Data Based Advisor articles from March 1996

Data Based Advisor archives from March 1996

Why online-enabled applications? And, introducing DBA's new look. (Data Based Advisor; application development via automatic version updates) (Editor on the Go) (Technology Information)(Column)
March 1, 1996... What's an online-enabled application? Pundits say it is one of the "givens" of the next wave of application development (another is that we'll be building with objects, not writing procedural code). We've even launched a monthly developer...

Advisor Developers Forum.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 1996... The More Things Change In the September 1995 issue of Data Based Advisor (it takes a while to reach these far-flung shores!), Malcolm C. Rubel's article on the demise of Xbase struck a chord with me. As an Xbase developer for 10 years (dBASE...

Authoring tools for varying levels of multimedia. (Gold Disk's Astound 2.0, Macromedia Inc's Macromedia Director 4.0 for Windows, Asymetrix Corp's Multimedia ToolBook 4.0 multimedia authoring tools) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... Something for everyone Videos, voice-overs, digital images, animation, music, and text all come together in multimedia applications. When you need to create computer-based training courses, interactive kiosks, or CD-ROM applications, you rely...

Coming Events. (calendar of upcoming computer software trade shows) (News Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... ADVISOR Access Developers Conference, Chicago, IL, 25-28 February--Major technical educatin conference on developing applications with Microsoft Access 95, Access 2.0, VisualBasic 4.0, Office, BackOffice, SQL Server, 6.0, OLE, and related...

Add multimedia to your PowerBuilder apps. (MetaSolv Software's PowerFrame Multimedia Objects DBMS utility) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... If you've ever tried to create a multimedia application with PowerBuilder, you know it can be somewhat of a struggle to get the external function call syntax correct (and that's after you've identified which functions you need to call). With...

Unlimited storage OLAP database. (Planning Sciences' Gentium DB database management system)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Planning Sciences has announced an OLA database with terabyte scalability. Gentium DB enables corporate IT departments, who implement data warehousing techniques and strategies, to control business modeling and speed capabilities of OLAP...

Xbase database engine. (SuccessWare International's SuccessWare Database Engine 2.0 database management system) (Product Development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... The software development kit (SDK) for the SuccessWare Database Engine 2.0 (SDE2) is a replaceable database engine for Visual Basic, Visual C++, Bodand C++, PowerBuilder, and any .DLL or .VBX development environment. The SDE2 technology supports...

Development toolkit for database synchronization. (Syware's DataSync Development Kit for Windows) (Product Information)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... DataSync provides developers with ODBC-compliant tools to extract, replicate, and synchronize data between centralized and remote databases. It allows faster development of client-server applications with distributed data requirements and sales...

Sound off and be heard. (Creative Labs' Sound Blaster AWE32 PnP audio card) (Hardware Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... The Sound Blaster AWE32 Plug and Play card is the latest offering from the folks that set the standard for PC sounds, Creative Labs. This board conforms to the Plug and Play specification and has 512KB of memory on board, with the provision for...

Function library for PowerBuilder. (N.E. Solutions' PowerLIB for Powerbuilder DBMS utility)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 1996... PowerLIB for PowerBuilder is a function library written in the PowerScript language. It contains more than 250 functions that can be integrated into PowerBuilder. Some of the function categories are financial, statistical, mathematical,...

Access data in multiple SQL databases. (Visigenic Software's ODBC DriverSet database access software to be part of IconAuthor multimedia authoring software) (Product Development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... The Visigenic ODBC DriverSet, which provides data access to multiple SQL database, without native database APIs, will be integrated into IconAuthor multimedia authoring software. it will also be implemented in the Applixware family of...

New name for a new version. (Sybase renames Watcom SQL database to SQL Anywhere Version 5.0 DBMS)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Sybase has renamed the latest version of its Watcom SQL database to SQL Anywhere Version 5.0. Enhanced features of this latest release include Transact-SQL compatibility support, Sybase Replication Server and Open Client interoperability, and SQL...

