Re: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext
I assume you're talking about UV? Define 'improved'? It could be improved by actually having all the commands, options and functions in it first. Even the PDF versions are missing information :) However, if you want another/"better" built-in HELP facility for your own purposes...PIHELP may help you (it offers paging back, sub-topics, indexing, etc.)... If so, take a look at PIHELP (TCL verb) and SHOW.HELP (subroutine "-SHOW") which is a port of the Prime INFORMATION help which has 'hypertext' (sub-topics) and paging (back/forwards). In PI, there was also a subroutine you could call (rather than "EXECUTE PIHELP ". It has own format where you can specify the help file source and sub-topics indexed based on keywords in the topic/help message, like this in field/line one: 0001: .*X PIHELP ONLINE COMMAND VERB TOPIC SUBJECT AID ASSISTANCE An index on the help file would on the above field allow "PHELP ABOUT ". The "FROM" key word lets you specify you own help file. It is better than the native UV HELP in some respects and utilises the default "SYS.HELP" file or your own (if required). I did note that there is no indices for the SYS.HELP file, so the "PIHELP ABOUT " function doesn't work...the required I-type dictionary item to parse the help records appears to be missing from the dictionary of SYS.HELP (Rocket Support should be able to assist there). The source is in APP.PROGS (PIHELP.B and SHOW.HELP.B) - good luck! I guess it has been "ported over" for PI/open users that used this facility for their own applications... The U2 Tools have built online help too - which are handy. If you use them - I'd encourage all newcomers to use these tools and similar commercial products to supplement the built-in native command-line tools (aka terminal shell session)... Cheers, David -Original Message- From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [mailto:u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] On Behalf Of Wjhonson Sent: Wednesday, 12 March 2014 3:43 AM To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org Subject: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext Does anyone have an improved version of the TCL command HELP ? Are there any wiki's or anything that comprise all of the HELP text and perhaps more ? I sometimes use it, sometimes use the PDFs and sometimes just google. I think it would be a great resource were there a better solution. ___ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users ** IMPORTANT MESSAGE * This e-mail message is intended only for the addressee(s) and contains information which may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient please advise the sender by return email, do not use or disclose the contents, and delete the message and any attachments from your system. Unless specifically indicated, this email does not constitute formal advice or commitment by the sender or the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ABN 48 123 123 124) or its subsidiaries. We can be contacted through our web site: commbank.com.au. If you no longer wish to receive commercial electronic messages from us, please reply to this e-mail by typing Unsubscribe in the subject line. ** ___ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
Re: [U2] Dump truck backup - Mouse in screens.
Dale, With interavtive screens, mouse action allow you to skip over fields. This will make your actions coded behind fields not being executed. To have mouse, you need inactive screens where the actions is place on the after screen validation rather than field validation. This is the main reason for mouse not being implemented in old text base terminal interfaces. Lately systems are written where a screen will provide information as a transaction to a process that will then update the database. This allow for "Front-end" development to have there own validation and pass the "transaction" to the process to update the database. Transactions in this case is a record with a header and data. The header tell the update process what to do with the data and update the files based on that. Tipically a transaction file with a trigger program (in D3 it is a callx placed in the file dict) that run whenever a record land in the file. This is the main mis-understanding of modern day applications (Your front-end client with a remote back-end) and old legacy apps (direct interface). Normally a re-write is the only solution. e.g. begin case case header = "update master" ; gosub updatemaster case header = "add client" ; gosub addclient .. End case Groete, Regards, Christo van Rooyen GT - Systems Analyst / Designer II - Nedbank Limited Mobile: 082 925 6301 -Original Message- From: dale kelley [mailto:dalekel...@dalewkelleyinc.com] Sent: 11 March 2014 12:54 AM To: U2 Users List Subject: Re: [U2] Dump truck backup This is mostly for you folks who are contractors but I'd be happy to hear from anyone. I have a customer, Nashville Metropolitan Government, for whom I have provided flea market reservation/registration and buiding event rental software. (UniVerse.) I am a 1 man shop. I look both ways before I cross the street and so far its worked out. But the issue of continuation of development and support has come up for a second time; along with it the nature of my character based software and some reactions to UviVerse as a product. This is an email from the assistant director of the Nashville fairgrounds: "Subject: ITS Help Selecting New Software Importance: High Our Flea Market and Corporate Sales components have been utilizing proprietary software that is ancient, and without documentation for many years. It has not been supported by ITS, and there is only one known person in the Tennessee area that can serviced this software. With the upgrade to Windows 7, it will not operate. Obviously, we need to purchase a package that will provide the functionality we need and that can be supported by ITS. I am requesting a meeting, with the appropriate ITS staff at the earliest possible time; to identify our needs and possible software packages that can be installed." He is incorrect in most of his conclusions, but this is his perception. I have left behind a number of great systems