HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
HP ALLBASE/4GL is Available
by Peter Westhorp--Australian Software Operation
HP ALLBASE/4GL is an advanced fourth-generation language (4GL) now
available on MPE XL systems. It is especially suited to the rapid
development of transaction-based, data-processing applications.
Applications developed in ALLBASE/4GL can be simply loaded onto any other
computer running ALLBASE/4GL (previously known on HP-UX systems as HP
TODAY).
ALLBASE/4GL PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The purpose of fourth-generation languages is to improve the productivity
of application developers, and simplify or reduce application
maintenance. ALLBASE/4GL achieves these goals within a single,
integrated environment for the total application development life-cycle:
design, development, testing, implementation, and maintenance.
Design Screens, Reports
Instead of coding HOW things should happen, the application developer
uses screen forms to define WHAT should happen. For instance, the
development Dictionary stores definitions of fields, messages, record
layouts, etc. Simply referencing these central definitions during
development incorporates the elements in the application. To simplify
maintenance, changes to Dictionary definitions are disseminated
throughout an application at the touch of a key.
Screen design, which previously required paper layouts and counting rows
and columns, can now be conducted directly on the terminal. The powerful
Screen Painter within ALLBASE/4GL allows you to position text literals
simply by typing them, and fields are created by pressing a function key.
When the design is completed, there is no screen-handling code to
maintain: the screen is a complete element in its own right. Menus,
data screens and windows are all created with equal ease. Since a screen
in an ALLBASE/4GL application is a processing entity, you only need to
complete a few additional forms to also provide all the fundamental data
validation, editing and movement, without code.
Similar productivity is provided by the ALLBASE/4GL Report Writer. This
allows interactive design with your terminal as a window onto the report.
Naturally, multiple files can be included in a report, with complex
sorting or additional functions as required.
Develop Logic, Data Management
The ALLBASE/4GL integrated data manager provides a choice of file
management. Typical of 4GLs, this product is well matched with the
flexibility and productivity afforded by a relational database managed
with the ALLBASE relational database management system (DBMS). Blocks of
Structured Query Language (SQL) logic can be defined within an
ALLBASE/4GL application. For specialized purposes, the data manager also
interfaces to KSAM and serial (flat) files.
While ALLBASE/4GL easily handles the fundamental operations of
data-processing, it also provides various powerful logic constructs to
customize applications. High-level commands are arranged in processes
and functions (analogous to programs and routines in traditional
languages). Other constructs include decision tables (a simple way to
express powerful, nested if-then conditionals), and calculated items,
re-evaluated at each presentation.
Test as a User
ALLBASE/4GL is available in two versions. The Run-Time Environment (HP
30602A) includes everything needed to run (but not modify) a completed
ALLBASE/4GL application. The Developer Pack (HP 30601A) includes the
facilities for application development, plus facilities for running
applications as an end-user.
Hence the Developer package includes a complete set of test facilities.
Application elements can be tested individually, or a complete
application can be run as if by the end user. Step tracing, with trace
logfiles, is always available.
Leverage Implementation
Among the logic commands is EXTERNAL, which allows existing or
specialized code written in other languages to be called from an
ALLBASE/4GL application. Parameter passing is supported in both
directions. Thus, ALLBASE/4GL can be used to quickly provide a user
interface even for complex applications in other languages, or to
integrate a variety of existing applications behind a common interface.
Both versions of ALLBASE/4GL (Run-Time Environment and Developer Pack)
come complete with an Administration application. This allows tailoring
of application screen appearance, system-wide standards (such as date and
time formats), and control of end-user application security.
With tools as sophisticated as ALLBASE/4GL, maximum benefit can only be
gained with training. For this reason, the product includes a Self-Paced
Training Guide, as well as reference and administration manuals. The
following is a list of the product documentation available:
* HP ALLBASE/4GL Developer Administration Manual (P/N 30601-64001)
* HP ALLBASE/4GL Developer Self-Paced Training Guide (P/N 30601-64003)
* HP ALLBASE/4GL Developer Reference Manual (2 volumes) (P/N
30601-64005)
* HP ALLBASE/4GL Run-Time Administration Manual (P/N 30602-64001)