Here is what I got from Lew today ... ---
My plan is to first create a program that would essentially be like DP running in a data entry mode using an existing DP database. -- no defining, no reports, just browsing, look up, and create / edit / delete records. You would have to use the old DP to define the database and do reports. As a group we'd use this a lot to get it to work like we want.
Second would be to migrate all data to new data structures -- convert all the files to new formats. The structures would be simplified, but more compact and powerful. This would also remove the size restrictions on fields, panels, files, etc.
Third would be new panel / structure definitional mode that would be a lot like what's in the current DP, but you'd be able to do almost everything with data in the database -- no need to export and import the data.
I'm not sure what to do about reports. There are some really fancy report generation programs in existence, and it might be best to just supply a SQL interface.
This is a very ambitious plan, but my hope is that, after the first program exists, more people could join in the effort.
Lew _______________________________________________ Dataperf mailing list [email protected] http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf
