[comp.sys.mac.programmer] Front Ends

md28+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael David Dosik) (09/13/89)

I've been delegated the responsibilities of researching the
possibilities of installing a front end user interface on the Macintosh
for Ingres running on a mainframe, a VAX I believe.  I don't know many
of the details yet but if anyone has any ideas as to where I should
start looking for such a beast, i.e. Hypercard, etc., of if anyone has
had any experience with something similar and would like to share their
experiences I'd really appreciate it.  Thanks in advance.


md28@andrew.cmu.edu
Michael Dosik
Administrative Systems
Carnegie Mellon

chaffee@reed.UUCP (Alex Chaffee) (09/16/89)

In article <sZ3LDRW00V4A82P1UF@andrew.cmu.edu> md28+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael David Dosik) writes:
>
>I've been delegated the responsibilities of researching the
>possibilities of installing a front end user interface on the Macintosh
>for Ingres running on a mainframe, a VAX I believe.  I don't know many
>of the details yet but if anyone has any ideas as to where I should
>start looking for such a beast, i.e. Hypercard, etc., of if anyone has
>had any experience with something similar and would like to share their
>experiences I'd really appreciate it.  Thanks in advance.
>
>
>md28@andrew.cmu.edu
>Michael Dosik
>Administrative Systems
>Carnegie Mellon

Now, I don't know what "Ingres" is... but as far as Macintosh front-ends for
mainframe programs go, the first place to look is MacWorkstation.  This is a
set of programs which run on the Mac and respond to commands from the
mainframe by putting up custom windows and dialogs and that sort of thing,
and communicate back to the mainframe in response.  I've read through one of
the manuals, and it looks pretty straightforward to use.  Of course, I've
never _programmed_ with the thing... but a friend has, and he says the
hardest thing to master is not the user interface, but the communications.

It should be available from APDA, and it surely entails some licensing fees.

			"Gee, Batman -- is there anything you _don't_ know?"
				"Why, yes, Robin.  Several things, in fact."
-- 
Alex Chaffee
chaffee@reed.UUCP
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