NoError47 Template

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Introduction
We consider this to be a white box template. On the other hand it uses
Clarion TPSFix.EXE file recovery utility, which is a black box program.
While fighting a data file corruption we accidentally discovered that this tool
can be used not only for fixing corrupted data files, but also for conversion of changed
data files - plus it functions with amazing speed. So this tool is especially useful
where conversion speed matters. For instance, we are using this converter for one of our
clients who runs an application 24 hours a day and has some large TPS files,
some 100 Mb each. Until recently, we had to paralyze their work completely for
10 hours or so just to add one key to one of those files. Now with NoErro47 the same
procedure takes 15-20 minutes. And they certainly appreciate it...
Download NoError47 demo program to see for yourself
Main advantages:
  • Template Converts files with the 'speed of light'
  • It has no secrets - it is a transparent white box template
  • It has no overheads so it can easily be added and removed from an application
  • It can be used either in fully automatic mode or launched from an
    application by users
  • It works in Clarion 5-10... ABC/Legacy
  • It does not make any changes to either Clarion native
    or 3rd party templates. It's our taboo!
  • It has very few optional  settings (see picture above) so no learning
    is involved
  • It doesn't change standard Clarion templates
  • Conversion will optimize data files and make them 20-30% smaller
Some Restrictions:
  • Template can be used only with TPS files (no prehistoric *.dat)
  • New fields may only be appended to the list of file fields
  • TPSFix.EXE does not clean just created fields, but it can be done from embeds
  • Only last field/fields in the list of a file fields can be deleted
As seen from those restrictions, NoError47 Template appears to be useful  in well established
databases, where you can go just with minor dictionary changes. To the best of our knowledge
there are no restrictions for key changes so you can do absolutely anything you
want to them. As to the file fields - some programming discipline is required
Installation
Run the installation wizard. It will guide you through a few simple steps. That is it.
IMPORTANT: If you are using Clarion 5-6, after selecting Clarion5-Clarion6 directory wizard
will offer to install it into C:\Clarion5(6)\Clarion8 or C:\C55\Clarion8 directory respectively.
So don't forget to remove last \Clarion8. But even if you do - no problem.
Just uninstall the template and re-run the installation.
To start using the template you need to manually register it.
To do this: Open Clarion (no application must be open). 
Go to menu Tools (Setup) -> (Edit) Template Registry -> Register. 
Select new template NoErr47.tpl and then hit Open button
You can find it in Clarion7(8,9,10...)\accessory\template\win
for Clarion >= 7 and in Clarion*\Template - for all others.
View animated reminder on how to do this - Registering Template
(built with our JAVA Animated Help Builder).

Using Template

One Executable Applications
1. Open Global -> File Control (second tab) of your application and ensure that
Generate all file declarations checkbox is checked
2. Open the mainframe procedure property and insert NoError47 extension template
Make sure that the mainframe procedure has no
files in the file schematic. That basically is it.
3. If for any reason you don't want some files to be processed
(for instance you may have data files in your dictionary other then TOPSPEED ones)
find and Insert them in the Skip Files list box (see the picture above)
By default the template will backup all files in TPSFix.EXE manner (FileName.TP1, FileName.TP2 etc.)
To suspend this behaviour - tick the checkbox Backup Data Files
Multi-DLL Applications
You should follow the same 3 steps to install NoErro47 template. The only difference -
All file declarations should be generated in your main DLL which exports all file declarations,
template globals and ABC stuff (for ABC). The NoError47 template still has to be installed
in the Mainframe of your executable only.
IMPORTANT: NoError47 does not keep a history of your changes so it works in a similar manner to
the built-in Dictionary file converter. Hence to use it successfully you need to
follow these few simple rules.
You can:
  1. change, insert, delete any keys in your files
  2. append new fields in the file field list
  3. delete last field or last few fields
  4. rename fields
You can not:
  1. insert fields in or delete them from the middle of the field list
  2. change data type of existing fields
Standalone NoError47 Converter
If you want your program users to be able to launch a conversion themselves, you have to
create a new EXE using the same dictionary (say you call it yourconv.EXE and you run your
main application from C:\YourWorkDir). The steps are absolutely the same as for
building One Executable Applications. After this you can call yourconv.EXE either from
outside of your program or from any button or menu item within it. The only thing to bear
in mind - if your data are kept in any other directory than your working directory you need
to pass its name as the first command line parameter. The syntax is simple:

RUN('yourconv.EXE C:\YourWorkDir\YourDataDir\')
Have a look at the example we are shipping with this template for details
Examples
We've installed an example into your Clarion*\Examples\VhNe47\Demo
Or Clarion7(8,9,10...)\Lessons\VhNe47\Demo in Clarion 7-10....
Error47ed files are stored in the subdirectory /Orig so you can compare them with
converted files say with TopScan program
The TPS data files for the demo were generated with the Clarion Data modeller
So the content of all those fields is meaningless
Beautification
You can easily customize those two windows which pop up before and after file conversion
without changing the template. We've put them in the TRN file noe47win.trn which you can find
in your Clarion*/Libsrc directory. To simplify this we suggest you 
open this file from Clarion. In this case you will be able to edit those windows visually.
Just put the cursor anywhere in the window definition and hit the magic Format button.
Shipping
You need to ship the latest version of TPSFix.EXE program with your application,
which for your convenience we've included into the NoError47 Installation program
The one million dollar question is which TPSFix.EXE to use? Some of them are pretty
buggy and just don't do the job. The best one is from Clarion6 Gold. So if you
own C6 this is the one. As it is an EXE, you can use it with all your applications
C5, C55, C6. If you use C55 we recommend the version
we use in the template example - of 7 Aug 2001, but not of 11 May 2002.
As to C5, its own TPSFix.EXE cannot be used because it's pretty
primitive. So to use this template with C5 applications you'll need to
own C55 or C6 to borrow TPSFix.EXE from any of these.

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