
DataEase for DOS DQL Manual
With the "Re-Launch" of DataEase for DOS through LegEasy4DOS the need for a refresher in old syntaxe for commands and functions has returned with a vengeance.
Almost everybody has been able to keep track of their old applications but not as many has been able to keep hold of the manuals etc.
DataEase for DOS is so old that the manuals has never existed in electronic form.
But as part of our LegEasy program we have now dug up and old set and you can buy the DQL Manual in our WebShop for download.
A small preview of what you can expect is to be found under

100% DataEase
LegEasy4DOS Professional is a "pioneer" that showcase the future of DataEase.
No! The future is not retro, and the bit about it that is pioneering is not the fact that you can fun DataEase for DOS applications.
That feature is basically just how it should always have been and a catch-up with our history.
Take a closer look - The entire product is made IN DataEase following up on a "slogan" we had when we sat out to refurbish DataEase.
DataEase need to be made in DataEase!

LegEasy4DOS - How it works?
The interest in LegEasy4DOS has been "overwhelming" since we released it at the end of last week.
A lot of eagerly awaiting Professional clients jumped at it and the feedback was not late to come.
Most of you are overjoyed and excited by this opportunity to run DataEase for DOS in a modern environment, and more than happy to scrap your old XP computers and Novell servers that has kept you up at night with worry - when will it draw its last breath and what will I do then?
However not all feedback is good and some of you have been "disappointed" too.
Some of this disappointment is down to us having problem with our server park after the release due to an unexpected heavy load - don't they always say that - but some of you have been running bench mark tests and compared it to "Native" DfD on Native XP, WIndows 7 x32 etc. and the results has baffled you.
Why is it sometimes much slower and then sometimes much faster than the comparison?
In the article below we will try to explain this and how LegEasy4DOS is designed and how it works.

LegEasy4DOS Professional Release 05.08.16
The response to our Personal version of L4D has been fantastic and it has given us great motivation in the work leading up to the release of our long awaited Professional version of L4D.
We won't spend too much time extrapolating its virtues here but limit ourselves to announcing it's release and showcase its beauty ;-)
Further down the article you will find the FREE FOR ALL Trial Key you can use to get the first "spin" in this brand new interpretation of DataEase (for DOS).

New Support Manager and new Support Products introduced
For a long time we have been focusing on improving our software products, but we have now entered a new phase where we will focus more and more on the entire customer experience.
One issue that has been raised more often than others is the lack of a dedicated support service so this is one of the areas were we will now focus.
Last month we hired Fatma Adel as our new Support Manager. She has now had some time to settle in and are more than eager to start helping you resolve your issues.

100% DataEase
LegEasy4DOS Professional is a "pioneer" that showcase the future of DataEase.
No! The future is not retro, and the bit about it that is pioneering is not the fact that you can fun DataEase for DOS applications.
That feature is basically just how it should always have been and a catch-up with our history.
Take a closer look - The entire product is made IN DataEase following up on a "slogan" we had when we sat out to refurbish DataEase.
DataEase need to be made in DataEase!

LegEasy4DOS - How it works?
The interest in LegEasy4DOS has been "overwhelming" since we released it at the end of last week.
A lot of eagerly awaiting Professional clients jumped at it and the feedback was not late to come.
Most of you are overjoyed and excited by this opportunity to run DataEase for DOS in a modern environment, and more than happy to scrap your old XP computers and Novell servers that has kept you up at night with worry - when will it draw its last breath and what will I do then?
However not all feedback is good and some of you have been "disappointed" too.
Some of this disappointment is down to us having problem with our server park after the release due to an unexpected heavy load - don't they always say that - but some of you have been running bench mark tests and compared it to "Native" DfD on Native XP, WIndows 7 x32 etc. and the results has baffled you.
Why is it sometimes much slower and then sometimes much faster than the comparison?
In the article below we will try to explain this and how LegEasy4DOS is designed and how it works.

