Migrating from UNIX to Windows frontend for Informix DB

We currently use an Informix 4.10 SE database on SCO UNIX, with user programs (adding/processing customer information) developed under Informix 4GL. We would like to migrate the front-end programs to a Windows environment and probably leave the database itself running under UNIX. We have been considering using something like ODBC from the Windows end and possibly SQL Retriever from SCO to do the database access over the network, or alternatively the Informix-CLI program. Does anyone have any comparative knowledge of these two programs? We tested using SQL Retriever about a year ago, but found it very slow to access tables and do searches. (Details of any other ODBC products would also be interesting) There are a couple of issues, however, which make this migration more complicated. One thing is that some of the UNIX-based 4GL programs call UNIX scripts and programs to carry out various file updates and other functions. Now I understand that it may be possible to have these scripts run by using the Stored Procedure feature available in Informix 7.1. Can anyone confirm that Stored Procedures in Informix SE can indeed call UNIX programs (and pass command line arguments to them)? Also, can Stored Procedures be called via ODBC (eg Visionware SQL Retriever) from Windows using MS Access, or Visual BASIC, or do we need to use the Informix Windows development tools? And are there any limits on what Stored Procedures can return to the calling program? ie Does it have to return a table row, or can it return just a string, a number, or even several variables? Lastly, can anyone recommend a Windows development environment for us to use to quickly develop the forms, reports and 4GL programs to run under Windows? What are the advantages and disadvantages of Informix's Viewpoint? Thanks for any comments and suggestions. -- Pete -- Pete Miles pmiles@dircon.co.uk ...pipex!dircon!pmiles