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From: jgb@prism.gatech.EDU (James G. Baker)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Support for variable length text fields
Message-ID: <13652@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Date: 13 Sep 90 20:56:28 GMT
References: <59463@bbn.BBN.COM>
Distribution: na
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology
Lines: 23

In article <59463@bbn.BBN.COM> delatizk@bbn.com (Jonathan Delatizky) writes:
>A friend has asked me to find him a PC database (to run on an IBM AT-class
>clone) that has true support for variable length text fields.  The data in
>question can have text lengths (in the same field) ranging from about 30
>characters to several hundred.

Most dBase dialects offer only limited variable-length field support.  dBase's
memo fields allow for some free-form text, but it is stored less effeciently.

In contrast, Advanced Revelation v2.0, is completely variable-length fields.
I know of several companies using it for *very* big applications such as
bibliographic records, etc, where certain fields range from 2 characters to
2 pages.  It is all very fast, although a rather overwhealming environment
for even someone experienced in database applications.

Let me know if you would like more info - or look in recent PC Week or Mag for
a review.

-- 
BAKER,JAMES G - Lab Technician, School of Electrical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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