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1993-07-22
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Information Access A.06.00
New Features in A.06.00
=======================
Name Change
-----------
NewWave Access is now called Information Access for Windows.
New Report Writer
-----------------
A new version of Access Reports with a large number of new features:
~ Drag fields between sections
~ Context sensitive help
~ Promotion/Demotion of sections. This allows you to change the level
of a section without recreating the entire report.
~ Zoom Print Preview for viewing the entire page
~ Browse Fields gives you sample values capabilities in many dialogue
boxes
~ Grid Alignment - Improved from 1/8 inch to 1/24 inch
~ Right Mouse on Section - Easier hiding, changing format, etc.
Additionally, hidden sections can be unhidden using a right mouse.
~ Improved printing options
~ Shift Select allows you to choose more than one field at a time,
then change the format, font, etc. of the fields - A great time
saver.
~ Automatic Field Titles
~ Insert multiple fields at one time
~ Expanded ICON button bar - Including Print to File, and others
~ Real Field Length for Field Cursor - Alignment of fields is made a
lot easier as the outline of the field is shown during placement!
~ Status Bar now displays valuable information
~ Margins now appear in the Report Editor as dashed lines
~ Increase/decrease sections by dragging on line
~ Increase Workspace - Abbreviate section information for greatly
increased workspace on the screen.
~ New Field Info button displays field data type, length, and a list
of field values
~ Memo fields (older version was limited to 80 characters)
~ Borders - Border facility enables you to create boxes, line
highlights and drop shadows
~ Variance and Standard Deviation summary field total types
~ New Menu commands:
File|Print to Printer - You can print from File or Print menus
Edit|Report Title - Edit the title of the report
Insert|Graphic & Edit|Graphic - You can now add graphics to your
report (.pcx, .bmp, .gif, .tif, .tga)
Print|Select Printer enables you to change the printer, page
orientation, etc.
Print|Set Printer Margins - Use to get hard page margins for your
report.
Print|Select Records & Print Select|Groups have been made easier to
use.
~ New Formula Functions:
ToWords - For converting numbers to words, like when writing a
check.
Variance Functions - For statistical variance
Standard Deviation Functions
Evaluation Time Functions - Evaluate formulas at varying times
Repeat Functions - Repeats characters
User Defined Functions - Write your own functions in C and include
them in a DLL
Misc
----
* Search Condition Variable Values agent and DDE commands
* Print Report to File from the Information Access Report menu,
including DDE and NewWave agent task commands
* Output to Excel .XLS format
* A new "Private Help" facility. This enhancement allows data
managers to provide customized help files for their IA end
users. For more information, look at "Creating Customized Help"
in the main Help topics.
* Support for INFORMIX Outer Joins.
* Support for ALLBASE Outer Joins
* Fixed defects
WINSOCK
-------
* Support for the WINSOCK Windows TCP/IP 1.1 sockets standard.
This will allow Information Access to work with the following network
operating system client products when accessing ALLBASE, ORACLE,
INFORMIX, PROGRESS and INGRES on HP-UX:
Stability Based On
Network OS Client Product Our Testing
----------------------------------- ------------------
1. NetManage TCP/IP version 3.1 Most stable
2. LAN Workplace for DOS, 4.2 .
3. Microsoft LAN Manager/Microsoft .
Workgroup for Windows .
4. FTP Inc. PC/TCP version 2.2 Least stable
5. Others, as they are rolled out. Not Tested
Check with the client O/S company
for when they will support WINSOCK
Windows TCP/IP 1.1.
Be aware, however, that most of the WINSOCK 1.1 providers (FTP,
Novel, etc.) are still shaking out defects in their code. Take note of
the "stability matrix". Make sure that you are testing with the latest
and greatest WINSOCK.DLL from the particular company.
ODBC
----
* Support for the Open Database Connectivity API (ODBC). This SHOULD
allow access to any database that supports an ODBC driver, but BE AWARE.
All ODBC drivers are still in the Alpha and Beta phase and it will
take A LOT of time to flush out all of the problems with these new
drivers. If at all possible, sell a solution that does NOT use ODBC.
