Data Based Advisor articles from February 1995

Data Based Advisor archives from February 1995

SQL Access Group unifies development with X/Open.
February 1, 1995... Because of the "increasing level of cooperation and integration that has taken place between" both groups, the work of the SQL Access Group has been consolidated within X/Open Company Ltd. By agreement of both companies, the dissolution of the...

Watcom SQL 4, shrink-wrapped, speeding, and shipping.(database engine)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Version 4 of the popular Watcom SQL database engine-or, as Watcom international likes to call it, the "shrink-wrapped server" - has a number of improvements and new features. Included are referential integrity actions (cascading updates and...

Recital INFORMIXserver now available.(gateway to INFORMIX data)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Recital INFORMIXserver, which serves as a gateway to INFORMIX data, can now be accessed through features such as the Information Center. Recital INFORMIXserver has GUI-like operations using multiple windows, pop-up and pull-down menus, dialogs,...

Software change management from SQL software.(PCMS*PCwin)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... PCMS* PCwin, version control and change management software, is aimed at users of SQL Software's PCMS line of process configuration management software. PCMS is used by software engineers and project managers to organize, manage, and change...

Revelation upgrades repository-based development environment.(Revelation Technologies' OpenInsight 2.5 repository-based development environment)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... According to James Acquaviva, Revelation president and CEO, the upgrade to OpenInsight 2.5, a repository-based development environment for creating Windows applications on LANs, is the company's most significant to date. "We collaborated with our...

SCO acquires VisionWare.
February 1, 1995... SCO, a supplier of UNIX server and host systems, acquired VisionWare Ltd., a supplier of Windows-to-UNIX integration solutions. VisionWare will provide technologies and expertise that SCO needs to implement its Windows strategy, according to SCO....

New, useful, and available now...(Editorial)
February 1, 1995... As the year 1995 gets rolling, I'm thinking about new technology. Not next generation stuff like the P6 chip (whatever that is), but nifty capabilities available right now or very soon. I've always been attracted to new ways to solve problems....

Lotus Forms fills data processing and workflow needs.(Lotus Development Corp's form-design software) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... Form-design software has been around for quite awhile, ever since the concept was spun off from mail merge features of early word processors. Design software lets users create and fill in forms and perform basic database operations on the...

Coming events.(Lotus Development Corp's form-design software) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... Software Development '95, San Francisco, CA, 13-17 February - Four conferences designed for specific development challenges: Software Development, Enterprise Application Development, Managing Software Development, and Globalizing Software. Trade...

A new methodology for PIMs.(CrossTies Software Corp's Cross Ties 2.0 and CrossTies for Workgroups 1.0) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... In the world of PCs, Personal Information Managers (PIMs) are one niche that no software vendor has been able to dominate. This is primarily due to users' passionate thoughts on what makes a perfect PIM. Some feel that contact management and...

Superbase95 launched.(Superbase Inc's object-based relational database management system)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Superbase95 is an object-based relational database management system for Windows. It features an object model with a Basic-like language (Object Super Basic Language, or Object SBL), object programming learning tools, multimedia and...

Oracle defragmenter from ARIS.(ARIS DFRAG 3.0 Oracle database defragmentation tool)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... ARIS DFRAG 3.0 is an Oracle database defragmentation tool for oracle databases. This version can now defragment tables based on average usage within blocks, defrag and resize indexes independent of tables, and generate graphical reports. It gives...

Blinkinc's latest linker.(Blinker 3.1 DOS extender, dynamic overlay linker and Windows-OS 2 linker)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Blinker 3.1, a DOS extender and dynamic overlay linker and Windows and OS/2 linker, now has protected mode support for Microsoft C/C++ and FORTRAN graphics libraries. Allows the creation of Windows dynamic link libraries. (DLL), offers dual mode...

Client Server Value.(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Until May 15, 1995, The Programmer's Shop will exclusively sell the Client/server Value Pack, a suite of best-of-breed development tools. The pack includes Personal Oracle (Oracle7 database for Windows), a relational database management system;...

Universal Database Connectivity Technology ensures compatibility.(OpenLink Software's ODBC/SAG CLI compatibility layer)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... The Universal Database Connectivity Technology (UDBC) from OpenLink Software is an ODBC/SAG CLI compatibility layer. Enables the migration or development of ODBC/SAG Cli-compliant client applications using operating systems such as UNIX, OS/2,...

A good product just got better.(Intersolv's Q+E 6.0 database access software) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... For years, Q+E has been one of the most flexible solutions to database management. Providing drivers for accessing a large number of databases, Q+E from INTERSOLV provides a solid Windows platform for accessing disparate data. It can be used to...

XDB-Lite is SQL for standalone workstations.(XDB Systems' SQL database)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... XDB-Lite is a SQL database for standalone workstations. Provides a SQL Engine to embed within current client/server product offerings. Can be used by application developers looking for a SQL engine to use in the development of enterprise,...

AppExpert makes forms design easy.(The Burgiss Group Inc's Paradox for Windows 5.0 add-on) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... I have a friend who's really excited about point and click programming; drag and drop is his favorite saying. I tend to disagree - in my opinion, Windows development often drags you into doing things and then drops you offline in trying to meet...

