Data Based Advisor articles from September 1994

Data Based Advisor archives from September 1994

Oracle speaks, stirs.... (divestment of 5.3% of Gupta belies takeover rumors, Oracle will offer Windows server DBMS) (Brief Article)
September 1, 1994... A quiet Oracle begins to stir. As reported in The Wall Street Journal (July 20, 1994), Oracle had its holdings of Gupta stock up to 7.7 percent. Then, just days later sold 5.3 percent, which reduced holdings to 2.4 percent. Amid this buy/sell...

... For now, Gupta goes solo. (Gupta Corp gives away 50,000 copies of SQLWindows Solo DBMS) (Brief Article)
September 1, 1994... While Oracle and Gupta talk, Gupta endeavors to take over your desktop with a freebie. Gupta will 50,000 copies of SQLWindows Solo. SQLWindows Solo has all the features of SQLWindows 5.0, but it's l running on one machine (hence, the...

Client/server jump-start from Powersoft. (PowerBuilder Jump-Start Client/Server Kit bundles four client/server DBMS tools) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... What's stopping you from leaping into client/server? Learning curve? Time? Cost? Powersoft thinks address all these concerns with the PowerBuilder Jump-Start Client/Server Kit. The Jump-Start Kit co PowerBuilder Desktop, a PowerBuilder version...

Cognos gets you "Client/Server Ready." (two-day client/server training program introduces Cognos client/server development tools) (Brief Article)
September 1, 1994... Neal Hill, Cognos v.p. of corporate marketing, says its research indicates that "most companies ha begun this inevitable migration to [client/server]." If you're among the companies that haven't, Cog help you by becoming what it calls your...

In brief. (DBMS industry news) (Brief Article)
September 1, 1994... Lotus Corp. released Lotus Vip, an application developer for Notes... Ship date for dBASE 5 for W again. Borland insiders say mid-September... Paradox 5 for Windows was also late in shipping, but sh released by the time you read this. (See...

What's new? Gupta deals, dBASE 5, E-mail, and conferences. (ConnectSoft's E-Mail Connection 2.0 is evaluated) (Gupta Corp gives away SQLWindows Solo) (Editor on the Go) (Editorial)
September 1, 1994... The client/server war continues to flame. In March I told you about Powersoft's aggressive $249 price tag on PowerBuilder Desktop. While targeted at Xbase developers, the low price also impacted other client/server vendors, including Gupta. It...

The case for S-Designor. (CASE software from SDP Technologies Inc.) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... As database development projects grow, they can become unwieldy. This is particularly true with client/server projects, which are generally larger and flexible than desktop database applications. Some CASE tools, especially data modeling...

Visual queries and report writing, too. (A-Visual Express client/server software from Computer Associates International Inc.) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... CA-Visual Express from Computer Associates International, Inc., leap-frogs some of the existing similar tools and is a serious contender the Windows client/server access, query, and reporting tools war. It's entered the fray loaded with...

Support for OLE custom controls. (Crystal Services' Crystal Reports and Crystal Reports Pro Windows-based reporting software to add OLE custom controls) (Brief Article)
September 1, 1994... Crystal Reports and Crystal Reports Pro, Windows-based data access and reporting tools for PC and client/server environments, will include OLE custom controls in future versions of both products, This will provide developers with 16- and 32-bit...

New compiler for Paradox. (Sheng Labs' BestPAL) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... BestPAL is a highly compatible compiler for Paradox, Provides a familiar user interface, a complete development environment, and a secure, royalty-free way to distribute applications. Supports Query By Example, multi-user operations, mouse,...

Document imaging support. (TMS Inc's ViewDirector imaging toolkit provides JPEG and PCX color support) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... ViewDirector, an imaging toolkit, includes JPEG and PCX color image support in its Windows platform. Supports decompression, display and image manipulation for baseline JPEG and PCX color images. Support is DCT-based with interleaved, YCbCr, a...

The Intersolv Q+E ODBC Pack. (Open DataBase Connectivity software from Intersolv Inc) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... The Intersolv Q+E ODBC Pack supplies 30+ high-quality ODBC drivers for many popular platforms. This solves the problem many users have had with finding usable drivers. In some cases, database server vendors, or the company responsible for a...

Common Windows interface. (DataTools Inc's SQL Data Administrator 1.2 provides a common interface to a variety of DBMSs) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... SQL Data Administrator 1.2 is a utility that lets users perform database tasks on a variety of DBMSs using a common Windows interface. Supports multiple windows, can copy tables between data sources with drag and drop between connected catalog...

