APPENDIX D - THE CLIPPER SYSTEM
The new MIS computer system is written in Clipper 5.01.
Clipper is an Xbase computer programming language, currently supported and developed by Computer Associates, one of the largest computer software companies in the world (after Microsoft, Novell etc..).
There is local support for Clipper at ICS (office opposite MDB, contact John Fernandes); also at AT&T Dar es Salaam; and at CCTL (Computer Corporation Tanzania Ltd) near the Sheraton Dar.
Source code for the system comprises approx 650,000 bytes, and would take approx 900 pages of A4 if printed landscape.
The source code is compiled and linked using clipper.exe and blinker.exe, using only clipper.lib and extend.lib, with no special custom or other libraries.
The source code is contained in the file misprg95.zip; when unzipped, it constitutes the files mis*.prg. It is linked in overlay form using the file test2.lnk. The whole compiling and linking process is done by the blink.bat batch file.
In terms of labour productivity for data input, I timed myself inputting from data sheets in Dar at MDB with TLMP staff at 60 minutes to input, check and correct 100 data records; from this I would expect an average skilled computer operator to operate at at least 1 record input per minute.
The help screens are printed out in this Report.
The field list of major databases and their description is found below; it would be required in the event that any users or researchers cannot utilise the system in its present form to extract the information they require; do not forget that the live system must never be used directly with dbase or any other program - only a copy of the system should be used.....
Structure for database: C:catdata.dbf
Number of data records: 35188
Date of last update : 10/14/94
Field Field Name Type Width Dec
1 CMARKET Character 2 code for market
2 DDATE Date 8 date data was collected
3 CORIGIN Character 2 code for origin, e.g. Kondoa
4 CSEX Character 1 sex
5 CCLASS Character 1 class
6 CAGE Character 2 age
7 CGRADE Character 1 grade
8 WWEIGHT Numeric 4 weight in kg uncorrected
9 PRICTSH Numeric 8 price in Tsh
10 CBUYER Character 2 code for buyer
11 CPRMOB Character 1 M if price is MOB price
12 CWTMOB Character 1 not used
13 PROBSIV Character 1 O if price observed, S if
stated
14 PRICUSD Numeric 7 2 price in US $
15 WTCORR Numeric 6 1 corrected weight in kg
16 WTCARC Numeric 5 1 carcass weight from TAM
17 WTEDIB Numeric 5 1 edible weight from TAM
18 PRUSCARC Numeric 6 3 US$/carcass kg
19 PRUSEDIB Numeric 6 3 US$/edible kg
20 PRUSEDCR Numeric 6 3 US$/edible kg corrected
21 CGRADER Character 2 code for grader
22 CWEIGHER Character 2 code for weigher
23 CPRICER Character 2 code for pricer
24 PRICEXP Numeric 8 expected price in Tsh
25 PREXPRES Character 1 E=expected, R=reserve
26 ORIGIN Character 10 original entry for origin
27 FILNAM Character 12 filename, from Symphony
or Enable
28 LOCATION Character 1 W=Weruweru,A=Arusha
29 MULT10 Character 1 1=price multiplied by factor
of 10 from raw data
30 SEQ Numeric 5 sequence number in raw data
31 DDATNR Numeric 5 original date format number
Structure for database: C:markday.dbf
Number of data records: 790
Date of last update : 10/19/94
Field Field Name Type Width Dec
1 DDATE Date 8 market day date
2 CMARKET Character 2 code for market
3 YARDAGE Numeric 6 yardage input
4 SOLD Numeric 6 nr sold input
5 SOLDCOW Numeric 6 nr of cows sold
6 SOLDBULL Numeric 6 nr of bulls sold
7 SOLDSTEER Numeric 6 nr of steers sold
8 SOLDCVAL Numeric 13 cow value sold
9 SOLDBVAL Numeric 13 bull value sold
10 SOLDSVAL Numeric 13 steer value sold
11 DATEND Date 8 end date for market (may be
same as ddate...)
12 SAMPSIZE Numeric 4 sample size
13 USKGEDIB Numeric 6 3 avg US$/kg edible
14 USKGEDCR Numeric 6 3 avg US$/kg edible corrected
15 CKGECSDPC Numeric 8 3 Std deviation %age on edible
kg corrected value
16 TSKGEDCR Numeric 13 1 avg Tsh/kg edible corrected
17 MOBSIM Numeric 6 3
18 MOBPC Numeric 6 3
19 SCAL1CAL Numeric 4 scale calibration reading 1
20 SCAL1ACT Numeric 4 scale actual reading 1
21 SCAL2CAL Numeric 4 "
22 SCAL2ACT Numeric 4 "
23 SCAL3CAL Numeric 4 "
24 SCAL3ACT Numeric 4 "
25 SCAL4CAL Numeric 4 "
26 SCAL4ACT Numeric 4 "
27 SAMPCOW Numeric 4
28 SAMPBULL Numeric 4
29 SAMPSTEER Numeric 4
30 SAMPC0 Numeric 6 3
31 SAMPC1 Numeric 6 3
32 SAMPC2 Numeric 6 3
33 SAMPC3 Numeric 6 3
34 SAMPC4 Numeric 6 3
35 SAMPB0 Numeric 6 3
36 SAMPB1 Numeric 6 3
37 SAMPB2 Numeric 6 3
38 SAMPB3 Numeric 6 3
39 SAMPB4 Numeric 6 3
40 SAMPS0 Numeric 6 3
41 SAMPS1 Numeric 6 3
42 SAMPS2 Numeric 6 3
43 SAMPS3 Numeric 6 3
44 SAMPS4 Numeric 6 3
45 FFLAG Character 1
46 USKGCARC Numeric 6 3 US$/kg carcass
47 USKGLIVE Numeric 6 3 US$/kg liveweight average
48 CKGEDSDPC Numeric 7 3 SD% on price/edible kg
49 CKGCASDPC Numeric 7 3 SD% on price/carcass kg
50 CKGLISDPC Numeric 7 3 SD% on price/liveweight kg