Question

DOS based accounting package on Windows XP

Asked by: franksmyth

Hi,

I have an ancient laptop running windows 95 and a DOS based accounting program called Apex on it.

I would love to get the program running on windows xp but so far I have been unsuccessful.

Using the command prompt in windows xp everything looks like it is running ok but then when I try to open a client file I get a number of dBase errors.

I tried running it using DOS emulator dosBox but that doesn't even get that far.

There is a dongle that is meant to be used with the software (even though it seems to run fine without it) and there is also a batch file which is used to start the program which has a line something like:

mode >> CO86 (or something to that effect....I am not beside the machine right now)

Can anyone shed some light on this problem.....Do I need to install dBase on my XP machine or would that be included in the apex program itself.

Is this a dongle problem and what is the significance of the mode command.

I would love to get this program working so any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-Frank

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Asked On
2007-04-30 at 03:50:46ID22542176
Tags

dos

,

xp

,

accounting

,

windows

,

based

Topics

dBase

,

MS DOS

,

Windows XP Operating System

Participating Experts
6
Points
250
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: KCTSPosted on 2007-04-30 at 04:10:35ID: 19000490

Mode CO80 sets the console to 80 characters per line
If the program has been complied using something like CLIPPER then it does not need dBase, if it is uncomplied then DBase is required.

Hope this helps a bit, Sorry I can't be of more help

 

by: DanCh99Posted on 2007-04-30 at 07:23:17ID: 19001556

have you considered dual booting XP and Dos?

 

by: franksmythPosted on 2007-04-30 at 07:31:09ID: 19001616

Hi DanCh99,

Thanks for the reply. I haven't considered dual booting at all to be honest.

Currently I have both computers on my desk and it is fine. The problem is that I recently purchased a new printer without realising that it doesn't support windows 95. So now to print from Apex I have 2 big and bulky laser printers in a pretty small office.

I was hoping that by having Apex running in XP, that I would be able to print from it to the new printer. If I was dual booting this wouldn't work.

KCTS,

Thanks for the info, I had a look for dBase in the registry, the programs list and the files on the laptop and I saw no mention of dBase so I assume that it is integrated as you suggest. I don't understand why I get the errors in that case.

The first error is something like "COMIX/1001 DOS error 4" if that helps at all.

-Frank

 

by: DanCh99Posted on 2007-04-30 at 17:44:32ID: 19005656

most printers will accept a simple Generic Text print stream, without needing a special driver.  You could install this on the XP pc, share the printer, and then connect to this from the w95 laptop.  Or, just hook up the pc and printer, and see what you get!

otherwise, are there any export features in Apex to let you move your records to a more up-to-date program?  Migration is inevitable at some point, so you need to plan this route in any case.  Something like Mind Your Own Business (MYOB) is an accounting app that's been around for ages and should handle a lot of legacy stuff.

hth, Danny

 

by: djxtremePosted on 2007-05-01 at 23:35:31ID: 19013913

Dont forget that if you do plug in your new printer into your XP machine and network them, you'll have to map a LPT port to it.

I do belive the command is

net use //PCNAME/PRINTERNAME LTP1

though its early, and ive not had a coffee, so it could be wrong.

 

by: dcbrown72Posted on 2007-05-10 at 12:52:12ID: 19067988

Remember that there is a Compatability mode in the properties of your shortcuts.  Create a shortcut to the batch file in the Windows XP PC and then run the compatability mode for the batch file as MS-DOS. See what happens then.  NT based PCs such as windows 2k and XP use the com ports and lpt ports slightly differently than native DOS PCs.  Hope that this helps!

 

by: serraultPosted on 2007-05-13 at 09:55:04ID: 19081530

First, the fix for Windows XP: There should be a file named CONFIG.NT within the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 directory.  Using NOTEPAD, and only NOTEPAD, you should find at the bottom, probably the last line of the file "files=40."  Change this to "files=101" (I always suggest using an odd number).  You can go higher, but doing so takes precious memory needed by the application.  Try running your program again and hopefully you should be good to go.  If not, I would then suggest looking at the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files located in the root directory (C:\) on the WIndows 95 machine.  Look for additional settings applicable to your accounting application. For example, if your program had been compiled in Clipper your would need to add SET CLIPPER=F101 to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.  If you need/want to add additional settings note:

Windows 95      -> Windows XP
C:\CONFIG.SYS   -> C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT
C:\AUTOEXEC.SYS -> C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT

In regards to your new printer, and a problem you may have yet to realize you have, I assume that the interface used to connect to your PC is not a DB25 Parallel port (LPT1:).  If it is then you should be fine, if not then you will face the problem of Apex only understanding, probably, LPT1: or LPT2: but your printer is attached to an IP or USB port.  So, to deal with that issue, you need to complete the following steps:

1) Right click the printer under your Faxes and Printers listing, select Sharing, then chose to "Share this printer" giving it a short (8 characters or less) Share Name. (I will use NEWPRTR)  Failure to do this should result in System Error 66.
2) Get to a Command prompt and enter: NET USER  Make note of the first line and what follows "User accounts for " (I will use \\JEFF-DESK)
3) Still at the Command Prompt enter: NET USE LPT1: \\JEFF-DESK\NEWPRTR /PERSISTENT:YES

NOTE: The above is what a coffeeless djxtreme previously mentioned, but he ommited needing to first share your new printer (step 1), and the format of the NET USE was slightly off (step 3).

ALSO, if it does not "show," I have faced and won many times the same challenge you now face.  On no occasion was changing, tweaking, or otherwise having to deal or work with the compatability mode NONE of those times have I,

Should you be interested in the "why" of your DOS Error 4, the clue, and therefore answer, to the problem is within the error message you included in your second posting.  While your comment "...is something like..." makes me a little hesitant, I will assume and hope the "DOS error 4" part of it is correct.

Receiving this error message is quite common with DOS based DBase programs, and is easy to correct.  It might first help to highlight that in DBase, at least the earlier versions, each datafile consists of a .DBF file containing the main data records, possibly a secondary file  (cannot remember the extension) if you have memo type fields, and then one file for each index.  The extension on these files could be .NTX, .NSX, CDX, or several others. When adding to or updating a DBF file it is necessary to have ALL the index files open so they can be appropriately updated.  Later versions of DBase allowed multiple indexes to be stored in one file.  On top of all this even more files may be created, albeit temporarily, when performing maintenance on tables (i.e. PACK or MODI STRU).

Having written many accounting applications using DBase, starting with DBase II, I am confident you will find many index files. Given having 4-6 indexes per DBF is quite likely, one could have 6-8 physical files associated with each DBF, which all need to be open when adding or updating data. So, why am I boring you with this trivia? :)  When operating within DOS there is a setting to indicate the maximum number of open files.  XP sets this maximum to 40. DOS error 4 is defined as: Out Of File handles.  Below are the first Ten DOS Error codesEorrto 1

   01       Function number invalid
   02       File not found
   03       Path not found
   04       Too many open files
   05       Access denied
   06       Handle invalid
   07       Memory control blocks destroyed
   08       Insufficient memory
   09       Memory block address invalid
   10       Environment invalid

Further info can be found at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q74463/

 

by: sundaramkumarPosted on 2007-06-14 at 03:00:05ID: 19282031

An easy way to run is to install VMWARE first . this will help to run any OS inside another OS. that is you can run DOS , linux or anyother OS.

So first run vmware software. Then install DOS in VMWARE. Now you are able to run DOS as an new virtual machine. This works as a separate workstation installed with DOS. so you can install the accouting package there. and do whatever you did in your old dos machine. you can even configure your printers and other devices.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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