>Would my answer to your other related message ("Update ideas") take care of >this? If not, you've got a couple of choices:


Perhaps, but we still need a tool to allow for the user to modify the data structures and then have that tool update the meta data. That is the main issue here.

>Do you *really* want users using a tool as powerful as SDT's Database Explorer? I sure wouldn't. What you really want is to allow users to create new fields. Fine -- create a form that allows them to enter minimal information about a new field and then use ALTER TABLE to add the new field to their table. You can then use the SDT Validate method to update the meta data for that field.
>

Since out version DOS version 5.0 came out in Clipper, we have shipped a 'toolset' to our clients to allow them to edit the database with a goal toward screen customizations.

It is more than just having them add a field, there is also modifying view paramaters, createing new views for reports (depending on our reporting system), editing extended paramaters like RequiredField, Validate, Validatoin Rules, Caption, etc.

So, if I have to write a tool so the user can modify a table, don't I now have to write code to change the views that are based on that table. My understanding is that your Explorer does this automatically.

So, DO I REALLY want them to? Yes... can they screw up the system with it, yes. Do I have a choice, not really. We are talking about a $20K + product here... one of our main selling points is the simplicity of customization.

BTW: I think the one thing I would disable would be the extended atribute thing. We would set up the extended atributes and let them just set them.

>Since this is the first time this has come up in the several years SDT has been available, I'm on new ground here. Do either of these approaches sound reasonable?
>
>Doug

1st... I don't under stand why this is an issue, since we are not developing and shipping a database editor tool to developers.

2nd... We do already ship several other third party products with our ap, VFP, being one of them, the report writer, PC Anywhere... however, we try to use as many roalty free tools as possible.

It seems like we have to choose whether to use SDT or not without the database explorer. Since we can't use the update function, and most of the other stuff is actually a function of DBCX2 which is PD.

I guess my question is, why is the DE not royalty free anyway, other than the fact that you wouldn't give it to your customers.

Then, considering that we have bought the product and have the royalty license to include the SDT library, what would be the aditional roalty to ship the DE?

Once we know that, we can make a final descision on which way to go with this.

BOb