Clipper is an xBase compiler, which is a programming language used to create software programs that ran primarily under MS-DOS.
It is a powerful general-purpose programming language, although it was primarily used to create database business programs.
Developed by Nantucket Corporation in 1985, the company was sold to Computer Associates in 1992, at which time its product was renamed CA-Clipper. The compiler was designed to replace dBASE III, which was a popular database language at the time, offering the advantage of being able to be compiled and executed under MS-DOS as a standalone program. Clipper was used for millions of business applications from 1985 to the early 1990s.
As Clipper evolved, it remained an MS-DOS tool for many years, although elements of C and Pascal were added, as well as OOP. Nantucket's Aspen project developed a version of Clipper that was a native-code Windows Visual Objects compiler. Nevertheless, Clipper never made a smooth transition from MS-DOS to the Windows environment. As Microsoft Windows grew, and MS-DOS faded, so did the development of Clipper, which was replaced by Visual Basic, Microsoft Access, Delphi, and Powerbuilder. Some Clipper applications remained in use, but its commercial usefulness had declined to almost nothing by the 2010s.
However, third-party developers, such as Alaska Software and FlagShip, as well as some open-source projects have implemented variations of Clipper, many of which are portable to DOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS, with expanded runtime libraries and replaceable database drivers that support several popular database formats.
Websites whose topics are focused on Clipper are appropriate for this category. These may include third-party developers, free and open-source projects, tutorials, and others.
Recommended Resources
Alexander Kresin Software Development
The site discusses Clipper and the Clipper programming language but is focused on Harbour, a modernized, cross-platform version of Clipper. The open-source version was introduced in 1999 and redesigned in 2009. The site offers a manual and tutorial for Harbour, as well as information and downloads for other projects and tools, including HwGUI, GUI debugger, HDroidGUI, and LetoDB, as well as Kresin’s programs, Fivestones, KS Organizer, DBCH, and DBCH/SQLite.
http://www.kresin.ru/en/
The company began in 1999, with a focus on developing commercial database engines for developers, and its technology has been licensed by companies like Computer Associates, which once owned Clipper. Its products include an embedded database engine for developing applications that manage CA-Clipper and FoxPro, a database server that connects to CA-Clipper, and a legacy replaceable database driver for CA-Clipper that replaces its default data driver. Free trials are available.
http://www.apollodb.com/
Available free as open-source software, DBFree is a version of Clipper/Xbase, a scripting language designed for web applications. With DBFree, any Windows-powered PC can be made to serve as a web and database server, allowing users to publish their contents to the web or collect data from remote users, including mobile devices. Powered by MaxScript, DBFree requires the MaxScript interpreter, which is bundled with the installer. DBFree can also be used to build static websites.
http://www.dbfree.org/
Extrasensory Software has been providing tools to Clipper programmers for nearly twenty-five years. Although the number of Clipper programmers has decreased considerably, the business is still in place. Information on its software products, music operations manager, coffee roaster profiling software, and other programs are featured. Demos and patches may be downloaded from the site, and the company also offers support services for Clipper and consulting services for Clipper users.
http://www.extrasensory.com/
Based in Spain, the company specializes in programming languages and software designed to continue the legacy of the Clipper programming language, carrying it into the modern world through products such as FiveWin for Harbour, which ports existing Clipper apps to 32 bits mode, FWH 32 and 64, which are libraries for the Harbour compiler 32-bits and 64-bits versions, and FiveLinux for Harbour and xHarbour, which may be purchased from the site.
http://www.fivetechsoft.com/
FlagShip is an object-oriented and procedural programming language that is available for and cross-compatible with Linux, Unix, and Windows. Designed for professional software developers, the language has full Clipper compatibility and can be used to port DOS applications to nearly any Unix, Linux, or Windows systems. A free test version may be downloaded from the site, tech support information is put forth, and a PDF manual is available.
http://www.flagship.de/
Google Groups: Harbour Developers
Google Groups is a service of Google providing discussion groups for people who share common interests, particularly in tech fields. This group brings Harbour programmers, with various expertise levels, together, where they can network, exchange ideas, ask questions, and answer questions. In order to participate in discussions, a Google account is required, as is joining the group. Only messages pertaining to bug reports, feature requests, suggestions, and similar topics are allowed.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/harbour-devel
First released in 1999, and substantially redesigned in 2009, Harbour is a modern, cross-platform version of the Clipper programming language. Available as open-source, the language is backward compatible with xBase languages, and 100% compatible with Clipper compilers, but portable across multiple operating systems with the same code base. The project status and development notes are given, along with its features, full documentation, and a download page.
https://harbour.github.io/
Holmes Page: CA-Clipper Programming
Created for the purpose of presenting techniques for CA-Clipper programming, including the provision of source code that can be copied into an application, as well as to develop a genuine understanding of programming with Clipper. Included is a history of the language, opportunities for employment and services for CA-Clipper programmers, coding guidelines, and Hungarian Notation, a variable-naming convention for CA-Clipper, as well as networking with Clipper.
http://www.ghservices.com/gregh/clipper/
Clipper is a high-level programming language. Created for MS-DOS in 1985, the last stable release of the Clipper language, as such, was in 1997. However, there are commercial and open-source versions of the language, not only for DOS, but for MS-DOS, Windows, Linux, macOS, and other platforms. Focused on Clipper, the site discusses its strengths and weaknesses, new applications of the language, documentation, summaries, and news.
https://vivaclipper.wordpress.com/
Started by Ron Pinkas in 2001, xHarbour was a fork from the Harbour Project, creating the open-source, extended Clipper compiler, offering multiple graphic terminals, including console drivers, GUIs, and hybrid console/GUIs, and is backward-compatible with Clipper. It is also available as a scripting language. A history of the project is put forth here, the developers are acknowledged, and the programming language, source code, and required tools are included.
http://www.xharbour.org/
