Data Based Advisor articles from January 1995

Data Based Advisor archives from January 1995

Sybase, Powersoft in a big deal. (the companies merge) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... The merger of Powersoft, Inc. and Sybase, Inc., announced November 14, 1994, purports to be one of the largest in software. According to a release from Sybase, Powersoft shareholders will receive 1.6 Sybase shares for each Powersoft share,...

Delphi previewed. (Borland's visual application development software) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... Delphi, a new application development system from Borland international, is a visual development tool that includes data connectivity and a new language, Object Pascal. Although Delphi is a general-purpose Windows development tool - for instance,...

Announcing Lotus Notes Advisor: and COMDEX, where the celebrities meet the geeks. (Editor on the Go) (Editorial)
January 1, 1995... And COMDEX, where the celebrities meet the geeks. As the name of my column indicates, I travel a lot. I'm writing this in London, where I'm planning some of our upcoming European conferences. My view from the highly recommended Conrad London...

OPEN/Query Builder comes complete with the extras. (Wang Laboratories' querying tool) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... Unless you're a SQL expert who likes to enter queries directly on the command line, you probably need (or already use) a querying tool. Third-party query utilities typically provide a graphical interface to the process of examining subsets of...

Entering the Visual Basic zone. (SuccessWare International's Rocket dBASE library for Microsoft's Visual Basic) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... Submitted for your consideration, one Xbase programmer, asked to create a database applications in a language not of his choosing - a strange and forbidding language with unfamiliar syntax and foreign objects. You're entering another dimension -...

Coming Events.
January 1, 1995... FoxPro Developers Conference, San Diego, CA 16-19 January - Includes trade show, sessions, and Programmer's Exchange. Speakers include many Advisor contibutors and editors. San Diego Convention Center. Microsoft, 800-636-9776, (612)593-0677,...

Dr. DeeBee gets you under ODBC's hood. (Syware's Dr. DeeBee Tools set of programming utilities for Microsoft's Open Database Connectivity environment) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... Applications using Microsoft's Open Database connectivity (ODBC) environment can be difficult to debug and analyze. This is because ODBC is an architecture that uses a series of abstraction layers to hide the specifics of the data source. The...

Text editor for Windows. (American Cybernetics' MultiEdit for Windows) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
January 1, 1995... MultiEdit for Windows gives developers complete customization and total integration. Users can integrate compilers, linkers, and makers without leaving the editor. Supports DDE and DLL. Macro language can be used to write an entire Windows...

Multi-tiered ODBC driver. (Progressive Strategies Inc's OpenLink ODBC) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... OpenLink ODBC is a generic ODBC driver with a database independent communications layer. Provides access to Sybase database engines from ODBC-compliant applications. Distributed object management technology consists of an OpenLink Request Agent,...

Client server database engine. (mdbs's Titanium) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... Titanium supports hierarchical, network, relational, and object-oriented data structures within a single physical data repository. Offers Dynamic Pointer Array technology, open access, a graphical CASE tool, and can rehost non-relational...

Desktop data integration. (Dharma Systems Inc's ODBC Integrator DBMS utility) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... The ODBC integrator is a client-based product that works on PCs and makes distributed ODBC data sources appear as one data source. Can join data transparently between multiple data sources. Works with all ODBC drivers and tools. Provides data...

ODBC suite. (INTERSOLV's DataDirect 2.0 DBMS) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... DataDirect 2.0 is a suite of development and deployment technology that supports ODBC 2.0 specification. Suite includes ODBC Driver pack, ODBC drivers, Developer's Toolkit, and MultiLink/VB. 3D Transparency has added drivers for Interbase 4 and...

DRDA drivers. (DataEase International's SQL Connect for DRDA) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... SQL Connect for DRDA is a driver that provides access to information stored on DB2 databases without having to install extra software on mainframes. Plugs into all Database DOS, OS/2 or Windows database products. The form, query and report tools...

This file conversion utility does ASCII right. (Spalding Software's DataImport for Windows) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... DataImport is an excellent tool for people who work with data from mainframes or PC programs that can only translate data into ASCII format. DataImport, from Spalding Software, can take data from any ASCII file and translate it easily into most...

Notes integration software. (Brainstorm Technologies' DataLink) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... DataLink is a data integration solution for Lotus Notes. Point-and-click interface for transferring data, no scripting or programming required. Comes bundled with Q+E ODBC drivers for major databases, including Oracle, Informix, SQL Server,...

Toolkit for Lotus Notes. (Great Plains Software's Integration Manager for Lotus Notes) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... The integration Manager for Lotus Notes is a toolkit that delivers workflow, messaging, reporting and EIS between Lotus Notes and Dynamics LAN, a graphical accounting system, or Dynamics C/S+, a graphical client/server financial management...

Workgroup reporting. (Crystal Services' Crystal Reports Professional Edition 4.0 and Crystal Reports Server 4.0 report generation software) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... Crystal Reports Professional Edition 4.0 includes the redesigned Crystal Report Engine and Experts to help facilitate report design. Also features a Tab interface, Ruler, Best Fit button, Automatic Styles and a Grid with on/off, visible/invisible...

