Date: Tue, 9 Feb 93 10:03:58 -0800 From: Conrad_Geiger To: user_groups@next.com Subject: v6.3 - NeXT Nugget News Digest (vol. 6, issue 3, February, 1993 NeXT Nugget News Digest (vol. 6, issue 3, February, 1993) *** TABLE OF CONTENTS *** NeXTSTEP DEVELOPER SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCEMENTS (Fall 1992/January) => 5. Hot Technologies Announces Bar Code Products for NeXT => 6. Bar Code Reader from Silicon Valley Bus Company => 7. Announcing FrontDesk, the Network Message Center => 8. Announces Simpla, a DBKit Adaptor and Management Tool => 9. Micro Decisionware to Provide Database Gateway NeXT Applications All previous 47 Nugget News Digest issues from 1992 are archived at the Purdue ftp archive site: sonata.cc.purdue.edu under... In NeXTMailbox format: /pub/next/submissions/Nugget_News_Digest_Oct_1992.tar.Z /pub/next/submissions/Nugget_News_Digest_Nov_1992.tar.Z /pub/next/submissions/Nugget_News_Digest_Dec_1992.tar.Z /pub/next/submissions/Nugget_News_Digest_Jan_1993.tar.Z etc. and in text (ascii) format. Past issues (early 1992 and 1991) also appear in /pub/next/Newsletters/Nugget on Sonata. Conrad Geiger Manager, International NeXT User Group Program (over 420 groups worldwide) P.S. To be added or deleted from this distribution or to submit items for the Nugget Digest, send email to "user_groups@next.com." ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ NeXTSTEP DEVELOPER SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCEMENTS (Fall 1992/January) => 5. Hot Technologies Announces New Bar Code Products for NeXT CONTACT INFORMATION: Contact: Robert La Ferla Telephone: (617) 252 0088 or + 1 617 252 0088 Internet: info@hot.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW BAR CODE PRODUCTS FOR NeXT COMPUTERS SHIPPING FROM HOT TECHNOLOGIES State of the Art Software Now Available BOSTON - Hot Technologies (formerly Hot Software) has released component bar code software for NeXTSTEP computers designed to improve the quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of organizations. BarCodeKit is a comprehensive object library for adding bar codes to custom applications and Bar-a-Coda is an application for creating bar codes to use in documents. Bar Coding is Everywhere How many bar codes do you think are within 12 feet of where you are right now? You may be surprised at how many you'll find and how many different types there are. The symbol that most people will find and can identify is the UPC or Universal Product Code. You'll find this code on soda cans, food products, general merchandise and other retail products. But there's a lot more to bar coding than UPC. There are over a dozen different types and hundreds of uses. Bar Codes for Healthcare Applications Both BarCodeKit and Bar-a-Coda offer all the bar code symbologies endorsed by the HIBCC (Health Industry Business Communications Council): Code 128, Code 39, UPC (Universal Product Code), NHRIC (National Health Related Items Code), NDC (National Drug Code) Interleaved 2 of 5, Code 16K and Code 49. Bar Codes for Library Applications ISBN (International Standard Book Numbering), ISSN (International Standard Serial Number), and SISAC (Serials Industry Systems Advisory Committee) / SICI (Serial Item and Contribution Identifier). Bar Codes for Military and Government Applications Code 3-of-9 (Military Standard) and Code 3-of-9 Extended Bar Codes for Inventory Control and Document Tracking Applications Code 39, Interleaved 2 of 5, Codabar, Code 128, Code 93, MSI and Code 11 Bar Codes for Article and Product Numbering Applications UPC (Universal Product Code) Versions A and E including two and five digit supplementals EAN (European Article Numbering) and JAN (Japanese Article Numbering) Versions 8 and 13 including two and five digit supplementals Bar Codes for Postal and Shipping/Receiving Applications POSTNET (Postal Numeric Encoding Technique - United States Postal Service) ZIP Code (Zoning Improvement Plan) and ZIP + 4 ABC (Advanced Bar Code) with delivery point FIM (Facing Identification Mark) Parcel and Sack Label BRM (Business Reply Mail - Canadian Postal Corporation) BarCodeKit: A comprehensive object library for adding bar codes to custom applications. BarCodeKit allows both organizations and developers to quickly add bar coding to a custom NeXTSTEP application. By combining the power of object-orientation and PostScript into a comprehensive library of bar code symbologies, BarCodeKit represents the state of the art in bar coding technology. Developers can seamlessly add bar coding to an existing application in a matter of minutes by using any of the 35 pre-tested and re-usable objects in the BarCodeKit. Previously, adding bar codes to an application meant weeks or months of development effort and incompatibility with different