Re: [slang-users] gdbm module

[Ben Duncan <ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Actually, copying the way Appgen does it, the "Definitions" files
that formed the "Application" were stored in AppGen's DBF. So
the GDBM would/could be the answer there.

Appgen called their DBM a "PICK" (after the PICK DBM) database.
In reality, it is nothing more than a hashed-key, linked list
multi-value field capable, file manager - and not a terrible good one
at that. All fields were strings, a string-field was Null terminated,
and a Multi-value string field was a series of strings with hex "FF"
value delimiter.

The REAL value of Appgen was that you used a WYSIWYG screen and report
and "AQL" selection painters. AQL was a their mini-verison of SQL.

The concept of Appgen was pretty simple, but the way it combined the
simple "building" blocks made it very powerful for development.

The "runtime" was 5 program modules: Menu, Maint, Printem, Postem,
Selectem/Sortem. There is a master control file that defines the
the application - First program to load, Master company file name,
Function key list (which were used as triggers) and other information.

so a command such as "run AR 1", would execute the "Load" ( run )program,
asking for the "Company Number" (all data files had the Company
number appended to them), lookup the  AR  in the master control
file, set a global ENV for the company number, and hand off the
execution to the "Runtime" Module with the "PDEF" to run.

The "development" cycle in the case of a "screen",for example,
was call up a "Menu" select your PDEF. There was the "header"
maintenance - a data entry screen containing "Program Description"
and a list of the data files used. Then you went into the "WYSIWYG"
screen painter, pressed the "Function" key tagged as "ADD Item",
got a "list" of "Box, Line, Prompt, Heading" to chose from.
I could go into more detail, but I won't bore you here.

An "attribute", be it in Maint,Printem,Postem,Selectem/Sortem,
always had "Before", "default", "key", "verify", "After" function
box to enter Appgen's "Function Langauge" (A bastard version of
DataBasic).

So, given the power of S-Lang, I see no reason this could not be duplicated
using it.


Paul Boekholt wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 13, 2004 at 05:27:37PM -0500, Ben Duncan wrote:
>
> > Thank you very much!!! It looked like I was going to have to write
> > one of those for my project.
>
>
> You're welcome. If your project is still centered on creating an accounting
> application, the mysql module might be more useful. Gdbm just stores and
> retrieves key-value pairs.
>
> Meanwhile I've read this in the Apache manual:
<SNIP>

Ben Duncan   - VersAccounting Software LLC 336 Elton Road  Jackson MS, 39212
"Never attribute to malice, that which can be adequately explained by stupidity"
       - Hanlon's Razor


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