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Is anyone out there still using DataFlex? If so, what are you favorite tips and tricks for this venerable 4GL?

Steven A. Lowe
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  • I have used it once, about a year ago for a project. I did not like it. May I ask what your experiences with this 4GL are? –  Sep 30 '08 at 23:23
  • @[IceHeat]: I started using DataFlex v1.62 in 1982, and worked on the 3.0 version in Miami (when it went from procedural to object-oriented). Yes, I invented the DataSet! I haven't used it since v3.2, around 1997. It was/is an excellent 4GL for biz apps. – Steven A. Lowe Oct 01 '08 at 03:46
  • You invented the dataSet? There's going to be trouble. – seanyboy Oct 01 '08 at 06:04
  • [@seanyboy]: grep the source code for my name, I wonder if it's still in the comments ;-) – Steven A. Lowe Oct 01 '08 at 14:43
  • I worked on a bunch of applications in dataflex around 87-93. I wrote what was basically a very early version of Messenger, a spreadsheet (just for fun) and a lot of business apps. Fun at the time, but can't say I miss it much now – vzczc Dec 03 '08 at 23:17
  • Steven, you're still listed as the author of 17 packages in the VDF source files, Data_set.pkg being one of them :) – Ola Eldøy Dec 11 '08 at 14:07
  • @olaeld: thanks, i was curious if i had been 'scrubbed' from the corporate memory ;-) (I also wrote the C code behind the dataset class, which is part of the runtime. I worked with a fine bunch of fellows at Data Access in the early 1990s!) – Steven A. Lowe Dec 11 '08 at 16:59
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    We'll never scrub anyone, we need to keep those comments around so we can still blame you! ;-) – Dennis Jan 25 '09 at 19:31
  • @Dennis: LOL! I think the statute of limitations has expired on blaming me by now (14+ years)! Tell Stephen Meeley and Doug Goldner and the Casanaves that I said Hi and drop me a line sometime email steven-dot-lowe-at-nov8r-dot-com. – Steven A. Lowe Jan 26 '09 at 04:01
  • Actually, we have a complex algorithm for assigning blame that involves the ex-employee's name, the number of years since leaving, pi, sunspots, potatoes and a few other components. – Dennis Jan 26 '09 at 19:18
  • @Dennis: the formula must include Lee Smith, Robert Flores, and Centis Bix as exponents to be complete ;-) – Steven A. Lowe Jan 26 '09 at 20:46

7 Answers7

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It all depends on the version of DF you're using, but here's a couple:

  1. Do not use "While" when traversing record sets. Always use repeat. (see example at bottom)
  2. The dataflex newsgroups (news.dataaccess.com) is the best place to ask questions.
  3. Other useful sites include http://sture.dk/wasp and http://www.vdf-guidance.com
  4. Use entering_scope instead of activating to initialise values on forms.
  5. With deferred modal objects, use a container object above the deferred object to pass in parameters.

I've got loads more. But I'm just going to have to go and lie down. I can't believe someone asked a dataflex question. 

clear orders
move const.complete to orders.status
find ge orders by index.2
repeat
    if orders.status ne const.complete indicate finderr true
    if (not(finderr)) begin
        send doYourStuffHere
        find gt orders by index.2
    end
until (finderr)
Steven A. Lowe
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seanyboy
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4

The new Data Access World Wide forums!

http://support.dataaccess.com/forums/

fredrik
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long time no see!

Yes, DataFlex is still alive and well and being used by lots of people and organisations.

The current version is the "Visual" form (i.e. Widows GUI): Visual DataFlex (VDF) 14.1, although v15.0 is just about to release (I've been using alphas, betas and RCs for development for a few months now).

The character mode product (now v3.2) is still around as well, for DOS, Unix and Linux.

VDF now has good support for Web Applications, web services (since about v10), an Ajax library (which will come "in the box" with 15.0), CodeJock controls for nicer UI design, a development environment (VDF Studio) that has for some time (since v12.0) been so complete that I rarely step outside it any more (I even code my JavaScript in it, when doing that for VDF projects). It also comes with a free CMS called Electos (now itself in v4.0 with VDF 15.0).

It has connectivity kits in the box for Pervasive, MS SQL Server, DB2 and ODBC databases, with Oracle, MySQL and other drivers provided by Mertech Data Systems (Riaz Merchant's company: www.mertechdata.com).

You can download a free "Personal" edition (for non-commercial use) from here - it is a fully-featured product, but if you make money from it you are required to buy a kosher licence. Give it a whirl! ;-)

Good to hear from you again!

Mike
(Still fighting with the b4stard descendants of your thrice-damned DataSets!!! ;-) )

Mike Peat
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My "working language" (i.e. what I am working on as an employed developer) is Visual Dataflex, currently on version 14.0. It's not the best language/environment available, but it certainly isn't the worst either.

My number 1 tip would be, to quote Steve McConnell's Code Complete: "Program into your language, not in it. Don't limit your programming thinking only to the concepts that are supported automatically by your language. The best programmers think of what they want to do, and then they assess how to accomplish their objectives with the programming tools at their disposal."

Ola Eldøy
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Another good new site for VDF/DF tips is VDF Wiki.

Dennis
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The vdfguidance URL has a typo, it is http://www.vdf-guidance.com

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mixin inheritance was an excellent feature - the methods of any other class could be reused in your class; as long as you provided the properties that they needed to work, everything was fine = multiple inheritance (MI) without the 'diamond problem', name conflicts, and other MI issues

Steven A. Lowe
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