Re: GUI and Informix? InfoRequest

dave@das13.snide.com (Dave Snyder) writes: ->Subject: Re: GUI and Informix? InfoRequest ->Date: 18 Mar 93 19:19:41 GMT -> ->In article <1o8ofuINNmmh@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> corinne@dssmktg.com (Corinne Gregory) writes: ->} ->} Informix is actively promoting 4GL/gx these days, which is, in essence ->} a GUI-front end for their 4GL product. Only, it's not a true front-end ->} as much as it is a development environment. You take your character ->} based source code, compile it using gx and...magic! GUI! ->} ->I have to disagree with you on that statement, 4GL/gx is a true front-end ->product. Informix doesn't even sell a development license for 4GL/gx, only ->a runtime license. The actual executable that comes with 4GL/gx is "fglgx" ->is a direct replacement for "fglgo". You compile your code using "fglpc" ->and the user on a character-based terminal types "fglgo progname" and the ->user on a GUI terminal types "fglgx progname". The same executable is used ->by both users... only the runner is different. -> ->DAS ->-- ->David Snyder @ Snide Computer Services - Folcroft, PA Current Release -> is db4glgen-3.9 In slightly different ways, both Corinne (CG) and David (DAS) are correct. DAS is correct in that only the runner is different from 4glgo and that 4glgx runs only on the front-end (client) side; it does not need a different server. But CG is correct in the sense that 4GL/gx is not a *complete* (my insertion) front-end product. In other words, you cannot make a fully compiled version of your code. You must "compile" your code into the p-code produced by fglpc and then use the interpreter (runner) to actually execute the program. Using the same p-code for both character and GUI runners is a mixed bag of good and bad. You have the same code on both character and graphical boxes. And 4GL/gx does some things WONDERFULLY, such as changing ring menus into button bars, and putting really nice borders around pop-up windows. However, because of the many assumptions that a generalized runner like fglgx must make, other things are only so-so. My main complaint is the significant change in aspect ratio between the character and GUI screens. Because of the space between lines required by the GUI widgets, 4glgx screens are much "taller" than the corresponding fglgo screens. At one level this is merely an aesthetic issue, not a functionality issue. However, aesthetics are (supposedly) important in a GUI. In addition, I had an application with a large screen array that had to have its number of screen rows (functionality) reduced before it would work with 4GL/gx. Regards, Alan +------------------------------+---------------------------------------+ | R. Alan Popiel | Internet: alan@den.mmc.com | | Martin Marietta, LSC | ( Please note: My opinions do not ) | | P.O. Box 179, M/S 5422 | ( represent official Martin policy. ) | | Denver, Colorado 80201-0179 | Voice: 303-977-9998 | +------------------------------+---------------------------------------+