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Re: [slang-users] gdbm module


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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