Documentation tool for PowerBuilder. (Corsoft Corporation's CorDoc for PowerBuilder 1.1 DBMS utility)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... CorDoc, Release 1.1, is a maintenance and documentation tool for PowerBuilder 4.0. It offers a graphical hierarchy of the application, a view of all program objects and controls, and the ability to browse referential objects while viewing...

Statistical databases. (Raosoft's SurveyWin 3.0 and Survey 2.7 statistical databases)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... SurveyWin 3.0 and Survey 2.7 are statistical databases that let users collect and analyze data individually, either on a network or standalone computers. Beginning users create forms and interpret data with automated statistics. Network users are...

Executive dashboard. (Lingo's FISCAL Executive Dashboard decision support and data warehousing software module)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... The FISCAL Executive Dashboard is a data warehousing, decision-support module designed to enhance communication between analysts, financial staffs, clients, executives, and managers. The Executive Dashboard enables the reporting group to organize...

Slick-C adds functionality to programmer's editor. (MicroEdge's Visual SlickEdit 1.7 programming editor package) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... With its most recent entry into the increasingly competitive marketplace of programmer's editors, Visual SlickEdit (VSE), version 1.7 from MicroEdge, continues to offer a combination of functionality and extensibility that maintains its place as...

New .VBX controls. (MicroHelp's VBTools5 programming utility)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... VBTools5 offers 60 VBX controls for building multimedia, time management, and more. New feature enhancements include user drawing capabilities in the list and tree controls. This lets developers insert a custom graphic for each item directly into...

New Products for VB 4.0 developers. (Visual Components' CodeBank and SourceWorks 4.0 programming utility packages)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... CodeBank and SourceWorks are two new products targeted for Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 developers. CodeBank is a code library manager that contains a large collection of royalty-free BASIC functions and subroutines to handle a variety of tasks....

ABC Graphics suite. (Micrografx includes Visual Components' Formula One spreadsheet software and First Impression presentation graphics software into its ABC Graphics Suite image processing software) (Product Development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Micrografx, Inc. and Visual Components combined their efforts to incorporate Visual Components Formula One and First Impression into the ABC Graphics Suite. Formula One is the Microsoft Excel-compatible spreadsheet component that's used as the...

Present your business and multimedia apps. (Corel and Visual Components agree to integrate Visual Components Formula ONE spreadsheet software into CorelDRAW 6.0 draw software) (Product Development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Corel Corp. and Visual Components have agreed to incorporate Visual Components Formula ONE into CorelDRAW 6. Included in CorelDRAW 6 is Corel PRESENTS, a business and multimedia presentation application. It includes charting, animation, and...

RAD Components for computer telephony. (Expert Systems' EASE 4.0 voice response software)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... EASE 4.0, a computer telephony product by Expert Systems, consists of high-level tools for rapid application development, a low-level language, SPL, and hooks to C and C++ for customization. A visual, nine-step toolbar guides developers through...

IMSL math module. (Visual Numerics' IMSL Math Module for C++ programming utility)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... The IMSL Math Module for C++ is a cross-platform, object-oriented C++ class library that speeds your application by offering advanced mathematical and basic statistical components. It's been specifically engineered to provide an easy-to-use...

Add imaging capabilities to your Delphi applications. (DFL Software's Light Lib Images VCL for Delphi 1.1 Professional Edition programming utility) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... Light Lib Images VCL for Delphi v. 1.1 is the first document and image-management library for Delhi. DFL Software has leveraged Borland's unique VCL architecture to provide a set of classes for adding high-quality imaging capabilities to your...

32-bit .DLLs for Paradox. (Woll2Woll Software's ezDIALOGS dynamic link library and ObjectPAL extension library DBMS utility)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... ezDIALOGS is a 32-bit Windows dynamic link library (DLL)-based dialog and ObjectPAL extension library for Borland's Paradox for Windows database management system. It provides over 40 developer customizable dialog , over 1 5 enhancements to the...

Four tools in One. (PLATINUM technology's PLATINUM DBA/Developer Kit DBMS tools)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... PLATINUM DBA/developer Kit bundles four of its client-server database administration and application development tools. It includes: PLATINUM Desktop DBA, a heterogeneous database administration and migration tool; PLATINUM SQL-coder, a...

