Powerbuilder Client and Java business components on EAServer

[anujkumar]

Hi All,
We have a Library management application that we are
migrating from PowerBuilder to Java. We are planning to
convert one component at a time from powerbuilder to Java
and see if we can make it run with the current Powerbuilder
code. We are using EAServer6.2 to deploy our business logic
code. But we are now facing some problems on how to make
Java components interact with Powerbuilder Client. Java
components are based on Spring Framework. We thought we
might develop the component as webservice but that wont help
as every deployment of the application will have server also
deployed. So that means if the application is deployed at 10
libraries, all these 10 libraries will have their own server
deployed at their site. We also thought of using RMI but
dont think we can make an RMI call from a powerbuilder
client component to a Java business component. We are also
thinking of using CORBA calls but again not sure how and
whether it will work or not. Can spring help me solve this
problem. Or is there any way (may be HTTPInvoker but not
sure) that I can achieve the interaction b/w PowerBuilder
and Java using some efficient and effective mechanism.

thanks in advance.

[Chris Pollach]

=> "We have a Library management application"

AND .. you are doing this because ... you have too much time on your hands?
:-)

<Anuj Kumar> wrote in message news:48c63dfa.5dd...@sybase.com...

[anujkumar]

No. We are doing this because:
1) We prefer not sitting idle.
2) Its an application after all.
3) i dont think you would bother about any other reasons,
they would be too gud for you to even understand.

BTW you are still welcome to look at the problem and suggest
some solution, though I seriously doubt that you can do
anything except looking only at the wrong things.

[Jonathan Baker [Sybase]]

Sorry about that. Some of our PowerBuilder people just can't help
themselves. Unfortunately, the lack of professionalism pushes more
people away from the product than towards it.

PowerBuilder and Java can communicate together through EAServer. Every
component you load in to the server is isolated from every other
component - so each component has no idea what language the others are
running. Nor do they care.

The choice of framework may have something to do with your problems. In
order for components to talk to each other in EAServer, they have to be
application server components. For Java, the preferred method is EJB,
but you can also use POJO's and just wrap them correctly. If all you
are using Spring for is persistence, you should be able to do this.

When you migrate a piece of the code to Java, deploy it to EAServer as a
component. Then use the same technology in PowerBuilder to call an EAS
component that was written in PB. The server will translate for you.
In fact, the easiest way to do this is to move the PB component in to
EAS, call it from your application, then rewrite it in Java.

In previous migrations, I've found my biggest problem is that I wanted
to redesign the application while writing it. Unfortunately, when you
are doing a live port that isn't always possible. There will be some
trade-offs, but it should work out in the end.

Jonathan