IBM Lotus Approach

Lotus Approach is a database software company Lotus Development Corporation (now owned by IBM).

With approach can be called view files for creating databases with which the user can include access to the underlying database and its data. Approach can deal with a variety of database formats, and access to many ODBC data sources.

Database concept

The view file contains the definition of all database connections, forms, reports, charts, and tables needed by the user in the database ( and the developer has defined). The actual data are not saved to the file, but in the underlying database. Approach used by default database files in dBASE IV format to the data store. However, other database formats such as IBM DB2, Oracle, Paradox, or MySQL can be selected. These apply to each approach the limitations of the selected database (eg dBASE IV, the maximum file size 2 gigabytes).

The view files are portable. This means that a view file created with Approach Approach is available with installed on another computer. Approach can be set via the included script language LotusScript (similar to Visual Basic) to program and expand its functionality.

Unlike, for example, Microsoft Access can be personalized with Approach not an independently running applications create because no corresponding runtime library exists. This means that approach must be installed at each user locally ( or on a terminal server ).

Approach is now sold even as a standalone application or as a package with the Lotus SmartSuite, developed and used worldwide. The current version is 9.8 ( June 2004).

File Format

The file format of the view files is proprietary and can not be easily read by other programs. The Approach view files end on:

  • . APR view files
  • . = ADX index files
  • . OYZ = additionally arise when the ADX file is corrupted.

The database files are ( depending on the selected format) can also be used by other database applications. The default file format for the database files is dBASE IV file types that are used here of Approach are:

  • . DBF = data base file
  • . DBT = Additional file memo and binary fields
  • Office Application
  • Windows software
  • Lotus software
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