6.1 Overview

This chapter describes techniques for transferring version 3.7 C/Base applications from one machine to another. Transferring an application between machines of the same hardware and operating system configuration is a straight forward process. When transferring an application to a machine that has a different binary representation of data types (i.e. longs, reals, integers etc.), those C/Base files that are represented in binary format (excluding binary programs) must be converted into portable text files, transferred, and recreated on the destination machine.

In addition, the C/Base catalog on the destination machine must be updated to include the application's database, RMSfiles, reportfiles and formfiles.

Converting C/Base files into portable text files and rebuilding them on the destination machine requires the C/Base Utilities on the original machine and the destination machine.

The C/Base files that are represented in binary formats are as follows:

RMS definition files

RMSfiles

Formfiles

Visual report files

Database catalog entries

Terminal definitions created with termset(C-1)

The process of creating text files for C/Base files, sending the text files to the destination machine, and recreating the application is known as porting an application.

When porting an application to a machine of the same architecture (binary representation of data types are the same), the files can be sent to the destination machine without converting C/Base files into text files. Once these files have been sent, the only task left is to define the database for the application and the logical definitions for RMSfiles, reportfiles and formfiles in the C/Base catalog.

This chapter outlines the procedure for porting an application and designing portable menufiles and source program files. When porting an application, compatibility problems may occur with menufiles and source programs. Section 6.4 discusses how source programs can be designed to be more portable across different machines. Section 6.5 describes how menufiles can be designed to be more portable.