Databases support for Informix. (PLATINUM technology's PLATINUM Desktop DBA 3.3 DBMS utility)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... PLATINUM Desktop DBA, version 3.3 has over 30 new features and enhancements, including support for Informix databases. Features include the cabilities to: rearrange columns within a database table, edit scripts of any size, browse remote-host...

DCE support for Windows. (Gradient Technologies' PC-DCE/32 for Windows 95 application development software)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... PC-DCE/32 for Windows 95 is an implementation of the Open Software Foundation (OSF) Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) secure core services for Windows 95. Provides DCE-client functionality for Win95 and is interopererable with all other OSF...

OLE Custom Controls. (Crescent's EnQuiry Release 2.0 for Visual Basic 4.0 database access software)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... OLE Custom Controls are now available for Crescent's core product line. The OLE component products support 16-bit and 32-bit programming environments and are compatible with both Visual Basic 4.0 and Windows 95, and provide support for OLE 2.0....

Tool Suite for application development. (MicroHelp's Code Complete programming utility)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Code Complete is a suite of productivity tools designed for application development and includes Splash Wizard, Code Analyst, and AutoCoder. The Splash Wizard lets you add splash screens to applications, as well as built-in version checking,...

Object-to-relational application developement. (Persistence Software's Persistence 3.0 DBMS utility)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Persistence 3.0, an object-to relational application development system, extends platform support to Windows NT and Windows 95, allowing developers to create and deploy object applications that link to relational databases. Persistence 3.0...

Drill down on performance issues. (Database Solutions Company DBScope 2.0 database monitoring software)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... DBScope version 2.0 for Sybase, a standalone module from Total Performance Management suite, is a PC-based tool capable of monitoring any Sybase database, using Open Client as the communications link. Dbscope lets the user drill down on...

Process library for building Client-Server applications. (SELECT Software Tools bundles OMT Professional Toolkit and Select Enterprise CASE software with Learmonth and Burchette Management Systems' Process Engineer project management software) (Product Development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... SELECT Software Tools, a vendor of object-oriented analysis and design tools, and LBMS have announced the development of best practices for SELECT's OMT Professional toolset, using the LBMS Process Engineer toolset. Under the terms of the...

Reuse through automation. (Integra Technology International's Business Application Builder 3.0 application development tool set) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... Integra's Business Application Builder (BAB) 3.0 is a rapid application development tool set that seamlessly integrates with well-known environments, such as Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Borland C++. The product lets developers build...

ALLDATA for Windows. (ALLDATA Corp's ALLDATA for Windows automotive industry software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 1996... ALLDATA for Windows, which utilizes 32-bit processing for Windows 95, offers ALLDATA's Automotive Diagnostic and Repair Database in a Windows format. Navigational tools, article/subject linking, and other new user features make it easier to...

Toolkit distribution goes online. (Dart Communications' PowerTCP Toolkit) (Product Information)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Dart Communications is now maintaining all PowerTCP Toolkit distributions on its Web server and in its CompuServe section (GO DART). Prices start at US$298, Users $40 each. Call for OEM pricing. Dart Communications, (315)655-1024, info@dart.com.

Tools product line has OLE custom control package. (MicroHelp's OLETools DBMS utility) (Product Information)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... OLETools is a collection of OLE controls for visual programming and includes: interface controls, data and time controls, multimedia controls, and special controls. It has more than 100 OLE controls (16- and 32-bit) all in one package. For...

Fields & Screens have Software Mogul for Windows. (CD-ROM catalog)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 1996... Software Mogul for Windows is a PC/LAN system designed for streamlining functional areas of a software company's operations in one integrated package. It maintains databases of product and service offerings and versions, clients, prospects,...

Client-server suite tools for work flow modeling. (Sterling Software's KEY for Workgroup) (Product Information)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... KEY for Workgroup turns business requirements into prototypes and application designs. This increases the ability to cost-effectively maintain and expand applications, which reduces recoding. Call for prices. Sterling Software, Inc.,...

Sybase System 11 for client-server market. (database products) (Product Information)(Brief Article)
March 1, 1996... Sybase System 11 is a family of database products for existing and emerging parts of the client-server market. Based on single architecture and open interfaces, customers can build and manage compatible and interoperable systems and leverage the...

