Clipper - What Linux xBase Environment to use?

Author

What Linux xBase Environment to use?

xProgrammer

2006-04-15, 9:55 pm

I need to get back to development and I want to deliver primarily on
Linux. I have a couple of different apps that need to be done so there
are a few questions (and some might otherwise seem self contradictory).

Purchased FlagShip but it didn't quite meet my expectations (or perhaps
the fault was mine)

xHarbour sounds good in many respects.

I want to use in 2 main configurations.

1. As a data provider to apache (or some other Web server). Actually it
will be providing both the layout as well as the content.

I assume this can be done?

What is needed?

Also I need it to be able to "call" (in some way) data providing objects
hopefully also written in xHarbour (or other chosen development tool)
without the main app knowing about them at compile time. That is new
data providers can be added at any time - the "main" app would become
aware of them through entries made in its data tables. (have done this
in VB calling COM objects registered with MTS.) Is now used
commercially (but not as a separate product) by a company I helped found
but no longer have any part in. Now also Java/Linux/Sybase version as
well as the VB/Windows whatever/SQLServer/MTS version. But that's too
much outlay for small in-house work (for my wife's small business).

What would be really nice (but not really compatible with xBase data
files) would be the ability to support a varchar type of field. I could
persist associative arrays to them. (In actuality I'm after a slightly
more atomic approach.) Is this possible in any (sensible) way?

Also can associative arrays contain other associative arrays?

2. For "normal" apps I need reasonable windows (generic not a reference
to that M****soft rubbish) manager - didn't seem to work quite right
with FlagShip. How good is the xHarbour/FiveWin combination?

Also what differences are there between the free and the commercial
releases of xHarbour?

I know I could move away from xBase (which I've had to do as you might
have guessed from some of the above) but don't let anyone fool you,
armed with an appropriately up-to-date and full featured xBase
implementation (which we haven't had for year, I think) you can get
reliable apps up faster than anything else I've seen.

Thanks for answers to any of these questions.

Patrick Mast, xHarbour.com Inc.

2006-04-17, 3:55 am

Hello ,

> I need to get back to development and I want to deliver primarily on
> Linux. I have a couple of different apps that need to be done so there
> are a few questions (and some might otherwise seem self contradictory).
> Purchased FlagShip but it didn't quite meet my expectations (or perhaps
> the fault was mine)
>
> xHarbour sounds good in many respects.

;-)

> I want to use in 2 main configurations.
> 1. As a data provider to apache (or some other Web server). Actually it
> will be providing both the layout as well as the content.
> I assume this can be done?

I don't see any direct problem why it will not work with xHarbour. I suggest
that you also ask these questions on the xHarbour NG support Newsgroup at
news://news.xHarbour.com/xHarbour

> Also can associative arrays contain other associative arrays?

Yes.

> 2. For "normal" apps I need reasonable windows (generic not a reference
> to that M****soft rubbish) manager - didn't seem to work quite right
> with FlagShip. How good is the xHarbour/FiveWin combination?

Many people use the xHarbour/Fivewin combination. Though, other GUI
alternatives are available, including xHarbour.com's own VXH (Visual
xHarbour). See http://www.xHarbour.com/VXH for more info on VXH or
http://www.xHarbour.com/xHDN for more documentation on VXH.

> Also what differences are there between the free and the commercial
> releases of xHarbour?

Added value to the xHarbour core compiler like Visual xHarbour, SQLRDD,
xBuild Project Wizard, ActiveX. Technical support, integrated C compiler,
etc.. See http://www.xHarbour.com/Products for more details.

> I know I could move away from xBase (which I've had to do as you might
> have guessed from some of the above) but don't let anyone fool you,
> armed with an appropriately up-to-date and full featured xBase
> implementation (which we haven't had for year, I think) you can get
> reliable apps up faster than anything else I've seen.

;-)

> Thanks for answers to any of these questions.

HTH

--
Sincerely,

Patrick Mast,
xHarbour.com Inc.
http://www.xHarbour.com

funlvr

2006-04-17, 3:55 am

>> I want to use in 2 main configurations.
>
> I don't see any direct problem why it will not work with xHarbour. I
> suggest that you also ask these questions on the xHarbour NG support
> Newsgroup at news://news.xHarbour.com/xHarbour
>
I can't seem to get that from Giganews for some reason?

