Re: how to run DOS base(Clipper, Foxpro, DBase3+) programs

Alexander Santiago wrote:
> So the problem now is to run those programs in Linux.....

Short answer: don't.  If they're going to do a proper migration, it
would be better to port the programs to GNU/Linux anyway.  Your best
bet, if you have the sources of the report generators, would be to try
using stuff from the Harbour project [1], Clip [2], or Flagship [3]
(proprietary, EUR 220 from their price list), to rebuild the report
generator for GNU/Linux.  I haven't used any of these systems myself,
but hopefully others on the list who have experience with them could
share how porting an old DOS-based xBase program with them went.

Without the sources, your only recourse would probably to rewrite the
generator from scratch according to spec.  You might be to use something
like DBD::Xbase for Perl to migrate the old database data to an SQL
database like MySQL and Postgresql and rewrite the report generator from
scratch based on specs, but this is a time-consuming and expensive
project.  I realize, having worked for banks myself, that this is
something that they will be highly reluctant to do as well, as it
requires that the new software be recertified...

[1] http://www.harbour-project.org/
[2] http://www.itk.ru/english/index.shtml
[3] http://www.fship.com/

-- 
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
http://stormwyrm.blogspot.com/
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