Re: Converting applications from DOS.

[Michael Young]

Hello Kevin,

I am not sure why it converted a date column to text. I have upgraded many databases and never had that happen. Perhaps the column name is a reserved name? Well hopefully I have a solution to fix it below. As always- make a backup of the database first.

Once a column is created with a data type then any other columns (even though in different tables) with the same name must have the same data type. This seems to be what you are running into. Here is the way to get around this:

Assume column is named TranDate (and was date but is now text). Go to an R> prompt and type "list col TranDate". You will be given a listing of all columns by that name and what table it occurs in. Write down the list. In your first table go in and change the name TranDate to zranDate (or any other such unique name) and then change the datatype to Date. This will change it in forms and reports along with the table. Then go into each table and do the same thing. When you get to the last table you do not need to change the column name just change the datatype to Date. Now go back to each of the other tables and rename zranDate back to TranDate and it will automatically be typed as a Date.

You might be able to use a the RENAME COLUMN command at the R> prompt to do a mass change but I would not do it. Since it is renaming the column in all the forms and reports along with the table I prefer to let it do one table at a time. Maybe I am just being a chicken but, if I can get around it, I prefer to mess with the database structure in small steps to avoid possible corruption.

Best regards,
Mike Young

--Original Message Text---
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 20:53:34 EDT

I have several applications that need to be converted from DOS (I believe
from RBase DOS version 4.5). the Blocker class I learned that this can
be done by simply setting "autoconvert on" and "connect"ing to the the
database.

However, when I did, they converted, but the dates were convereted to text.  
I tired to change the field type in one of the tables to DATE, but Rbase said
that the field type could not be changed because more than one table used
that field. tried changing it in the 'SYS_COLUMNS" table, but Rbase said I
did not have the right privilege.  

How do I either change it in the SYS_COLUMN table or automatically have dates
convert to dates when autoconverting?

Kevin