Xref: utzoo comp.sources.wanted:4656 comp.unix.xenix:2798 comp.sys.ibm.pc:17493
Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!husc6!rutgers!carssdf!watson
From: watson@carssdf.UUCP (John H. Watson)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.wanted,comp.unix.xenix,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: C-ISAM(*) type isam-source & terminal interaction source wanted
Summary: I like CTREE also
Keywords: ISAM,SCREEN
Message-ID: <177@carssdf.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jul 88 14:47:50 GMT
References: <371@tolsun.oulu.fi> <245@westmark.UUCP> <227@sdeggo.UUCP>
Organization: C.A.R.S.,Middlesex,NJ
Lines: 24

I would like to add that I have been using CTREE myself and like it.
I am an independent contractor now, and use CTREE in 3 different businesses.
It is very well supported by the author, Bill Fairman, and his team of
people, at least 3 that I have spoken to myself.  The best part is that
when you have a problem, you get some support right then, and no ticket
numbers, with call back tomorrow if you are lucky.  It is very well debugged,
and if you can deal with the double buffer requirement, you will do fine.
The big programming headache is that you must keep the buffer that you
read the record into intact, make a copy of that buffer, update that copy,
and re-write the copy.  That way, CTREE remembers where the last read went,
compares the two buffers to see which keys changed, and then updates its
key and data files (separate files).  Most of the buggs can be traced to
not following this pattern.  But the CTREE support staf has been very pleasant
in helping me find my own buggs.  I have had to call them about 3 times 
a year.  They have a companion report writer that is great.  I am using
it everywhere now.  It is called RTREE.  It can't handle repeating records,
one data record with and aray of detail records in it.  This is a big
problem for me, so you might want to look at RTREE before you finalize your
record layouts for CTREE.

I have ported CTREE to Xenix 1.0 thru Xenix 2.2, MSDOS MS C ver 4 & 5.0,
Att Sys V on a 68000.  All very smooth.

John H. Watson             rutgers!carssdf!watson