ERwin ERX 2.0 provides database server connection.(Logic Works Inc's client server tool)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... ERwin/ERX 2.0 is a client/server tool that lets database administrators, analysts and programmers develop client/server databases. Includes an enhanced stored procedure and trigger editor, datatype mapping for DBMS conversion, subject areas with...

Software engineering for client/server.(Trinzic Corp's Rational Rose/Object Pro object-oriented software engineering tool)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Rational Rose/Object Pro is a fully graphical, object-oriented, software-engineering tool for analysis and design of client/server applications. Spans the full development cycle from analysis through implementation. US$1,495 for PCs running...

Scopus Tech. provides new help desk modules.(ProTeam for the Help Desk)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... ProTeam for the Help Desk has three new proTeam application modules: AssetTEAM, NetTEAM, and TeleTEAM. Also included is SupportTEAM 3.5, a tracking application from Scopus. Modules help manage large, distributed systems environments through...

Integrate mainframe systems into TCP/IP environments.(Open Environment Corp's Encompass Data Extender)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Encompass Data Extender enables organizations to build standard-based, three-tiered client/server applications. Incorporates mainframe and legacy systems into DCE and TCP/IP environments. Combined with Information Builders' Enterprise Data...

Arbor Software provides an OLAP server for Microsoft Office.(Essbase Analysis Server 3.1)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Essbase Analysis Server 3.1 is a Microsoft Office-compatible OLAP server. Designed for multi-user access to consolidated enterprise information, immediate response, ease-of-use through spreadsheets as front-ends, and powerful multi-dimensional...

New version manages objects.(Suite Software's Distributed Object Management Environment (DOME) 3.0)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Distributed Object Management Environment (DOME) version 3.0 provides integration of DOME Communication Services (DCS), a message-oriented-middle-ware product, with DOME Data Manager (DDM), a distributed database management product. Includes...

Subtleware for C++ SQL, a SQL persistence framework.(ImageSoft; licensed from Subtle Software)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... Subtleware for C++/SQL is licensed from Subtle Software, Inc. Application developers can use C++/SQL's interface to map C++ objects to and from SQL tables. Eliminates the manual translation of C++ object data to SQL tables. Provides access to...

PowerTOOL enterprise upgrades 3.2 and 4.0.(PowerCerv's PowerBuilder 3.0 development tool)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 1995... PowerTOOL 3.2 is for use with PowerBuilder 3.0 development and includes customer driven features and objects that you can use with continued PowerBuilder 3.0 development. Includes a standard windows message box to replace the custom response...

Productivity tool makes living with SQL easier.(Analytical Solutions Inc's MDS PowerBase) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... Client/server developers have a lot to think about. Struggling along with command-line interfaces or incomplete vendor-supplied tools makes life even more tedious. This has created a niche market for SQL developer productivity tools, and a number...

A journey into graphics support.(Pinnacle Publishing's Graphics Server and Chart Builder programming utilities) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... Anyone who uses Visual Basic already knows a little about Graphics Server and Chart Builder, from Pinnacle Publishing. Microsoft includes a special version of both in the Visual Basic box. What you might not know about is the capabilities of the...

Add a little Zip to your applications.(Inner Media's DynaZip 2.0 set of Windows dynamic link libraries) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... Do you ever find yourself saying, "Boy, I hope the folks who dreamed this up get filthy rich..."? If you have a two-year-old, for instance, don't you think the guy who came up with Velcro deserves to be obscenely wealthy? On my short list of...

The dream teams: 1994 Developers Competition winners.
February 1, 1995... As I stepped to the podium to open the 1994 Developers Competition, I expected to face a group of unhappy campers. We expanded the Competition's format this year, and the 61 teams that took part had been preparing for two solid weeks before...

Visual FoxPro 3.0: first look.(Microsoft's database development software) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... For those waiting for the next big advancement in FoxPro, it's good to see the latest offering from Microsoft, Visual FoxPro 3.0 for Windows. That's right, not only do we have a totally new version, but Microsoft has even renamed it so we can...

State of the industry: FoxPro add-ons.(impact of Visual FoxPro 3.0 on the FoxPro third-party market)
February 1, 1995... Numerous add-ons for the FoxPro product line have been released by third-party vendors over the years. There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, FoxPro is not perfect, as anyone will attest: Its built-in utilities (such as the Project...

Plug-and-play: theme for new database add-ons?(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 1995... Would you like to include a fullblown spreadsheet in your dBASE for Windows application? How about a functional image editor in Visual Basic? Or a formatted password field? You can, of course, code all the required functionality by hand, but...

International apps, part 3: put it all together.
February 1, 1995... In the first two parts of this three-part article, I discussed differences between international software and software meant for one country only, and strategies for accounting for such differences. In this final part, learn how to turn that...

Clarion's Windows version rings clear.(Top Speed Corp's Clarion for Windows 1.0 application development environment) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... Clarion has never had presence in the database market like DBASE or Paradox, but has always had a small, dedicated, vocal group of adherents. Still, it's considered among one of the more powerful and flexible application development environments...