that are now defunct because management viewed them as "ancient". Does anyone else meet this attitude? My customer defended the system with the following email. "Ken Who said our software was ancient? It is not, it aids in insuring the revenue stream for both Flea Market and Facility Rental, you are correct that the software is serviced by one individual since he wrote the program, his name is Dale Kelley and he has other members on his team that know the software in the event something happens to him. As far as the upgrade to Windows 7 who said that it will not operate? This is certainly not the case, the software can be updated to run with minimal effort. You can contact Dale Kelley if you like, I have copied him on this e-mail. Thank you for your time Deborah" Deborah's defense included a small lie about the "members of my team"; I'm it. This system is written entirely in BASIC; no procs, no scripts. I always have the source code on the system; it's theirs to use as they wish. I would be happy to provide it for review. My question: is there anyone who would have any interest in taking over this and another government customer if I should become defunct or inoperable? I know there are some great people in Tennessee, but these guys could be supported from anywhere. I would also appreciate any advice on products and time required to mouse up the screens and present non-ancient images. I intend to arrenge a meeting with the Assistant Director to attempt to address his concerns and see if I can sell some services. Dale Nedbank Limited Reg No 1951/09/06. The following link displays the names of the Nedbank Board of Directors and Company Secretary. [ http://www.nedbank.co.za/terms/DirectorsNedbank.htm ] This email is confidential and is intended for the addressee only. The following link will take you to Nedbank's legal notice. [ http://www.nedbank.co.za/terms/EmailDisclaimer.htm ] _
Re: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext
you can page up with HELP too, if you use the right terminfo for your terminal emulator. I like to set my terminal for 132x44, but if my term width is >80 then HELP starts to mess up drawing it's boxes and placing the text. At 12 columns, it's an unreadable mess. UVHELP doesn't try to draw boxes, so works fine. One oddity--if you just type UVHELP with no arguments, it displays help for HELP On Mar 11, 2014, at 2:12 PM, Wjhonson wrote: > > Anywhere where this UVHELP is explained more, and why it's better or at least > different from HELP ? > > I tried it a bit, but the only additional thing I see it does is allow paging > backward. > > > > > > > -Original Message- > From: Kurt Neumann > To: wjhonson > Sent: Tue, Mar 11, 2014 10:08 am > Subject: RE: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> From version 10.3 there is the new updated version of HELP - UVHELP. This >> is also a TCL command and is based on the PDFs. It is also used for the >> inline help in BDT. > > > Thanks and regards > Kurt > > > From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org > [u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] on behalf of Wjhonson > [wjhon...@aol.com] > Sent: 11 March 2014 06:42 PM > To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org > Subject: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext > > Does anyone have an improved version of the TCL command HELP ? > > Are there any wiki's or anything that comprise all of the HELP text and > perhaps more ? > > I sometimes use it, sometimes use the PDFs and sometimes just google. > > I think it would be a great resource were there a better solution. > > > ___ > U2-Users mailing list > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users > > > > > > > > > > Kurt Neumann | Business Unit Manager > AxizWorkgroup > Direct: +27 11 654 6175 | Office: +27 11 237 7000 | Cell: +27 82 825 5011 > International Business Gateway Park,Cnr New and 6th Road,Midrand > > > > > Please consider the environment before printing this mail > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended > solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. > Dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail or the information > herein by anyone other than the intended recipient, or an employee or agent > responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, is > prohibited. > This footnote also confirms that this e-mail message has been swept by Trend > Interscan Viruswall for the presence of computer viruses. > > > > > > > > ___ > U2-Users mailing list > U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org > http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users ___ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
Re: [U2] Dump truck backup
Hi Dale Since the people objecting are not the people who actually USE your system day to day, a better approach is to look to the functionality in your system, and decide how to partition this so that you can shine up the exposed parts in ways that will add value and rebrand your software.. Which means (in practical terms) a) you don't need to do it all! Where you have green screens doing drudge work, keep them so long as they continue to work well. Talk about the training issues if you don't. Instead of changing those .. b) Is there information locked in there that can be nicely represented using web pages? I took a financial system that had 15 screens of client information, 8 screens of financial instrument data, difficult to find (no search) pages to get to the transaction history etc. and put them all into a few web pages with easy drill through that meant managers could very quickly see exactly what they wanted - that's where intelligent design and use of fonts can really win over green screen. c) You can get creative if you want with tools like Google Visualisation for anything that can be trended. It's a good face lift and can even sometimes prove useful. With the same organization I wrote pages that showed trading volumes, with lots of drill down and slicing so they could better optimise their resources in supporting those. I wrote an article in a back issue of Spectrum (www.intl-spectrum.com) that shows how to do this from UniVerse. d) As that was the view most of the management