Re: arsclist Cataloging Software

[<stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Premise Checker" <checker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2002 4:03 PM
Subject: RE: arsclist Cataloging Software


> Sound Librarian, which I have but never got started on, uses the Microsoft
> database program.
Access? FoxPro? Or some other MS database application?
 I suspect that all post-dase software
> allows for conversion *from* dbase but that it is not true that all
> post-dbase programs can convert into any other post-dbase program, as you
> are evidently finding out.
In fact, there are a few which live (digitally) in their own universe...they
import
nothing and nothing imports them! Also, for folks at really big institutions
still
using mainframe systems...most database apps on these are unknown in the
personal computer world (and the two don't "speak," either!)
> I'd like to urge that we all choose dbase to do our initial work so that
> we can all easily make conversions.
Except that dBASE is long dead as far as acquiring a copy is concerned.
In fact, I just last year bought a sealed copy of dBASE V for Windows for
$2.99! Lotus Approach creates dBASE-readable files; FoxPro uses the
.dbf format but dBASE wots not of a FoxPro .dbf. However, as noted,
most (though not all) database apps will export in dBASE.
>But I also know that dbase is > restricted to keyboard characters.
Not entirely...any character that exists in the extended-character set
(ASCII 128 to 255) can be entered using Alt+<byte number>...IF
you know the proper number. Also, programs running under Windows
may not use the same numbers as DOS-based programs. One further
caveat...high-order bytes, such as umlauted or otherwise diacriticized
characters, do NOT sort in any kind of "alphabetical" order..."Schön"
will not come between "schoen" and "school" but instead after "Schyler!"
...stevenc

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