LegEasy4DOS Professional Release 05.08.16
The response to our Personal version of L4D has been fantastic and it has given us great motivation in the work leading up to the release of our long awaited Professional version of L4D.
We won't spend too much time extrapolating its virtues here but limit ourselves to announcing it's release and showcase its beauty ;-)
Further down the article you will find the FREE FOR ALL Trial Key you can use to get the first "spin" in this brand new interpretation of DataEase (for DOS).

New Support Manager and new Support Products introduced
For a long time we have been focusing on improving our software products, but we have now entered a new phase where we will focus more and more on the entire customer experience.
One issue that has been raised more often than others is the lack of a dedicated support service so this is one of the areas were we will now focus.
Last month we hired Fatma Adel as our new Support Manager. She has now had some time to settle in and are more than eager to start helping you resolve your issues.

LegEasy 4DOS - Update!
We are and should be very happy when an upcoming release of a DataEase product cause this much of a stir, but it is also a sobering moment.
We obviously still have some catching up to do with our new products before they reach the same popularity as the early versions of DataEase.
Luckily the "re-launch" of DataEase for DOS is part of our DataEase infrastructure strategy so you will now be able to run your legacy apps well into this century when at the same time integrate them with the latest DataEase technology.

Locking Strategies for dummies!
Ever wondered why you have so much trouble with inconsistency and being locked out of your DataEase database? If the answer is YES, read one and discover how you can easily remedy it.
Full, Basic, Opportunistic - What does this really mean? We get a lot of questions about which locking to choose in DataEase, and the answers we have give - are giving, have changed over the years. I guess that if this was a simple as it "should be", there wouldn't even be three options in DataEase, and we wouldn't leave this is in your hands.
I have spent quite a lot of times over the years debating and exploring this myself, and the problem is that it is more of a philosophical problem, than a technical one. Pictures this as going into a Chinese restaurant and ordering. You get a many with 500 items, and you are vaguely familiar with 3 of them, so what do you do. Choose what you know, or go for the set menu...

[{8}]five Release and Release program.
Finally...
DataEase {[8}]five went into production today and from now on it will be all about 8.5 and beyond.
We have now concluded the longest Beta program in DataEase history - 427 days or over 1 year and 2 months.
So why so little fanfare on this watershed day?

Warning! Price increase on DataEase 8 from January 1st
We are changing how we license DataEase from Januar 1st 2016.
In short we will stop dividing licenses (and executables) in Developer (Full) and GROUP (Runtime) and introduce a simple User License and one executable that will be either a development environment or a Application Launcher based on the users privileges.
The change might seem dramatic at first, but you will get much more functionality and flexibility.
This is just an early warning to those of you that plan to buy DataEase 8 in the near future, more information on the change in product and licensing strategy will follow.

Dynamic Design - A New paradigm in DataEase development
ExecDQLClass(), CreateTable(), AddColumn()* signify a complete breach with previous DataEase thinking.
From its infancy in the early 80ies and throughout its life until DE8 there was a clear divide in DataEase between Design and Runtime. (At least in the head of the designers, but the fact that most people used it interactively and added and changed to it in real time was not taken into account)
Tables, Scripts, Forms, Reports was froozen in runtime and there was few if any way you could make your application dynamic.
How this has changed in 8....

How to create CDFs for use in DE8/DG3
This is how you create your own CDFs using Visual Studio 2013. I selected to use this version because any one can get a full version for free as long as you register with MicroSoft. You should be able to recreate this in any version of Visual Studio in almost the same way as described here. Not much has changed in creating Windows DLLs in the last 20 years. You probably can do the same using other compilers as MinWin GCC and Embarcadero, but that is outside the scope of this document.

Migrating from DFW 5.x and 6.x to DE8.5 including National Versions
If you want to encompass DataEase problems in one word it must be Migration. It is fascinating that a company that has had so little success with this concept, has sworn to it for such a long time.
It is a badly hidden secret that DataEase lost most of it users in the flawed and bodged migration of DFD application to early DFW, what is maybe not so well know is all the other "unsuccessful" migration events.
In this article we will explain what/why and how it went wrong and what you can do to work around it.

