Clipper is a computer
programming languageA programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
that is used to create
software programA computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
s that originally operated primarily under
DOSDOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
. Although it is a powerful general-purpose programming language, it was primarily used to create
databaseA database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
/business programs.
History
Clipper was originally created in 1985 as a
compilerA compiler is a computer program that transforms source code written in a programming language into another computer language...
for
dBASEdBase II was the first widely used database management system for microcomputers. It was originally published by Ashton-Tate for CP/M, and later on ported to the Apple II and IBM PC under DOS...
III, a very popular database language at the time. Compiling dBASE code changes it from interpreted code, which must be
interpretedIn computer science, an interpreter normally means a computer program that executes, i.e. performs, instructions written in a programming language...
every time each line of code is executed, to
p-codeIn computer programming, a p-code machine, or portable code machine is a virtual machine designed to execute p-code...
, which uses a
Virtual MachineA virtual machine is a "completely isolated guest operating system installation within a normal host operating system". Modern virtual machines are implemented with either software emulation or hardware virtualization or both together.-VM Definitions:A virtual machine is a software...
to process the compiled p-code. p-code is considerably faster, but still not as fast as the machine code generated by native compilers. As a technical marketing ploy, the p-code was wrapped into object code (linkable .obj files) which gave the impression that it was compiled to native code. Clipper was created by Nantucket Corporation led by Barry ReBell (political) and Brian Russell (technical), and later sold to Computer Associates. GrafX Software licensed CA-Clipper in 2002 from CA for ongoing marketing and distribution.
As the product matured, it remained a
DOSDOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
tool for many years, but added elements of the
C programming languageC is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
and Pascal programming language, as well as
OOPObject-oriented programming is a programming paradigm using "objects" – data structures consisting of data fields and methods together with their interactions – to design applications and computer programs. Programming techniques may include features such as data abstraction,...
, and the code-block data-type (hybridizing the concepts of dBase macros, or
stringIn formal languages, which are used in mathematical logic and theoretical computer science, a string is a finite sequence of symbols that are chosen from a set or alphabet....
-evaluation, and
function pointerA function pointer is a type of pointer in C, C++, D, and other C-like programming languages, and Fortran 2003. When dereferenced, a function pointer can be used to invoke a function and pass it arguments just like a normal function...
s), to become far more powerful than the original. Nantucket's Aspen project later matured into the
WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
native-code
Visual ObjectsVisual Objects is an object-oriented computer programming language that is used to create software programs that operate primarily under Windows...
compiler.
The Clipper language is being actively implemented and extended by multiple organizations/vendors, like
XBase++Xbase++ is an object oriented programming language which has multiple inheritance and polymorphism. It is based on the XBase language dialect and conventions....
from Alaska Software and
FlagShipFlagShip is both object oriented and procedural programming language, based on the xBase language dialect and conventions. FlagShip is available for and is cross-compatible to different computer platforms, such as Linux, Unix and Microsoft Windows...
, as well as
freeFree software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
(
GPLThe GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
-licensed) projects like
Harbour and
xHarbourxHarbour is a free multi-platform extended Clipper compiler, offering multiple graphic terminals , including console drivers, GUIs, and hybrid console/GUIs...
.
Many of the current implementations are portable (
DOSDOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
,
WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
,
LinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
(
32-The range of integer values that can be stored in 32 bits is 0 through 4,294,967,295. Hence, a processor with 32-bit memory addresses can directly access 4 GB of byte-addressable memory....
and
64-bit64-bit is a word size that defines certain classes of computer architecture, buses, memory and CPUs, and by extension the software that runs on them. 64-bit CPUs have existed in supercomputers since the 1970s and in RISC-based workstations and servers since the early 1990s...
),
UnixUnix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
(32- and 64-bit), and
Mac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
), supporting many language extensions
http://www.xharbour.org/index.asp?page=product/extensions, and have greatly extended
runtime librariesIn computer programming, a runtime library is a special program library used by a compiler, to implement functions built into a programming language, during the execution of a computer program...
, as well as various Replaceable Database Drivers (RDD) supporting many popular database formats, like
DBFdBase II was the first widely used database management system for microcomputers. It was originally published by Ashton-Tate for CP/M, and later on ported to the Apple II and IBM PC under DOS...
, DBTNTX, DBFCDX (
FoxProVisual FoxPro is a data-centric object-oriented and procedural programming language produced by Microsoft. It is derived from FoxPro which was developed by Fox Software beginning in 1984. Fox Technologies merged with Microsoft in 1992, after which the software acquired further features and the...
, Apollo and Comix), MachSix (SIx Driver and Apollo),
SQLSQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....
, and more. These newer implementations all strive for full compatibility with the standard
dBasedBase II was the first widely used database management system for microcomputers. It was originally published by Ashton-Tate for CP/M, and later on ported to the Apple II and IBM PC under DOS...
/
xBasexBase is the generic term for all programming languages that derive from the original dBASE programming language and database formats. These are sometimes informally known as dBASE "clones"...
syntax, while also offering OOP approaches and target-based syntax such as
SQLExecute.
The Clipper
UsenetUsenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
newsgroupA usenet newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system, for messages posted from many users in different locations. The term may be confusing to some, because it is usually a discussion group. Newsgroups are technically distinct from, but functionally similar to, discussion forums on...
s are
comp.lang.clipper and
comp.lang.clipper.visual-objects.
Programming in Clipper
A simple hello world - application:
? "Hello World!"
A simple data base input mask:
USE Customer SHARED NEW
clear
@ 1, 0 SAY "CustNum" GET Customer->CustNum PICT "999999" VALID Customer->CustNum > 0
@ 3, 0 SAY "Contact" GET Customer->Contact VALID !empty(Customer->Contact)
@ 4, 0 SAY "Address" GET Customer->Address
READ
Version history
The various versions of Clipper were
From Nantucket Corporation; the "seasonal versions", billed as "
dBasedBase II was the first widely used database management system for microcomputers. It was originally published by Ashton-Tate for CP/M, and later on ported to the Apple II and IBM PC under DOS...
compilers"
- Nantucket Clipper Winter'84 - released May 25, 1985
- Nantucket Clipper Summer'85 - released 1985
- Nantucket Clipper Winter'85 - released January 29, 1986
- Nantucket Clipper Autumn'86 - released October 31, 1986
- Nantucket Clipper Summer'87 - released December 21, 1987
From Nantucket Corporation; Clipper 5
- Nantucket Clipper 5.00 - released 1990
- Nantucket Clipper 5.01 - released April 15, 1991
- Nantucket Clipper 5.01 Rev.129 - released March 31, 1992
and from Computer Associates; CA-Clipper 5
- CA Clipper 5.01a -
- CA Clipper 5.20 - released February 15, 1993
- CA-Clipper 5.2a - released March 15, 1993
- CA Clipper 5.2b - released June 25, 1993
- CA-Clipper 5.2c - released August 6, 1993
- CA Clipper 5.2d - released March 25, 1994
- CA-Clipper 5.2e - released February 7, 1995
- CA Clipper 5.30 - released June 26, 1995
- CA Clipper 5.3a - released May 20, 1996
- CA Clipper 5.3b - released May 20, 1997
External links