[AccessD] OT: Clipper

Andy Lacey andy at minstersystems.co.uk
Fri Sep 26 16:54:01 CDT 2003


> You must have Clipper on your 
> machine to look at the code (I believe). 

Not so. The code can be viewed and edited with a text editor. Most
Clipper systems I've come across (and all that I wrote) would rebuild
indexes if they were absent. IOW to rebuild indexes you simply deleted
them and started the program. That's not to say this one will do that
but it may (take a copy before you try). Native Clipper uses a separate
file for each index (.NTX I think) but you could use 3rd party products
to create files where all indexes for any table were contained ina
single file. Take a look and see what they have. You could look for code
which does a MakeIndex, there'll surely be some somewhere in the
program. But yes your dbase skills will port pretty well. You build
prg's with a text editor (or with a specialised editor), compile into
object files (.OBJ) then use a linker to create an EXE. If, however, the
client just has an EXE and no source then you're up a gum tree.
Decompilers do/did exist but the code you arrive at is horrendous. So
see if deleting the indexes (after copying I say again) and running up
the EXE does the trick. If not see if they have source code. If no to
that too then find the author and pass problem to him.

Oh and there are also utilities like DBA (I may even have a copy) which
will browse files and do stuff with indexes.

Andy Lacey
http://www.minstersystems.co.uk 


> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com 
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Jim Hewson
> Sent: 26 September 2003 22:19
> To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
> Subject: RE: [AccessD] OT: Clipper
> 
> 
> 
> Many years ago (mid 80s), I did Clipper programming.  
> The database file is the same as dBaseIII.  dBase IV file 
> format won't work. IIRC the indexes are in a separate file. 
> All the code can be compiled to an exe file.  The code files 
> are separate from the exe. You must have Clipper on your 
> machine to look at the code (I believe).  The indexes need to 
> be rebuilt through the Software, but I don't remember how. I 
> still have a full copy of Clipper at home. HTH Jim
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stephen Bond [mailto:stephen at bondsoftware.co.nz]
> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 7:40 PM
> To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
> Subject: [AccessD] OT: Clipper
> 
> 
> I have had a request to look at a Clipper system where 
> (apparently) the indexes have become corrupted.  The 
> prospective client is a distance away and I want to evaluate 
> my chances of succeeding before I travel.
> 
> I did a lot of dBaseIII / IV  stuff quite a few years ago, 
> but nothing in Clipper.  Back in those days, I had the 
> impression that dBase and Clipper were very similar, and with 
> Clipper you could 'compile' the processing module(s).
> 
> Can someone tell me how well my dBase skills will port to 
> Clipper?  And if it's a 'compiled' system, is the source held 
> separately?  And are the indexes in Clipper like the indexes 
> in dBase which are easy to re-construct?
> 
> Any middle-aged fellow travellers out there who can help?  
> Tips, Tricks, Traps?
> 
> Cheers 
> 
> Stephen
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