At 12:03 AM 10/6/97 -0300, you wrote:
>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?

No, Interex has a listserver for [log in to unmask] but for the most
part it is pretty dead. You are welcome to post questions to it. I try
to see that everything gets responded to by either myself, another member
or a member of the HP Lab team.

>b.      Can ALLBASE procedures call External functions?

No. User exits are on the enhancement list but would take quite an effort
on HP's part to implement. We are having success getting new string, date
and math functions added where there is a need. New trim and instr
functions will be
released with the G.3 release of ALLBASE in the relatively near future.

>c.      Has anyone has success with Long VARBNARY storage and retrieval via
>ODBC?
>
BLOBS still need work on ODBCLINK/SE.

>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.

New manuals can be found on the latest (August, I believe) LaserRom. I don't
know if their PAPER counter parts are available.

>
>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.

I have had great success with QUIZ, IMAGE/SQL and TPI / Image B-tree
integration. In general, my QUIZ reports are far more simple and run
faster then traditional QUIZ reporting. I now support several hundred
indices through our 15 year old IMAGE database and avoid serial reads
like the plague. In skilled hands, and if you are willing to embrace
emerging technologies, this can be an eye opening experience.

>
>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.

Quite viable, and surprisingly inexpensive when you bundle everything
together. No one seems to account for the cost of good backup and DBMS
software that is bundled with MPE. JAVA and GNU C++ and the coming
FASTTRACK server really add to the mix. Now if we could just get some work
on the (COBOL) compilers!

Gary L. Biggs, N5TTO
[log in to unmask]
Interex SIG Allbase Chair

"Abandon all hope, Ye who Inter(net) here" --
Dante, over the portal(router) to Hell