Re: Data Director for Java

jonathan@jojo.ftech.co.uk (jonathan) wrote: >hi there >does anyone understand what informix is on about in regards to Data >director? NOTE: The following comments are all reasoned guesses.. This was the name of a product by CenterView who were recently taken over by Informix. It sat on top of an existing tool (Visual Basic in this case) and allowed you to build database applications. You basically used Data Director to model or reverse engineer your database, and then using this model, you would paint data aware controls (much like supertables and superfields in NewEra) on your form. These data aware controls were part of the Data Director package. Once you had painted your form, you would use the underlying tool to "compile and link" the application. Using this concept, you could make Data Director sit on top of any tool such as Java, C++, Forte, and Visual Basic. It would generate the code and you use an underlying tool such as Visual Cafe to compile the application. >They are suggesting that it is a gateway mechanism for 3rd party >software vendors to include in their software so you can develop >client software which accesses Informix databases. Or maybe it is a development tool. The database connectivity part of it could be just a library that you "linked in". >So when they talk about data director for java, and that it replaces >Jworks, then what are they saying. >Are they saying that Data Director for Java is a drag and drop >development package which enables developers to visually develop java >GUIs that can connect to Informix databases or what? I think the answer is yes. I have not seen Jworks but from what I have read, it was very similar to Data Director so I suspect they merged the two technologies. >Is there anyone from Informix out there who may be able to clear my >understanding. Reason being, Informix UK dont seem to know anything >about it!!!! To be fair to them, it is not released yet. In fact, it may not even be out of their development labs. With the old Data Director (previously called Choreo), I liked the way it worked with the underlying tool and the way it used components however I wasn't too sure whether it was appropriate for what we do i.e. build large complex systems where the bulk of the development effort is in writing business objects which encapsulate processes and rules. Then comes the implementation of partitions. Finally, you still need to develop screens but this is a thin visual layer on top of the business objects and partitions. Hopefully, Informix will have solved the problem by enabling Data Director to drag-and-drop business objects and partition services just as easily as database tables and columns. David David W Chan GO5 Limited david@go5.com (work) dwc@cix.compulink.co.uk (home)