Approaching Omnis again scares me, too much to learn?

[Chris Hughes]

Hi Wendy
I converted my estimating software (Fast Track) to Postgres and it took 
about 1 year and tested it with few clients they found some bugs quickly 
responded and kept them happy.

Another year later put in all features that were in the original Omnis 
data file version.
This had 37 files (data). I had some help to do this, that got me over 
learning hump.

The next step was to convert our office accounting system into Postgres 
this took about 12 months and had 62 files.

However before I started Deoffice accounting software I wrote a object 
to convert the Omnis names to lower case, then create the schema for 
each Omnis file , then create a query for each Omnis file, then create 
an object for each Omnis file. Took a few days to write the Object but 
well worth it.

I do not use the Omnis buffer that's hard work, I use a row variable to 
carry the data to and from the Postgres data application.

These applications also do the Omnis studio web application as well and 
suppose to work "SQLserver" but I have tried.

Speed of conversion success is improved by have a good naming 
convention.


Essentially when we learnt Omnis there is 3 basic requirements Add a 
record, Edit a Record and Delete a record. I achieve these basic 
functions in object used over and over by passing parameters. The rest 
is where you have learn to searches, there many examples on the WEB.

The way to think that there is an Object, that is called Postgres in 
this situation. You pass a query to it and you get back a result.

I am not a full time programmer, at the moment I am working on building 
gas compression plant on contract.

Postgres allows me to keep my Estimating system working and do my time 
sheets on Deoffice, over very slow speed network, that is the big plus.

PS you could come to Australia and I can get you started.

Regards
Chris Hughes




------ Original Message ------
From: "Wendy" <wizardcompserv at gmail.com>
To: "'OmnisDev List - English'" <omnisdev-en at lists.omnis-dev.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 3 Jan, 2018 At 9:19 PM
Subject: RE: Approaching Omnis again scares me, too much to learn?

Hi There

Happy New Year!!

Most developers will call me a dinosaur!!  But my business has always 
concentrated on the 'small' users - they do not have an IT department - 
they do not want or need SQL or Web based products.

You will not earn a fortune this way but there are a lot of small 
business out there that need this kind of support and consultancy and 
they have kept me going for the last 18 years and I am still getting 
enquiries from new customers.

Just my 2p's worth for 2018

Kind regards
Wendy Osbaldestin
Wizard Computer Services
Tel:  01260271647
Mobile: 07740541021

-----Original Message-----
From: omnisdev-en [mailto:omnisdev-en-bounces at lists.omnis-dev.com] On 
Behalf Of Das Goravani
Sent: 02 January 2018 23:55
To: OmnisDev List - English
Subject: Approaching Omnis again scares me, too much to learn?


Hello All,

I am RE approaching Omnis with a view to becoming a developer/consultant 
to businesses.

I am completely expert with Omnis and the native database it provides, 
but don’t know SQL or anything else, I only know Omnis. I don’t know any 
other language at all.  I go back to 86 but haven’t done anything for 
ten years.

It’s scary enough to have to learn SQL and how to connect to databases. 
But all the stuff you guys and gals discuss here and on the other forum 
scares me.  How did you all learn all about Java and Jason and Restful 
etc etc.  How do you keep it straight in your heads?

My real question is this:  If I could learn SQL and how to setup and 
maintain backends and the connectivity, is that enough to be a 
consultant today?  I imagine right away the next point is that 
businesses will want phone access apps, tablet apps, to access their 
databases and then I’d be looking at Javascript which I don’t know.

At age 57 and reapproaching, I wonder how much time it takes to learn 
these things and begin consulting.

Are all these fancy other things smaller than Omnis learning itself?  I 
sure hope so.  It took a good while to learn Omnis.  I’m very good at 
Omnis but only Omnis Native.  Don’t yet know what a Schema is, but I can 
do notation to control anything, I can do complex interfaces and handle 
complex data.  Just dont know anything else.  Do any businesses still go 
for using the Native Datafile?  With that I’m ready already.

One reason I want to learn SQL is to earn more.  The businesses for 
which the Native datafile is appropriate are smaller and poorer.  I 
believe you can charge more to the SQL requiring businesses.  Comments?

Is the "Lone Developer" still possible?   You all seem to be in teams.

Just scared badly.   Any help appreciated.
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