M2M V6.0 and V7.0 Questions

[thomas erb]

Did m2m get rid of the VFP databases in V6.0 ? We are running SQL V5.6 and was wondering if the update was worth it?


Anyone hear anything about V7.0?

[Ray Collazo]

A while ago there was a bit of a sneak preview into M2M7:

 

1) The Entire UI is completely different: From Layout to Back-End programming. The Current UI is built from VFP objects. With V7, they're moving entirely out from the VFP objects, and I Believe into using strictly C++ or C#. Meaning that All of your current screen customizations (if you have any) must be rewritten and readapted to the new UI. So in essence, the entire user front-end is being nuked and repaved.

 

2) An Upgrade to V6 prepares your databases for V7. They say it would be possible to have BOTH V6 And V7 Interfaces running on the same installation, to help ease the transition from one UI format to the other. One noticeable change is the fact that the INMAST table is no longer a table by itself, but is being changed into a View.

 

3) The built-in Report Engine will be the only element remaining as VFP, to facilitate those companies whom have made massive investments in report customization. No doubt that in the future, Consona will be working to change the reporting language in this as well, if not completely relying on Crystal Reports as the new reporting engine.

 

There was a slideshow that was being passed around that explained more about it: I do believe it can be procured so that you can have a look-see as to everything that's new in it.

 

I hope that helps somewhat, Others may have other key points which stuck in their heads...

 

-Ray

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[thomas erb]

Thanks for the info, we are on 5.6 and survive using our  own little custom  shop floor manager program which runs under IE with hooks with a ODBC connection into m2m.  I'm trying to plan for the future, we could jump into 6.0 and then 7.0, or we could go to another product. I'm sort of thinking jumping to another product might be the best route, a complete rewrite while needed is going to be very buggy. When I selected m2m 11 years ago I knew better,  I was hesitant about the VFP/Win 3.11 front end and I was right.

[Ray Collazo]

Quite sadly 11 years ago No-one could have predicted the eventual demise of Visual FoxPro: Back then, during the day of Celeron computers and 32MB Ram, FoxPro was the fastest database engine on the market that one didn't have to spend an arm and a leg on. Access was a snail by comparison. All of the other systems at the time were either too Expensive (SAP and anything that ran on SQL Server or Oracle), too Rigid (Qantel's Comet system), or too Slow (they Ran on Access).

 

We chose Made2Manage, as it was fairly functional on a small and underpowered Network, and had the capability of being Customized to what we needed, without breaking our bank (Our installation cost $75k for 15 users). And It Worked Great!!

 

Sadly, while it is understandable in the Logic the used to come to their conclusion, Especially with the Faster Machines of today, Microsoft has done us a disservice by orphaning what was a great product, in favor of their Access / VB / SQL combination.

 

FoxPro they Procured from FoxBase.

 

Visual Basic is their baby since Day One.

 

They chose to do away with the "Duplicate" product.

 

While I continue to despise their business practices of buying out the competition and then eventually killing it off, as they did here, I still must support their products, for it is what keeps my business running, and thus it keeps a roof over my head.

 

Anyway, Enough of my personal thoughts:

 

Something to consider, would be Remaining with Made2Manage, but then do a "Windows Vista Downgrade": Upgrade to 7, but keep the 6.0 interface running for as long as possible. Being two versions behind is NOT detremental: Heck, there are still users of Made2Manage that are happy with their 3.2 installations that are still running.

 

Also: Ask yourself: Are you fine with what your current version has to offer? or do you have a compelling reason To upgrade, aside from "Must have the Latest and Greatest"?

 

To be on the Bleeding Edge can be quite painful: Its sometimes best to allow everyone else to get bumped and bruised before proceeding, learening from the mistakes of your peers.

 

-Ray

 

 

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[thomas erb]

It probably does make sense to step up to 6.X after it gets stable and then wait until V7.0 is stable. Navision does look really sexy though and I assume it works with Microsoft CRM. But I consider the process of changing versions in software packages the organizational  equivalent of a hangover and the process of changing software packages  like having an organ transplant.

My bigggest complaint about m2m is the financial side and job costing. It's taken us 10 years and I'm still not clear and how it works.

You should short any software stock of any product I use. We use (or have used)

AutoCad Inventor - and pro engineer has become the standard
Wordperfect - and Word has become the standard
Quatro Pro - and Excel has become the standard
Saleslogix - and Microsoft CRM seems to have become the major player.

I know what you mean about running old versions, I was talking with a  good side firm that was still running the foxpro version and rebuilding indexes every few hours. We have found the SQL version fairly stable, except for the few vfp tables left.

[DavidStein]

It's a safe bet that Crystal Reports will NOT be the report engine of
future M2M Versions. I talked to someone in the know over at Consona a
few weeks ago and they're deciding between two products, neither of
which is Crystal. I think they're going to announce where they're
headed at Consona Connect.

Personally, I'm moving away from Crystal and working in SQL Reporting
Services from here on out. No matter what they decide to do with the
platform, it's safe to assume that it will be on SQL Server and SSRS
is included with the product.

I'll be posting instructional articles as well as videos for those who
want to learn SSRS in the near future.