Re: FAQ (fwd)

In article <310se0$apt@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> jparker@hpbs3645.boi.hp.com (Jack Parker) writes: >It appears as though great minds think alike - so do the rest of us. >This is from Kerry - hey look! Half the work done already. I haven't >read it yet - we all should and provide CONSTRUCTIVE criticism where >applicable. *constructive* criticism? On Usenet? [-: Think of this not so much as "corrections" as *addenda*... >Frivolous background stuff: >--------------------------- >------------------------------- >1.1 Who, or what, is Informix? >------------------------------- >Informix Software is based in Menlo Park, San Jose, California, USA. Uh, just Menlo Park. San Jose has not re-annexed Menlo Park; they are autonomous entities since the Great 408 War of Independence of the 1950s; Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Palo Alto were created as buffer zones under the treaty. This is covered in detail in an upcoming Shelby Foote book. At one time, Informix was dual-headquartered, with Lenexa, KS being the "other half" (this was in the years just after the Innovative/Informix merger. >They produce the Relational Database Engines, and associated programming >tools that are generically labelled "Informix". Well... first product was C-ISAM (first named "Marathon"); then the Informix product suite (Informer query language, Perform form manager, Ace report writer, ALL) followed. Second-generation products were the SQL-based line, first general releases being Informix-SQL and Informix-ESQL/C versions 1.10 and the companion C-ISAM version 2.10. >Founded in 198x by x, y, and z under the name "Relational Data Systems" >they released Informix 1.0 in 198x to some success. Founded in 1980 as Relational Database Systems, Inc. (later reincorporated in Delaware as "Informix") by Roger Sippl and Laura King. >------------------------------------- >1.2 How do you pronounce "Informix"? >------------------------------------- >Informix employees and the Politically Correct say "Inform-ix". Humans >tend to say something closer to "Infor-mix". Possibley an American >accent is the key to the first pronunciation. [Comments please!] In-FOR-mix. dammit. >-------------------------------------------------------------------- >1.4 What're the differences between Turbo/Online/SE/4GL/RDS/ESQL... >-------------------------------------------------------------------- >1.4.2 Online vs Turbo. > "Turbo" was the original name of the Online product, so people > who talk about it are either running old software in their > machines, or old software in their minds. Or we just have fond (ahem) memories of running original 1.10.03 Turbo on the AT&T 3B20... >1.4.3 4GL vs 4GL-RDS. > ... > [Q: Does 4GL require a runtime license, like RDS does?] Yes. >--------------------------------- >Common 4GL Programming Questions: >--------------------------------- >------------------------------------------------------------- >2.1 I keep getting -4518 errors! How can I fix this problem? >------------------------------------------------------------- >The -4518 error is usually caused by running out of a resource >known as temporary string space. Solutions include: >1) Upgrade to 4GL-RDS 4.12. >2) Compile to a "real" executable with 4GL/C, rather than RDS. > (Apparently it's only a problem with RDS) By no means. -4518s have traditionally been generic. >3) Get a copy of Loren West's excellent description of how TSS is > used from [???/pub/Informix/???/tss.txt @place.com??? - is this > document on the net somewhere... Walt???] >4) Read Informix TechInfo sheet #xyz Loren's is TechInfo #3925. Other -4518 related entries are 4064, 4517, and 2801. >------------------------------------------ >2.2 How can I write to a flat ASCII file? >------------------------------------------ >Generate a REPORT with no margins and 1 line page length e.g. use options TOP MARGIN 0, BOTTOM MARGIN 0, LEFT MARGIN 0, PAGE LENGTH 1 >---------------------------------------------------- >2.9 How can I use #DEFINE-style constructs, like C? >---------------------------------------------------- >There's nothing built into 4GL, but many people use the Unix "M4" >command successfully. (Note: M4 has been ported to DOS as a part >of the GNUish project too) You can use cpp, too. >------------------------------------------- >7.4 Is there an RDS de-compiler available? >------------------------------------------- >No. (Or at least nobody ever admits to it) Nothing that will produce anything like .4gl code from a .4go, anyway. There is an internal tool for analyzing .4go files that we call the "decompiler" internally, but its output is too terse to be useful for much except debugging fglpc and fglgo. >---------- >Miscellany >---------- >--------------------------------------- >8.1 What machines get ported to first? >--------------------------------------- >Umm, from memory: Sun, HP, DG, IBM RS/6000 and Sequent versions arrive >first. Acceptance platforms can vary by project. Traditional firsts have been SunOS 4.1.X, HP 9000/8xx, Sequent Dynix, IBM RS6000, NCR 3xxx. Solaris 2.[34] will be replacing SunOS 4.1.X. 3B20 users, don't hold your breath. >------------------------------------------------ >8.2 How do I call a custom C function from ACE? >------------------------------------------------ >I have no idea. Does anybody else? (Somebody thought this was a good >question to have in the FAQ, but didn't include a solution. C functions can be called from Ace or Perform by making customized runners using the "cace" and "cperf" scripts. These are now included with ISQL, though before 4.10 they were included only with ESQL/C. You will still need the compatible version of ESQL/C if you want to link in *.ec* files (such that your special functions take action against the database, e.g. only plain C code modules can be linked in if you have only ISQL). See the ISQL 4.1 Supplement, starting on page S-42 for details. This was moved from the ESQL/C manual to the ISQL doc starting with 4.10. >Kerry Sainsbury >Research & Development Work: +64 9 377-4473 >Quanta Systems Home: +64 9 276-5546 GMT+12 >Auckland, New Zealand Fax: +64 9 309-5684 Any email address for this person? -- Alan Denney aland@informix.com {pyramid|uunet}!infmx!aland "I'm cruising down the Information Highway in high gear... riding the waves of the digital ocean... exploring the uncharted regions of cyberspace!" "Actually, you're sitting on your butt, staring at a computer screen." -- Tom Tomorrow