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Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

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    Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

    Hi
    I purchased A5 V9 fairly reecently while they had a special offer on it and on the recommendation of another user. I have written some reasonably sophistocated database with Access in several versions. But I have given up trying to use Alpha V9 as there seems very little resources available on say X-Basic etc. I just want to know how to do simple things (if possible) such as how to populate Combo boxes with multiple fields , only one of which is visible, and using one combo box to populate another etc. I'm happier using code than wizards and Genies, but I can find very little to nothing from the likes of O'Reilly Books on Alpha 5...it was one of their books that finally got me up and running in Access. I like the look and possiblities of using A5 but where or how can I get some reasonable training from. I purchased recently the Video Training Course offered but it really doesn't seem to drill down to the things I want to be able to do. Any advise greatly appreciated.

    Mike
    Last edited by ZaphodBBB; 12-05-2008, 09:37 PM. Reason: Make greater clarity

    #2
    Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

    For basics, see Susan Bush's books...
    For programming, see Dr. Peter Wayne's books...

    http://www.libertymanuals.com/index.php

    Both highly recommended.
    Peter
    AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

    [email protected]
    https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


    Comment


      #3
      Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

      Hi Mike -

      I'm glad you posted here, and see enough in A5 to ask this question. Welcome to our world!

      I don't think anyone could put together any series of books or video training that would meet everyone's needs, cover all the bases. Some of the combo-box stuff you need, for instance, is pretty unlikely to be in any "standard" or "basic" instructional.

      That's why this forum exists. You're smart to have found and used it, but you don't know how smart you are yet, or how useful this forum can be.

      I presume you've used the Search feature already, and come up empty on some of the things you need. In which case, I'll encourage you, one question/thread at a time, to describe your need(s) and I'll bet you'll get all the help (and then some, sometimes) you need.

      Pretty soon you'll also find that your growing understanding of A5 will make it easier for you to start finding solutions on your own, without coming to this board.

      So make a list (it is, after, all, Christmas time, so check it twice) and start into it.

      Edit: I see Peter beat me to this. The books, too, are good and recommended - I don't mean to dismiss them at all. But still, see above.
      Last edited by Steve Workings; 12-05-2008, 09:49 PM. Reason: Peter's recommendations
      -Steve
      sigpic

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

        Thanks Steve and Peter

        Your right Steve I did think I'd give this a shot and see if I got any responses...great to see there is and quick too! I'll have a look at Liberty books mentioned then start playing with V5 and just hope there's a lot of patience out there.
        Is the built in help any good for working out what's what with A5? I'm wondering if I should get another monitor so I can have help open on one screen and work on the other?

        Thanks again guys
        Mike

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

          Originally posted by ZaphodBBB View Post
          Thanks Steve and Peter

          Your right Steve I did think I'd give this a shot and see if I got any responses...great to see there is and quick too! I'll have a look at Liberty books mentioned then start playing with V5 and just hope there's a lot of patience out there.
          Is the built in help any good for working out what's what with A5? I'm wondering if I should get another monitor so I can have help open on one screen and work on the other?

          Thanks again guys
          Mike
          Welcome Mike...

          This message board you will find is one of (or should be) on of Alpha's greatest selling points!!! :)

          The built in help is great in that there is a TON of info in there. Sometimes people find it hard to find what they are looking for in there because there is so much. One trick is to navigate to the online help and use Google to search just the Alpha Online Help site. You avail yourself to a much more powerful search capability this way.

          Alpha online help is here:
          http://support.alphasoftware.com/alp...help/index.htm

          You can search for words specific to the help site by entering this in google. The following will search the online help for the word "Grid".

          site:support.alphasoftware.com grid

          Also....I think Steve is being modest but he has created some training videos that I hear (from folks on here are great). I have not purchased them yet though.

          More info on those here:

          http://www.imakenews.com/alphasoftwa...x000310019.cfm

          Regards,

          Jeff

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

            Since you're coming from Access, I'd also suggest you take a look at my "white paper" on naming conventions. If things in Alpha worked the same way they do in Access, I'd suggest just using the Access conventions. However...they don't. That means the Access conventions don't work very well in A5.

            Here's just one example, if you try to name an index ndxCustomerName it will come out as Ndxcustomername. These issues are a function of the underlying .dbf tables rather than an Alpha Software issue.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

              Thanks for the tip I'll have a look at your paper! I would have worked exactly as per access if you had not mentioned it!

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                Peter - Thanks for the recommendation of our books.

                Mike - I hope you enjoy your books. I'd love to hear from you after you have a chance to look them over.

                This thread led to a discussion with Richard Rabins that led to an article for the blog. Look for it in a few days. It covers using Alpha Five genies to learn Xbasic and using Operations to get the job done for programmer and non-programmer alike.