Access to dBASE and Paradox via ODBC have some advantages over our own
local engine (formulas, outerjoins, etc.).
However, our current connections to ALLBASE, ORACLE, INFORMIX, INGRES,
PROGRESS (HP Information Access SQL/UX server based), SYBASE, SQLBase,
Microsoft SQL Server, Red Brick Warehouse and IBI/EDA (direct via vendor
API) ARE SUPPERIOR TO ANY ODBC DRIVER CONNECTION!!!!
If ODBC support is needed, however, work with me, Guy Randazzo, at
(916) 785-4816, to qualify it because of all defects in the ODBC
drivers that are are still in the early stages of development.
New Features in A.05
====================
Report Writer
-------------
Info Access now includes a full report writer, Access Reports. Once Info
Access is installed, you will see that a new menu has been added "Report".
This menu has the following commands:
Report
Create/Edit Report Used to enter Access Reports to Create and
or Edit your report layout.
Clear Report Used to delete the existing report layout to
start over. The next time you enter Access
Reports, you will start with a fresh default
layout.
Print Report Will start Access Reports and print the
existing report.
Preview Report Will start Access Reports and automatically
preview the report.
Formulas
--------
Information Access now lets you define formulas for use in a view
definition.
Formulas can be based on both arithmetic operations and SQL function calls.
The calculations can incorporate arithmetic values and column values. With
this capability you can create calculated columns in the View Columns
window, sort your data view based on calculated columns, and specify search
conditions using a formula definition.
In addition to defining formulas for a specific data view, you can also
share formulas among other data views that use the same NWACCESS.INI file.
For a description of how to define, maintain, and share formulas look under
'formulas' in the Task Index of Information Access Help.
New Data Sources
----------------
Information Access can now connect to 2 new servers:
* IBI's Enterprise Data Access (IBI/EDA) Server - EDA integrates
heterogeneous distributed DBMSs by providing a cohesive model of
system functionality - independent of diverse data representations,
system software characteristics, communication protocols and hardware
environments.
* Red Brick's Gold Mine Server - The Gold Mine data access technology
provides a high speed query server that can significantly improve
query performance, from 10X to 40X, and a query language, RISQL,
which allows the user to easily express complex, important business
queries. With use of RISQL query response can go up to 100X current
response levels. Direct user benefits include:
* The ability to perform more interactive ad hoc analyses
* Asking more complex business questions not currently possible
with standard ANSI SQL.
* Reducing the cost of producing batch reports
* Reducing system costs by lowering connect time and eliminating
stored aggregates.
Convert Out Enhancements
------------------------
Information Access for Windows and the NewWave Desktop
The 'Convert Out' feature now supports two Lotus 1-2-3 formats. In
addition to Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.0 (.WK1), you can now select Lotus
1-2-3 for Windows, Release 3.0 (.WK3).
Information Access for the NewWave Desktop
The 'Convert Out' feature now supports three object types. You can
now convert out a Information Access object to a Lotus 1-2-3 object
in one of two formats: Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.0 (.WK1) or Lotus
1-2-3 for Windows, Release 3.0 (.WK3). As a third option, you can
convert out a Information Access object to a NotePad object.
For more on these enhancements, refer to 'Convert out' in Information
Access Help.
Network Installation Notes
--------------------------
Network installation notes have been added to the 'Troubleshooting and
technical topics' section of Information Access help. This topic describes
how to install Info Access for a range of network scenarios. Each scenario
includes a step-by-step description of the installation procedure.
Activities are split into network administrator tasks and user tasks.
From the initial screen in Information Access Help, select 'Troubleshooting
and technical topics'. Under Setup, select 'Network installation notes'.
Agent Task (NewWave Desktop Users Only)
---------------------------------------
New Report Writer Agent Task
SAVE
PRINT_REPORT
The PRINT_REPORT prints a report using the current report definition
file. The SAVE is necessary before the PRINT_REPORT to pull all the
data down to the PC before invoking the report writer.
