Hi neil,

>>> But the most attractive thing I find is how they store all resources into
>>> one database. No (noticable) compiling, just change the form, while
>>> everyone is using the application and next time as someone opens the form
>>> it will get the new version. Everything is collected in on repository.

>This would be great if you only worked against a single dataset, however, the objects/repository are global. So lets say you want to introduce subtle changes to MRP on a per company basis it quickly becomes a very painful exercise, not to mention you are working directly with the Attain source code in such an invasive fashion that upgrading (which is *not* recommended by Navision/Microsoft) becomes soul destroying.

>When you modify any object including forms it prompts you to compile, the object is also cached so you have to close the main menu and restart it to invalidate the object cache? When you have compiled your change it displays a "this object has been changed" message and throws all active users of that form out so they have to start again - all of this is very noticable.

Thanks for that info. It seems I've got the wrong impression back then. There are indeed disadvantages. I still can't help to remember that creating different forms (copied from the original) was a snap. And indeed those problem you describe might be irritating, but still way better than throwing every user out of the system, recompilation etc.

>Another annoying thing is the licensing - If you purchase MS SQL Server and use the SQL version of the Attain Client you are restricted through the license to the number of tables you can use! If a customer has paid seperate licensing for SQL Server why should they pay twice to use it in conjunction with Navision?

Yes, I've got that same experience. At some point we needed two or three extra tables and had to pay an awfull lot for that. It indeed seemed just a valid way to rip-off clients.

>Navision from an end-users perspective is a good product - from my position I will be glad when the Microsoft Business Framework is released. I will say to anyone on the UT using Navision (or looking to in the future) that VFP is a great tool for plugging holes in Navision.

Sure, and I think that is true. My point on the whole is that from end - users point many could learn a lot from a GUI perspective (Do's and Don'ts).

Thanks,

Walter,