just a window to test code pieces, don't use it if you find it unhelpful.

Field Rules are very powerful objects to reduce programming, and place validations on the data entry. If you don't use them, you are cheating yourself of a powerful capability.

Good luck in your search for a better database. I don't think you will find it (if it existed, many of us would already be using it). Alpha Five will be here if and when you decide to come back!

[Steve Workings]

Assuming you're still reading, I'll echo Ira. We'll be waiting to welcome you back when you are finished looking for something better.

[Robin Hoare]

Please let me know when you find a better database!

It will have to cost no more than Alpha and have a royalty-free
run-time version.

Others here will no doubt add their own essential features.

Good luck

Robin

[ibiro_ro]

Thank you for understanding, may be my angry is momentary, but my major problem is linking forms with tables or sets. With Xdialog is possible to resolve this, but very complex writing many functions for all tables and for all facilities what in form is trivial. The other way will be storing for all tables dictionary (form details) in ADB file or in application folder. Or if will be possibility to create form based on virtual table (not phisycal), I try to explain this:
-in appication folder I have 2 table (for parameters and for all forms which don't work with tables - for buttons, password, informations, etc.)
-I have 2 functions for adding tables (on start -"file_add_to_db()") and dropping tables (on exit) from other folders - theses I call 'vitual tables'; with Xdialog I can do anything with these, but I can't create form, browse or report.

Yes, I must looking for something better and if I find will be inform you !

Biro.

[Howard G. Cornett]

Form without Table

If you need a form not based on a table, just create a dummy table with one field and base the form on that. Then you can add whatever form elements you want to the form. This is how I create menus.

Howard

[csda1]

-in appication folder I have 2 table (for parameters and for all forms which don't work with tables - for buttons, password, informations, etc.)
-I have 2 functions for adding tables (on start -"file_add_to_db()") and dropping tables (on exit) from other folders - theses I call 'vitual tables'; with Xdialog I can do anything with these, but I can't create form, browse or report.

Alpha 5 has quite a number of built-in fiunctions (and you could have written your own too) to operate on the data dictionaries, which is where the layouts are stored. Assuming you can create a form or other layout for the desired table you will create at design time (as opposed to creating a layout dynamically at run time), you can store it in any data dictionary of any table, and then copy it to the newly added table's data dictionary. Some of these functions include

A5_DICTIONARY_READ()
A5_DICTIONARY_WRITE()
OBJECT_OPERATION()

In most cases, I use tables with identical structures to the ones that will be added that serve as templates and includes all layouts and other data dictionary objects that I will want with the added table, and I just copy the entire dictionary, but you could do it only with specific layouts using the functions above.

I will also warn you that adding and dropping tables to a database is not a great idea in general. This modifies the adb file and is not a good idea for network sharing. You can still work with the "virtual" tables without adding them to the database, but you will often need to specify the full name of the data dictionary object (see function OBJECT_NAME_EXPAND_EXT() )

Also temporary tables should normally be stored in the temporary (also called private or user directory) directory so as not to conflict with other users sharing the same database (this may not be your problem, but I believe all designs should always be made ready for network sharing which is why file_add_to_db() is a bad idea unless absolutely necessary).

There is a huge resource of information both in the web help and with the other A5 users who donate their time to answer questions (Tom and Stan have way too much time!:D). If you utilize it, you will find that A5 may in fact be your answer!

[Peter.Greulich]

Yes, I must looking for something better and if I find will be inform you !

Yes, put me on the list too if you find something better!

I doubt there is anything better*, but hope springs eternal!

*This is not a criticsim of Alpha, it's just that impatient users like me always want the best, the fastest and the easiest!

[Marcel Kollenaar]

Yes, I must looking for something better and if I find will be inform you !
Biro.

As I read your text you might look at FileMaker Pro 8. But there you wil ran into another fence.

Alpha Five is still a better alternative.