Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac.programmer:11834 comp.sys.dec.micro:1044 comp.sys.misc:2641 comp.os.vms:21793
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!mcsun!unido!sbsvax!muller
From: muller@sbsvax.UUCP (Francois Muller)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer,comp.sys.dec.micro,comp.sys.misc,comp.os.vms
Subject: stock management system.
Keywords: stock
Message-ID: <2279@sbsvax.UUCP>
Date: 19 Jan 90 16:00:19 GMT
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Universitaet des Saarlandes, Saarbruecken, W-Germany
Lines: 27

We have to solve the following industrial applications problem:

for a vehicle factory, a stock management system connected to a full automatic (i.e. "ro
botized") stock has to be implemented. That means, the stocking system is provided with
a microprocessor which accepts standardized messages of fixed length (like "go to location 
(X,Y,Z) and take part no. i") via a V24 link.
The company which produces the stock system usually delivers it as a package including a
MICRO-VAX 2, stock management software (which supports the described message-passing), the
whole bunch running under VMS.
As the existing stock management software seems to be unsatisfying, we have to reimplement 
it, so our first question is: do powerful (database-management) tools exist on the MICRO-VAX
(VMS/UNIX?) which also allow the use of low level subroutines to manage the message handling (
which consists of sending and receiving ASCII value-blocks) ?
The second question raises because of the amount of data, which is relatively small (around 7000
items to store) and of the intention to install the whole as a single user system: this would 
make the use of a smaller system a far better choice and significantly reduce costs. That's
why we'd really appreciate some suggestions from the small system users about the following
points:
-what about using a MAC2 and 4D? Is there a possibility to call low-level procedures?
-I heard about a MAC C-compiler with "database toolbox"...
-What about comparable solutions on 386-based machines ?
-other suggestions (hardware, software)

Thanks in advance!!                      

P.S. if this article seems misplaced to anyone, say it!  :-)  :-)