Mac Editor for Windows. (ACI US Inc's Object Master for Windows) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... Object Master for Windows allows C/C++ programmers to write, edit, organize, and navigate source code using drag-and-drop Windows functions. Includes a source code editor, project window, browser, and an MDI class tree window for simultaneous...

Raosoft upgrades EZReport. (version 2.7 of the DOS-based report writer) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... EZReport 2.7 is a DOS-based report writer that produces detailed reports from data extracted from Raosoft Survey or Xbase tables. Supports additional grouping and statistical commands. Features a Summary command that calculates and displays a...

Oodles provides an object-oriented extension for Clipper 5. (Rhino Publishing Ltd's CA-Clipper extender) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... With interest in object-oriented technology rising in the database developer community, a low-cost, entry-level class extender for CA-Clipper is certainly welcome. The latest entry in the burgeoning market to make Clipper an object-oriented...

Office accounting from MTX. (MTX International Inc's MTX Accounting for Microsoft Office accounting software) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... MTX Accounting for Microsoft office is an integrated suite of accounting modules, which includes general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll applications. Developed entirely in Microsoft Access, it is modifiable, and can be...

Client/server testing tools. (Mercury Interactive Corp's LoadRunner/XL and LoadRunner/RTE program testing tools) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... Mercury interactive released two testing tools: LoadRunner/XL and LoadRunner/RTE. LoadRunner/XL tests server functionality and performance under intense load conditions. Simulates large numbers of PC or UNIX clients interacting with the server by...

Excel spreadsheet tool. (VisualTools Inc's Formula One 2.0) (Product Announcement) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... Formula One 2.0, an Excel-compatible spreadsheet tool for Visual Basic, Visual C++, Borland C, and C developers, has been updated. Version 2.0 supports object drawing, creating and formatting directly on a worksheet. Also included are new events,...

Micro Focus, Servio allies in objects. (Micro Focus will resell Servio's GemStone, GeODE, GemStone Smalltalk Interface, GemStone C++ Interface, and other object-oriented application development programs) (Brief Article)
January 1, 1995... As part of the Micro Focus Emerging Technologies Program, Micro Focus and Servio Corp. joined efforts to provide a high-performance production engine for executing objects. Micro Focus will serve as reseller for Servio's product line, which...

There's a signpost ahead; it leads to the future.... (Predictions 1995) (Cover Story)
January 1, 1995... Every year or so, the editors of Data Based Advisor ask database industry visionaries to predict what they see as coming trends in application development. We ask them to not only reveal their strategies but also their views on new and emerging...

Borland masters Windows with dBASE. (dBASE 5 for Windows) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... The new dBASE 5.0 for Windows introduces an interesting blend of visual programming and object extensions to the traditional dBASE standard, and in many ways redefines and updates the dBASE programming paradigm. The user interface (figure 1)...

International apps, part 2: planning your strategy. (developing multilingual applications) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1995... As technology opens the world to new possibilities, it also blurs borders. Software applications are no longer assumed to be operating in only one part of the world. By equipping applications to run in multiple languages, developers can take...

The personal size of downsizing: downsizing systems and hardware isn't the only consideration; people are a bigger factor to a project's success. (Client Server Advisor: Client Server Success special section)
January 1, 1995... In the last issue, I talked about downsizing computer operations and the impact this has on an organization. Now let's look at an example of a project that was well planned from the beginning, was implemented in an organized fashion, and is still...

Borden Inc. downsizes with PowerHouse; Cognos provides a client server solution for a multi-national corporation that integrates Windows with a DEC VAX, an AS 400, and UNIX. (Client Server Advisor: Client Server Success special section)
January 1, 1995... Downsizing large legacy systems is always a challenge - one that more and more companies today are facing. There are many things to consider: compatibility of data formats, the learning curve, and creating a system that fits an the company's...

Steelcase creates a Magic client server ordering system; this just in - large office furniture manufacturer goes client server with Magic. (Steelcase Inc's use of Magic Software's Magic 5.6 application development software) (Client Server Advisor: Client Server Success special section)
January 1, 1995... Steelcase Inc. sells a great deal of office furniture - $2.3 billion worth in the most recent fiscal year. Since its founding in 1912, the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company has grown to more than 17,700 employees and 35 manufacturing plants in...

ODBMS technology supports managed care networks; with object database technology, embedded rules in the data govern variant conditions. (Business Systems Corporation of America's use of Versant Object Technology Corp's Versant object-oriented DBMS) (Client/Server Advisor: Client/Server Success special section)
January 1, 1995... Business changes experienced by insurance carriers moving into a managed care setting are dramatic. The focus has shifted from mere claims processing to developing networks of health care providers, including hospitals, pharmacies, independent...

Client server technology empowers hospital management; for Magee-Women's Hospital, the advantage of client server technology is its ability to improve management effectiveness. (Client Server Advisor: Client Server Success special section)
January 1, 1995... Despite the popularity of client/server technology throughout corporate America, most hospitals still can't bring their users closer to the information stored in their everyday commercial applications. This is unacceptable to James D. Wells, vice...

