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Don't get us wrong. We love DataEase. We 'grew up' championing the fabulous DataEase RAD environment and have used it time and again over the last 20 years to construct massively-effective applications in lightspeed time. We reaped the fruits of the pure and simple DataEase application development environment from the beginning. (Believe it or not, we bought our first copy of version 2.04 back in 1983). We used Arun Gupta's wonderful creation to make a pretty decent living for a number of years. Many of you no doubt use our HandTools, PowerTools, CommTools or FaxPak libraries, or our ConnectEase ODBC driver.
But that was then and this is now.
If you are responsible for a mission-critical application of any size running within the DataEase for DOS environment, I am sure you have probably struggled with the problem of figuring out where to turn now that the world has moved on to embrace other standards. Indeed, if your application is in a large commercial enterprise, you've probably found it increasingly difficult to continue to defend the platform against a relentless barrage of 'Data-what? Never heard of it.'. In most of the cases we have observed, the cost to redevelop a DataEase application using another 'industry-standard' platform is breathtakingly exorbitant.
Until now.
We engineered the first ODBC driver for DataEase that permitted access to DataEase databases from popular Windows products way back in 1995 to address this problem. Many of you continue to experience great utility with ConnectEase. While ConnectEase does wonders to permit you to access your DataEase application's data from other tools, what about the screens? The menus? The procedures? Complex calculated fields? These are the issues you confront when contemplating re-platforming of your application.
In response to this acute and overwhelming customer demand, LANimation developed an automatic DataEase to Access Application Migration Workbench (AMW) that makes it almost ridiculously easy and cheap to migrate your dying DataEase-DOS applications to the either an Microsoft Access (97/2000/XP/2003) or a browser-based platform - particularly when compared to the time and cost of other alternatives.
Two years in the making, and on the job for seven years now, AMW scans your DataEase application and automatically creates tables, forms, menus, relationships and reports that mimic the look and behavior of those found in your DataEase application.
AMW creates table and form definitions matching your DataEase form definitions, right down to the target-equivalents of your derivation formulas, your field help text, choice-type combo box fields and the layout of labels and controls on forms and reports.
Summary of Converted Application Features
- Record entry forms which mimic the look, feel and functionality of your
original DataEase forms.
- Your DataEase data transferred into Access tables.
- Reports that mimic the look, feel and functionality of your original
DataEase reports.
- Processing and control procedures that replicate the functionality of your original
DataEase DQL procedures.
- Menu structures that replicate the look, feel and functionality of your
original DataEase menu structure.
- User names and security structure transferred.
- Import definitions which mimic your import definitions.
- Procedures which mimic the functionality of your DQL procedures.
- All code produced adheres to our unparalleled standards for consistency,
structure and readability.
- For our 'Turnkey' service customers, the peace of mind that the conversion was done correctly and embodies best-practice standards. We guarantee the results for a year!
- In short, you get an open-architecture, current technology application that requires no changes to your existing business processes.
Because the AMW software factory does all of the so-called 'heavy-lifting', we can now offer the benefits of the service on a very cost-effective, fixed price basis. For those customer's opting for our 'turnkey' service option, we even back it all up with a one-year suport agreement that your Access application components will behave just as the DataEase application components they replace.
The general effectiveness of the AMW engine in dealing with the different DataEase entities is described below:
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AMW Conversion Performance
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DataEase Component
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Conversion Effectiveness
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Comments
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Table Definitions
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90%
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Field attributes converted: Name (adjusted), Data Type (adjusted), Width, Format, Formulas (Derivation, Low, High limits), help text, indexing, required. Derivation, High Limit, Low Limit formulas should be reviewed and minor adjustments made as necessary. DataEase forms are actually split into three Access objects. The Access table does not include any virtual fields that are defined in the corresponding DataEase form. An Access query object (a SQL View) is created that appends any virtual fields to the stored fields. This query is used as the data source underlying all forms, reports and procedures. Finally, an Access form is created (see below). Encrypted data is unencrypted before conversion and not re-encrypted.
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Form Definitions
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90-95%
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Field attributes converted: Name (adjusted), Data Type (adjusted), Width, Format, Formulas (Derivation, Low, High limits), help text, indexing, prevent entry, required. Hidden field highlight may be specified. Derivation, High Limit, Low Limit formulas should be reviewed and minor adjustments made as necessary. NOEXIST is not supported. Subforms are converted, but must have minimum rows setting of at least. Keyboard and mouse control (searching, etc) conforms to the target environment's standard model, not the DataEase' model. @U/@NU etc formatting is converted. Special characters are not converted. Multi-page forms are placed on tabbed notebook pages. Format pagination occasionally requires tweaking due to DataEase' dropping of carriage return characters on some lines of a format. A visual review and tweak to adjust control widths and alignment and tab order is a standard Quality Assurance step. Derivation "firing" events are handled by the AMW's proprietary embedded formula processor that is placed 'behind' every Access form.
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Menus
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100%
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Regular menus are converted to target form objects, with a button for each menu selection. Chain menus are converted to target script.
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Relationships
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100%
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DataEase Relationships are converted to data tables in the Access application, but ARE NOT set up as Access relationship entities. Relationship operations are managed by a AMW library of classes that are embedded in the converted application.
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Procedures
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95%
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Quick reports are not converted (please convert your quick reports to DQL before conversion). Procedures are converted to a script object (a report object in Access, for example). Layouts are usually perfect. Simple reports are handled well. Run-time forms are converted. Complex update procedures typically require cursory review and adjustment of syntax. "Input Using", multi-column mailing labels, disk output procedures and control procedures, while converted, usually require some human effort to finish off perfectly.
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Import specifications
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100%
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Import Specifications are converted to their target equivalents.
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To summarize, a raw target application output by the conversion engine is a fabulous 'rough casting', but all applications require the application of a human quality-assurance process following the automated conversion step before they can be blessed as 'good to go'. We can do it, or you can choose to do it if you have qualified professional resources available. The quality assurance process we apply first involves reviewing the logs generated by the conversion in which the engine highlights any difficulties and potential trouble spots encountered during the conversion stage. Then, we run the Access application side-by-side with the DataEase application and proceed screen-by-screen to insure that the Access application processes test data in the same manner as the original application.
Download the ConnectEase Application Explorer to start investigating preserving your business process investment.
