As its name implies, this book is a reference manual for systems based on the dBASE language. It covers dBASE IV, dBASE III PLUS, Clipper, FoxPro, FoxBase+, and dBXL/Quicksilver. In the author’s words, this book was written “because the dBASE language has grown to encompass…dBASE-compatible products…[and] many dBASE users need a reference book that covers all popular variants….” The format of the book is straightforward and appropriate for a reference. It starts with six small chapters that give overviews of the six systems it covers. The bulk of the book (800 pages) is contained in two large chapters that explain dBASE commands and functions. The book concludes with a short chapter on print system memory variables, which would have been more appropriate as an appendix. The book includes appendices; one contains ASCII codes, and the other explains how a user can modify the configuration file to make a more suitable dBASE working environment for a specific product.

If the author is correct in his assumption that people are developing systems that they intend to run on several different dBASE-compatible products, or if people are porting a system from one dBASE product to another, then this book could serve a useful purpose. The coverage of functions seems comprehensive, and the material is well-structured and readable. Since I do not work with all six of these products, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the reference material.