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newbie question

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  • N Offline
    N Offline
    NAB37
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I will be the first to admit that I don't know what I'm doing. But I have dabbled a little here and there so I'm willing to give this a try...maybe you will too? I work at a company with some very antiquated software. We have a program that was built using no less that 8 different DOS-based applications strung together. We've managed to keep this thing working for quit a while now and still add new data to the source files and recompile them regularly. But, we're getting pretty nervous about the age and complexity of this application and want to replace it with a database-driven application. The input to the application is a text file that contains a bunch of 5-digit alpha-numeric codes like "E5101" or "E5101QTY=2". Each code represents either some very specific instructions to our manufacturing shop or some Bill of Material data (BOM). For example the "E5101" code means to take the part we're building, put some glue into the hole, and then insert a bushing into that hole and let the glue dry. The example of the "E5101QTY=2" is a BOM code and it basically means that we will need two of the bushings that are used for the assembly. I hope this is clear as it is a simple but powerful concept. Now, the output of the application is another text file which contains these same codes but in a logical order. For example the code to issue some raw material needs to come before the code to cut that material and that needs to come before a code to paint that material. And BOM codes need to be separated from codes that are work instructions. So the order of the codes has been revised based on some rules/tags/parameters that we have been assigning. Finally, my question is how should I approach replacing this application with a database? It is really pretty simple in some ways but is as complex as a geneology tree, which is one of the main software components that comprise this application. It was developed at the Mormon university BYU where they are big into tracing their ancestry. This worked for a industrial applications because to correctly order these codes the user need to be able to build something like a database and have a way of relating the contents. But this was done before databases had been formalized. So, please be kind to a newbie and give me some sage advice on the best way to approach this. Thanks Noah

    A D L D 4 Replies Last reply
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    • N NAB37

      I will be the first to admit that I don't know what I'm doing. But I have dabbled a little here and there so I'm willing to give this a try...maybe you will too? I work at a company with some very antiquated software. We have a program that was built using no less that 8 different DOS-based applications strung together. We've managed to keep this thing working for quit a while now and still add new data to the source files and recompile them regularly. But, we're getting pretty nervous about the age and complexity of this application and want to replace it with a database-driven application. The input to the application is a text file that contains a bunch of 5-digit alpha-numeric codes like "E5101" or "E5101QTY=2". Each code represents either some very specific instructions to our manufacturing shop or some Bill of Material data (BOM). For example the "E5101" code means to take the part we're building, put some glue into the hole, and then insert a bushing into that hole and let the glue dry. The example of the "E5101QTY=2" is a BOM code and it basically means that we will need two of the bushings that are used for the assembly. I hope this is clear as it is a simple but powerful concept. Now, the output of the application is another text file which contains these same codes but in a logical order. For example the code to issue some raw material needs to come before the code to cut that material and that needs to come before a code to paint that material. And BOM codes need to be separated from codes that are work instructions. So the order of the codes has been revised based on some rules/tags/parameters that we have been assigning. Finally, my question is how should I approach replacing this application with a database? It is really pretty simple in some ways but is as complex as a geneology tree, which is one of the main software components that comprise this application. It was developed at the Mormon university BYU where they are big into tracing their ancestry. This worked for a industrial applications because to correctly order these codes the user need to be able to build something like a database and have a way of relating the contents. But this was done before databases had been formalized. So, please be kind to a newbie and give me some sage advice on the best way to approach this. Thanks Noah

      A Offline
      A Offline
      Andy_L_J
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Maybe you should post this in the General Database Forum - you will get better replies there.

      I don't speak Idiot - please talk slowly and clearly 'This space for rent' Driven to the arms of Heineken by the wife

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • N NAB37

        I will be the first to admit that I don't know what I'm doing. But I have dabbled a little here and there so I'm willing to give this a try...maybe you will too? I work at a company with some very antiquated software. We have a program that was built using no less that 8 different DOS-based applications strung together. We've managed to keep this thing working for quit a while now and still add new data to the source files and recompile them regularly. But, we're getting pretty nervous about the age and complexity of this application and want to replace it with a database-driven application. The input to the application is a text file that contains a bunch of 5-digit alpha-numeric codes like "E5101" or "E5101QTY=2". Each code represents either some very specific instructions to our manufacturing shop or some Bill of Material data (BOM). For example the "E5101" code means to take the part we're building, put some glue into the hole, and then insert a bushing into that hole and let the glue dry. The example of the "E5101QTY=2" is a BOM code and it basically means that we will need two of the bushings that are used for the assembly. I hope this is clear as it is a simple but powerful concept. Now, the output of the application is another text file which contains these same codes but in a logical order. For example the code to issue some raw material needs to come before the code to cut that material and that needs to come before a code to paint that material. And BOM codes need to be separated from codes that are work instructions. So the order of the codes has been revised based on some rules/tags/parameters that we have been assigning. Finally, my question is how should I approach replacing this application with a database? It is really pretty simple in some ways but is as complex as a geneology tree, which is one of the main software components that comprise this application. It was developed at the Mormon university BYU where they are big into tracing their ancestry. This worked for a industrial applications because to correctly order these codes the user need to be able to build something like a database and have a way of relating the contents. But this was done before databases had been formalized. So, please be kind to a newbie and give me some sage advice on the best way to approach this. Thanks Noah

        D Offline
        D Offline
        dan sh
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        I am not sure if the answer will be small enough to discuss in the forum. Still, you should give a try in the database forum.

