Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!sun-barr!ames!amdahl!rtech!squid!robf
From: robf@squid.rtech.com (Robert Fair)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: ingres, alt method for building abf applications
Message-ID: <2872@rtech.rtech.com>
Date: 8 May 89 12:48:34 GMT
References: <1506@infinet.UUCP>
Sender: news@rtech.rtech.com
Reply-To: robf@squid.UUCP (Robert Fair)
Organization: Relational Technology, Inc.
Lines: 31

First, the good news, in INGRES 6.1 there is a utility called 'abfimage'
which is callable from the command line, and basically does the same thing
as the "Image" menu option within ABF, but is non-interactive so it can 
be called from scripts, makefiles etc. Options allow you to do a conditional
image (recompile whats necessary), force a full re-image etc.

For ESQL/EQUEL users there is also a new utility called "compform" which
will compile a VIFRED frame to source code, allowing you to avoid using
VIFRED when doing batch compiles/makes.

Both of these commands  are described  in the SQL/QUEL Reference manual in the 
section on  operating system commands.

BTW for anyone not at the IUA, INGRES 6.2 BETA has a full OSL interpreter
for the "Go" option, but still generates machine  object code for "Image",
so development is faster, and you still get the benefit of a compiled image
for the production version.

For 5.0 users, some recent ports have a  version of "abfimage" included on 
the tape (I don't know which ones). Check the release notes for your particular
version to see if its on the tape, and whether or  not its supported.

Trying to directly compile OSL/OSQ code  in 5.0 without  ABF/ABFIMAGE is not
easy, since the 5.0 OSL compiler  was written to be called as a subprocess - 
command line arguements include things like the file descriptors to use 
when talking to the backend etc. 

Hope this helps,

Robert Fair
RTI Tech Support