Re: New engines lack character based tools

In article <330d5972.4219517@gate.idg.no>, Nils Myklebust <Nils.Myklebust@idg.no> writes >Can everybody conserned please scream at Informix. >They are begining to remove character based tools from their database >offerings to replace them with MS Windows based GUI tools. > > >Is dbaccess there? Yes. Remember it cannot run forms. I've just spent the afternoon write a program to generate 4gl programs which provide similar functionality (Query, Next, Previous, Update,Remove,Exit). This is using rowid as the unique key (This is a quick hack and should work for me). We then have to use sformbld to generate .frm's for the tables in the database (Form name = <tabid>.per). >Informix have officially stated that dbacces will not be further >developed. It's supposed to be replaced by the MS Windows tool with >similar facilities (they have to upgrade that significantly to make it >usefull though). I assume they understand that it have to be included >to enable execution of sql statements in files. That's hard to do with >an MS Windows GUI tool ;-). I'm getting worried. These GUI tools do not have all the same features as the character based tools. The sales/marketing people in software houses believe all the sh*t that Windows GUI tools are better then UNIX character based tools (They look better who cares about functionality as long as I have enough features for a 2 hour sexy demo?). With a little assistance from Datec 2000 (the UK distributor) and little technical knowledge/switching off when technical things are mentioned (like the words compile and port,tweak) our sales team managed to believe that all you had to do to port a 4gl program to NewEra was recompile it!! I seems like technical knowledge is not valued any more ("anyone can do that just read the manuals, selling takes real skill"). Then when we can't do what they want because they did not go into technical details when making sales decisions they say "that typical of computers..they're crap/unreilable/bag of sh*t" > >You say all the other command line interfaces are there, only >onmonitor is left out. That makes administration and other tasks so >much harder. Many simple things can be done simply with onmonitor. I >don't have to learn or look up the command parameters all the time, >but can see the options in menues and screens. > Agreed, I have got it down to a fine art, Friday. 9-10:30am Arrived on-site, met client's project manager, get coffee, be introduced to unix admin person and get root password. 10-3pm install sql,4gl,online + initial instance (1 rootdbs chunk only), create empty database from dbschema taken night before. Extract tape of 4gls and start makefile running. Start unload for database from old machine running to tape. (customers usually not allowed in system from 3pm). Monitor compile/unload for 20mins and then go to late lunch. 4-5 Fix any errors in compile (if found). Usually due to last minute code/schema changes night before. E.g. someone in the team doing an emergency bug fix for a client. ~5-5:30 Drop empty database add new dbspace + other chunks to this new dbspace. Start data load going into new dbspace from tape taken earlier in the day. Saturday Arrived late (10:30 am) and mop up any late minute problems. Leave ~2pm for lunch on expenses. >: Apparently when you install OWS 7.2 it asks you for parameters for >: an initial instance and this is the only instance informix will >: support (This is from Informix Tech Support UK ~1-2 pm GMT today!). >: >: ****************************************************************** >: THAT IS RIGHT Informix say you should only run ONE OWS instance on >: any one machine. >: ****************************************************************** > >Have you tested this. May be it's still possible to run more than one >instance if you set it up manually? > Sorry I missing that out. You can create another instance manual but it is not supported. I'll do that for testing and have a small test database in the live system in case I need to call Informix. (Hide 2nd onconfig before they dial in!!). >: We can't do this as we required 5 small databases, 1 large database >: in one 'live' instance and a small demo database in a seperate >: instance for testing. >: >: Basically we are taking on a large new client which current exists >: as 5 separate companies but will all be merged into one company >: over the next year. >: >: We want to migrate each client separately as they will each have >: different reference data. Hence the 5 small databases for initial >: data takeon and parallel running. When each client is happy with >: their configuration they will be merged into the large database. >: >: This means eventally we will have one large database (24Gb) and >: one small demo (4Gb). >: >: In the past (with a different application) we have managed to crash >: Online 7.12. Hence we wish to do testing in a separate instance. >: >: It appears we will need small 'demo' database in our 'live' instance >: so we can reproduce problems if we need Tech. Support from Informix! >: >: >: I am getting worried....any advice about installed OWS will be greatly >: recieved. (I'm flying up to Scotland on Monday to installed it!!!). >: >: We I can't say my job is boring...... >: >:David Williams > > >Nils.Myklebust@idg.no >NM Data AS, P.O.Box 9090 Gronland, N-0133 Oslo, Norway >My opinions are those of my company >The Informix FAQ is at http://www.iiug.org -- David Williams