Re: Can Forms 4.0 (when it's available) create .INP files?

In article <1992Oct29.182222.1_at_bbs.mdcbbs.com>, suskind_at_bbs.mdcbbs.com writes:
> I have used SCCS to do change control on some forms I developed
> using Forms Version 2.3
> I am looking into using Forms 3.0 (and soon) and Forms 4.0 when it
> becomes available. From what I have been told (not by oracle people)
> Forms 4.0 will NOT produce the .INP files as is the case with previous
> versions. If this is the case I will not be able to use my change
> control to keep track of my forms anymore. Also it would mean keeping
> all that source code IN the database instead of in a flat file outside
> the database.
>
> Is this true?
>

This should be added to the FAQ list. No, it's not true. SQL*Forms 4.0 should have .INP files, it will need them to transfer existing 3.0 forms. I think the confusion has arrisen because the current Alpha version is not using them. It uses .FRM and .ROL (Resource binary) files.

I've always wondered about the "don't modify .INP files" rule. I think the developers decided to not support editing .INP files because of all the validation they would have to build into reading .INP forms. But, if you don't edit .INP files, how do you generate forms ? CASE*Generator does it by modifying the SQL*Forms tables directly! I've never heard if modifying SQL*Forms tables was supported. Although I taught a SQL*Forms class a while ago, where one of the examples was creating a custom form against forms tables to create other forms! I personally don't like the idea of someone updating forms tables, when a missing WHERE condition in an update statement might destroy all my forms.

>
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