Q&A for Windows/DOS
Peter H.Gruenewald
We are running Q&A for Windows & DOS (yes, both versions) on a
Windows NT4 network (yes, network versions). We are using a common,
shared database. Currenly, the database has 16,406 records and is
over 51MB. Recently, we have been losing data and random records.
Is there a size cap that is in place with the database? I have
installed a new server (P2/333, 128MB, duplex 9Gig HD), and have the
partition where the database resides formatted for FAT. The errors
were occuring before the upgraded server. Is there a problem running
under NT4? I do have the current service pack loaded, and we have
been making changes to the server for Microsoft Exchange Server and
other environmental upgrades. I have also scanned the hard drive
using SOPHOS Server scanner for viruses, which none were found. Each
of the workstations is running Win95, and has at least 32MB ram.
Any Clues? Thanks for your ideas and time!
Sincerely,
Peter H. Gruenewald - CIS Specialist
New Dimension, Inc.
John Dow
:>installed a new server (P2/333, 128MB, duplex 9Gig HD), and have the
It's probably the 9 Gig hard drive.
Nothing else you listed is likely to be a cause of your problems. However, Q&A DOS
is known to have a problem with drives over 2 Gig. (The verdict is still out on Q&A
Windows.)
If you can split off a partition for Q&A that's less than 2 Gig, that would
probably solve your problem. Partition Magic is good for this task, but I don't
think it can handle NT4. Perhaps add another hard drive to the server?
John
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
John T. Dow, author of Q&A utilities for Q&A DOS and Q&A Windows
e-mail j...@pgh.net
web page with descriptions of programs and free demos: www.johntdow.com
Peter Gruenewald
>
> We are running Q&A for Windows & DOS (yes, both versions) on a
> Windows NT4 network (yes, network versions). We are using a common,
> shared database. Currenly, the database has 16,406 records and is
> over 51MB. Recently, we have been losing data and random records.
> Is there a size cap that is in place with the database? I have
> were occuring before the upgraded server. Is there a problem running
> under NT4? I do have the current service pack loaded, and we have
> been making changes to the server for Microsoft Exchange Server and
> other environmental upgrades. I have also scanned the hard drive
> using SOPHOS Server scanner for viruses, which none were found. Each
> of the workstations is running Win95, and has at least 32MB ram.
>
> Any Clues? Thanks for your ideas and time!
>
> Sincerely,
> Peter H. Gruenewald - CIS Specialist
> New Dimension, Inc.
John,
Since we had encountered that before, we have partitioned the hard
drive as follows: 1.2Gig for NT boot, 1.6Gig for FAT where Q&A
resides, and the remainder is NTFS. The NTFS areas do not contain
anything to do with Q&A. In fact, the standard users cannot even see
any other drive but the FAT 1.6Gig. Any other hints as to why we are
loosing data? Is there some other setting that I don't know about?
Would it be due to NT4 not liking DOS 16-bit code?
Thanks for your time and ideas.
John Dow
Peter,
I have no idea.
Interestingly, Alec Mulvey is reporting a different problem with NT4 and
simultaneous use of Q&A DOS and Windows.
In his case, up to 3 users are fine, but performance falls off terribly when the
4th user gets on. (A 7 second task takes 5 minutes.)
It doesn't matter which of the workstations is the 4th to get on.
As I said, I have no idea.
Lance Jacobs [Symantec]
Peter,
Symantec has never certified either Q&A for DOS or Windows to be compatible
with a NT 4.0 Server.
If you are now committed to using NT Server, I would recommend that you
switch to a 32 bit Windows database application that can properly support
that operating system.
Something like Microsoft Access, or FileMaker Pro would be more
appropriate. Q&A users can upgrade to FileMaker Pro for only $150, and
FileMaker even has a utility on their web site for converting Q&A databases
to FileMaker databases. So many Q&A users have converted to FileMaker that
the popular National Q&A User Group is now also a FileMaker Pro user group
as well.
You will find all kinds of helpful information on their web site at:
about converting from Q&A to FileMaker Pro.
Best regards,
Lance Jacobs Senior Product Support Analyst [Symantec Corp.]
Please continue to post your messages to the public discussion groups as
Symantec does not provide support via private e-mail. If you have
difficulty getting a response or using our online support services, please
read the following article:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/docid/1998527114414
For Knowledge Base support articles, File Libraries, and FAQs, visit our
Q&A support page:
http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/qa.html
Raneman-G
> If you are now committed to using NT Server, I would recommend that you
> switch to a 32 bit Windows database application that can properly support
> that operating system.
>
> Something like Microsoft Access, or FileMaker Pro would be more
> appropriate. Q&A users can upgrade to FileMaker Pro for only $150, and
> FileMaker even has a utility on their web site for converting Q&A databases
> to FileMaker databases. So many Q&A users have converted to FileMaker that
> the popular National Q&A User Group is now also a FileMaker Pro user group
> as well.
>
> You will find all kinds of helpful information on their web site at:
>
> http://www.qaug.com/
>
> about converting from Q&A to FileMaker Pro.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Lance Jacobs Senior Product Support Analyst [Symantec Corp.]
Lance:
You may be able to take the information from the fields in QA DOS to
other programs but you are dead in the water on further programming in
QA using the QA Windows version or any other database you send your
information to. In the other programs you will have to learn another
way to do all the neat things QA DOS does, and, all of those programs
do not compare at all with the programming features in QA DOS.
Gordon
Peter Gruenewald
>
> I have no idea.
>
> Interestingly, Alec Mulvey is reporting a different problem with NT4 and
> simultaneous use of Q&A DOS and Windows.
>
> In his case, up to 3 users are fine, but performance falls off terribly when the
> 4th user gets on. (A 7 second task takes 5 minutes.)
