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OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

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    #16
    Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

    Take a look at this website:

    http://www.libertymanuals.com/

    Check out Susan Bush's Alpha Five Made Easy. You can take a peek at the table of contents, plus a couple of chapters. It might be worth investing in?
    Peter
    AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

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


    Comment


      #17
      Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

      Hello to all (Penny, Craig, Peter, Stan)!

      In the same vein as Penny's inquiry, I am in the process of finally upgrading from A4V3 to A5Vx (Version x to be determined - please see question 3).

      I need some clarification on CRAIG's 'how to convert' information. I have found and documented the DBFs, sets, etc. (using A4DOC.exe) Note: My application is simply DBFs and reports - no scripts or application menus. Data entry is achieved simply by the Alpha Four Main Menu's 'View/enter records' option.

      1. Craig, do I manually re-build the DBFs in A5 (typing in the fields one at a time) or is there a way to have A5 'copy' the A4 DBF structures into A5?

      2. Once the DBFs are in A5, I am hoping to be able to 'copy' the existing A4 data into the new A5 DBFs. How do I accomplish this?

      Once the data is in the new A5 DBFs, as I understand all the different posts, I will build the associated indexes, ranges, reports, rules, etc. MANUALLY (there is no 'automatic' 'conversion' tool from A4 to A5).



      3. I am using the Alpha package for very simple tasks - entering and reporting data. I only need one instance (on one PC) of the DBFs, I have no multi-user needs, I have no web needs. I need the simplest, least expensive version of A5Vx out there. The A5V9 offer (for $89.00) looks like it will do the trick. The A5V10 looks like overkill. The A4V3 version I had worked fine for many years and I was only forced to upgrade when I replaced my 10 year old PC. Can I accomplish my simple tasks with A5V9?

      Thanks, in advance, for any help given. I truly appreciate it. Have a great day!

      Dan

      Comment


        #18
        Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

        The A5V9 offer (for $89.00) looks like it will do the trick.
        Unless otherwise indicated in some special offer I believe you will find the $89 price is no longer available.

        The standard new user price is $199.

        Most of the special offers I saw were to expire with the release of v10.
        There can be only one.

        Comment


          #19
          Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

          Hello all!

          Stan, thanks for replying. I was able to get the $89.00 option, probably just under the V10 deadline.

          I have had no response from Craig yet. I also sent him a 'personal reply' reminder, to please look at this post, as he might not be in this forum too often. If anyone else can answer my questions to Craig, that would be wonderful.

          Thanks and have a great day!

          Dan.

          Comment


            #20
            Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

            Hi Dan,

            First question to you have any memo fields? If yes then there will be tables with the suffix of DBT.

            Create a new folder and in the Windows environment, copy from you existing database, all the DBF and DBT files to the new folder.

            Now start V9 and create a new application in the new folder. When this opens you will have a blank Control Panel. On the tool bar menu click on the Green Plus icon. This will open a dialog box, navigate to your new folder and you will see all your DBF tables. Click Add All and then OK. Now you will have all your tables and data in your new application.

            Check through the tables, make sure the data is there. In particular the text in the memo fields.

            Now you will have basic tables with raw data. Add field rules, if required. Add Indexes, if required.

            Create new forms, in the forms Tab and reports in the Reports Tab.

            Next I hope to see you asking questions in the V9 section of this forum.

            Good luck.
            Regards
            Keith Hubert
            Alpha Guild Member
            London.
            KHDB Management Systems
            Skype = keith.hubert


            For your day-to-day Needs, you Need an Alpha Database!

            Comment


              #21
              Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

              Keith, hello!

              Thanks, from across the pond. I will follow your instructions and let you know how it works out. I'm sure I will be asking a few questions on the A5V9 forum, once I get things converted from A4V3.

              Have a great day, sir! Cheers!

              Comment


                #22
                Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                Originally posted by Peter.Greulich View Post
                IOW, your steps are indeed very specific, so specific that w/o seeing the original A4 db, it's difficult, if not impossible, to understand.

                Look at the sample A5 Sports db that comes w. Alpha. Maybe that will give you some ideas.
                Peter - thanks, I see that I need to back up about 100 steps to do more BEFORE I get to the form step. Thank you for your help and I have indeed looked at the A5 Sports "sample" company - it does indeed give direction and step by steps. I need to first get back to even more of the basics before I tackle the form (I can see now). Your guidance has been MOST helpful. If I get past the "stuctural" steps, the relational steps, the set steps - then I will get back to the forms and perhaps "ask" one step at a time the questions (if I can not get it from the tutorial or sample database). I see that I really should just "get" a handle on it - knowing NOW it will be even more involved than I ever imagined.

                Comment


                  #23
                  Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                  Ok Penny.... It's been awhile, so whats happened? Dick

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                    Hi Penny,

                    Stumbled across your need for help.

                    If you haven't already read this - my 2 cents worth is to download and digest Cal Locklin's 'Alpha File naming Recommendations'

                    http://www.aimsdc.net/Tips_Funcs/Alp...onventions.htm

                    If I had read this before starting down the A5 trail, I would have saved may hours of regurgitating (?) my tables and file names.

                    Good Luck
                    Dave Mac

                    It's not so much what you don't know that gets you into trouble, but what you know for sure, that just ain't so. - Mark Twain.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                      Corrected link:

                      http://www.aimsdc.net/Tips_Funcs/A5_...onventions.htm

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                        Craig I read your post to Penny. I started with A3 in the 80's and moved forward to A4v7 but could never get the conversion to A5. I wrote and designed everything myself so far and use it for my trucking company billing program. I bill about 800+ loads per month and the program works great but I realize I need to get onto A5 before the last of my XP computers die. I use Windows 7 and have A5v11 but just can't seem to get the final handle on things. I always made a new empty data base each month and brought forward all the forms and reports. I have designed all the reports in A5 and brought forward some of the data bases but just can't get the hang of taking an existing data base and creating a new one with all of the forms and reports from the old one. I'm close but just getting frustrated. I've tried to convert to A5 for several years but usually give up after a couple of weeks trying. Advice?
                        Mike

                        Comment


                          #27
                          Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                          can't get the hang of taking an existing data base and creating a new one with all of the forms and reports from the old one
                          In A5 you would make a copy of the existing database in a new directory and empty all the tables.
                          There can be only one.

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                            Thanks Stan, I'll try that tomorrow.

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                              For all travelers finding this thread.
                              I just did a a4v6 to a5 v12 and the best help I had was the videos of his app sent to me that the client made with JIng. He also sent the documentation mentioned before. The videos were the most help though.
                              Dave Mason
                              [email protected]
                              Skype is dave.mason46

                              Comment


                                #30
                                Re: OK..NEWBIE HERE...trying to A5 from A4V7

                                Look at the sample A5 Sports db that comes w. Alpha. Maybe that will give you some ideas.

                                Comment

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