On a few occasions I have tried to work at implementing
an IMAGE interface from Perl as an xs module. The first
time was a few years back and I had trouble just with
the xs module tutorial. The xs extension is no longer
a problem (the errors that I experienced no longer are
present-whether of my own or by the efforts of others...
for which I am appreciative). :)

Difficulty comes from an implementation strategy. Most
of the data interface from Perl that I have used elsewhere
are SQL structured calls and returns (ODBC to MPE/iX,
DB2 on AS400, or MySQL, etc. (others acknowledged)).
For the most part, we (classic IMAGE programmers) deal
with the structures in a non-SQL type approach based on
the intrinsics available.

My observation is that most people end up either doing
their development with a conventional HP3000 language
to interface to IMAGE and either do the CGI applications
from that language or leave data formatted in a flat file,
or in the case of the socket server solution mentioned
today, to be parsed by Perl. No doubt this is because the
breakthrough that Mark mentions has not occurred.

What kind of interest is there in accessing IMAGE from
within Perl? (Are there 5 of us or maybe 55?) What kind
of interface is expected?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Bixby" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: Perl access to IMAGE (was: ::: DBI/DBD Questions :::)


> Webmaster wrote:
> > I think that the real question should be...
> > Are there any perl/DBI drivers (DBD) for the IMAGE database?
>
> As of today, no, there is no direct Perl access to IMAGE.  It would be a
major
> breakthrough accomplishment for web and IMAGE integration if such
functionality
> existed.
>
> But I'm aware of people (at least one on HP3000-L) who have been dabbling
or
> who have plans to dabble in this area.  If these people would like to say
> anything publicly about their efforts, this thread would be a good place
to do
> so.
> --
> [log in to unmask]
> Remainder of .sig suppressed to conserve scarce California electrons...