GUI testing tool. (SQA's SQA TeamTest for PowerBuilder 3.0 GUI client/server testing software for the PowerBuilder DBMS) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... SQA TeamTest for PowerBuilder 3.0 is a GUI client/server testing tool for PowerBuilder, built on a network repository; supports six testing areas: test planning, test development, test execution, results analysis, defect tracking, and summary...

Configuration management. (SQL Software's PCMS*HELPBENCH help desk software for Lotus Notes) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... PCMS*HELPBENCH is a helpdesk product for Lotus Notes designed for help desk representatives, customer support. For use within the engineering development process to manage incidents and defects during all testing cycles. Enables companies to...

FoxBASE+ converter. (Workgroup Solutions' FoxKit for FlagShip migrates FoxBASE+ applications to the FlagShip 4GL/DBMS) (FlagShip 4.3 is a Clipper and Xbase compiler for UNIX) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... FoxKit for FlagShip enables FoxBASE+ applications to be moved to FlagShip, a 4GL and database development system that is a Clipper and Xbase compiler for UNIX. FlagShip can maintain a single set of code for UNIX and DOS. Compatible with...

Applications generator. (WallSoft's UI for Windows application generator) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... UI for Windows is an application generator for Windows. Can design and edit an application in one window while testing it in another. Includes familiar interface, intuitive graphical tools, adjustable simultaneous views of a 3-D editor, and a...

Encryption and authentication modules. (Sterling Software's Secure Exchange authenticates electronic data exchanges and ANSWER:Journey 1.7 migrates mainframe data to PC applications) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... Secure Exchange, three new software modules that aid in securing and authenticating Electronic Data Exchange, will eventually be integrated with the GENTRAN:Dataguard family of products. Data Encryption for X12, Data Encryption, and Key...

Create Paradox documentation with ObjectSpy. (documentation generation software from Kallista) (Software Review) (Test Drives) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... My computer science professor always said "Document, document, document. The work you do is only as good as the ease in which someone can pick it up and modify it." Documenting software applications can be challenginging, to say the least. If...

Data analysis. (FTPO Inc's STATlab provides statistical analysis, data management and graphical output) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... STATIab, a data analysis program for statistical analysis, data management, and graphical output, is being offered on Windows systems. Performs multiple regression, statistical analysis, including univariate, bivariate, trivariate,...

Groupware alternative. (Up and Running Computer Consultants Inc's Artificial Work Environment 1.1 workgroup software) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... Artificial Work Environment 1. 1 is a Windows collaborative computing program that includes an enhanced database schema and form design tool, document imaging, parallel workflow capability, and collaborative computing extensions. Requires no...

Access to Lotus Notes. (Trinzic Corp's Forest and Trees 3.1a decision-support software provides SQL access to Notes) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... Forest and Trees 3. 1a is a decision support tool that provides user-oriented SQL access to Notes, An update to the Lotus Notes interface gives users the ability to query Notes Views in addition to Notes Forms. Views Notes as if it were a...

Point-and-click database application creation. (ParcPlace Systems' VisualWorks 2.0 object-oriented client/server database application development tool) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... VisualWorks 2.0 is an object-oriented client and server tool that features a Database Application Creator, which allows corporate developers to create basic database apps without any Smalltalk or SQL programming. Database Application Creator is...

PowerBuilder toolkit. (Astea International's AsteaObjects Library toolkit for the PowerBuilder DBMS) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... AsteaObjects Library is a toolkit for PowerBuilder developers. Can integrate the schema definition and attributes of their app's DataWindows, define databases with created tables, standardize definitions across applications, define commonly...

Get mobile with the SunDisk 20M PC card. (usefulness of PCMCIA-based flash RAM cards such as those from SunDisk Corp) (Test Drives) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... What's in an acronym? Take PCMCIA, which stands for: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. PCMCIA describes the technical aspects for those credit card-sized memory cards, and other computer peripherals, that are beginning to...

Consistent GUI. (Corporate Computing Inc's GUI Guidelines 4.0 on-line help software and RADPath development utility support Windows GUI design) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... GUI Guidelines, on-line help software, features comprehensive standards and references for all components of GUI application design. Version 4. 0 includes user interface templates, QA and developer checklist, application behavior standards,...