bar code readers and printers or it meant using costly proprietary bar code printers. The BarCodeKit conforms to international bar coding standards (EAN, ANSI, MIL, etc<) and gives developers flexibility; bar codes created using the kit can be sized and rotated to fit a specific area on a label or document and saved in EPS, EPSI (EPS with bitmap preview for non Display PostScript computers), or TIFF formats. Bar-a-Coda: An application for creating bar codes to use in documents. Bar-a-Coda is an easy-to-use application for creating bar codes. Bar codes can be dragged and dropped into documents or accessed from any application via the NeXTSTEP Services menu. Users can choose from more than a dozen different bar code types including Code 3-of-9, POSTNET and UPC. Bar-a-Coda is great for adding ZIP Codes on envelopes, UPC symbols on products, ISBN numbers on books and labelling just about anything. Product Information and Pricing Call Hot Technologies for a copy of its Complete Bar Coding Solution brochure and pricing information. Consulting services are also available. Hot Technologies develops, markets and supports component software and hardware that allows customers to construct automated solutions for increased productivity. Hot Technologies is headquartered at 75 Cambridge Parkway, Suite E-504, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1238 USA. Telephone: + 1 617 252 0088 Hot Technologies, BarCodeKit and Bar-a-Coda are trademarks of Hot Technologies. NeXT and NeXTSTEP are trademarks of NeXT Computer, Inc. PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated. ZIP Code and ZIP + 4 are registered trademarks of the United States Postal Service. ____________________________________________________________________ => 6. Bar Code Reader from Silicon Valley Bus Company The BC-91 is a bar code reader from Silicon Valley Bus Company. It plugs into the ADB bus and emulates the NeXT keyboard - when you scan a bar code, the BC-91 sends an ASCII string on the ADB bus as if it had been typed at the keyboard. Normal mouse and keyboard operations are not affected. The BC-91 is a stock item designed for the Macintosh, but it "just works" on the NeXT -- no special software is required. The BC-91 comes equipped with an industrial grade wand scanner. For more information, please call Mr. Avery Dee Silicon Valley Bus Company 408 353-6600 408 353-1107 (FAX) SILIBUS@applelink.apple.com ____________________________________________________________________ => 7. Integrity Solutions Announces FrontDesk, the Network Message Center St. Paul, Mn. - Dec.15, 1992 - Integrity Solutions announces the release of FrontDesk, a workgroup productivity tool. FrontDesk merges "While You Were Out" telephone message notes and a traditional "In/Out" board with the powerful network capabilities of NeXTSTEP. Designed for a networked workgroup, FrontDesk provides a cost effective solution to keeping track of telephone messages and availability of office staff. Non-NeXT users on a heterogeneous network can also reap the benefits of FrontDesk telephone message management and availability tracking. Some of the FrontDesk features include; - Client/Server Architecture - Integrated In/Out Board and "While You Were Out" Messaging System - Optional NeXTMail or ASCII email Message Delivery - Hot Keys for Status Updates - Operates over SLIP Connections - Full RTF Support in all Message and Comment Fields - Urgent Messages are Color-coded (User selectable) - Type-ahead Selection - Message Printing - On-Line Help - User Defined Personal Profiles - Date and Time Stamps for Messages - Support for NeXTmail Pictures - Icon Animation Alerts for Unread Messages - Message Archiving - Message Forwarding - Secure Mode for Message Privacy - Ability to Add Guest Users - Heterogeneous Network Support - API for Third Party Development "Before FrontDesk and our network of NeXT computers, we would have to make a special point of going up the the receptionist 2-4 times a day to make sure we had all of our current messages," said Dr. John Andrews of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. "Many of our messages would be a few hours old when we retrieved them," he continued, "FrontDesk has been a blessing, now we know immediately when a call is received." A fully functional version of the application which allows two people to use all of the features of FrontDesk is offered to anyone who has NeXTMail capability. The same version will be posted to the Internet archive sites. This is the full release version of FrontDesk and more users can be added by simply buying licenses from local resellers or Integrity Solutions. Contact Integrity Solutions for pricing information. There is a discount schedule for quantity and site licenses. Integrity Solutions encourages the