Freeware Access-like Database

[John H.]

My bad;

On my Best Of Freeware site Nominations page
(http://www.jhoodsoft.org/00_nominate.html if you care) I had listed
DBWorx as "Rejected" as a replacement of Microsoft Access and/or
database program. My stated reason was "no support for multiple tables"
(which would include lookup tables for dropdowns as well.) This is fine.

Except that it isn't true.

I hereby announce that I was officially "all wet" regarding DBworx as a
database product.

I'm going to post the change after I've had some sleep.

DBworx

Intro: There is a problem when you are trying to find freeware
replacements for Microsoft Access 97 or higher. There really aren't
any. If you are willing for forego some ease of use and keep all the
features, there is a very good free alternative, DBWorx.

This has a bit of an Access 2.0 or early FoxPro feel to it. If
something messes up you can go directly to the data file and fix it with
notepad.

Plusses - Run macro procedures. Numerous types of fields including
calculated, lookup, relational and memo fields. Turn tables into web
pages. Small size (approx. 1100K) Search, sort and filter. Import and
export. Can connect to any database type that's running ODBC. Nice
tool set, including a draw tool, magnifier, and HTML review.

Minuses - Window is sizable but will only show you 13 records at a time,
and doesn't remember the sizing setting anyway. The HTML generator puts
goofy symbols in the header (which can be taken out with any HTML
editor). The forms tool isn't available until you register ($20).
Biggest problem is that you can't change the order of the fields once
you create them, and field creation is not intuitive. The design tool
needs a little work. See my hacking note above for how to work around
it. One other thing: dBworx isn't designed as a multi-user application.
There is a work-around in help, but, basically no record-lock
capability folks.

Conclusion - 7.5 out of 10. Very nice! And pretty much the only rapid
database developer tool you are going to find that isn't several hundred
dollars. I'm paying the $20 to register, and I'm a cheap bastard.

John H. E-mail: (e-mail address removed)
Website: John's Best of FreeWare: WWW:Jhoodsoft.org

 

[John Corliss]

(clipped)
DBworx

(clipped)
Minuses - Window is sizable but will only show you 13 records at a time,
and doesn't remember the sizing setting anyway. The HTML generator puts
goofy symbols in the header (which can be taken out with any HTML
editor). The forms tool isn't available until you register ($20).
Biggest problem is that you can't change the order of the fields once
you create them, and field creation is not intuitive. (clipped)

Didn't realize it had this limitation. Without a forms editor, a
database is pretty hampered. I'd go so far as to call it crippleware.

 

[Frank Delamarre]

The forms tool isn't available until you register ($20).

Didn't realize it had this limitation. Without a forms editor, a
database is pretty hampered. I'd go so far as to call it crippleware.

I'd go as far as to agree with you.

Frank

 

[John H.]

I'd go as far as to agree with you.

Frank

Yup, I'd also go that distance, but it's the closest thing that
freeware-types are going come to a decent database RDE. IMO. That's all
I'm saying.

It's not great, but it's not too bad.

John