New Convert Out Agent Tasks
CONVERT_OUT TO LOTUS_WK3_FILE filename_string CREATE
CONVERT_OUT TO LOTUS_WJ2_FILE filename_string CREATE
CONVERT_OUT TO NOTEPAD_OBJECT filename_string CREATE
CONVERT_OUT TO LOTUS_OBJECT filename_string CREATE
New Character Sets for Connections
SHIFTJIS, the Japanese 16-bit character set, can now be selected as
the character set in the create or modify connection agent tasks.
You may specify SHIFTJIS as an option in any of the agent tasks that
support the selection of ISO8859, PC8, and ROMAN8.
Formula Agent Tasks
DEFINE_FORMULA "name_string" EQUALS "formula"
MODIFY_FORMULA "name_string" EQUALS "formula" TO
"name_string" EQUALS "formula"
DELETE_FORMULA "name_string"
SHARE_FORMULA "name_string"
SHOW_FORMULA_LIST
name_string - The name you have assigned to the formula. The
name_string must be bracketed by quotation marks.
Note: If you are connected to Access Server, the formula name
can be up to 16 characters long. The name must begin with an
alphabetic character and it can only contain alphabetic
characters, numeric characters, or one of the following symbols:
+, -, /, ', ?, #, %, &, and @.
formula - The formula definition (not to exceed 1024 bytes). A
formula's syntax varies among different database
servers. Use the appropriate syntax for the selected
server. formula must be bracketed by quotation marks.
Example
DEFINE_FORMULA "total" EQUALS "inventory.quantity * prod.price"
New Features in A.04.01
=======================
* New Convert Out options:
~ Lotus 1-2-3, Version 3.0 File Format (.WK3)
~ Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows NewWave Object (Requires NewWave 4.0
(C.01.00) or greater)
~ Notepad NewWave Object
* The workaround described in "Dateline Europe" for European date
formats in no longer needed. The defect that forced the need for
this workaround has been fixed.
* Misc. other defect fixes
New Features in A.04.00
=======================
* Access to New Data Sources:
Paradox
INGRES on HP 3000 running MPE/iX (Requires Information Access SQL/iX)
INGRES on HP 9000 Series 800 running HP-UX (Requires Information
Access SQL/UX)
INFORMIX on HP 9000 Series 800 running HP-UX (Requires
Information Access SQL/UX)
PROGRESS on HP 9000 Series 800 running HP-UX (Requires
Information Access SQL/UX)
Gupta SQLBase
SYBASE
Microsoft SQL Server
Note: Microsoft/Sybase SQL SERVER and Gupta SQLBase do not
require Information Access SQL server software, but do require
similar components from the respective database vendor.
* Windows Only - This version will run independently of NewWave in a
Windows environment (or encapsulated under NewWave as a Windows
application) including:
~ Windows based installation (includes OLE registration and
creation of HP Access Group in Windows)
~ Full integration with client applications that support Dynamic
Data Exchange (DDE) including the ability to pass
sophisticated commands via the macro capability of client
applications such as Excel, Word for Windows and Lotus 1-2-3.
~ Full integration with client applications that support Object
Linking and Embedding.
~ Drag/Drop Printing in Windows 3.1
* Comma Separated Variable (CSV) Convert Out
* Picture format on clipboard
* Improved reporting capability including:
~ Ability to rename column names in the Data View window
~ Ability to change fonts in the Data View window for display and
printing
~ Page Layout Header/Footer macros similar to Excel
* "Motif" look in the View Definition Window
* Improved logging/tracing facility
* Minor usability improvements in the View Definition window
* Improved Native Language Support when accessing ALLBASE/SQL
NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! NOTE!
=======================================================================
It is an excellent idea to always have SHARE.EXE loaded when
running under MS Windows to prevent file corruption via multiple
file access. With Information Access, if you are going to
access ANY local data source, R:Base, dBASE or Paradox, you MUST
have SHARE.EXE loaded. To load SHARE.EXE, simply run the program
from the DOS prompt. It can be found in your MS DOS subdirectory,
usually \DOS. It is highly recommended that SHARE.EXE be
automatically loaded. To do this, add a line that looks like this
to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE
Substitute C:\DOS with the correct drive and location. Failing
to do the above will result in DM074 errors whenever you access any
local data sources (R:Base, dBASE or Paradox).