Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcvax!cernvax!ethz!forty2!eichi
From: eichi@forty2.UUCP (Stefan Eichenberger)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: dBASE IV - is this for real?
Keywords: slow, annoying, egregiously bad
Message-ID: <802@forty2.UUCP>
Date: 3 Jul 89 14:02:55 GMT
References: <9383@xanth.cs.odu.edu> <135@dbase.UUCP>
Reply-To: eichi@forty2.UUCP (Stefan Eichenberger)
Organization: Exp. Physics University Zuerich
Lines: 54

In article <135@dbase.UUCP> awd@dbase.UUCP (Alastair Dallas) writes:

>Undocumented trick of the month: invoke dBASE IV with a /t on the command
>line to avoid the opening graphic (but not the legal message).

Ashton Tate seems to be busy documenting not yet implemented stuff rather
than what people need to at least beeing able to start there program befor
the coffee break. (I have been told by a AT representative at a local
exhibition, that they only mention EMS support in the manuals (and adds?)
but it's NOT YET implemented!!!!!!!!!(/&()&&/)%&/$%&]$&$$%&$!!!!!!!!)~


>Run some tests--try a DO WHILE loop, for instance.  Compiled object files
>execute an order of magnitude faster than line-by-line.  Obviously, you're
>still upset by the slowness of the opening graphic :-)

They still haven't learned, that a condition of a DO loop may contain
a macro substitution. And the rule, whether it is allowed or not is so
complicated, it fills about 15 lines in the manual. At least this bug,
which persists ever since dBase II (not III) is documented.


>If the object file is loaded into memory, it will be executed from memory.
>If it is on disk, the time stamp of the object file is compared to the 
>source program and it is automatically recompiled, if necessary.  If you
>use the dBASE IV editor, the object file will be flushed, forcing a 
>recompilation. You seem to be running your program, editing the source, 
>rerunning it and expecting dBASE IV to know that you've changed something.
>In the interest of speed, dBASE IV doesn't check the source file every time
>it runs a program that is already in memory.  To force the recompile you
>seem to want, issue a CLOSE PROCEDURE command before invoking your editor.

Ever heard of make? Or worked with Turbo Pascal Version 4, 5, 5.5? Turbo C
Version 2? ...? Come on, AT, these programs can't be so expensive to buy and
try with all the money you get from poor dBase IV buyers?









Disclaimer: Have I said someting about dBase IV? I just used it!




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UUCP:      ...mcvax!cernvax!forty2!eichi         Stefan Eichenberger
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