We reached our 1.000.000 visitor today 23rd of February 2015
At the beginning of the year we had estimated that we would get our 1.000.000 visitor at the 6th June this year, but with the Beta of 8.5 and the great feedback we have seen both visits on our website and sales sky-rocket and we reached the 1.000.000 threshold more than a Quarter ahead of schedule!
We just have to thank you all for your patience with us, and for your contributions and support throughout the last couple of years since we took charge.
We both hope and feel that our efforts and enthusiasm for DataEase has been well received and are reciprocated by you all!
A wholehearted thank you to your all from "The DataEase Team".

NEW! Functions in DataEase 8.0 to 8.5 (Page 1)
Some of you might be aware of it but it seems a lot isn't so it might be time to advertise a little the vast number of new functions and functionalities that has been added to DataEase 8.0 through 8.5.
For a long time the only way new functions found their way to DataEase was through active and ingenious users which developed CDF's. As much as the CDF's alleviated the obvious short-comings in DataEase 5.x to 7.2 it was cumbersome, undocumented and "secretive" i.e. not everyone was in the know.
With 8.x we decided that the focus needed to be on moving DataEase forward, rather than the constant dance around the "bug fixing" fire.
Have a look and a try for yourself.
Due to the number of new functions we had to publish the short description in two articles, of which this is the last.
Also have a look on the blog synopsis found in the list to the right.

NEW! ?Functions in DataEase 8.0 to 8.5 (Page 2)
Some of you might be aware of it but it seems a lot isn't so it might be time to advertise a little the vast number of new functions and functionalities that has been added to DataEase 8.0 through 8.5.
For a long time the only way new functions found their way to DataEase was through active and ingenious users which developed CDF's. As much as the CDF's alleviated the obvious short-comings in DataEase 5.x to 7.2 it was cumbersome, undocumented and "secretive" i.e. not everyone was in the know.
With 8.x we decided that the focus needed to be on moving DataEase forward, rather than the constant dance around the "bug fixing" fire.
Have a look and a try for yourself.
Due to the number of new functions we had to publish the short description in two articles, of which this is the first.
Also have a look on the blog synopsis found in the list to the right.
14/11/23 15:32:22 
Re:Re:OML Issues
Hi there , yes still DE6 Im afraid and thanks for the heads up I think I found the issue today, it seems that when I added the picture field that you wrote the derivation for ,the picture filed was cross referencing against the field that the OML detail was located, and it just did not like it.
Once I removed the details above from that field and added elsewhere in the form it all started working again, these things seem to be sent to test us.
Thanks for coming back to me, once I have sorted out the record save in DE9 I can hopefully purchase a full copy as long as every else works OK when converting.
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: Handles

14/11/23 14:46:15 
Re:OML Issues
This is still in DE6 isn't it?
Nothing that can be done I'm afraid. But beware that if you add objects in front of old objects you can "jumble" the object order.
LE6 is basically "as is" to run in WIndows x64 but there is not development done to features or functions.
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: DataEase

08/11/23 23:09:02 
OML Issues
I have had a form working for 10/20 years always worked without issue, I have added buttons changed buttons in the past without any problems, Now even if I try to change the layout of the OML and save it from :
define "act1" text .
define "act2" text .
define "act3" text .
define "act4" text .
act1 := wizDocumentClose ("MatDisplayForm") .
act2 := wizDocumentClose ("MaterialByCompany") .
act3 := ClearSelectionFilter () .
act4 := DocumentClose () .
end
To This :
define "act1" text .
define "act2" text .
define "act3" text .
define "act4" text .
act1 := wizDocumentClose ("MatDisplayForm") .
act2 := wizDocumentClose ("MaterialByCompany") .
act3 := ClearSelectionFilter () .
act4 := DocumentClose () .
end
Or Change any of the OML in that form then save, you get the dreaded Exiting Due To message attached, you are no longer able to open the form or even delete it, the form is defined over a table and the table is thankfully not effected , just the form.
Same thing if you add a new button with any type of OML option.
But if you add a new button and Action that button with SetGlobal (101,NameOfFiled) + OpenProcedure (Name) all works as it should.
Basically Im having issues with the OMLs in that form only, do I have to create a longwinded new form or is there an option to reorganize a form that will also sort out the OML side of things, not using the standard form reorganize method as I have tried this ?
Thankfully I was in a test copy not the live version....
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: Handles