        50-50-90 rule: Anytime I have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability I'll get it wrong...!!

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • N NAB37

          I will be the first to admit that I don't know what I'm doing. But I have dabbled a little here and there so I'm willing to give this a try...maybe you will too? I work at a company with some very antiquated software. We have a program that was built using no less that 8 different DOS-based applications strung together. We've managed to keep this thing working for quit a while now and still add new data to the source files and recompile them regularly. But, we're getting pretty nervous about the age and complexity of this application and want to replace it with a database-driven application. The input to the application is a text file that contains a bunch of 5-digit alpha-numeric codes like "E5101" or "E5101QTY=2". Each code represents either some very specific instructions to our manufacturing shop or some Bill of Material data (BOM). For example the "E5101" code means to take the part we're building, put some glue into the hole, and then insert a bushing into that hole and let the glue dry. The example of the "E5101QTY=2" is a BOM code and it basically means that we will need two of the bushings that are used for the assembly. I hope this is clear as it is a simple but powerful concept. Now, the output of the application is another text file which contains these same codes but in a logical order. For example the code to issue some raw material needs to come before the code to cut that material and that needs to come before a code to paint that material. And BOM codes need to be separated from codes that are work instructions. So the order of the codes has been revised based on some rules/tags/parameters that we have been assigning. Finally, my question is how should I approach replacing this application with a database? It is really pretty simple in some ways but is as complex as a geneology tree, which is one of the main software components that comprise this application. It was developed at the Mormon university BYU where they are big into tracing their ancestry. This worked for a industrial applications because to correctly order these codes the user need to be able to build something like a database and have a way of relating the contents. But this was done before databases had been formalized. So, please be kind to a newbie and give me some sage advice on the best way to approach this. Thanks Noah

          L Offline
          L Offline
          Luc Pattyn
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          You're new to programming and want to replace a complex historic bunch of code? I suggest you use the Job Board and look for a professional to solve your problem. :)

          Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]

          I only read code that is properly indented, and rendered in a non-proportional font; hint: use PRE tags in forum messages

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          0
          • N NAB37

            I will be the first to admit that I don't know what I'm doing. But I have dabbled a little here and there so I'm willing to give this a try...maybe you will too? I work at a company with some very antiquated software. We have a program that was built using no less that 8 different DOS-based applications strung together. We've managed to keep this thing working for quit a while now and still add new data to the source files and recompile them regularly. But, we're getting pretty nervous about the age and complexity of this application and want to replace it with a database-driven application. The input to the application is a text file that contains a bunch of 5-digit alpha-numeric codes like "E5101" or "E5101QTY=2". Each code represents either some very specific instructions to our manufacturing shop or some Bill of Material data (BOM). For example the "E5101" code means to take the part we're building, put some glue into the hole, and then insert a bushing into that hole and let the glue dry. The example of the "E5101QTY=2" is a BOM code and it basically means that we will need two of the bushings that are used for the assembly. I hope this is clear as it is a simple but powerful concept. Now, the output of the application is another text file which contains these same codes but in a logical order. For example the code to issue some raw material needs to come before the code to cut that material and that needs to come before a code to paint that material. And BOM codes need to be separated from codes that are work instructions. So the order of the codes has been revised based on some rules/tags/parameters that we have been assigning. Finally, my question is how should I approach replacing this application with a database? It is really pretty simple in some ways but is as complex as a geneology tree, which is one of the main software components that comprise this application. It was developed at the Mormon university BYU where they are big into tracing their ancestry. This worked for a industrial applications because to correctly order these codes the user need to be able to build something like a database and have a way of relating the contents. But this was done before databases had been formalized. So, please be kind to a newbie and give me some sage advice on the best way to approach this. Thanks Noah

            D Offline
            D Offline
            David Mujica
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            You've come to a point in the road where the question is "Should I build a system to meet my requirements or Buy an already designed/tested/supported ?" You may want to invetigate systems that will meet your need and weigh that against the cost of developing a new system. If nothing else, you will see how other people have solved the problem an maybe give you an idea on how to start your design. However, I've done some work for manufacturing companies in the past from what I can remember, I think you want to start your analysis/design by thinking of the "big" blocks of your application, then gradually add more and more detail to each block and show the relationships among the blocks. Some of the "blocks" I can think of are: Customer Parts Instructions WorkOrder WorkOrderDetail Research Entity-Relationship Diagrams to help you organize your design ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity-relationship_model[^] Visio is a cool tool to map things out ...

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