Features in ALLBASE/SQL Version G3

by Doug Myers  Database
Lab, Commercial System Division

Overview

This is an overview of the features of ALLBASE/SQL version G3 on MPE/iX 6.0 release (C.60.00):

ALLBASE/SQL manual set on is on Instant Information CD-ROM
String functions, a new feature for ALLBASE/SQL G3
Security features, introduced with ALLBASE/SQL G2
Year 2000 compatibility, introduced with ALLBASE/SQL G2
Manuals updated
CAST function, introduced with G1.15

Instant Information CD-ROM

The entire manual set for ALLBASE/SQL is now available on the new CD-ROM documentation system, "Instant Information." You can now look up information quickly in the on-line documentation.

String Functions

The supported SQL syntax has been enhanced to include the following string manipulation functions: UPPER, LOWER, POSITION, INSTR, TRIM, LTRIM and RTRIM. These string functions allow you to manipulate or examine the CHAR and VARCHAR values within the SQL syntax, allowing for more sophisticated queries and data manipulation commands to be formed. The specifications for each of these functions is described in "New Features in ALLBASE/SQL Version G3" in Chapter 10, "Technical Articles."

MONITOR and INSTALL Authorities

Two new authorities were added in the G2 release of ALLBASE/SQL: MONITOR and INSTALL. These authorities can be granted or revoked to users. MONITOR authority gives the ability to run SQLMON, an on-line diagnostic tool that monitors the activity of an ALLBASE/SQL DBEnvironment.

INSTALL authority gives users the ability to use the SQL preprocessors to create an SQL module owned by someone other than themselves, or to use ISQL to install a module owned by someone other than themselves. This is an important capability for those needing to move modules from a development DBEnvironment to a production DBEnvironment.

Year 2000 Compatibility

ALLBASE/SQL has always stored dates in a four-digit year format which largely eliminates the year 2000 compatibility problem. ALLBASE/SQL applications can be coded using four-digit year dates. However, for existing applications that may allow dates to be entered using a two-digit year format, there is still an issue as to how these dates get converted to the ALLBASE/SQL internal format using the TO_DATE function or TO_DATETIME. For an explanation on how these are handled, refer to the article, "New Features in ALLBASE/SQL Version G3," in Chapter 10, "Technical Articles."

CAST Function

The CAST function enhancement for ALLBASE/SQL and IMAGE/SQL became available to customers with the G1.15 release. The CAST function is used to explicitly convert data from one data type to another.