Extending Informix 4GL Programming Capabilities Using FourGen CASE Tools

1
Extending Informix 4GL Programming
CapabilitiesUsingFourGen CASE Tools
2
FourGen CASE ToolsHighlights

• Form Painter
• Screen Code Generator
• Featurizer
• Report Generator
• Menuing System
• Enterprise/iDeskTop aka ED8
• Source Code Control System
• Object Oriented Design
• XML based Schema Management Tools

3
FourGen CASE ToolsCode Generation Path
4
Advantages of using FourGen CASE Tools

• 4 to 10 times increased productivity over 3GL
  development
• 5 to 10 times faster than other 4GL coding
• Speeds up initial development AND reduces ongoing
  cost of program maintenance
• Over 80 of the cost of software is ongoing
  maintenance
• Facilitates user/developer communication

5
Why FourGen CASE Tools?

• Structured Code
• Automatic Code Documentation
• Code Design Standards
• User Interface Standards
• Version Control
• Generated code is Modifiable By Design (MBD)
• Multi-language Code Generation

6
Why FourGen CASE Tools?

• GUI Character user selected interfaces

OR
7
FourGen CASE ToolsForm Painter

• Create new or update existing forms
• Creates 100 Informix 4GL compatible .pers
• Various types of forms supported header,
  header/detail, query, zooms etc.
• Easy to define zooms, lookups validation
  functionality
• Link many forms easily effectively
• Developer-friendly interface
• Detail Explosion Present additional detail data
  on same screen

8
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• 100 Informix 4GL Code
• Hooks in generated code allows developers to
  add custom code
• Organizes code into separate .4GLs namely
• globals.4gl, main.4gl, header.4gl, detail.4gl,
  midlevel.4gl for input screens
• Dynamic arrays for line items no more arr_max
  hassle
• Automatically generates GUI Code

9
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Program Main Header

10
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Program Main Header / Detail

11
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Browse Form

12
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Zoom

13
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Query

14
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Extension Form

15
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Add-on Detail

16
FourGen CASE Tools Screen Code Generator

• Add-on

17
FourGen CASE Tools Featurizer

• Merges generated code custom code
• Generated code remains untouched
• FourGen Featurizer reads instructions in
  extension files to modify source code
• With Block commands you place code based on the
  inserted block tags
• Add new business logic or customize flow logic
  without modifying original source code
• Change in a screen or schema, just regenerate
  code to reapply your changes

18
FourGen CASE ToolsReport Generator

• Create Informix 4GL reports programs using report
  image file
• Organizes code into separate .4GLs namely
• globals.4gl, main.4gl, report.4gl, midlevel.4gl,
  lowlevel.4gl for report programs
• Includes the following sections
• Layout
• Attributes
• Select
• Language
• Schedule
• Concurrency

19
FourGen Reports presented in a browser
20
FourGen CASE ToolsMenuing System

• FourGen Menus
• Menu options can be single or multiple characters
  with description
• Flexible menu option format
• Each menu submenu has its own directory
• Menu option can use hotkey option
• Predefined structure can be utilized for
  Enterprise Application
• Windows Explorer-like Menu interface available
  via iDesktop for GUI

21
FourGen Menus
22
FourGen CASE ToolsEnterprise Desktop

• Windows based GUI generator
• Reads database for screens that make up a program
• Generates VB Forms from Informix Forms
• Creates GUI Executables from VB Forms
• GUI menu program presents menus in Explorer-like
  format

23
FourGen CASE ToolsEnterprise Desktop
Win 2000
24
FourGen CASE ToolsSource Code Control System

• FourGen SCCS originally developed in mid 1980s
• Builds on top of sccs utilities in UNIX
• Advantages
• Extremely robust
• Easy to use
• Tight control of code
• Included in FourGen CASE Tools

25
FourGen CASE ToolsSource Code Control System

• FourGen SCCS primary programs

26
FourGen CASE Tools Schema Management Tools

• FourGen DBmerge
• Allows you to control schema
• Provides audit trail of schema changes when used
  with FourGen SCCS
• All schema information standard data stored in
  XML format

27
FourGen CASE Tools Schema Management Tools

• FourGen Dbmerge programs

28
FourGen CASE ToolsNEW FEATURES in FourGen CASE
Tools V8.1

• Dynamic Array Model No more hard coding of of
  array elements.
• User Defined Notes on Screens Multiple note
  types and notes for each line of detail.
• Add-on hdr/dtl, add-on view hdr/dtl, extension
  hdr/dtl etc. are few of new Form Types
• Detail Explosion Detail to Detail line for
  hdr/dtl screens
• Zoom picker function standardized
• Grids replace temporary tables index em,
  random access em, unload em even in .csv
  formats
• Primary Keys instead of Row IDs
• Global elements reduction scratch, sql_filter,
  sql_order removed p q variables moved to
  header.4gl detail.4gl files
• Function Metrics Trace your program control
  within functions
• DB Merge Utilities Made Easy Supports XML
  formats
• Defer or force referential constraints using
  Library Functions
• Encryption Functions available handy for
  securing your info
• SIGNAL Trapping
• Archive Purge - Set your own selection and
  rejection rules and save them as catalogs for
  successive runs or run these programs as batch
  jobs.
• iDesktop GUI Front-End now available with
  secure shell (SSH) communication protocol for
  added security.

29
FourGen CASE Tools
Gillani iDistribute v8.1 A complete end-to-end
Supply Chain Management solution with a unique
combination of planning, execution, collaboration
and monitoring capabilities delivering
extraordinary business results for its users.
Delivered via the web, the system provides
advanced Order Management capabilities,
integrated with a comprehensive Warehouse and
Branch Inventory Management and Replenishment
System. WRITTEN USING FOURGEN CASE TOOLS.
30

• Questions?
• Contact Sales sales_at_gillani.com
• Phone [phone]
• URL www.gillani.com