reseller channel with a generous discount program for qualified resellers. For more information on FrontDesk, the FrontDesk Reseller Agreement or a copy of FrontDesk, contact; Rodger McBride, FrontDesk Product Manager Integrity Solutions 32 Empire Dr. St. Paul, MN 55103 Telephone: (612) 223-8484 NeXTMail: frontdesk@is.com Integrity Solutions is a custom application developer located in St. Paul, Minnesota. They provide custom software solutions specializing in Workflow, Database and Executive Information Systems for clients in the Legal, Law Enforcement, Medical and Corporate environments. FrontDesk is their first product in a suite of Networked Office Productivity Solutions. NeXTand NeXTSTEP are trademarks of NeXT Computer, Inc. ____________________________________________________________________ => 8. Sonrisa Software announces Simpla, a Database Kit Adaptor and Data Management Tool Contact: Elizabeth Brown Sonrisa Software, Inc. 26500 W. Agoura Road, Suite 203 Calabasas, CA 91302 (818)878-9100 Fax(818)878-9105 ecb@sonrisa.com Sonrisa Software announces Simpla, a Database Kit Adaptor and Data Management Tool for Text and other "Flat" Files Calabasas, California - December 15, 1992 - Sonrisa Software, Inc., announces the availability of Simpla, a low cost, data management system, based upon the NeXT Database Kit, that provides convenient relational access to data stored in ordinary "flat" files. NeXT's Database Kit lets you quickly create custom applications given sources of data in relational database systems. Sonrisa's Simpla adaptor lets you quickly and inexpensively create and access such sources of data stored in ordinary text and data files ("flat" files) that are organized relationally. "Relationally organized" means that the data is held within these files in tables, columns and rows - just as in relational databases. The data files can be ordinary text files that can be accessed by any text editor as well as by the host of UNIX text processing utilities and tools. Simpla is specifically designed for developers, sales engineers, system administrators, and sophisticated end users who want an easy and quick way to set up small databases for personal or small group use. Simpla is well suited for quickly developing demonstrations of DBKit applications that will eventually interface with other relational databases as it lets you tailor the data easily using your favorite text editor, and then add a high quality NeXT user interface using the Interface Builder and the Database Kit. For developers new to DBKit, Simpla is an excellent educational tool for learning more about it. A Simpla table consists of a sequence of records. A record can be a line of text (tab or comma delimited), or a fixed-length sequence of bytes, or a series of archived objects. Or you can write your own custom class to represent tables in virtually any form you choose. Simpla supports arbitrarily many tables (DBEntities), each with arbitrarily many fields (DBAttributes). Simpla supports the standard DBKit types - integer, float, double, string, and object. Simpla also supports a number of special types, including: - decimal (for numeric values with fixed precision, such as monetary amounts) - imagePath (turns a file name in the database to an image in the DBKit) - lineNumber (gives the line number for each record) - comment (provides access to comment information in a record) Simpla tables support a wide variety of formatting options, including optional string quoting, comments, and continuation lines. All Simpla tables are described in a single table description file (also an ordinary text file). The tables themselves may reside anywhere in the filesystem. Minimally, a table description file entry is defined by a table name, a corresponding file name, and a series of field names for fields in the table. You can specify options that further describe the type and format of the tables and the fields within them. Simpla handles reading and updating records from the tables, table locking to support multi-user access, indexing, and sorting. Applications also have the freedom to access Simpla tables directly - they need not use the database kit. Simpla also allows you to implement a custom record parsing class with four methods - read, write, read field, and write field. Records can be read from either an NXStream or an NXTypedStream. Simpla has many obvious uses. In addition to providing a simple relational database, if you are a NeXTSTEP developer responsible for designing, prototyping, or demonstrating a NeXTSTEP DBKit application that will eventually use another relational database, Simpla allows you to quickly and easily construct a substitute version of the relational database. Simpla can also be used to access existing data stored in text files, or