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Overview

Sapphire/Web is an application development tool for HyperText Markup Language (HTML), which creates Common Gateway Interface (CGI) executables through "Visual Programming", or more precisely, through a method called "Visual Object Linking". The Objects being linked are HTML fragments contained in HTML files. These HTML files use Graphical User Interface (GUI) Objects with server-like objects; such as, database SQL; database Stored Procedures; Functions; Executables; and Files. The server objects can be located anywhere in your network or enterprise.

The CGI executables produced by Sapphire/Web are C/C++ based executables in the classic sense. This architecture has significant advantages over other techniques:

1. Sapphire/Web allows you to debug your CGI using your favorite debugger. One major problem with many scripting languages and interpretive systems is that they do not lend themselves to debugging.

2. Sapphire/Web CGIs are more efficient, robust, and secure than many scripting techniques because these techniques use hundreds of shells, fired off per each user click. Other approaches have one large monolithic server trying to service all requests, and even trying to maintain state on the Web.

3. You can integrate your own C/C++ code, files or libraries, building on your legacy code and developer experience. There are no proprietary or obtuse new scripting languages to learn.

4. Sapphire/Web offers you the control to group your HTML files into a logical grouping, such as a CGI or project. The number of HTML files grouped into a particular project depends upon you. This is in contrast to other approaches which either lump all your HTMLs into one large monolithic monster, or have one or many scripts per HTML file (a configuration nightmare).

5. Sapphire/Web uses the concept of HTML templates¯normal HTML files read at runtime by the CGI, giving you "live" documents. If you change the HTML document using your favorite editor, the change appears on the next user click without rebuild, retest, or calling in the consultants. The database data will always be live, in contrast to applications that bury HTML in a script, or applications stored in a database that is inaccessible to your publishing tool. Sapphire/Web is accessible at all levels.

6. Sapphire/Web provides all the features you would expect from an industrial strength tool: hooks to your favorite source code control tool (HTML files and C files); debug capability; project management; code reuse; and customer support. These functions are notoriously absent in scripting approaches, freeware, and interpretive-based tools.

7. Sapphire/Web's visual programming technique allows a novice with little or no knowledge of C/C++, databases, or HTML, to build robust, complete applications within minutes.
Sapphire/Web's use of C/C++, SQL, and Stored Procedures allows experienced developers to build complex, exciting, and robust applications in a fraction of the time it used to take. Developers can easily build objects to be used by the novice or others in the enterprise.


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