OOFILE is for people who want to write database applications in C++
OOFILE is not just about database storage, although we think we have one of the best API's around.
OOFILE is about all the little and not-so-little behaviours that make a complete package, the work required to link your database to a user interface.
OOFILE is about a full package - ancillaries such as graphing and report-writers supplied in source code and with smooth integration. The same database view that is used to display a list on the screen can be fed to a graph or any of 4 different report-writers.
We are selling ‘comfort’.
If you don’t like anything, tell us and we’ll (probably) change it or give you an alternative.
If you need to do something and you can’t see how to do it in OOFILE (or our competitors) then please ask us.
If there’s something you don't like about framework-based c++ development, tell us even if it has nothing to do with databases. One of the key ideas in OOFILE is ‘human interface design for programmers.’ Maybe we can help make other frameworks easier to program (you never know until you lobby).
The current (c-tree Plus) backend of OOFILE gives you royalty-free portability to Mac, Windows, OS/2 Windows NT and more Unix versions than I can count. We picked Faircom’s c-tree Plus because it is scalable to client-server and has a world-wide reputation for portability, speed and reliability. Faircom are very happy with our arrival — it gives a c-oriented company somewhere to send all those c++ programmers.
What's in this Demo Release
You get a compiled binary library of the core OOFILE from version 1.3b4d7, tested with CW12.
You do not get examples of the PowerPlant interfaces, or a PowerPC demo library. Please see our web site. Due to last-minute pressures these demos were unable to be prepared in time for CW12 (amongst other things, I spent too much time on the LTextTableView classes).
This is limited to 2 tables and 10 indexes per table. However, you can have as many records as you like. This should let you test writing some big databases.
This demo library contains binaries licensed from Faircom for testing purposes only and must not be used for commercial development. Please don’t abuse our trust (and my negotiations). It wasn’t easy getting permission to release a demo without limits on number of records or a use-by date!
The ‘docs’ folder contains the HTML-based documentation. However, due to the CD burn schedule these are not the latest docs. Please see our web site for more recent versions (contact info at the end of this document).
The 'Buildable, limited OOFILE' folder contains CodeWarrior projects (OOF DEMO.µ) to let you build any of the sample programs. These are both IDE 1.7.4 and the new IDE 2 projects.
The test suite serves two purposes:
1) it provides a stable set of regression tests. Each beta release has been tested inhouse on CodeWarrior, Borland and g++ (SunOS) at least, before release.
2) each program illustrates usually just one feature of OOFILE (eg: editing related values). Keeping the programs small lets you focus on just one feature at a time.
PowerPlant Integration and Demo Application
The OOFILE AppMaker folder contains:
- the AppMaker document used as a starting point
- an "OOFILE AppMaker ReadMe" to explain more.
- the source of Contacts1, generated by our AppMaker 2.0b6 templates
- A compiled copy of Contacts1, just to show you what it should work like if anything goes wrong in your build process.
What’s Happening with OOFILE
OOFGraph - our graphing framework has been released with a RAM-based copy of OOFILE included.
Personal OOFILE has been released providing a persistent RAM-based OOFILE as well as a version using dBase III+ and dBase IV files. This is also useful for data exchange with old systems and products such as MS Access, SQL Windows and Visual BASIC
Our MFC development is progressing well, with porting of the report-writer and graphing engine completed and our GUI integration classes hopefully finished by the time you read this.
Honesty & Geography
A.D. Software is a small company, chasing the ‘virtual corporation’ dream.
We're also ‘hemispherically challenged’. Yes, home base is in Perth, Western Australia.
These two factors are responsible for the lower pricing of OOFILE, in comparison with established OODBMS products such as POET™.
OOFILE is very much a child of the Internet, with ideas and features refined by international testers from an early stage. We offer sales and support via the Internet and CompuServe.
By the way, the A.D. bit stands for Associated Developers. If you have a really cool idea for using OOFILE and you think it’s sellable, try us! We are eager to cut deals on a royalty or negotiated basis.
The Report Writer and dBase backends were developed on a 3rd party royalty basis.
OOFILE is a rapidly changing product, and we're pushing it out the door as soon as it’s useful. Glossy manuals are coming but not until we’ve finished adding cool features.
Contact Details
Australian Distributors
Techflow Pty Ltd
5/17 Mooramba Road
Dee Why NSW 2099
Phone (02) 9971 4311
Fax (02) 9982 3623
sales@techflow.com.au
European Distributors
Full Moon Software
PO Box 862, MAIDENHEAD, Berks SL6 0QJ UK
ph: +44 1628 660242 fax: +44 1628 666084
http://www.u-net.com/~moonweb/
sales@fullmoon.com
US Distributors
Xplain Corporation, through the MacTech Mail Order Store
productinfo@xplain.com
http://www.mactech.com
OOFILE Technical queries, and international sales
Andy Dent BSc MACS
President and OOFILE Product Architect
A.D. Software
94 Bermuda Drive
Ballajura, Western Australia 6066
Phone/Fax +61-9-249-2719
CompuServe: 100033,3241
Internet: dent@highway1.com.au
ftp://ftp.highway1.com.au/pub/adsoftware/
http://www.highway1.com.au/adsoftware/
OOFILE - “the cross-platform OODBMS that speaks c++"
