Universal API - Informix Software Inc introduces Data Directors - Brief Article - Product Announcement

Software Magazine, May, 1997

Visual Basic and Java developers searching for an easier way to create applications with native access to the Informix-Universal Server now have a new API that should simplify the process. Informix Software Inc., Menlo Park, Calif., has rolled out its new Data Directors, starting with a plug-in component for VB programmers. The move follows the February acquisition of CenterView Software Inc., San Francisco, and its Data Director for VB. "We're providing components to extend VB in a way developers are used to: a basic toolbar with drag-and-drop capability," says Charles Dickerson, director of tools marketing at Informix. "Before, programmers had to write their own ODBC [Open Database Connectivity] and RDO [Relational Database Operator] to write database applications." The same model-driven, drag-and-drop functionality will work for developers using Java tools with Data Director for Java.

Data Director also does SQL 3 generation, result set management, cursor management and support of complex data types, which should make Windows, Web, Java and client/server development easier. Also in development is Data Director for C . Data Director licenses are priced at $50 per workgroup user and $200 per user on the XDS and Universal Server.