smarc@mas.UUCP (Marc Siegel) (06/30/90)
I have worked with Informix products for many years, and written many systems with them. I've worked with version 3.3, SQL, 4GL, C-ISAM, and ESQL. Also have used their new rapid development system, and Turbo. Yes, 4GL can do nearly everything you mentioned in your article, in vanilla form, that is, right out of the box. However, you mention ESQL in your subject line. 4GL and ESQL are two totally different products. I doubt that you want to use ESQL. It requires that you write in C, and bind in SQL statement/calls to retrive and write your data (Assuming that you use ESQL/C, there is also an ESQL/COBOL product). > Hi world, > > I am interested in using a 4GL language on a Unisys Unix box. > The client already has Informix 4GL, but is flexible. > I used Informix 3.3 a loooong time ago on an ATT 3B2 and it was quite > a nice product. > However, before I advise the client on anything I wonder if Informix 4GL > can handle the following.. > > 1 - Multi-screen forms for data entry 4GL can do multiple screens, but you need to code decent logic to switch them. > 2 - Context sensitive help Yes, based upon the current field. > 3 - Field editing via Picture templates (like dBASE PICTURE "999" etc..) Absolutely, many formating models available. > 4 - Light bar menus, both horizontal and vertical Well, verticle is problem, 4GL's menu command does a ring menu. You could code your own horizontal menus. > Pop up and Pull down menus will be nice!! You can pop up a window, scroll through choices, and select one. No pull down menus though, have to roll your own. > 5 - Ability to recognize the function keys F1 to F12 in a data entry form > (eg F1 could mean Help, F2 - Could mean Add this record etc...) No problem here. > 6 - Can link in C language code Works great, Informix provides a _reasonable_ C interface. > 7 - WSYIWYG screen form creation (or screen painting) Well, you create it with VI (or whatever) and layout the fields and screen text literally where you want it. A little bit of planning ahead goes a looong way. _ | Marc Siegel ' )--,--, | Randallstown, Maryland / / / __. __ _ | {uunet}!wb3ffv!mas!smarc / / (_(_/|_/ (_(_' | smarc@mas.wb3ffv.AMPR.ORG ===============================================================================