Short: V3.6 BETA - Multi purpose database. 15 langs! Author: Marcin Orlowski , David Ekholm Uploader: carlos inet com pl Type: biz/dbase Version: 3.6 Requires: biz/dbase/db* Architecture: m68k-amigaos Www: http://amiga.com.pl/db/ Date: Mon Nov 15 13:13:34 1999 **** IMPORTANT: ***** -------------- This is snapshot of BETA version! This archive holds only new executable file. All DB related files like catalogs, examples, icons, manuals etc should be taken from the previous DB archive, which remains available from Aminet! -------------- db is a fast and small OS3.0 compliant multi purpose database program. It currently supports many languages (English, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish, Czech and Portuguese, Hungarian). This program is ShareWare. Previously, db used to display a shareware reminder if not registered with a keyfile. This reminder has been removed as I've decided to stop mailing keyfiles. /David Ekholm Why choose db? -------------- I wrote after having tested numerous other PD database programs and always found something lacking or irritating me. They might have dozzens of features not found in db, but they lacked font sensitivity and a standard GUI look and OS 3.0 behaviour. Remember: db is a GENERAL database program. YOU decide what to store in it, be it addresses, video collections spare parts or your invoices. I really can't understand why people keep releasing databases with fixed fields all the time. When you use db you will notice that the user interface has been kept as compact as possible (few gadgets, menus and windows). Still the functionality in for example, searching and sorting is high. This is intentional. I prefer few buttons with high functionality than the opposite. Feature List ------------ A partial list of db's features include: o Dynamic memory handling. Number of records and fields only limited by free memory. o GadTool based. (Use fields of string, checkbox, cycle and text type) o Support for multi-line fields through textfield.gadget o Mouse and keyboard driven. o User definable fields and layout. o Multiple views of the same database. o The views can be designed through a simple to use GUI. o Commodore's Clipboard for flexible interaction with other programs. o AppWindow -just drag and drop database icons on db to load. o Online MenuHelp -Press HELP key when selecting a menu item. o Font sensitive. o ASL requesters for flexible loads and saves. o Localized. o ARexx support. o Dial numbers using a modem or loudspeaker. o WB and Shell usage with Commodore's template parsing. o Fast and flexible find function using AmigaDOS patterns. o Listview browser. o Filter function. o Fast and flexible sort function. Multiple sort orders can be specified. o 'Export View' and two standard ASCII export features. o Automatic ASCII import (tab-separated ASCII). History of changes ------------------ 99-11-15 v3.6 beta ** THIS IS SNAPSHOT OF THE BETA VERSION! ** GOOD NEWS: * DEFPATTERN argument was always ignored by previous version of db * Added ability change filed type in Layout editor. * Added new REXX command "SortOrder" which changes sorting order (0: A->Z, 1:Z->A). Note: the menu item state won't be updated if use this command. * Started expanding layout editor. It's now possible to add new fields 'on-the fly'. IMPORTANT: the "+" and "-" gadgets are available all the time but your should NOT use them if you are not in layout editor, otherwise GURU will drop you a visit for sure. "-" may even not work (don't remember if I finished this function, sorry). BAD NEWS: The last modification I've done in the DB's sources are dated 14.03.1998, so they ain't fresh. As you probably guessed, I am not doing DB development any longer (after using DB for many years, I've now switched to Amiga port of mSQL which I found more flexible for my purposes and very fast for the amount of records I've had in all my databases). Thanks to msql.library (with ARexx port!) using SQL engine is now as powerful as it should. Give mSQL a try as well (shall be on Aminet as well). Companion tools are also available (search for "msql") I've released the sources as well. Anyone who wish to continue the development, please feel free to grab them and do anything you want. 97-09-24 v3.5 NEWS: * DB is still alive (grin ;-) in spite of previous announcements. Hope you like such news ;-) * As David's dropped the DB project (at least for now), starting from version 3.5 DB is developed by Marcin Orlowski, so all your bug reports, oppinions etc concerning DB should be mailed to him. Don't forget to visit the DB home page (URL is placed above). * Added TEXT type to view design toolbar. * Added TEXTFIELD type to view design toolbar (however you can't change its height in editor yet). * Added abbreviations to Shell template * Trailing ':' is no longer added to selector window's title if the record label the title is based on, already has it. * Edit view related strings are now localized * New CLI/tooltype DEFPATTERN (def. "#?") * New CLI/tooltype DEFREXXPATTERN (def. "#?.(db|rexxdb)") * Toolbox items call be also accessed via F1-F5 keys directly from edit view window * New menu item - reload current project * New menu item - relaunch recently selected ARexx script * Hungarian translation added. DB now supports 14 languages. Unfortunately, most of existing translations are a little bit outdated with this edition. Hope that will change with next release, when all will finish their holidays. For now you can use old catalogs so all newly localized strings will appear in english. 97-03-16 v3.4 NEWS: * This is probably the last version for the Amiga. Please Read the preface section for more info. * There is no more keyfile protection as I've decided to stop releasing keyfiles. db is still ShareWare however. * You are now able to automatically run ARexx programs every time a new record is displayed. This greatly enhances the possibilities for custom database designs. Read about the NEWRECORDRXFILE and NEWRECORDRXSTRING RFF tags for how to do this. Also refer to the modified "Relations" ARexx example enclosed with this version for a demonstration. * Added the ARexx command 'GetPortName' that returns the name of the current ARexx port. (Some users can't use the built in Address() function in ARexx for some reason.) * Polish catalog updated. Thanks goes to Konrad Dubiel. * You get the source code for this version. (Separate (archive. See the file db3.4src.lha on AmiNet). Also read the preface about legal issues concerning the source code. 96-09-11 v3.3 NEWS: * The first field will automatically be activated when a record is added. * The cursor will remain active in the current field when the user changes to search or sort mode with RAmiga + hotkey. * The Browser window's zoom gadget will now expand the window to the full height of the screen instead of shrinking the window. All suggested by Johny Hansson. * Added the ARexx command 'UndoBuffer' that extracts the old value of the current string gadget (the value prior to user changes). Suggested by Richard Ludwig. * A portuguese catalog has been added thanks to Fábio Goes. db now supports 13 languages! BUG FIXED: * This bad bug has been hanging around since v2.10(!). db would stop loading records if it hit an empty record. This is fixed and db no longer saves empty records either just to be kind to older versions. 96-03-18 v3.2 COMMENT: * This is mainly a re-release of v3.1. v3.1 was released to AmiNet but didn't show up for some reason. NEWS: * .catalog files for the following languages have been updated: French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Dutch. Also copy these files if this concerns you. * You may now fix the window position for each view by adding XPOS= and/_or_ YPOS= to the RFF lines of your database (user request). 96-03-05 v3.1 NEWS: * Multi-line fields are now supported using the textfield.gadget (included) by Mark Thomas. Check out the "Game Reviews" and "Windsurfing95" examples and you'll see what I mean. * You may now fix the window position for each view by adding XPOS= and YPOS= to the RFF lines of your database. * Added the ARexx command 'CurrentView' to control views from ARexx. SHAREWARE NOTE: * db is still ShareWare, but the save save limitation is removed. Instead db will display a ShareWare reminder for at least 10 seconds when started without a keyfile.