Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!boingo.med.jhu.edu!welch.jhu.edu!glenn
From: glenn@welch.jhu.edu (Glenn M. Mason)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Paradox 3.5..Fields->Records?
Message-ID: <1991Mar18.151320.19862@welch.jhu.edu>
Date: 18 Mar 91 15:13:20 GMT
References: <1991Mar7.161215.25643@rodan.acs.syr.edu> <1991Mar15.135511.7052@pdn.paradyne.com>
Reply-To: glenn@welchlab.welch.jhu.edu (Glenn M. Mason)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Welch Medical Library, Baltimore
Lines: 52

In article <1991Mar15.135511.7052@pdn.paradyne.com> roth@pdntg1.paradyne.com (Mike Rothman) writes:
>In article <1991Mar7.161215.25643@rodan.acs.syr.edu> mjducey@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Matthew J. Ducey) writes:
>>
>>I Just got Paradox and I'm trying to build a DB that will show a bunch of
>>accounts. I also need to show payments received(one check a week). I don't
>>want to see some 52 checks on the screen when I review an account. Can I
>>have the check field point to another \record of checks to include the 
>>date, number, and amount? Is this possible?  Can I please have an answer
>>written in 'new user lanuage'?
>>
>>Thanks a lot!
>>Matthew
>>-- 
>> But I still like my ST...         HP-48SX            CIS      70521,373
>> SOCEUR (A)                                         Bitnet    mjducey@suvm
>> "But Sgt. Airborne, look how high we are"!       mjducey@rodan.acs.syr.edu
>
>As sad it might sound to say this my suggestion is getting your money back
>on Paradox, and purchasing Clarion 2.1 Professional Developer. (495.00 mail 
>order)
>
>It is probably the easiest prettiest and most powerful DBMS I have ever used,
>and YES this is from a former, may I say again, FORMER Paradox user
>
>Anyone else use Clarion out there?  Give your comments.

That is the dumbest advice I've seen for awhile. Paradox is an excellent
platform for application development, as is Clarion. Paradox has very power-
ful features that allow fast prototyping of applications as well as low-level
tools that provide the flexibility to create the kind of application you
want to create. There probably isn't a database package on the market that
couldn't handle the situation described by the original poster. The problem
is not "can my dbase package handle this situation?" ... any package can
handle it, some possibly better than others. The question is "what is the
best way to implement a solution given these parameters using the development
tools available within my dbase package?" 

The first thing to say is that the original question is far to general to
explain in an email how to implement. Different individuals would most likely
implement an application using varying techniques, styles, database designs,
etc. The best advice I can give is that you learn what application develop-
ment tools are available, what the limits of the capabilities of these tools
are and then begin to spec out a design to your problem. Read through some
of the manuals, go through some of the tutorials and develop a comfortable
method of prototyping that suits your personal needs. You don't need to read
all of the manuals, but at least familiarize yourself with the content.
Paradox is an excellent database application tool which should not be put
down in a sweeping generalization made by the followup poster. It may or
may not be better than Clarion, but it is very good and could be used to
provide a solution to your problem with a little work on your end.

Glenn