SPC Software

**Matthew D. Hoedeman** · 09-26-2006, 12:47 PM

Datapage is 110% compatable with Pcdmis, it comes from the same people. Works great for everything I have ever wanted to do with it. Gage R&R is an extra cost item for it.

**craiger_ny** · 09-26-2006, 12:50 PM

Datapage is dead. It runs. They have done nothing with it in eons. It does work (albeit slightly problematic at times) but check out QC Calc. You might find it more flexable.

Craig

**James Doolittle** · 09-26-2006, 12:55 PM

We've got QC-Calc. It's alright, runs stable at least.

Jim

**Matthew D. Hoedeman** · 09-26-2006, 12:57 PM

Well, it's not like there have been 'NEW SPC FUNCTIONS' created in the last 10 years, they are all pretty much the same as they have always been.

What specifically would you like them to do to it, booger-boy? I mean, it works, it make all the charts, graphs, reports, pretty pictures and does a good job of making them. Sure, printing is problematic with it, but with the CUTEPDF printer, that problem is gone, report to a file, there ya go. OR, would you like them to 'UPGRADE' it like they keep doing to Pcdmis? Breaking everything that works just to change the appearance of a single line on a chart. Come on, you know what I mean. It is a perfect example of NOT FIXING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT BROKEN.

**Hilton Roberts** · 09-26-2006, 01:00 PM

We had Datapage for a while but never could figure out how to get rational subgroups to work properly. For example in datapage when we tried to measure our calibration sphere, I wanted to be able to extract the five X, Y Z and D values to build my subgroups. Never did get it to work right. Finally Ken Woodbine rewrote my program to fool Datapage so I could get the numbers I wanted. It was such a big deal, we finally decided Datapage was a lost cause. I do not miss it at all.

We use Minitab now and that seems to work well.

**kbotta** · 09-26-2006, 01:11 PM

I use minitab and excel....

**Peter Warcholyk** · 09-26-2006, 01:21 PM

"Step Ahead"

I've been using a software that was initially designed around PCDMIS.

The software is called "StepAhead". It works great.

You can find out more information by contacting Tina Dorrans at the following;

[email protected]

Transformation Software has also come up with another very useful product.
It is called "PPAP Creator".

I've been using it for a few months now. Once you put the header information into the features that you need to report out, within pcdmis, then the resultant reports are in the proper "ppap" format.

I've been dealing with these folks for about 7 years now. They're good people to deal with, and the product works nicely

**craiger_ny** · 09-26-2006, 01:27 PM

Originally posted by Matthew D. Hoedeman

Well, it's not like there have been 'NEW SPC FUNCTIONS' created in the last 10 years, they are all pretty much the same as they have always been.

What specifically would you like them to do to it, booger-boy?........

1) Needs stronger more flexable queries.
2) Has database issues (probably why it's querying is so weak)
3) The reporting blows
4) QC Calc is real time
6) Does the database expose itself (ie is it a useable format like SQL or .mdb)? If it did it would be infinitely flexable. I do not know how you access QC Calc's database though, my guess is most are not accessable without the app.
7) I get the feeling they are dumping it. At a minimum they would have done something with it's persistent problems. I bet the problems are database related so fixing them would mean a new type of database that is not compatable with it's current type. Datapage will always be around because of how many people are using it but they can't market that crap for much longer.

Craig

**Matthew D. Hoedeman** · 09-26-2006, 01:39 PM

Originally posted by craiger_ny

1) Needs stronger more flexable queries.
2) Has database issues (probably why it's querying is so weak)
3) The reporting blows
4) QC Calc is real time
6) Does the database expose itself (ie is it a useable format like SQL or .mdb)? If it did it would be infinitely flexable. I do not know how you access QC Calc's database though, my guess is most are not accessable without the app.
7) I get the feeling they are dumping it. At a minimum they would have done something with it's persistent problems. I bet the problems are database related so fixing them would mean a new type of database that is not compatable with it's current type. Datapage will always be around because of how many people are using it but they can't market that crap for much longer.

Craig

Yeah, it is on it's second (or third) database format and it does suck. When you delete things (parts, samples, transactions, features, etc.) it does NOT delete them from the database, it mearly hides them and makes them inaccessible, they are still there, they will never get over-written, and they just take up space. "You are correct, sir!". I can remember the need to 'update' the database to the present version at one point in time (DATAPG5 files are now DATAPG6 files). I do not remember exactly what the DOS versions were, but they were probably the 3rd version.

As for them dumping it, long ago, pre-V3.5, they (those infamous 'they') were talking about putting it IN pcdmis, so it would no longer be a stand-alone software. BUT, like Pcdmis, I think the original programmers are no longer there and they no longer have the source code for most of it so they can go into it and edit it, let alone inserting it into something else (Pcdmis) so they leave it alone. I am still waiting for it to be part of Pcdmis (and waiting and waiting and waiting).

**craiger_ny** · 09-26-2006, 01:56 PM

Originally posted by Matthew D. Hoedeman

......they (those infamous 'they') were talking about putting it IN pcdmis, so it would no longer be a stand-alone software. BUT, like Pcdmis, I think the original programmers are no longer there and they no longer have the source code for most of it so they can go into it and edit it, let alone inserting it into something else (Pcdmis) so they leave it alone. I am still waiting for it to be part of Pcdmis (and waiting and waiting and waiting).

Here's to hoping they don't. On one hand it sounds nice but on the other hand (given B&S's track record) it sounds disaterous. That goes bak to where you hinted at what would happen if they did try to do anything to it. Can you say maintenance release for Datapage? I can't imagine.

**James Doolittle** · 09-26-2006, 03:20 PM

If you're a capable programmer (and I don't mean PC-DMIS, I mean REAL programming: MATLAB, c, basic, C++, ect), go for minitab, it's the schnit. So much faster, more powerful, more robust, customizable, etc. We don't have it, but I've played with it stand-alone and I love the command line style programming you can do with it.

**SABarber** · 09-26-2006, 03:31 PM

The original programmers are still alive and well.
However, with comments like "they can't market that crap for much longer" they may not answer any more.

**bw_bob** · 09-26-2006, 03:44 PM

Originally posted by James Doolittle

If you're a capable programmer (and I don't mean PC-DMIS, I mean REAL programming: MATLAB, c, basic, C++, ect)

EvEn THrouGH i'm nOttA ReAl PrOgRamMeR I Can sTiLl FiNd My wAy hOmE....

[IMG]http://www.mrx.no/albums/SkateboardPark/retarded_******_filtered.sized.jpg[/IMG]

**Wes Cisco** · 09-26-2006, 03:58 PM

Originally posted by SABarber

The original programmers are still alive and well.
However, with comments like "they can't market that crap for much longer" they may not answer any more.

touche`

I guess that leaves. . .

1-800-343-7933

heehee

SPC Software

SPC Software

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Related Topics