Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!eos!aurora!labrea!decwrl!pyramid!uccba!hal!ncoast!allbery
From: allbery@ncoast.UUCP (Brandon Allbery)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Need a menuing system for use under oracle
Message-ID: <7516@ncoast.UUCP>
Date: 16 Mar 88 22:40:54 GMT
References: <248@rencon.UUCP> <189@bcsfse.UUCP>
Reply-To: allbery@ncoast.UUCP (Brandon Allbery)
Followup-To: comp.databases
Organization: Cleveland Public Access UN*X, Cleveland, Oh
Lines: 43

As quoted from <189@bcsfse.UUCP> by bill@bcsfse.UUCP (Bill Sears):
+---------------
| separate process every time we want to run a new form.  It takes some time
| (approx. 30 seconds) for SQL*forms to setup the mailbox link to the database
| server.  This results in a performance problem because of all of the forms
| that we run.
+---------------

...and people wonder why I prefer Unify/Accell...  The Unify menu handler
keeps primed Enter (and Accell/Manager if you run Accell) processes around to
instantly start up applications, communicating with them via pipes.  Very nice!

The ironic thing about this subject thread is that Oracle advertises an
SQL*Menu product... but I have yet to see it except under Mis-Dos.

+---------------
| As an aside, all of the analysts in this group feel that SQL*forms as a
| user/database interface is virtually unusable in all but very simplistic
| models.  Has anyone had any success using SQL*forms to develop a complex 
| application?  We have had far more success using PRO*C and HLI.  I realize
| that "complex" is a subjective term but we are talking about interface and
| coordination of up to 6 tables at a time.
+---------------

Well, it's certainly a major pain in the *ss.  A pity, since the Oracle
kernel is a very good product.  But I have to wonder about a product where
simple projections from other files (enter account number, look up and display
account description) are far more difficult to specify than in Informix's
Perform (use "lookup" attribute) or Unify's Enter (if it's an explicit
relationship, just create the field!).  [Alas, that's about the only thing
Enter has going for it.]

As for forms interfaces in general:  if someone took SQL*Forms and Accell
and combined their best features, the result would be one d*mned good forms
handler.  Alas, nobody's done it, and each has its little quirks that can make
development more difficult.  (My experience is that Accell is farther along in
this area, but it could use keyboard macros of the SQL*Forms kind.)

Disclaimer:  I don't work for any of these companies, I just make a living
writing applications under their products.
-- 
	      Brandon S. Allbery, moderator of comp.sources.misc
       {well!hoptoad,uunet!hnsurg3,cbosgd,sun!mandrill}!ncoast!allbery