Bookstore sets up electronic store on the Internet.(Future Fantasy Bookstore)
February 1, 1995... It was something Jean Schroeter never considered. Although she had established a profitable local business selling science fiction books through her small retail outlet in Palo Alto, California, and was gradually extending her horizons through...

Cross-platform and OOP converge: VisualWorks.(ParcPlace Systems' VisualWorks 2.0 Smalltalk-based application development environment) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... VisualWorks 2.0 is a fully integrated Smalltalk-based application development environment. It comes with the Data Modeler, which defines the relationship of data entities to the application. The definitions can be culled directly from the...

Hospital industry gets optimal with OPTYMM.(Optimal Material Management)
February 1, 1995... In 1981, Medline Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies, began to market the first PC-based materials management application for hospitals. The product, called Simon, was a success in smaller hospitals (less than 150...

Presenting client/server report writers.(Crystal Computer Services Inc's Crystal Reports 3.0, Information Builders Inc's FOCUS/Reporter for Windows, Concentric Data Systems Inc's R&R Report Writer for Windows 2.0 and Borland International's ReportSmith 2.0) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... Output and presentation are key to reports. Here are four popular report writers that can make you look stellar. What distinguishes one particular client/server report writer from the rest of the market? Several things. Data access and printing...

Correlated subqueries and other SQL gymnastics.
February 1, 1995... Working with SQL can be frustrating. You know exactly what you want to do using procedural logic, but you have to figure out how to use relational calculus to solve the same problem. Or perhaps a colleague asks you about "correlated subqueries."...

Windows integration: OLE Automation.
February 1, 1995... Before I get started talking about OLE automation, let me first put it into context. In the past, most application developers worked on a single development platform such as FoxPro or Paradox. One of the many advantages of Windows-hosted database...

Sybase and Powersoft merge.(interview with Sybase VP of Strategic Marketing Beryl Hartman and Powersoft Co-Founder and VP of Technology David Dewan)(Interview)
February 1, 1995... What's Next? What to know hat drove the merger of these two companies and where they're going from here? One of the biggest changes in the database development world in the last few months is the merger between database server giant Sybase and...

OLE: a direct link to Windows applications.(using OLE with Visual Basic)
February 1, 1995... With automated development tools flooding the market, people often ask me if I fear that my skills as a developer will no longer be needed. I always chuckle because what I notice as the tools become easier to use, is that the tasks to be done...

Scheduling and planning power with Gantt/VBX.(AddSoft's programmatic control application) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1995... AddSoft's Gantt/VBX gives developers scheduling and planning power, whether they work in Visual Basic, C++, or even dBASE for Windows! You can give users interactive scheduling of appointments, vacations, work, conferences, and sessions, as well...

Lions, tigers and networks.(client/server)(Tutorial)
February 1, 1995... What's the most obvious difference between mainframes and a client/server architecture? Client/server is two words and mainframe is just one. When you stop to think about it, most of the confusion surrounding client/server computing...

For user's eyes only: help databases.(Lotus Notes 3.0 Help)(Tutorial)
February 1, 1995... Lotus Notes gives database developers several ways to provide online help to users. One way is to provide field help descriptions. Another way is to embed help in the form. For application-wide help, each Lotus Notes database should contain an...

PowerBuilder revamped.(version 4.0)
February 1, 1995... I've been looking forward to the new release of PowerBuilder since its announcement last spring. By the time you read this article, PowerBuilder 4.0 will have been released for a month or two, but when I wrote this I had only a beta release to...

OOP style guidelines.(for SQLWindows)(Tutorial)
February 1, 1995... I have frequently been asked for guidelines and rules for writing SQLWindow programs, especially the object-oriented ones. There are two basic assumptions involved with this request; first, that rules do exist for delineating the right way to...

Get a handle on printing.(Paradox 5.0 for Windows)(Tutorial)
February 1, 1995... Printer changing is a part of the Windows operating system - even Notepad can change printers. Paradox for Windows 4.5 allowed interactive printer switching, but there was no provision for coding this. Hiding Paradox menus and speedbars to keep...

Using VBX controls in dBASE for Windows.(version 5.0; includes related article on limitations of .VBXs)(Tutorial)
February 1, 1995... The software industry has shown a definite trend toward component-based development, fueled by components such as .VBX controls. Introduced in 1991 with the launch of Visual Basic, .VBX controls today best exemplify the decades-old notion of...

User groups directory.(version 5.0; includes related article on limitations of .VBXs)(Tutorial)
February 1, 1995... The User Groups Directory is a free service of Data Based Advisor. Please note: Listings are on a space availability basis. Individual User Group coordinators are responsible for keeping listings up to date. To list a new User Group or to update...

Database confidential.(Column)
February 1, 1995... To err means you have a Pentium, and to forgive means you're Intel scrambling to recover from your original bonehead decision to tell customers they weren't important enough to merit a bug fix. The shouting's over; Intel will replace your Pentium...