Hi,

I've recently been investigating ALLBASE on MPE/iX 5.0. Can Anyone help
me with the following:

a.      Is there a newsgroup dedicated to ALLBASE?
b.      Can ALLBASE procedures call External functions?
c.      Has anyone has success with Long VARBNARY storage and retrieval via
ODBC?

I know that these may be RTFM questions, but I'm investigating Allbase
as a side-topic. I've dusted off a few binders but the most current one
I found was from 1992. I did manage to get a CD from 1996 but I still
have not found clear answers to the above questions.

The shop has a lot of Powerhouse software running against Interbase,
Image and KSAM data. The push has been to get the applications moved to
more 'current' platform and databases - and this has generally been
percieved as a move to a NT server with a MS SQL server database.

But they have a lot of applications that will not move that fast. A lot
of stuff I've been reading about the HP platform leads me to believe
that ALLBASE may help the client make an easier move form the old
programs. So I am trying to find out if ALLBASE is a viable database -
one that will keep current and allow the users access from any windows
applications via ODBC. And who knows - maybe ALLBASE will allow the HP
to remain as a viable database server! But nobody here has used ALLBASE
so I'm working in the dark.

Any thoughts or pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Mike Patterson