One of my customer was trying to rebuild his application and found out there is a problem with the install in DE8.

This is what he was doing, and I tried it with my database and it is happening too.

You can try the following:

1.  Take a DE8 database copy, it could be one of your databases

2.  Now create a new database called “ABC”

3.  Now try to install a form,table and data into this new ABC database

4.  In this new ABC database, try and open the installed form and go to the last record

5.  Next thing we see is GPF !!

Hi Arul.

The install stuff is not new in DE8. The problem is installing of Data and have been there at least in all 7.

It is a nightmare to install Data, and it also assumes that the table name is the “same” as the Form name if you do it manually (which it almost never is….) so you get problem with forms and tables not matching too, and tables not being installed.

The entire Install stuff id dubious. We will have a look at it down the line to iron out the most obvious traps, but for “professional” developers this won’t be an issue as this is not how DE Distributor works anyway.

When installing tables with data one need to do it in a DFW that is set up as Single User.

You need to change the setting in your DE to have the Share Local Database Switched off or the locking strategy as Single User (if you do it on a network).

Shared local Data Base was switched off by default in 7.2 and that is why it works if you install on your hard drive.

In DE8 it is switched on by default as you don’t want to corrupt your local apps if you start it several times in DE.

Yes, after changing to single user it worked fine. Thanks

DE8 devlopment is "two tier". 

First priority is to add new functionality that we feel is missing to make the product "complete".

Second priority is to fix key functionality that has been broken for a long time.

Install is one of these broken functionalities.

Install is such a "nifty" little functionality when it works, but when it is this difficult and incomprehensible people stay away.

1. DataEase Suggest the same file name (with a different extension) for TDF (and DBM) when you try to install a single file. It is logical to assume that it is correct, but if you hit OK you will get a form and a table that doesn't match or you will get a form with no table.

Why?

Because DataEase is "lazy". This is just a suggestion and will only be correct 1 in 100 times. When you start making a form/table ex. TestForm you will have the three files:

TESTxAAA.FRM -  The form file.
TESTxAAA.TDF  - Table definition file.
TESTxAAA.DBM - Data File.

So far everything is happy dory.

But every time you change the table definition (which happen to be a lot when you develop), DataEase will create a new form both TDF and DBM, which will typically be TESTxAAB.TDF etc.

So even after the first change to your table, you will get out of sync.

Obviously the fix for this is to insure that DE reads its own internal files properly and suggest the correct corresponding file, as it is you now have to make sure that you know the file name for the TDF/DBM combination and enter it manually - very helpful.

No doubt this has been marketed as a "feature" as you can match up an unmatched form and table, but as much as that is fantastic when you need it, it is a freak thing and the default should be matched.

To find out the matching table and form (for now) simply run the Status Report for Records and search for your form/tablename in the field tablename.