Summaries to: Windows front-end to UNIX-based Informix database

On October 18th I posted a message asking for details of Windows front-ends for Unix-based Informix databases. My original message is below, followed by copies of the replies I received. Thanks to everyone who responded! -- Pete > Can anyone point me towards a Windows front-end for Informix databases > which are based on a UNIX system (both SE and Online versions). What > software would I need to run on the UNIX end to get this to work (I've got > TCP/IP, NFS and PC-NFS)? > > I want to be able to use the better printer/screen support under Windows, > to develop 4GL-type programs which can create/access/update databases > running on a UNIX server. > > Alternatively, are there ay drivers available which would let me run > Microsoft Access with the UNIX-based Informix database, using PC-NFS (or > any other protocol)? Date: Mon, 18 Oct 93 13:32:26 GMT From: Simon Parker <simonp@obelix.informix.com> Subject: Re: Windows front-end for UNIX-based Informix database Peter - Informix currently have the following products available for PC Windows. All of the products listed below would need I-NET PC to be installed on the PC as well. The server would of course need I-NET or I-STAR (for Online). The Windows products which you could choose from are - INFORMIX-ViewPoint/DBA - an ad-hoc graphical query and reporting tool INFORMIX-HyperScript Tools - and object based language for creating EIS applications INFORMIX-4GL for Windows - Informix 4GL graphical development environment. If you would like any further information on any of these products please send you address by return and I'll ensure that you receive the appropriate product sheets. regards /***************************************************************************** Simon Parker (simonp) Informix UK Systems Engineer tel : (0784) 249 859 uunet : simonp@informix.com ******************************************************************************/ Date: Mon, 18 Oct 93 11:59:19 EDT From: hpd@akgua.att.com Subject: Re: Windows front-end for UNIX-based Informix database I have a MS-Windows front end for an Informix-SE database running on a UNIX box. This approach should work with tcp/ip, StarLAN, Netware, and other networks supported by Informix-Net. Here is what I used. Development Tools for client: MS-Visual Basic MS C 6.0 or MS C7.0 Informix esql/c release 4.1 for DOS Informix-Net PC release 4.1 I encapsulated all the database calls into a DLL which were called from VB. Writing a DLL is pretty close to straight C code. Run Time Tools: MS-Windows and Visual Basic Run Time Libraries esql/c runtime I-Net runtime The UNIX box needs I-Net also. Drawbacks to my approach: VB is limited to 2k of stack space and Informix ESQL/C needs a lot of stack space. I-Net is a large TSR which must be loaded before Windows is loaded. If I were starting today, I would look at the ODBC driver available from Q&E software and look at Access & VB 3.0 as front ends. Other approaches include WINGZ and another package from Informix. Generally, Informix is about two years behind other vendors in the MS-Windows market. I hope this helps Paul Debban Date: Tue, 19 Oct 93 12:39:01 BST From: Chris Davies <chris@visionware.co.uk> Subject: Re: Windows front-end for UNIX-based Informix database We are now shipping our Informix ODBC driver. This allows ODBC aware clients (such as Visual Basic 3, and Access 1.1) to perform SQL queries and commands to an Informix database running on a UNIX server. You would not require Informix*Net with our option; our stuff works over TCP/IP, DECnet, the OSI protocols and also serial lines. Email info@visionware.co.uk for more details. Chris -- VISIONWARE LTD, 57 Cardigan Lane, LEEDS LS4 2LE, England Tel +44 532 788858. Fax +44 532 304676. Email chrisd@visionware.co.uk -------- "VisionWare: The home of DOS/SQL/UNIX/X/VMS integration" -------- Date: Tue, 19 Oct 93 12:59:35 +0100 From: Charles Hirst <chas@visionware.co.uk> Subject: Re: Windows front-end for UNIX-based Informix database VisionWare produce a product called SQL-Retiever 3.0. This is a set of level one (currently) ODBC drivers that support the following database systems Oracle, Ingres, Informix and Interbase on the following host systems SunOS 4.1.3, SCO Unix, IBM AIX 3.x, HP-UX 9, Intel V.4 Unix and RISC Ultrix 4.x Other database / host systems may be added in future. The above product implements the communications between PC and host using a version of Sun's ONC RPC mechanism, and so does not require any networking product from the database vendor. Another benifit of this solution is that there is only one PC module to install, regardless of what mix of host databases you wish to connect to. We also include a copy of the Novel TCP/IP stack to further reduce the cost of implementation. It will however also support all major PC TCP/IP stacks (including WinSock), as well as serial lines Also provide is a module to convert between DDE and ODBC, so allowing Windows applications that are not yet ODBC aware to access remote databases. For more details of the above please email sales@visionware.co.uk Regards Chuck Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1993 09:45:04 From: Mark Stern <M.W.Stern@massey.ac.nz> Subject: Re: Windows front-end for UNIX-based Informix database There are probably heaps! Does Informix support client-server type access, if so then it is a least possible. If you wish to use Access as your front-end then you will need as a minimum: Access , an ODBC driver for Informix probably an Informix client layer (this is case with Oracle) a TCP/IP transport layer supported by the Informix client (go for WinSock if possible) I have no experience with Informix, but much with Oracle. I an guessing that the layerd approach described above will apply to Informix, because there is only a couple of ways of skinning this particular cat (excuse the dated metaphor). Mark Stern Massey University New Zealand M.W.Stern@massey.ac.nz Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1993 10:43:03 +0100 From: Brian Porter <porter@vincere.muc.de> Subject: Re: Windows front-end for UNIX-based Informix database I have been trying to find out the same info. I think this is what you need: Informix Net for PC & Unix server, an Informix ODBC driver, and MS-Access. I know that Informix now has an ODBC driver, but the one from Q+E might be better. I would love to know what you find out. I am trying to get funding to try this before the end of the year. Brian ___________________________________________________________________________ Brian Porter Spitzer Str. 14 porter@vincere.muc.de 80939 Muenchen (49) 89/311-7363 GERMANY Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 09:30:40 PDT From: Avnish Aggarwal <avnish@informix.com> Subject: Re: Windows front-end for UNIX-