                Regards, Susan Bush
                www.libertymanuals.com
                sigpic Susan Bush, Liberty Manuals Co. Books for Alpha Anywhere mobile, web and desktop.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                  Hi Mike,

                  I have to say, there appeared to be little in the form of instructional help for A5 when I was frustrated, however, the guru's here in the forum are nothing short of pure genius when it comes to behind the scenes help. I made the mistake of giving up 2 years ago and going to Filemaker and now regret the switch. I hit a snag and these guys and gals are right on top of it showing me how to fix it. Susan, I just found your site and books yesterday and I plan on investing in them. I guess I am just giving my 2 cents worth, Alpha Five is, hands down, superior to anything else I have tried including Access.

                  Mike check out this too, it is a start in the right direction...I hope the guru's here will make more. http://www.alphasoftware.com/AlphaFive/video/
                  Kevin G. Timberlake
                  Marvel Illusions

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                    Here is the link re books and training on the alpha site

                    (removed broken link)


                    also there is 65 lesson video course available (5 1/2 hours) called Alpha Five Total Training that is focused on desktop and web application development- please email [email protected] for details

                    In addition within 30 days a new Video training course will be released that is focused exclusively on training for building web applications.
                    Last edited by Lenny Forziati; 06-02-2023, 03:10 PM. Reason: removed broken link
                    Richard Rabins
                    Co Chairman
                    Alpha Software

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                      Hi Susan, Kevin and Richard

                      Thanks for the advise and good will and pointers to the usefullness of these forums.
                      I did download the video training and it is good but I enjoy programming so wanted to get more info on X-Basic. Also it would be nice to find more info on things I consider useful..not the basic basics but stuff like ..how to make one combo box load another depending on selection in the first etc. In access you can have mulitple columns in a combo and hide all but 1 or whatever.

                      As soon as I get the physical books I'll dive right in Susan, and be sure to let you know how things go. I got the PDF's and spent a day reading one of them , but I like the paper in hand, feels so much better to be able to flick back and forth between pages.

                      When I began trying to do my first access database I really was stuck, I did not want to work with wizards and very basic forms, but all the books I could find went into ADO, and they went into it in such a technically over the top manner, describing every method property , event etc on and on that being a beginner I just did not realise you could program without knowing every naunce of the topic. So I pretty much came to a grinding halt. Then one day I found a book from O'reilly called Access Design and Programming...and that was a revelation! It spent most of its time showing examples of how to manipulate data rather than describing the underlying concepts too much. And it was honest enough to say that DAO for the most part (unless working with remote data I think) is by far more useful for everyday programming. Well that got me going and is the only reference I keep at hand these days. (I hear Microsoft have gone back to DAO in Access 2007?).

                      Anyway here's hoping, I would like to use Alpha as it seems to have a lot of features that could prove useful and appears to offer much nicer options for designing user interfaces.

                      When I purchased Alpha 5 I emailed the support a couple of times and never got any reply which was a bit dissapointing, especially seeing as how the guy who recommended I try Alpha, said how he'd often emailed Richard and heard back from the Chairman or Boss himself. It was one of the aspects of A5 he was so really impressed with.

                      My biggest problem is just getting started, I just want to be able to use a combo-box to open another form with the relevant data on it having come from that first forms combo box. Seems like the easiest thing to me but so far I have been stumped by it!

                      Thanks for all the replies and perhaps over the Xmas period I'll have the books to really get stuck into and see how to drive Alpha.

                      All the best for the Xmas season from New Zealand.

                      Mike

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                        here is a book on xbasic

                        https://www.alphasoftware.com/shop/i...asp?PRODID=597
                        Richard Rabins
                        Co Chairman
                        Alpha Software

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                          Thanks Richard

                          I have ordered that book from Lioberty last weekend so hopefully it will get here in time for the Xmas period. Not meaning to gripe by the way, I just have not had that much time of late to get into Alpha the way I'd like to. Obviously your users generally appear to be highly supportive of the product and even from my look at the Alpha Sports databse it is pretty impressive what can be done with it... I guess I was hoping to be able to leap before I could walk through it!

                          Cheers
                          Mike

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                            Originally posted by Peter.Greulich View Post
                            For basics, see Susan Bush's books...
                            ...
                            I should have said for basics and up to, and through, intermediate level concepts (or even intermediate-advanced) - for Susan's books.

                            Originally posted by ZaphodBBB View Post
                            When I purchased Alpha 5 I emailed the support a couple of times and never got any reply which was a bit dissapointing, especially seeing as how the guy who recommended I try Alpha, said how he'd often emailed Richard and heard back from the Chairman or Boss himself. It was one of the aspects of A5 he was so really impressed with.
                            Mike,

                            It's nice when the boss responds directly to you, but OTOH, one can't really expect that level of service as a default. It's just not realistic. So, when he does, consider it a bonus, but not a "right".
                            Peter
                            AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                            [email protected]
                            https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Alpha 5 Training Resources..whats out there?

                              Cheers Peter
                              I have already ordered Susan's books or a couple of them.
                              I did not at al expect to get a reply from THe Boss, as I did not email him I just emailed (as per instructions ) the contact email on the site somewhere. But never mind. This forum will hopefully sort things for me!

                              Thanks again
                              Mike

                              Comment

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