had, it was good branding exercise. Some of them are convinced they have a new system (and nobody is about to disabuse them of that notion!) Getting information out of UniVerse and into the web is very easy, and if you are worried about the learning curve check out mvScript: it's a page markup language that looks like UniBasic. e) Ditto any reports or printed output - easily done. Check out mvQuery, mvPDF or a host of other ways to do this. If you can link up a query tool (like mvQuery) that opens your system and gives a nice front end to a lot of management activity. f) Oh and make sure you sell it as an upgrade to the 'current' version. That way you can recover your time in doing this AND make them feel that they have invested in their future (i.e. they are now stakeholders). We can talk about this off line if you want. Brian -Original Message- From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [mailto:u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] On Behalf Of Dale Kelley Sent: 10 March 2014 21:12 To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org Subject: [U2] Dump truck backup This is mostly for you folks who are contractors but I'd be happy to hear from anyone. I have a customer, Nashville Metropolitan Government, for whom I have provided flea market reservation/registration and buiding event rental software. (UniVerse.) I am a 1 man shop. I look both ways before I cross the street and so far its worked out. But the issue of continuation of development and support has come up for a second time; along with it the nature of my character based software and some reactions to UviVerse as a product. This is an email from the assistant director of the Nashville fairgrounds: "Subject: ITS Help Selecting New Software Importance: High Our Flea Market and Corporate Sales components have been utilizing proprietary software that is ancient, and without documentation for many years. It has not been supported by ITS, and there is only one known person in the Tennessee area that can serviced this software. With the upgrade to Windows 7, it will not operate. Obviously, we need to purchase a package that will provide the functionality we need and that can be supported by ITS. I am requesting a meeting, with the appropriate ITS staff at the earliest possible time; to identify our needs and possible software packages that can be installed." He is incorrect in most of his conclusions, but this is his perception. I have left behind a number of great systems that are now defunct because management viewed them as "ancient". Does anyone else meet this attitude? My customer defended the system with the following email. "Ken Who said our software was ancient? It is not, it aids in insuring the revenue stream for both Flea Market and Facility Rental, you are correct that the software is serviced by one individual since he wrote the program, his name is Dale Kelley and he has other members on his team that know the software in the event something happens to him. As far as the upgrade to Windows 7 who said that it will not operate? This is certainly not the case, the software can be updated to run with minimal effort. You can contact Dale Kelley if you like, I have copied him on this e-mail. Thank you for your time Deborah" Deborah's defense included a small lie about the "members of my team"; I'm it. This system is written entirely in BASIC; no procs, no scripts. I always have the source code on the system; it's theirs to use as they w
Re: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext
Anywhere where this UVHELP is explained more, and why it's better or at least different from HELP ? I tried it a bit, but the only additional thing I see it does is allow paging backward. -Original Message- From: Kurt Neumann To: wjhonson Sent: Tue, Mar 11, 2014 10:08 am Subject: RE: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext >From version 10.3 there is the new updated version of HELP - UVHELP. This is >also a TCL command and is based on the PDFs. It is also used for the inline >help in BDT. Thanks and regards Kurt From: u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org [u2-users-boun...@listserver.u2ug.org] on behalf of Wjhonson [wjhon...@aol.com] Sent: 11 March 2014 06:42 PM To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org Subject: [U2] Embedded help as hypertext Does anyone have an improved version of the TCL command HELP ? Are there any wiki's or anything that comprise all of the HELP text and perhaps more ? I sometimes use it, sometimes use the PDFs and sometimes just google. I think it would be a great resource were there a better solution. ___ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users Kurt Neumann | Business Unit Manager AxizWorkgroup Direct: +27 11 654 6175 | Office: +27 11 237 7000 | Cell: +27 82 825 5011 International Business Gateway Park,Cnr New and 6th Road,Midrand Please consider the environment before printing this mail This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail or the information herein by anyone other than the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, is prohibited. This footnote also confirms that this e-mail message has been swept by Trend Interscan Viruswall for the presence of computer viruses. ___ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
[U2] Embedded help as hypertext
Does anyone have an improved version of the TCL command HELP ? Are there any wiki's or anything that comprise all of the HELP text and perhaps more ? I sometimes use it, sometimes use the PDFs and sometimes just google. I think it would be a great resource were there a better solution. ___ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
[U2] Linux kernel being optimised for database usage
http://lwn.net/Articles/590214/ It's being driven primarily by the PostgreSQL guys, but if you read the article you'll see they want to involve other databases too. A perfect opportunity for Rocket? It'd be nice to have U3 :-) get a bunch of optimisations in for UV/UD/D3 to benefit from. Hopefully we'll get more MV guys than just me chiming in on this, and make them realise there's a big world outside of FNF out there :-) Cheers, Wol ___ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users