Transitioning : Informix 4GL to enterprise generation language (EGL) / Chuck Ballard et al.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ballard, Chuck.

Contributor:

Da Silva, Vlaunir.

Farrell, Daniel M.

Koerner, Alexander.

Sayles, Jonathan.

Series:

IBM redbooks.

Redbooks

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Database management--Computer programs.

Database management.

INFORMIX-4GL (Computer program language).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (924 p.)

Other Title:

Informix 4GL to enterprise generation language (EGL)

Place of Publication:

San Jose, CA : IBM, c2005.

Language Note:

English

System Details:

text file

Summary:

In this IBM Redbooks publication, we describe how Informix customers can upgrade their 4GL application development environment to the Rational Software Development platform, and, more specifically, transition to the Rational Enterprise Generation Language (EGL). EGL provides just the right balance of simplicity and flexibility, and enables application developers to focus on solving business problems rather than expending time and energy on technology. For example, Informix 4GL developers who are unfamiliar with Java can use EGL to quickly build data-driven Web applications and business logic. They can then write and debug their applications in EGL, and the Java code will be generated for them. So they can then build dynamic Web applications without having to learn the Java language. This provides significant advantages, enabling clients to minimize application development time and resource requirements. We give you an overview of EGL, its concepts and operations, and walk you through a step-by-step tutorial to develop an simple Web application. Included is an overview of the 4GL to EGL migration process and a sample application migration. You will be alerted to potential migration issues, and given the information to resolve them. We also include guidance for working with special database behavior and requirements, JasperReports, and a number of advanced EGL topics for developing robust and individualized applications.

Contents:

Front cover

Contents

Notices

Trademarks

Preface

The team that wrote this redbook

Become a published author

Comments welcome

Part 1 Introduction and overview

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 Contents abstract

1.2 IBM Enterprise Generation Language (EGL)

Chapter 2. IBM Informix 4GL

2.1 History of IBM Informix 4GL

2.1.1 Informix SQL (ISQL)

2.1.2 ISQL and IBM Informix 4GL

2.1.3 Time lines

2.2 IBM Informix 4GL source code review

2.2.1 4GL form files

2.2.2 4GL program types

2.2.3 4GL data entry screen form program

2.2.4 Thematic review of 4GL screen form program

2.2.5 Code review: 4GL data entry screen form program

2.2.6 Code review: lessons learned

2.2.7 4GL report program

2.2.8 Thematic review of the 4GL report program

2.2.9 Code review: 4GL report program

2.2.10 Code review: lessons learned

Chapter 3. Rational Software Development Platform

3.1 Top down IBM

3.1.1 IBM and the Rational brand

3.1.2 EGL integration

3.1.3 IBM EGL value proposition

3.1.4 Who uses IBM EGL?

3.1.5 History of EGL

3.2 Summary of IBM EGL tooling

Chapter 4. Installing and configuring RAD

4.1 System requirements

4.2 RAD 6.0 installation

4.2.1 Installing RAD from an electronic image

4.2.2 Install from the CD-ROM

4.3 RAD interim fix installation

4.3.1 Installation prerequisites

4.3.2 Online interim fix installation

4.3.3 Offline interim fix installation

4.3.4 Offline multiple interim fix installation

4.4 4GL to EGL conversion tool installation

4.4.1 Online 4GL to EGL CT installation

4.4.2 Offline 4GL to EGL CT installation

4.4.3 Offline RPU installation

4.5 IBM Informix JDBC™ driver installation

4.5.1 Installing IBM Informix JDBC driver in graphical mode

4.5.2 Installing IBM Informix JDBC driver in console mode.

4.5.3 Installing IBM Informix JDBC driver in silent mode

Chapter 5. Redbook 4GL reference application

5.1 The Stores demo database

5.2 The 4GL forms in reference application

5.3 The 4GL modules in a reference application

5.4 Remaining reference application files

Part 2 EGL basics and a simple EGL Web application

Chapter 6. Introduction to IBM EGL

6.1 IBM EGL Projects

6.2 IBM EGL packages, folders, and files

6.3 EGL parts

6.4 Other EGL language elements

Chapter 7. EGL language concepts

7.1 Prerequisites for this chapter

7.2 Setup to run the code in this chapter

7.2.1 Creating a new EGL (non-Web) Project

7.2.2 Creating EGL Packages

7.2.3 Adding an EGL Data Parts

7.2.4 Adding an EGL Program to our EGL Project

7.2.5 Generating, compiling, and running our EGL Program

7.2.6 Configuring our program to include JDBC client libraries

7.3 Sample EGL character based data entry screen

7.3.1 Demonstration of sample character based program

7.3.2 Contents of the sample character based program

Chapter 8. The EGL build environment

8.1 The code generation process: the big picture

8.1.1 Source development

8.1.2 Generate

8.1.3 Build or compile

8.2 EGL build descriptor files

8.2.1 Build descriptor options

8.3 Project properties

8.3.1 Accessing project properties

8.3.2 EGL Build Path

8.3.3 EGL Default Build Descriptor

8.3.4 Java Build Path

8.4 Generate and build in the IDE

8.5 Summary

Chapter 9. Simple Web application setup

9.1 Prerequisites

9.2 How this chapter is organized

9.3 Setup tasks: Part 1

9.3.1 Launching Rational SDP

9.3.2 Default workspace

9.3.3 Dismissing the Welcome screen

9.3.4 Rational SDP main screen

9.3.5 Instructing Rational SDP about our role

9.3.6 Creating an IBM EGL Web Project.

9.3.7 Configuring application server: adding our EGL Web Project

9.3.8 Setting the path to Informix JDBC client libraries on the application server

9.3.9 Adding an authentication alias to the application server

9.3.10 Adding a data source to the application server

9.4 Checkpoint

9.5 Setup tasks part 2

9.5.1 Setting up the JDBC data source for use by the EGL compiler

9.5.2 Creating Data Parts

9.5.3 A sub-task to create a database connection resource

9.5.4 Returning to the Data Parts creation task

9.5.5 Results of the Data Parts Wizard

9.5.6 EGL statements Library: Package, Import, and Use

9.5.7 Creating our own EGL Package and Library

9.6 Final checkpoint

9.7 Alternate means to create JDBC data source

Chapter 10. Simple Web application

10.1 Prerequisites

10.2 Demonstration of a simple business application

10.2.1 Display of our sample list page

10.2.2 Display of our sample detail page

10.3 Creating the Simple Web application: JSP page 1

10.3.1 New Faces JSP file

10.3.2 Specifying a page template

10.3.3 Working static Faces JSP page

10.3.4 Working with properties

10.3.5 Viewing a served page

10.3.6 Viewing a served page with other Web browsers

10.3.7 Managing the embedded Mozilla Web browser

10.3.8 Preparing to alter a page from static to dynamic content

10.3.9 Creating Page Data variables

10.3.10 Placing Page Data variables on the page

10.3.11 Accessing the associated Page Handler

10.3.12 Running the page with dynamic content

10.3.13 Alternate or preferred syntax for the solution

10.3.14 Adding a Link from list page to detail page

10.3.15 Specifying parameters for data aware hyperlink

10.3.16 Serving the list page with Links

10.4 Creating the Simple Web application: JSP page 2

10.4.1 Allowing a writable page.

10.4.2 Enhancing the Model portion of our existing code

10.4.3 Detailed code review of Model portion

10.4.4 Modifying Page Handler of UpdateCustomer.jsp

10.4.5 Detailed code review of Controller portion

10.4.6 Associating a visual page control with a Page Handler function

10.4.7 Testing and final results

10.4.8 Final modifications

10.5 Checkpoint

Part 3 Informix 4GL to EGL conversion

Chapter 11. The 4GL to EGL conversion process

11.1 The conversion process: an overview

11.1.1 Conversion benefits

11.1.2 Conversion stages

11.1.3 Conversion limitations

11.1.4 C interface support and limitations

11.1.5 Report support and limitations

11.1.6 Screen forms support

11.2 The conversion process in detail

11.2.1 Pre-conversion tasks

11.2.2 Conversion tasks

11.2.3 Conversion utility command line mode

Chapter 12. Converting the redbook sample 4GL application to EGL

12.1 Introducing the StoresDemo4GLApp

12.2 Pre-conversion tasks

12.3 Conversion tasks

12.3.1 StoresDemo4GLApp conversion

12.4 Generic post-conversion tasks

12.4.1 EGL default build descriptor and Informix JDBC driver setup

12.4.2 Getting the converted 4GL reports to work

12.4.3 How to set up the database connection

12.4.4 How to integrate the external C function

12.4.5 How to integrate the 4GL user defined message file

12.5 Version specific post-conversion tasks

12.5.1 SQLERRD[2] functionality not supported in 6.0.0.1

12.5.2 Minor Java code generation problem in 6.0.0.1

12.6 How to run the converted application

Chapter 13. Special conversion topics

13.1 The EGL Console User Interface

13.1.1 CUI elements

13.1.2 A line mode output example

13.1.3 A simple forms/menu example

13.1.4 How to use the openUI isConstruct option

13.2 Converting 4GL reports to JasperReports.

13.2.1 The Simple4GLReport example

13.2.2 Conversion of the Simple4GLReport to EGL

13.2.3 The generated EGL report files

13.2.4 Default font for 4GL report to JasperReports conversions

13.3 C function integration with EGL

13.3.1 Download the EGL stack library and application object file

13.3.2 Compile all C code into a shared library

13.3.3 Create a function table

13.3.4 Create the shared library

13.3.5 Invoking a C Function from an EGL Program: the 4GL way

13.3.6 Receiving values from EGL

13.3.7 Returning values to EGL

13.4 4GL shared library conversion

Chapter 14. How to deploy an EGL Batch or CUI application

14.1 A simple EGL batch application

14.1.1 How to create the simple batch application

14.1.2 The simple batch application: an overview

14.2 How to deploy a stand-alone EGL application

14.2.1 The Deployment process: an overview

14.2.2 The Target OS preparation phase

14.2.3 EGL application deployment: SimpleBatchApp

14.2.4 Running the EGL application: SimpleBatchApp

14.2.5 EGL application deployment: StoresDemo4GLApp

14.3 Special EGL deployment topics

14.3.1 Curses support for EGL CUI applications on Linux/UNIX

14.3.2 EGL runtime property settings for stand-alone applications

14.3.3 User defined message files

Chapter 15. EGL and IDS database server

15.1 Database connectivity

15.1.1 IBM Informix JDBC driver considerations

15.1.2 IBM Informix Dynamic Server supported versions

15.2 Database object name considerations

15.3 EGL and database transaction

15.3.1 Specifying transaction with SysLib.beginDatabaseTransaction

15.3.2 Specifying a transaction in a project build descriptor

15.3.3 Specifying a transaction with SysLib.connect

15.4 EGL and database isolation level

15.4.1 Changing the isolation level using the EGL execute command.

15.4.2 Changing the isolation level using EGL sysLib.connect.

Notes:

Includes index.

"July 2005."

OCLC:

228138503