Procedural 4GL report writer. (MITI's SQR Workbench report writer for multi-database environments now supports INGRES) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... SQR Workbench, a procedural 4GL report writer for mulitdatabase environments, has an INGRES version. Provides rapid reports, complete formatting control, report design flexibility, and procedural functionality in a client- and server-based...

Concurrent support. (Foundation's FOUNDATION for Cooperative Processing 2.0-LP client/server CASE software supports hundreds of developers) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... FOUNDATION for Cooperative Processing 20.LP (large projects) is an advanced client/server tool that offers a scaleable UNIX-based repository enabling hundreds of users to work concurrently on large-scale systems development projects. Offers...

Cobol to RDBMS. (Acucobol's Acu4GL for Oracle6 and 7 links COBOL applications to an Oracle database) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... Acu4GL for Oracle6 and 7 allows developers to bridge their COBOL applications to the Oracle database. Apps need to be compiled only once to plug into any Oracle database. Dynamically generates SQL from COBOL I/O statements. No special query...

Looking for Notes tools? (applications development, report generation and workflow management tools for the Lotus workgroup software) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... The Notes development environment can leave something to be desired: macro programming in modal dialog boxes with no debugger isn't the way to go. But there's good news! Many tools are available to make your job easier. Here's some of the more...

Professional GUI. (Pilot Software's Lightship Professional 4.0 is a GUI for the firm's Lightship Suite business intelligence software) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... Lightship Professional 4.0 graphical user interface is the front end of the Lightship Suite, a business intelligence system for accessing and analyzing critical business data in a client/server environment Offers geographic mapping...

Utility software for Windows NT, OS/2, DOS, and UNIX. (V Communications' System Commander runs up to 42 different operating systems on one PC) (Brief Article) (Product Announcement)
September 1, 1994... System Commander allows users to have as many as 42 different operating systems on a single PC. Lets users try new operating systems without giving up security of exisiting OS. Manages up to 16 different versions of DOS and up to 26 other...

Essential one-stop data recovery. (Ontrack Data Recovery for NetWare software from Ontrack Recovery Inc) (Software Review) (Product Discovery) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... This product is an absolute must have. Ontrack Data Recovery for NetWare (ODR) is to NetWare, what Norton's Utilities is to DOS; a one-stop data recovery shop on-disk. That said, let's take a more detailed look. But who really needs it?...

Hungarian bell-bottom blues. (prefix and suffix naming conventions for variables) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... When I wrote my first BASIC program, the language was brand new and my pants had straight legs. Five years later, Dartmouth's BASIC had given way to IBM's PL/I and straight legs were replaced by bell-bottoms. Since then I've used a lot of...

Rapid systems development. (Project Development) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... Information systems professionals are under increasing pressure to produce software solutions faster than ever before. To try to meet these requirements, IS professionals have turned to CASE tools, object-oriented languages, workgroup tools,...

Approach 3 aims for user desktops. (relational DBMS from Lotus) (Software Review) (includes a related article on Lotus SmartSuite's Approach component) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... Lotus Corp. has expanded the capabilities of its popular Windows-based database management system, Lotus Approach, released June 27. Approach has received favorable reviews from users and industry publications because of its combination of ease...

Visual data analysis software helps scientists analyze solar data. (Case Study)(includes related article on the use of Visual Data Analysis software in industry)
September 1, 1994... Business and technical computing users in all industries are turning to Visual Data Analysis (VDA) software as a fast, affordable way to visualize complex data. VDA tools combine state-of-the-art graphics, data management, and analytical...

The future of FoxPro and its add-on market. (plans for and developments in the Microsoft relational DBMS) (Status Report)
September 1, 1994... If you're a FoxPro developer, you might remember one humid, sweltering afternoon in Orlando, Florida back in October, 1993. If you remember, you probably attended Microsoft's FoxPro Developer Conference, where Dr. Dave Fulton, (former) chief...

What features do you need in a client/server front-end tool? (Client/Server Advisor)
September 1, 1994... CLIENT/SERVER ADVISOR We asked eight of our authors who are sriously involved in client/server development to tell us what they've been doing in this arena and what they look for in a front-end development product. Here's what they told...

Putting a twist on triggers. (database design using Microsoft's SQL Server DBMS) (Client/Server Advisor: Trigger Design)(includes a related article on how triggers can slow down transaction processing) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... In a previous article, I discussed the concept and the basic implementation of triggers, using Microsoft's SQL Server DBMS as the example. That article ("Designing Triggers for Referential Integrity," DBA, July 1994) explained how triggers are...

