Back in the 80íes I used a b+tree package to use with PLi86 on MsDos. My memory says it was from Greenleaf. Unfortunately they do not exist anymore and the owner has passed away.
Anyone have experience with a good B+tree package which can be linked with link86?
If my memory is correct then I think it was from SoftC which was sold by Greenleaf. Unfortunately there a some libraries but I was hoping to find the sources. Anybody have any idea?
I read an article about the SoftC database library 3.0… now the sources 
There was BTrieve too.
Just as a reminder…
I have found different versions from SoftC. It seems SoftFocus sold it (canadian company). My version was from greenleaf. Does anyone have it maybe? My intention is to see if I can compile with DRI C compiler and then link it with PLI-86 under MSDOS. An alternative would be to take C/Database Toolchest and convert it into a resident version and open a new command .com. This will keep it in memory and use an interrupt to call a generic interface which itself calls the different routines.
But I would prefer SoftC.
So if anyone is willing to share it, or sell it?
Regards
Nico
I found a German site that still sell the original. Not sure if that’s what you need and not sure about version and if it’s B+. Maybe the price is acceptable for you. There’s an option for asking for a reduced price. You’ll find it with this term
Softfocus BTREE/ISAM multi-user mit C Source
I found a CD-ROM (Shareware/Freeware/PD ?) which should contain it. Maybe check the parent directories for another discs.
Thanks
I had already asked them but no response so far
Regards
Nico
By the way, in the 1980s B-trees were quite popular and ads for B-tree libraries for all sorts of languages were ubiquitous in computer magazines. Why was this data structure so popular back then?
B-trees are great for storing indexes and similar data structures on disk when you don’t have enough RAM to store the entire index in RAM. For most 8-bit micros the amount of RAM available to store an index was rather small, so this property was desirable.
I think that was desireable for M$ DOS since for the most part you had 16 bit
addressing and larger drives (over 10 meg) for databases.
I wonder if B-trees lost popularity as (free) databases came available, so the facility of dealing with data was a higher level (SQL) and the difficulties of dealing with indices and data was encapsulated in the DB program?
I think the company had moved this January, maybe try the phone?
I also found another company, I think in the US. But I currently don’t remember which.
It’s also at the museum computerhistory org.
I also found users like on Stack Overflow having it.
Wiki states:
The B-tree remains the standard index implementation in almost all relational databases and many nonrelational databases use them too.
I wonder what the goal is. Conversion? Can’t it be done with dBase III?
Another software is B-Tree Filer from TurboPower Software mentioned here
C Tidbits
Or this one. There’s also a free demo
https://gcssoft.de/
And have you checked my link?
Like file SOFTC2?
There is the full original manual with lots of source snippets.
And some c code for clipper, dbase and foxbase.
There are also libs. But no full sources.
Can’t you use the libs or maybe extract and disassemble them?
That may also be true – however, x86 16-bit segmented addressing allowed for in-memory storage of much larger data structures that could be viewed in smaller pieces, and B-trees also fit this bill!
To give you all an idea:
a) Yes these days with all the database tools de neccessity has declined a bit
b) Once up a time, somewhere around 1985 I had a softC btree library bought from Greenleaf. The nice thing about this library was the ability to link with PLI-86 (from digital research) under MsDos. Someone borrowed and of course never returned it. I have no idea how I managed to link it.
c) I have a Database Resource Toolkit which is nice but before I start an in depth investigation on how to solve it AGAIN I am hoping for a bit al a head start.
d) SoftC version 3 can be found on the internet. However I was hoping to get the sources as well but none heve them or at least I could not find it. To my recollection I had to recompile it all before the Digital Research PLI-86 objects can be linked with the Microsoft compiled objects.
e) Now the big question why… I am 68 
pure nogstalgy and it keeps me off the street.