4th Dimension™ is a relational database System edited by ACI.
4th Dimension creates 2 distincts files :
- The first one contains the data capture users and, possibly, index of fields,
- The second one contains the database structure, which is to say, all the objects created by the programmer.
Maintaining the database is easy because the files containing the programming and the data capture are totally distincts.
Unluckily and too often, one problem can make unusable (Bug, bomb, power cut,...) or :
- The database structure : The main cause is a bad recording of the 4th internal resources
This problem generates, in the best case, "strange" reactions of the base, and, in the worse case, when you open the structure, the billsticking of a message "attempt to read beyond the end of field" and... one day (or more) of work loosed. - The data file : it principally generates problems with the index. The first
cause is the presence of forbidden characters into the fields
content. These forbidden characters generate, in the best case,
erroneous results of search, the impossibility to store records
(or their modifications), or, what is worse... a bomb!
And in this case, 4D Util is... useless!
Structure of 4D Internal Resources
-
(Checking for the version 1.2.0)WN4D List of table names. FI4D Definition of tables and fields, Relation to WN4D, LE4D, TF4D. Fi?? Balloon help for fields (?? = ID reference FI4D) TF4D Form names, Relation to FO4D. FO4D Description of forms, possibly Relation to CC4D, LE4D, TF4D. TP4D Procedure names, Relation to CC4D. CC4D Methods & Scripts, possibly Relation to another CC4D. MEPI Menu bar, pict LIBA List of menu bars , Relation to BA4D. BA4D Menu bar, Relation to MEN4. MEN4 Description of menus & procedures names. LE4D Enumerations names/ Lists, Relation to EN4D (v4-v5) / List (v6). EN4D Enumerations 4D v4-v5, possibly Relation to another EN4D. List 4D v6 List. HE4D Text of balloon help. LiHe Name of 4D balloon help. DBPR 4D Database Procs (v6) PIC# Picture names & Relation to PICT (v6) PICT Pictures (v6) FGS# Form Template Name & Relation to FGps (v6) FGps Form Template (v6) QT?? Pict Fields Quick Time informations HE?? Insider Documentation for Fields (v6)