Richard writes:
> Looks to me like we could do this from Java on the 3000 (using Oracle's
> pure Java thin client on the 3000), but how do we call Java from Cobol
> (or pass data IPC style in between)?

There are currently a few ways to do this, and we're working on some
others.

It's possible to call the Java VM from a COBOL program, though this will
incur some startup overhead to "spin up" the VM every time you call it.

There is also something in JNI (the Java Native Interface) called the
"Invocation API" that allows you to startup a VM and interact with it.
This hasn't been tested on MPE as far as I know.

You can run your Java code as a completely separate process or job, and
communicate with it via sockets, message files, etc.

You can have the driving part of your application written in Java and
use JNI to make calls to your COBOL (or whatever) code.

HP's JDBC driver will let you access Image/SQL and Allbase/SQL databases
on the 3000 from any Java platform.

Using the Oracle Thin Client and Java on the 3000, you should be able to
access remote Oracle databases on your network from Java code on the 3000.
This does not require Oracle, Allbase, Image/SQL, or a JDBC server on the
3000.  It's "100% pure Java".

We'll be talking about a bunch of this stuff, and the significant
improvements to Java for the HP3000 in the forthcoming (currently in
alphabeta) JDK 1.1.7 release at IPROF, and in a special pre-IPROF
session the day before which is being make possible by the generosity
of the SigImage Executive Committee, which is making their meeting
room at the Hilton available to us in the evening (formal announcement
momentarily...)

G.