The promise of Oracle Developer 2000. (Oracle Corp's client server development tools) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... Oracle Corporation's Developer/2000 is a suite of client-server development tools with the nimbleness of rapid application development products, but with the power and scalability of application partitioning environments ranging from workgroup to...

The power of Magic 6. (Magic Software Enterprises' Magic for Windows 6.0 rapid application development software) (includes related article on Magic Software and VisionTek) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... Magic Software Enterprises, with its cod rapid application development system, Magic 6 for Windows, has established itself as a leader among rapid application development (RAD) tools through a remarkably consistent record of first places in...

Adding multimedia to your database: the best approach. (Technology Information)
March 1, 1996... Adding multimedia support to your database sounds like a great idea, until you're faced with a bewildering array of tool choices. We sort out today's tools, explain what sort of development each is good for--and let you decide which best suits...

Data-operation OLE servers in Delphi 2.0. (Borland's application development software) (Product Information)
March 1, 1996... Curious about building OLE servers? It"s never been easier. Here, Borland"s Delphi 2.0 helps mask the process's complexity. OLE Automation Server technology offers intriguing possibilities for extending the reach of database applications. By...

Use a decision tree class for complex logic. (Technology Tutorial)
March 1, 1996... As a computer programmer, you're constantly breaking down complex logical problems into small, manageable units. For most of the situations you deal with on a day-to-day basis, this process probably works fine. Occasionally however, you encounter...

Select OMT does object-oriented design. (Select Software Tools' Select OMT Professional CASE software) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
March 1, 1996... In Data Based Advisor, January 1996, I discussed how an object-oriented analysis and design (OOAD) methodology can improve the quality of the design (and therefore development) of your client-server systems. I outlined Rumbaugh's Object Modeling...

Rebuilding the application development infrastructure at CBS. (Company Operations)
March 1, 1996... Glamour aside, national television networks have some fairly staggering database and information systems requirements. Dean Calabrese, the vice president of CBS' Application Development Group, explains the systems and processes in place, as well...

How to manage client-server projects. (Technology Tutorial)(Tutorial)
March 1, 1996... Client-server projects aren't that different from traditional mainframe projects, but they tend to magnify the project management weaknesses that are always present. Here's some advice to help you succeed. Imagine you're in a room with 100...

Enterprise client-server database design and tuning using access models. (part 1) (Technology Tutorial)(Tutorial)
March 1, 1996... In the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," Harrison Ford must make a leap of faith to access the Holy Grail. He stands before an enormous chasm between two cliffs. After a moment of obvious reluctance and agitation, he steps into the...

Smart RDBMS tuning. (design principles that lead to enhanced relational database performance) (Technology Tutorial)(Tutorial)
March 1, 1996... Adhering to a few basic principles at the beginning of the design phase can ensure increased performance. Taking the digital soup that comprises today's systems, optimizing each of them for best performance--while allowing the RDBMS to be...

Shootout at the Durham Corral. (sixth annual Developers Competition develops application for SunShares) (Industry Trend or Event)
March 1, 1996... At 8:00 a.m., the contestants are at their tables, computers ready, hands hovering over sealed envelopes. A half dozen purple balloons float near the ceiling. Thomas Droege, a dapper young man who looks like he's strolled over from a relaxation...

Inheriting a legacy system. (Technology Tutorial)(Tutorial)
March 1, 1996... Desktop database technology has been around long enough that most companies have a least one information system that was developed for them within the last ten years. That system might have been developed by its own IS staff, an outside...

Working from home: how to set up Windows 95 Dial-Up Networking - and avoid the traffic. (Product Support)(Tutorial)
March 1, 1996... Have you ever needed a file at home and found you forgot to copy it from the office computer? Could you face that long drive back to the office to pick it up? Of course, if your office had a dial-up connection, you could easily download the file....

Database confidential.(Column)
March 1, 1996... If you're in the market for a new job, put down that newspaper and check out an online service that just might take the place of those tried-and-true help wanted ads. IntelliMatch matches employers and job seekers via an online database. A...