Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!oberon!cit-vax!elroy!mahendo!jplgodo!wlbr!scgvaxd!ashtate!cy
From: cy@ashtate.UUCP (Cy Shuster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Dbase III files and 4D
Message-ID: <390@ashtate.UUCP>
Date: 18 Dec 87 08:13:38 GMT
References: <3135@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> <4714@well.UUCP> <412@tardis.cc.umich.edu>
Reply-To: cy@ashtate.UUCP (Cy Shuster)
Organization: Ashton-Tate, Torrance, CA
Lines: 19
Keywords: dBASE Mac
Summary: dBASE Mac reads/writes III+ directly

dBASE Mac has the ability to read and write dBASE II and III files in place,
i.e. once you have hardware access to the files, the necessary dBASE Mac
structure definition is built automatically from the dBASE III internal
definition, and the dBASE III file can then be read and updated right where
it sits. 

The advantage of direct access over importing is, of course, that importing
implies copying, and therefore making the data out of sync with the original.
With a TOPS or other network where Macs and PCs can both access the same
files, existing dBASE III applications can continue to update a database,
while new applications can be developed as dBASE Mac projects against the
same files. And since relations are built by key field values, one-way
relations can be built from dBASE Mac files to dBASE III files, in place.

For further information, contact Customer Service at (213)
329-8000 (this is not an ad!). (And Dennis, correct me if I left anything
out!)
 
--Cy Shuster--  UUCP: ...scgvaxd!ashtate!cy   CIS: 74166,2027