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The following information is from James Martin's series of books on
4gls. I am submitting information from the first 6 of 31 pages found
in Volume II of the series. (Fourth Generation Languages,
Representative 4GLs, James Martin, 1986, Prentice-Hall). Since this
was published in 1986 you should probably attempt to find some updated
information (suggest National 4GL and DB Symposium Proceedings from
Digital Consulting Inc. 1987 or 1988 edition? they usually have
information on almost every known DBMS).
Comments:
No mention of SQL, however given the state-of-the-industry and the date
of this write-up I recommend checking to see if they have built one.
<><><><> Sandy
************************** MIMER ****************************************
"MIMER is a collection of components that has at its center a powerful
relational data-base management system. It was developed in Sweden at the
Uppsala Data Centre and is in use mainly in Europe. control Data Corporation
has adopted the MIMER system as part of its standard software worldwide.
More than a data retrieval system or an application generator, MIMER is an
integrated system of modular components that link into a relational data-base
management system. One of the components is a sophisticated statistics
package."
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"Some application generators generate machine code; MIMER generates COBOL or
FORTRAN code that then has to be compiled. Users often link hand-coded
subroutines into the code generated by MIMER.
Although it has end-user facilities, MIMER is designed primarily for use by
data processing professionals. Its coding requires the use of complex syntax,
and training and practice are needed to become efficient with it. Some
generators have syntax that is easier to use."
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"MIMER Components"....
" MIMER/DB Relational DBMS
MIMER/QL End-user Query Language
MIMER/PG Application program generator
MIMER/SH Screen handler
MIMER/IR Information retrieval system
MIMER/ST Statistical package
MIMER/GR Graphics display package"
"MIMER/DB The MIMER/DB data-base management system creates and maintains a
relational data base, controls an active data dictionary, and interfaces with
conventional application systems. MIMER/DB is an efficient relational data base
for both routine processing and ad hoc query work. It uses a physical storage
structure that allows both rapid sequential access to records and also provides
for multilevel indexing to speed query processing.
MIMER/QL The MIMER/QL query language is an easy-to-use command language that
is suitable for end users as well as for data processing professionals."
[[author's note: My guess is that James Martin took this part verbatim from
marketing literature, take out the names MIMER... and you have your standard
DB/4GL product pitch]] "MIMER/QL supports powerful commands that can be entered
at a terminal to access data in a MIMER/DB data base and to build and extend
data-base records interactively.
MIMER/PG The MIMER/PG program generator supports a prototyping facility that
allows programs to be written and tested quickly. The structure of a MIMER/PG
application is defined using statements in a high-level language call the
Application Specification Language (ASL). The specific processing to be
performed by the application is specified using a series of powerful MIMER/PG
commands. ASL statements and MIMER/PG commands can be translated into COBOL or
FORTRAN code quickly on a mainframe computer in prototyping mode. Once the
prototype is accepted, COBOL or FORTRAN code can be generated and can be
downloaded to other computers.
MIMER/SH MIMER/SH is a screen-handling system that provides interactive
facilities for designing screen formats for on-line applications. Screens are
designed at the terminal, and MIMER/SH automatically generates picture
definition files that are called by application programs. Picture definition
files can later be edited using an ordinary text editor if minor changes are
needed.
MIMER/IR The MIMER/IR component is an information retrieval system that is
used to retrieve text information stored in MIMER/DB data bases. Examples of
the types of applications MIMER/IR is suited for include bibliographic
references, legal briefs, product files, and correspondence files.
MIMER/ST MIMER/ST is an adaptation of the STATPAC statistical package developed
by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. MIMER/ST is an interactive
facility that prompts the user for directions and enables a full range of
statistical analyses to be carried out in a simple, unambiguous manner.
MIMER/GR MIMER/GR provides the user with the full range of capabilities of the
Tektronix Easy Graphing II facility. This business graphics facility is linked
to MIMER/DB through the MIMER/QL query language. MIMER/GR allows the user
rapidly to create business graphics presentations in color using a Tektronix
graphics terminal and color plotter or equivalent device."
More on MIMER/DB
"MIMER/DB is the nucleus of the MIMER collection of tools. It is a
comprehensive, data dictionary-driven, relational data base management system
that handles the physical structuring of the data base, logical file definition,
logical-to-physical mapping, and data-base maintenance. Some of the facilities
provided by MIMER/DB are as follows:
Dynamic data-base reorganization
Active data dictionary facilities
Password protection for unauthorized access
Transaction management
Concurrency control
Transaction Logging
Facilities for automatic restart
Facilities for data-base recovery
Facilities for data-base loading and dumping
General programming-language interface
Data indexing
Automatice format conversions
Portable Code
A MIMER data base consists of a collection of DATABANKS, each of which contains
one or more tables. ..."
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