06/11/23 18:18:55 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
No problem, its good to know the experts make mistakes as well as us novices , just done a very quick test at the office and it seems to work FANTASTC, just as needed Thanks for your efforts , will test fully at home
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: Handles

06/11/23 18:06:49 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
Sorry. Rocky mistake...
I zipped the file without closing it in LE6 so the RDRR file was locked.
You can do this without problem in LE9 so we are not used to it anymore...
New copy attached.
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: DataEase

06/11/23 17:50:12 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
OK will keep trying different things to get it working somehow, once I have got this image problem solved in LE6 I can then work full time on LE9,
hopefully I can get this ImageTestProgram opened somehow - once unzipped , I cannot seem to see the program to open:
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: Handles

06/11/23 17:42:05 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
When it comes to events things are quite different between LE6 and LE9 and also from DE6 to DE7 to DE8.
The ValueLoaded() and ValueChange() events was called as the same while the ValueLoaded() now is called when you open a new record and first time load the value and ValueChange() when its changed.
I'm not completely sure what you try to achieve but I'm sure there is a better way as firing RecordSaveAsNew() on an event is quite dangerous as you could end up in in a loop etc.
I suspect that what happens is that you are in a loop and the actual save of the new record is only done after the 4th increment as Windows work with messages etc.
The way it worked in DE6 is the "bug" wo if you want to use LE9 you will have to find a different way to achieve this.
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: DataEase

06/11/23 17:39:17 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
Thaks fore comming back, did try that unzipped it, and when trying to open it this ois all I get no program I can see ?
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: Handles

06/11/23 17:38:16 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
Its a full app and not a backup. Just unzip it and open it.
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: DataEase

06/11/23 14:19:31 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
Quck question it states not a back up path when trying to restore : how can I open it ? I have some free time in the office ....
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: Handles

06/11/23 13:31:29 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed
Thank you so much - I cant wait to get home and test it, I have been trying for weeks - even months over a period of time day's here and there, I know about your hair after this, mine is nearly gone, I really would like to upgrade to LE9 but at first my test were going well, then come across a simple little thing that I have used in LE6 so much that works great but In in the Copy of 9 I have, that I dont know if it's LE9 or DE9 downloaded, it just will not work, I need that "Stay Behind" version spoke about some time back
define "act1" text .
Act1 := RecordSaveNew () .
In LE6 that works great in the OML but in LE9 for some reason it will not save the record correctly , if its on record 0001 and its saved the next time you go into the form its jumped to 0006 and not 0002 as it should ? I'm using it to basically save 0001 as soon as you enter the form Under ValueChanged option
Im going to keep trying, but what ever I get working needs to be very simple change as its in so many places.
Thanks Again , anything like problem solved I will contact you first in future rather than me wasting my time.
...
Product: LegEasy 6 Windows
Written by: Handles

06/11/23 13:11:21 
Re:Re:Re:Re:Image Filed

Dear Raymond.
Your problem was a little harder to resolve in LE6 than anticipated as the CDF?s that was supposed to do the deal ?misfired? i.e. they worked the first time but after that they would return the previous value … most likely a bug but a little late to fix in a library that was developed 30 years ago…
However we managed to work around it by not checking if the file exist but if its bigger than 0…
It works fine and the good news is that it is a CDF that is shipped with LE6.
I think you will find that working in LE9 is much more appreciative than working in LE6…I?ve almost pulled my hair out (if I had any).