Powersoft's president David Litwack reveals direction. (includes related article on the Powersoft International User Meeting and Training Conference '94 at Walt Disney World, Florida) (Interview)
September 1, 1994... I recently attended the Powersoft International User Meeting and Training Conference in Orlando, Florida. While there I had the opportunity to get the lowdown on PowerBuilder Desktop, PowerBuilder Enterprise, and plans for the products'...

Tab controls in PowerBuilder. (Powersoft's relational DBMS) (Client/Server Advisor: PowerBuilder Pro) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... Many Windows products use tab controls to make complex screens easier to navigate. Since I'm writing in MS-Word 6.0, I have an excellent example of a tab window in choosing the menu choices Tools/Options. The result is a 12-tab dialog window...

Design flexibility and efficiency into your databases. (Client/Server Developer) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... I'd like to share a database design technique that has been very useful in several situations. I was first introduced to it while preparing a system for a chewing gum manufacturer and it's stuck with me ever since. I was faced with the...

ARCServe and DBAgent back up SQLBase. (Cheyenne Software's ARCServe 5.0 and DBAgent backup tools) (Software Review) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... I think it is safe to assume that if we go to the trouble and expense of collecting information in a computerized format, we consider the data to be valuable. So, to protect your investment, ensure the integrity of the data and take steps to...

Apple passes DAL baton to ITI. (control of Data Access Language given to Independence Technologies Inc.) (ITI VP Mike Zivkovic interviewed) (Client/Server Advisor: Client/Server On-Line) (Interview)
September 1, 1994... Mike Zivkovic, vice president of Independence Technologies, Inc. (ITI), has more than 18 years in the computer industry. Prior to joining ITI, Mr Zivkovic worked for Apple Computer on client/server strategies and technologies for data access,...

Prep Clipper apps, part 2: porting code to VO. (porting existing applications to CA-Visual Objects Windows-based DBMS) (CA-VO Techniques) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... To prepare your Ca-clipper applications for Ca-visual Objects, there are two main things you need to do: 1. Educate yourself about Windows programming and developing applications for Windows. 2. Prepare your existing code. I...

Developing with data access objects. (using Microsoft's Visual Basic to develop an order-entry system) (Visual Basic Expert) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... She was stunning, she was beautiful, and she moved with grace and confidence--she knew she had my complete attention as she crossed the room. As she drew near I caught the gentle scent of flowers. I was captivated. "I need a man of...

Use list methods to view fields in tables. (Tip of the Month: The DBA Database Browser) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... "Help?" Nothing is more pitiful than hearing Big Charlie from Queens whimpering for help. Big Charlie and I have worked together on several different projects, and generally our ideas on application design are very similar. One big point...

MicroHelp's VBViewer adds file viewing. (application development software for Visual Basic applications) (Software Review) (Custom Control of the Month) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... If you want to add file viewing to your Visual Basic applications, check out MicroHelp's latest hit: VBViewer. With the FileType property set to automatic (default) your users can view any of 20 of the most common graphic, compression, word...

Code reuse in Clipper. (Computer Associates International's DBMS) (Hardcore Clipper)(includes a practical example) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... As the complexity of developing contemporary computer applications exceeds the capabilities of structured programming methodologies, developers have to find new techniques for building high-bandwidth applications. A major goal in this search is...

Get directory information. (using Borland's dBASE IV relational DBMS) (Dbase Developer) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... It's not uncommon to find an application that needs information about files in a directory. How many are there? What types of files? When were they updated and how large are they? Getting this information in a format that you can use...

Recursion in FoxPro. (using Microsoft's FoxPro relational DBMS to document files on a disk) (FoxPro Developer)(includes related article on recursive programming) (Tutorial)
September 1, 1994... Your computer hard disk is much like your filing cabinet. Files seem to accumulate much faster than they get removed, eventually leading to space problems. A common, though costly, solution is to buy more filing space. A less expensive...

Database confidential. (humor) (Column)
September 1, 1994... While Buzz flew over San Francisco in his Thrustmaster, the ultimate Flight Simulator Cockpit, he spied another plane towing a banner saying, "Sybase Wants You." Buzzing in for a closer look at a lower altitude, Buzz also noticed a number of...