>
> It doesn't matter which of the workstations is the 4th to get on.
>
> As I said, I have no idea.
>
> John
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> John T. Dow, author of Q&A utilities for Q&A DOS and Q&A Windows
>
> e-mail j...@pgh.net
>
Well, at least I feel better about not having a clue, either. In
reference to Alec's problem, we are running 13 users on our network,
and have the same problem. Our search times through our database
(approx. 51MB) will run about 5-7minutes in an involved search. I
have upgraded several of the workstations to P2/233's, and have had
better response times (about 2-3 minutes) with searching. My
suggestion would be to switch the networking backbone to Novell Small
Business, since they are better at handling smaller, non-SQL
databases. Having delt with Novell for some time, the big issue
nowadays is the "Oh, it is so difficult to administer". Not so. The
new GUI interface is just as easy to use as NT4, and has FAR more
support to it. (Sorry, Microsoft) I was thinking about doing the
same to our network here, and am still trying to pitch it to my boss.
I may have to use my 5 user home version and make a "demo" server to
show my boss. I will let you know how that goes. Novell also offers
a competetive upgrade for NT users. Call your computer vendor for
current pricing.
Hopefully, NT5 will take care of several issues with this and we will
be running faster. I won't impliment that for at least 6 months,
since Microsoft has a history of "dust settling".
Thanks for all your help, John. Hopefully, these suggestions will
help out Alec. As mentioned, I will let you know about the Novell
switch.
Lance Jacobs [Symantec]
>You may be able to take the information from the fields in QA DOS to
>other programs but you are dead in the water on further programming in
>QA using the QA Windows version or any other database you send your
>information to. In the other programs you will have to learn another
>way to do all the neat things QA DOS does, and, all of those programs
>do not compare at all with the programming features in QA DOS.
Gordon,
No, Filemaker actually does have a conversion utility you can download from
their web site. It can do more than just convert the raw data from a Q&A
database. For converting to any other database, though, you are correct.
Only the bare data can be converted.
You should checkout Filemaker Pro. The Software Publishers Asscociation
recently honored it as being the best database product on the market.
Best regards, and let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Lance Jacobs Senior Product Support Analyst [Symantec Corp.]
Please continue to post your messages to the public discussion groups as
John Dow
:>
:>>You may be able to take the information from the fields in QA DOS to
:>>other programs but you are dead in the water on further programming in
:>>QA using the QA Windows version or any other database you send your
:>>information to. In the other programs you will have to learn another
:>>way to do all the neat things QA DOS does, and, all of those programs
:>>do not compare at all with the programming features in QA DOS.
:>
:>Gordon,
:>
:>No, Filemaker actually does have a conversion utility you can download from
:>their web site. It can do more than just convert the raw data from a Q&A
:>database. For converting to any other database, though, you are correct.
:>Only the bare data can be converted.
:>
Lance, have you tried the conversion utility?
From my testing of it, it does _not_ convert any programming logic.
You get the fields and a rudimentary layout, but that's it.
There is still a long long way to go if you have a database that's not trivial.
John
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
John T. Dow, author of Q&A utilities for Q&A DOS and Q&A Windows
e-mail j...@pgh.net
web page with descriptions of programs and free demos: www.johntdow.com
John Dow
<snip>
:>You may be able to take the information from the fields in QA DOS to
:>other programs but you are dead in the water on further programming in
:>QA using the QA Windows version or any other database you send your
:>information to. In the other programs you will have to learn another
:>way to do all the neat things QA DOS does, and, all of those programs
:>do not compare at all with the programming features in QA DOS.
:>
:>Gordon
I have developed a "software development kit" that I can use to create a low cost
windows program that works seamlessly with Q&A Windows. It is a way of adding a lot
of power to your Q&A Windows database.
Go to my web site, www.johntdow.com, and read about DTFWIN and its demo, WinDemo.
You can have customized menus, popup listboxes, multiple databases open at once,
macros, etc.
Raneman-G
>
> On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 19:20:29 GMT, Lance Jacobs [Symantec] wrote:
>
> :>
> :>>other programs but you are dead in the water on further programming in
> :>>QA using the QA Windows version or any other database you send your
> :>>information to. In the other programs you will have to learn another
> :>>way to do all the neat things QA DOS does, and, all of those programs
> :>>do not compare at all with the programming features in QA DOS.
> :>
> :>
> :>No, Filemaker actually does have a conversion utility you can download from
> :>their web site. It can do more than just convert the raw data from a Q&A
> :>database. For converting to any other database, though, you are correct.
> :>Only the bare data can be converted.
> :>
>
> Lance, have you tried the conversion utility?
>
> From my testing of it, it does _not_ convert any programming logic.
>
> You get the fields and a rudimentary layout, but that's it.
>
> There is still a long long way to go if you have a database that's not trivial.
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> John T. Dow, author of Q&A utilities for Q&A DOS and Q&A Windows
>
> e-mail j...@pgh.net
>
> web page with descriptions of programs and free demos: www.johntdow.com
John:
The our world knows this, but Symantec is not in OUR world, and, they
have done one thing by setting Q&A adrift: I will never, ever buy
another of their products ever....be it Winfax nee Delrina or Norton
sans Peter Norton, or Central Point, etc. You can not trust Symantec.
The number of people and firms continuing to hang on to Q&A also the
subsequent success of Filemaker Pro cross-platforming between PC and MAC
proves Symantecs' decision to drop Q&A was a bad one. I can do ANYTHING
I want in Q&A "ANY THING"....and I can not do that in any other program,
without light years, more years, of considerable change...also, probably
to everyone's amazement, I much prefer the screen form "graphics" in a
DOS program to that of a Windows program; very nice and easy on the
eyes.
Gordon