Changing from Clarion templates to ABC templates

questions
1

So…I have just discovered why some of the functionality I am accustomed to is not in the templates…I was using the Clarion template. I thought I had set it to ABC but apparently not. How do I change the templates to ABC without having to redo everything?
I have tried…

  • Exporting to txa and importing into new app defined as ABC - still kept as Clarion template, even though I had changed ‘From Clarion Browse’ to ‘From ABC Browse’.
  • Created ABC app, import from another app, Clarion crashed.
  • Global Properties of existing app - cannot change the template there. Only Clarion shows up.

Thanks in advance
Viola

2

The two chains are so different I don’t think you could simply port a program over. The embeds are very different and your existing embedded code won’t be using the ABC classes, so what you end up with is a mix of both types which will be quite hard to manage in future upgrades.You could use the Windows layouts again but almost all the rest will probably need replacing.

However most programs benefit from a review and tidy-up of the design after several years and although it looks daunting you often end up with a much slimmer and efficient product. If you take this opportunity to redesign with all the experience of previous use the functionality can be much improved. Only the ABC chain is being developed so staying with legacy deprives you of new things. It all depends on if you have plans for lots of new development. If you do it is worth biting the bullet and making a new ABC compliant program. If not stay with the legacy until the product is retired.

Regards,

3

There was a conversion tool - but it was not very good. Came with Clarion 4 I think. A rewrite is in order.

4

It can be done. There are a few threads in the news groups about this.
You can export to txa and edit, you need to change a lot of instances of ‘Clarion’ to ‘ABC’
but it can be done. Some 3rd parties might be a problem.

5

Export your Clarion app to a txa - Edit the txa file and change Clarion to ABC (make sure to check the Match whole word option in the search/replace dialog) - Create a new app using the Application from txa option. This will orphan some of your embeds but it is pretty easy to move them back.

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6

Thanks everyone. I have done the txa export/import thing. A few things
not working but I will slug away at it.

Viola
519-301-1431

1 Like