Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!ncis.tis.llnl.gov!dog.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!humu!pegasus!tleylan From: tleylan@pegasus.com (Tom Leylan) Newsgroups: comp.databases Subject: Re: To Clip(per) or not to Clip(per). Message-ID: <1991Mar1.074921.18771@pegasus.com> Date: 1 Mar 91 07:49:21 GMT References: Organization: Pegasus, Honolulu Lines: 48 In article userWINO@mts.ucs.UAlberta.CA (Myron Wintonyk) writes: >Our department, without consulting me, decided to produce >a database using clipper on a PC system using Novell Netware. > >The reporting facilities are bad ... real bad. > >They were intending to use a package called Relational Report >Writer to produce reports. Unfortunately, it can open a maximum >10 files/databases at one time. For the reports that they require. >This is not sufficient. > >As a result, I am left with a dilemma. Should I try to develop >this system further, and if so, how should I produce reports. I >have only a basic knowledge of Clipper and dBase, and have no >idea how to produce useful reports. Or, should I start over again >on a mainframe system? > >My main concerns are : Sorting in a non-indexed order, >Queries, and Scopes (only use a certain subset of the data). > >So, my question is : Does anyone out there know an easy way >to develop reports. Hopefully a product that non-computer >people can use (mostly secretaries). > >If you have any ideas on how to proceed, please send me a message > >Myron Wintonyk, >Faculty of Medicine >University of Alberta Myron... Just a quick note re: keeping things in perspective. I think Clipper's reporting capability is just fine, there is (as you note) no significant report writer included but there isn't one with C or Pascal either. Personally I program all my reports but many people use R & R and they seem happy with it. I guess my point is that I'm doubtful that your desire for secretaries to write reports will ever be met. If you have more files than R & R can handle gut instinct tells me that a secretary isn't likely to understand the relationships. They aren't going to be doing SQL queries or RPG stuff on mainframes either. I might suggest that you contact Concentric just to see if they have a solution to the file limitation or get somebody to program a QBE sort of report system for you using Clipper. tom leylan tleylan@pegasus.com (formerly with Nantucket Corp.)