to set up local information you might not otherwise be able to access as a relational file. One can envision numerous other uses for these simple, efficient data management tools. Simpla will be available in January 1993. Sonrisa can also provide consulting services for those who require more sophisticated custom database support. For more information, contact Sonrisa Software, Inc. 26500 W. Agoura Road, Suite 203 Calabasas, CA 91302 (818)878-9100 Fax(818)878-9105 ____________________________________________________________________ => 9. Micro Decisionware to Provide Database Gateway NeXT Applications For more information contact: Micro Decisionware Michelle Davis (303) 443-2706 The Tierney Group Bruce Rosner (215) 732-4100 For Immediate Release Micro Decisionware Announces Agreement with NeXT Computer, Inc. to Certify NeXT Desktop Applications with the Database Gateway Product Line Boulder, CO - December 9, 1992 - Micro Decisionware, Inc. (MDI) today announced an agreement with NeXT Computer, Inc. of Redwood City, CA to provide connectivity between NeXTSTEP, NeXT Computer's object-oriented system software environment, and the MDI Database Gateway product line. The agreement also provides for the certification of Database Kit (DBKit), a NeXTSTEP Release 3 desktop tool, to access DB2 and other host databases through the MDI Database Gateway. MDI Database Gateway Extends NeXT Applications Data Access This partnership will allow customers using NeXTSTEP to extend data access to DB2, SQL/DS, and non-relational host data. NeXTSTEP runs under MACH, a UNIX-compatible operating system, and offers a flexible solution for connecting to networks. NeXT workstations have a high degree of connectivity to multiple platforms, now extended by the MDI Database Gateway products. "This agreement with MDI is strategic for NeXT because it further expands the range of database options available to NeXTSTEP developers and users," said Brett Bachman, NeXT's director of NeXTSTEP product marketing. "One of the great strengths of NeXTSTEP Release 3 is DBKit, an object-oriented tool kit that permits NeXT client workstations to gain easy access to relational databases from any vendor simply by providing an adaptor to the database. The MDI Database Gateway provides just such an adaptor to DB2 and the right variety of data on IBM mainframe databases." Currently, the NeXT workstations can access the Database Gateway on OS/2 using the Microsoft SQL Bridge. Native TCP/IP connectivity will be accomplished with the release of the MDI Database Gateway for the UNIX platform. Agreement Strengthens MDI's Commitment to Open Architectures This agreement reaffirms MDI's support of open enterprise connectivity solutions by integrating robust workstation applications with mainframe data. The MDI Database Gateway family of products allows front-end applications transparent access to both relational and non-relational mainframe data. MDI Database Gateways incorporate unique functionality by permitting bi-directional transfer of data between mainframe data sources and LAN-based data sources. In addition, the Database Gateway provides Data Compression; Connection Manager, which provides load balancing between multiple gateways; and Client Services Applications, which allow mainframe programs to initiate actions with the Database Gateway or Microsoft SQL Server. Front-end Tool Certification Program Ensures Transparency The MDI and NeXT partnership is part of MDI's ISV (Independent Software Vendor) front-end tool certification program. MDI established this program to ensure complete and transparent access to data sources from a variety of both transaction processing and decision support tools. MDI has built close relationships with the industry-leading suppliers of data access solutions to provide functionality with the Database Gateway products. The certification agreement between MDI and NeXT Computer further strengthens MDI's position as the industry-leading supplier of database connectivity solutions. Company Background Micro Decisionware, Inc., based in Boulder, Colorado, is an international supplier of open architected, multi-platform database access tools. The company has established itself as a leader in the fields of cooperative processing and client-server computing. Micro Decisionware's products are widely deployed in large organizations to implement solutions which incorporate the power of both the mainframe and the PC. Micro Decisionware is dedicated to providing cooperative processing and data access solutions that integrate end-user computing with departmental and enterprise systems. Micro Decisionware is a partnership company of Safeguard Scientifics, Wayne, PA. ____________________________________________________________________ continued in issue 6.4