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From: a_dent@vaxa.uwa.oz
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: FoxBASE+/Mac TEXT file capture & programming techniques
Message-ID: <1990Jun2.181353.1855@vaxa.uwa.oz>
Date: 2 Jun 90 10:13:53 GMT
Organization: University of Western Australia
Lines: 31

I've run into a problem with FoxBASE+/Mac version 2.00, in capturing TEXT.

The two techniques I am aware of are SET ALTERNATE TO and SET PRINT TO filename
combined with SET DEVICE TO PRINT.

Both these methods produce a TEXT file in which the first few carriage returns
have been swallowed.  This occurs when capturing output of ? and DISPLAY 
commands.  The swallowing seems dependent on database operations and includes
any number of returns (printed with a ?chr(13)+cjr(13)...) until the specific
database operation.  I am using a particularly complicated relational database
and the output involves related fields.  This behaviour seems repeatable in
a number of these report programs, using different datafiles.

I am using the multi-user version on System 6.04.  The problem has been 
verified with the RAM cache on and off and with most inits off.

Any suggestions?


On a related topic, would there be any interest in a publication on writing
"mac-like" FoxBASE databases.  Coming from 4th Dimension, we found the manuals
and sample databases offered little inspiration in producing a good interface.
With a fair bit of work, FoxBase has the potential to produce truly "modeless"
systems, much more so than 4th Dimension (please, no flame wars).  We have
been through an incredible learning-curve/lateral thinking process.  Would 
YOU be interested in buying a book/skeleton/samples that explained these
techniques?

Andy Dent                     A.D. Software phone 09 249 2719
Mac & VAX programmer          94 Bermuda Dve, Ballajura
a_dent@vaxa.uwa.oz            Western Australia  6066