Hello again all Image/SQL users:

Early Monday I posted the SIGImage/SQL pre-SIB "A" list
ballot items for HPSQL.  This is same for TurboIMAGE items.


FIRST:  Please note this is NOT the 2001 SIGImage/SQL
TurboIMAGE Ballot:  THIS IS STILL PRELIMINARY.  Please
do NOT try and vote using this ballot.   Actual balloting for
TurboIMAGE items expected to start "soon" on the web.   :-)

This is current draft TurboIMAGE "A" list;  that will be voted
on to get priority ranking info that will be included with IMAGE
items that are sent forward to the 2001 Interex SIB process.
Attached list has 10 items, so unless other strategic / urgent
functionality "A" list items are proposed and accepted prior
to the TurboIMAGE Ballot going up on the web, all 10 will go
forward to the SIB process.  But we are still going to ask for
a SIGImage/SQL vote BEFORE the SIB;  to provide guidance
to the SIB committee and users who vote on the subsequent
full SIB (it's quite likely not all 10 items will make it to the SIB).

Ability to submit pro and con comments on the following
and additions (if any) expected to be available "soon" on
the Interex web site.  Detailed extended descriptions will
be included / linked as appropriate and as time allows, when
the list is up on the web.  Notice will be given when ready...

Ken Sletten
SIGImage/SQL Chair
==========================================


2001 SIGImage/SQL Ballot:
TurboIMAGE *Preliminary* pre-SIB "A" List Items:
-------------------------------------------------------

(1)    Provide concurrent TurboIMAGE read-only DBLOCK
mode (guaranteed repeatable read).  Would allow multiple
readers, but force all DBLOCKs for WRITE access to be
treated serially while a READ lock is in effect.

Estimated to be LARGE effort.

(2)    Bring DBSCHEMA up to date:  Add ability to specify all
DBUTIL flags and settings (has not "kept up" with many
recent changes to DBUTIL);  make it fully SQL-aware;  and
flag all ALLBASE reserved words with a WARNing (to catch
conflicts up-front, instead of only later if IMAGE database is
ATTACHed to a DBE).

Estimated to be MEDIUM effort.

(3)    Better DBUPDATE performance for IMAGE Sort Fields
with CIUPDATE (compare new value to old, then search for
the new  position in the "right" direction, instead of always
starting at the end of the chain):

Estimated to be MEDIUM effort.

(4)    Ability to set and detect IMAGE maximum chain lengths
(MCL), including a unique key option.  Ability to set MCL =1
for detail datasets would bring IMAGE closer to Codd's
minimal definition of a relational database.

Estimated to be MEDIUM effort.

(5)    Provide external documentation for DBQUIESCE
intrinsic used by TURBOSTORE, including appropriate end-
user cautions, to allow vendors and end-users to reliably
make use of this existing feature.

Estimated to be MEDIUM effort.

(6)    Make IMAGE thread aware / thread safe.

Estimated (and expected) to be LARGE effort.

(7)    Add new DBINFO modes (probably '5xx') to return ALL
root file flag settings (several flags are missing from current
mode list).   Avoids need for child process and parsing of
DBUTIL-FLAGS output.

Estimated to be SMALL effort.

(8)    Allow default values for FIELDs not specified at DBPUT
time, with equivalent to SQL/Server "AUTOINCREMENT"
feature.

Estimated to be MEDIUM effort.

(9)    Allow tracking files to be associated with an IMAGE
database (all associated files;  such as schemas, 3rd-party
indexes, etc.).

Estimated to be MEDIUM effort.

(10)  Allow more than 1200 items in one IMAGE database.
Not being able to do Remote File Access (RFA) to a database
with more than 1200 items may make raising this limit easier,
and may be acceptable (current 1200 maximum is an RFA
limit, not an internal TurboIMAGE limit).

Added at SIG3000 meeting:  Effort estimate pending.
==========================================