OpenInsight via CGI or ODBC
AW
I just want to warn anyone who needs a warning. Stay away from
Openinsight, Revelation or AREV if you can.
If you want/need to access your data via the web (they use cgi !!!) or
any other ODBC capable means don't plan on OI for your database needs.
Unfortunately, we have over 15 years worth of data in OI/AREV. We want
to use some of that data on our website, our intranet, and our internal
windows application. Can't be done!! Believe me. The things I have
experienced in the past few weeks while trying to work with their ODBC
driver (which is read only, if it works at all) and their cgi interface
are ridiculous.
Bits and pieces work here and there, but it is impossible to use the
tools in an enterprise environment where you have various servers
trying to access and distribute data.
Revelation tech. support is as equally useless as their documentation
on the web (for cgi and ODBC).
Two examples:
ODBC, I asked for the correct attributes in the connection string.
Among other attributes(UN=..;PWD=..;)The driver requires a OEP (open
engine path, I guess) to be set. No one can tell you anything. The best
advice they have is to call XREV.dll directly(can't use SQL strings).
CGI, my cgi call to "inet_oi_xml?filename=mytable". (B.t.w. read what
they post on their web tech support about how to call this function and
you know what I'm talking about).
returns " http://localhost/oixml/oixml/GHPTXGLN.xml". I was told the
cgi call will either return a XML file or a path to the XML file. I
guess I got the path. One problem though: The path/file/anything is
nowhere to be found!!! Doesn't exist.
These are just 2 examples. I'm in Silicon Valley still working at
3PM(which is not unusual) while their tech support has already gone
home without returning a call and..., well check out what their tech
support website looks like.
Do yourself a favour and stay away. I think developing a new solution
with let's say .NET and SQL server will be faster and way less
expensive.
Send me an email if you want more information or have questions
regarding my experiences.
AW
wisdumb
I suggest you get hold of Andrew McAuley at www.sprezzatura.com - he
knows the most there is to know. Since you sound pretty desperate, I'd
suggest you phone - yes, I know its a long distance call - they're in
the UK - but they really will / can help you.
A language is just a tool. I'm busy trying to learn Clarion and I'm
finding myself just as frustrated as you are, but that doesn't make the
tool any less useful.
OI (OpenInsight) is actually a marvellous language - in fact its a
Visual Basic for the Pick world. Perhaps its xml tool sucks, or is
difficult, but once you have that under your belt you'll be cookin' on
gas!
Hey I wish I could come help ya, but I'm in South Africa (you could
organise me a HB1 visa?)
Dennis
wisdumb
together an xml table creation program?
AW
So
> OICGI and ODBC were inherited from the previous owners of Revsoft who
> unlike the current owners didn't seem to be concerned about producing
> usable software.
means, because they inherited it(and sell it for a hefty price) it's OK
to be lousy tools?
Is that what you're saying?
Capn Queeg wrote:
> Strange, one of my clients taking on line orders over the Internet via a
> web site (using Sprezzatura's S/Web) and email (using Marshallsoft
> Computings email libraries), interfacing data with SalesForce and Solomon
> accounting software, lookups on their Intranet, producing Excel
> spreadsheets and Word documents from their ARev/OI databases which also has
> 15 year old data.
>
> OICGI and ODBC were inherited from the previous owners of Revsoft who
> unlike the current owners didn't seem to be concerned about producing
> usable software.
>
> I have worked on another site that is using OICGI for their Intranet, so it
> does work.
>
> Besides S/Web there is also DesignBais for HTTP interfacing.
>
> If you had attended the Revelation Users Conference last year or the
> International Spectrum Show last month you would have seen many ways to
> interface OI with Microsoft Office.
>
> Version 8.0 of OpenInsight will interface with .NET.
>
> So don't tell me it can't be done.
AW
Try climbing the fence from Mexico, that seems to be working very well
;-)
AW
Thanks for the offer, but no thanks.
AW
found. No word about this.
Maybe it's hidden somewhere deep inside, like the da vinci code. Why be
so secretive and then blame it on IIS. That almost sounds like
unix/linux people.
AW
do the job. Well, I guess then I just got unliky believing I should buy
the tools from the manufacturer of the database software. They would
know best!!!
I use OpenInsight 7.2, it can't me done.
Stop ranting and show me a sample. Everybody says it will or should
work. Yeah! Pie in the sky.