> Many people use the xHarbour/Fivewin combination. Though, other GUI
> alternatives are available, including xHarbour.com's own VXH (Visual
> xHarbour). See http://www.xHarbour.com/VXH for more info on VXH or
> http://www.xHarbour.com/xHDN for more documentation on VXH.

But doesn't that limit me to Windows? (OK for development but not for
delivery)
>
> Added value to the xHarbour core compiler like Visual xHarbour,
> SQLRDD, xBuild Project Wizard, ActiveX. Technical support, integrated
> C compiler, etc.. See http://www.xHarbour.com/Products for more
> details.
>
Sounds good - but mostly in a Windows environment??

Thanks for your answers

Regards
Doug

Stephen Quinn

2006-04-17, 3:55 am

Doug

> I can't seem to get that from Giganews for some reason?

Try creating the news account with just the following for the Server (worked for
me in OE<g> )
news.xHarbour.com

HTH
Steve

Patrick Mast, xHarbour.com Inc.

2006-04-17, 3:55 am

Hello

> I can't seem to get that from Giganews for some reason?

The xHarbour news groups are on a private server and thus not accessible
from Giganews.com.

This is a direct link that explains how to set up your news reader on
Windows:
http://www.xHarbour.com/index.asp?p...1&show_h=3&show
_i=3

[color=darkred]
> But doesn't that limit me to Windows? (OK for development but not for
> delivery)

Visual xHarbour is a Windows only tool for now yes.

> Sounds good - but mostly in a Windows environment??

Some of our add-ons are Windows only yes. We off course offer xHarbour
Builder support for all our supporting OS'es.

--
Sincerely,

Patrick Mast,
xHarbour.com Inc.
http://www.xHarbour.com

Ron Pinkas

2006-04-17, 6:55 pm

>> Newsgroup at news://news.xHarbour.com/xHarbour
> I can't seem to get that from Giganews for some reason?

I'm not familiar with Giganews, but you may try:

news://news.xHarbour.org/xHarbour

Ron

funlvr

2006-04-18, 6:55 pm

xHarbour seems to be the go. Visual XHarbour looks terrific BUT I end up
with code that's Windows only which suggests that I have to go xHarbour +
FiveLinux/FiveWin as appropriate.

So I can decide just what I need to buy I would like to know:

Differences between Personal, Professional and Enterprise. Is this only
SQLRDD support?

I want to run on Linux and Win so do I need to buy 2 copies of xHarbour 1
for each OS and is some bundle deal available?

Is a Linux version of Visual xHarbour coming? (Would be happy to have IDE
Win only as long as code could then run under Linux) That would be better
than FiveWin/FiveLinux.

Is there an Australian distributor?

Regards
Doug

Ron Pinkas

2006-04-19, 6:55 pm

Doug,

> xHarbour seems to be the go. Visual XHarbour looks terrific

Thanks for teh kind words.

> BUT I end up
> with code that's Windows only which suggests that I have to go xHarbour +
> FiveLinux/FiveWin as appropriate.

While I can't yet promise anything, I see no reason we will not have VXH
version for Linux. Just like we now have xDebug GUI for Linux.

> So I can decide just what I need to buy I would like to know:
>
> Differences between Personal, Professional and Enterprise. Is this only
> SQLRDD support?

No, please review the comparison table:

http://www.xharbour.com/index.asp?p...ow_h=1&show_i=1

[Make sure to EXPAND the different sections.]

> I want to run on Linux and Win so do I need to buy 2 copies of xHarbour 1
> for each OS and is some bundle deal available?

Yes, we do offer an MP (Multi Platform) bundle.

> Is a Linux version of Visual xHarbour coming? (Would be happy to have IDE
> Win only as long as code could then run under Linux) That would be better
> than FiveWin/FiveLinux.

I'm hopping we'll have native Linux support, and I also beleive that VXH is
Wine compatible.

> Is there an Australian distributor?

Not yet, but xHarbour Builder suppoer is web based. :-)

Ron

Sponsored Links