Rogers Video distribution streamlined with Uniface. (a video inventory control system developed using Uniface Corp's Uniface 6.0 application development software) (Client Server Advisor: Client Server Success special section)
January 1, 1995... A new video inventory control system (VICS) at Rogers Video makes it easier and faster for customers to order a copy of "Peter Pan" for their children, or "It's a Wonderful Life" for their parents. But the real benefits of VICS, developed...

Messaging system enables "just-in-time" manufacturing at Chaparral Steel. (the company's use of Suite Software's SuiteTalk 2.1 messaging system) (includes a related article on Suite Software's Distributed Data Management architecture) (Client/Server Advisor: Client/Server Success special section)
January 1, 1995... In an industry often characterized by outdated computer systems and primitive information technology, Chaparral Steel of Midlothian, Texas, is adopting a versatile information network that sets it apart from the crowd. Chaparral is striving...

The new office suites: a developer's view. (choosing between Lotus SmartSuite, WordPerfect's Perfect Office Suite, and Microsoft Office) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... By now, you're starting to recognize that the "Office Suites" are more than just a collection of programs. Soon, when you're asked what your favorite development environment is, your answer may not be C++, PowerBuilder, or CA-Clipper. You may...

Anti-virus solutions for client/server - part 2. (includes a related article on sources of anti-virus information, utilities, and updates) (Tutorial)
January 1, 1995... In part 1 of this series, I explained how the expansion of distributed processing and client/server environments has increased both the threat and the risk of computer viruses. In this issue, I discuss anti-virus security on servers and LANs,...

Your anti-virus safety net. (Safetynet Inc's VirusNet LAN and LANSD anti-virus software) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... Safetynet, Inc.'s anti-virus protection includes two LAN-oriented entries: VirusNet/LAN (the network version of their PC anti-virus tools), and LANSD (a LAN Scheduler and Distribution tool). These products provide more than the standard...

Be an instant Windows author with ToolBook. (Asymetrix Inc's ToolBook 3.0 and Multimedia ToolBook 3.0 object-oriented development software) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
January 1, 1995... If you want to build Windows applications in a fraction of the time it takes to program in traditional development languages such as Microsoft C or C++, ToolBook 3.0 for Windows is the answer. Asymetrix ToolBook is an object-oriented development...

Breaking all the rules: an insider's guide to practical normalization. (Client/Server Developer) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... The process of normalizing your database design eliminates redundancies. Instead of creating tables that can hold up to, say, 10 line items for each order, you create one table for order information and a separate table of line items. This...

Odds, ends, and a trick or two: here are some PowerBuilder tips that will come in handy. (PowerBuilder Pro) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... This month, instead of writing a normal column on a single technique, I am going to throw together some unrelated, but neat tricks I've picked up over the past few years. Some of these come from students in PowerBuilder classes, others from...

Creating QuickObjects: use QuickObjects as is or create your own through inheritance and specialization. Here's how. (Inside SQLWindows) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... SQLWindows 5.0 ships with a comprehensive starter set of predefined classes called QuickObjects. Developers can use these classes as is or modify them through inheritance and specialization. A third possibility is to develop entirely new...

Introducing: CriticalWare. APIs and middleware hold all the pieces together, which is why we should change their name. (System Integration Tips: ODBC, Borland Database Engine) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... There are a lot of frust rated client/server developers out there - and you might be one of them. System software is almost never delivered as promised by the vendors, performance problems are rampant, and establishing robust connectivity among...

Generate simple triggers automatically with SQL Object Manager. (Microsoft SQL Server) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... Under a client/server RDBMS such as Microsoft SQL Server, the surest place to set up your referential integrity enforcement is at the database level. SQL Server offers a construct called a trigger, which is essentially a procedure attached to a...

Building a procedure file from a GENSCRNX library. (includes a related article on the GENSCRNX library) (FoxPro Developer) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... I love power tools. Whether doing handiwork around the house or creating a FoxPro application, I want the latest and greatest of tools that will make my job easier. My favorite tool used to be my cordless electric drill because using it meant I...

Establishing SETKEY() layers. (Hardcore Clipper) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... When developing applications requiring special keystroke definitions (using F2 to pop up a picklist for example), the singular approach with the SET KEY TO command or built-in SETKEY() function leaves much to be desired. This is especially true...

Does dBASE do objects? Read on to see if it really lives up to its claim.... (dBASE Developer) (Column)
January 1, 1995... With dBASE 5.0 for Windows, object-oriented programming (OOP) has finally arrived in the Xbase language - or at least that's what the marketing literature says. This article is for those of you who want to know just how much truth is in the...

Understanding the Paradox event model. (Paradox Developer) (Tutorial) (Column)
January 1, 1995... There are 172 events in Paradox, almost all of which are assigned to all of your objects. Understanding these events and what they do can ease your ObjectPAL development. In developing a Paradox program, often the biggest question is not, "How...

Database Confidential. (Column)
January 1, 1995... Last month, Buzz told you about a 513M vs. 512M partition that cost the Buzz 50 to 70M on his ThinkPad. All those holiday drives over 512M; and even worse, those over 1024M, chew up 32K and 64K clusters under DOS! On Buzz's laptop, 50M was...