4. "Middleware" - Interfaces to Databases
Many of these systems represent pure "interface packages" that allow one to interface some relational database system. Others are "web interfaces," some of which include a database "engine."
4.1. Database Access APIs and Protocols
There are a variety of methods in use today to access databases. Virtually all DBMSes define some "proprietary" access path, often using a C-based API. It is also common for DBMSes to support more generic access paths such as SQL-CLI or DRDA.
4.1.1. SQL-CLI or ODBC
They produce "VORTEXchannel," a middleware package that connects to various SQL/CLI (aka ODBC ) managers, as well as an interactive report generator called TRIMreport and a QBE enduser report generator called TRIMqmr.
They produce ODBC (aka SQL/CLI), JDBC (Java database connectivity), and "UDBC" drivers that support (on the OS side) Linux, all MS-Windows platforms, many Unix flavors, OS/2, VMS, and Mac, and (on the DB side) Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Ingres, Unify, Progress, PostgreSQL, Solid, Kubl, Velocis.
They have released OpenLink as "Open Source" software.
The ODBC-ODBC Bridge is a package of libraries which provide applications on Linux with access to ODBC data sources on remote machines.
Easysoft also offers ODBC drivers for ISAM/RMS file systems, an SQL engine, and, parallelling the ODBC-ODBC Bridge, a JDBC-ODBC Bridge for the Java users...
SrPersist ("Sister Persist") is a set of Scheme bindings to Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) for use with DrScheme.
A protocol using CLOS to describe connections to SQL databases for use with Common Lisp.
Not surprisingly, an interface to allow programs run using CLISP to access Oracle databases.
Postmodern - PostgreSQL library for Common Lisp
kinterbasdb- a Python Extension Package for the Interbase/ Firebird Relational DatabasePGOCaml - PostgreSQL binding for OCaml
ADODB is a PHP API for database access, consciously similar to Microsoft's
ADOdatabase API. ADOdb stands for Active Data Objects Data Base.It supports MySQL™, PostgreSQL, Interbase, Informix, Oracle, MS SQL 7, Foxpro, Access, ADO, SAP DB, SQLite, Sybase, DB2 and generic ODBC.
4.1.2. Java - JDBC
The JDBC Data Access API has grown very popular for use in Java applications, allowing common access to almost any sort of tabular data source.
There are some 160-odd drivers for various SQL RDBMSes as well as other systems such as LDAP, xBASE , and some other non-relational database systems.
4.1.3. TDS - Tabular Data Stream
Sybase introduced TDS as
This project has been reverse engineering the TDS protocol, as the licensing terms for the specs as available from Sybase are rather restrictive.
4.1.4. DRDA - Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA)
IBM has introduced DRDA as a protocol for communications between diverse databases. It might be used as a transport for ODBC requests. Many of the major database systems support DRDA, including DB/2, Oracle, Sybase, Informix.
This interview with Jim Gray contains considerable historical detail on the development of ODBC and DRDA.
DRDA Vol. 1: Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) - TOG
4.1.5. Other APIs, Libraries, and Protocols
Commercial software that connects to relational databases like MySql, Sybase, and Oracle and submits SQL queries and commands to the target databases.
A project to provide a GPL-licensed compiler compatible with code for Informix 4GL.
Allows embedding C in your application code, uses ODBC to connect to databases, and provides presentation layers using ncurses and GTK.
MySQL™ Wrapper similar to MS "DAO"
Translates RDBMS table rows into Python objects; supports major DBMSes like PostgreSQL
Linas Vespas' "polemic" on the merits of using his QOF - Query Object Framework to do structured queries on data held by C/C++ objects. Part of the point is to defend the use of C over other languages...
4.2. Web-to-RDBMS Tools
Provides a "web" interface to databases. Runs under sundry Unixes including Linux. Communicates with the database via SQL/CLI, so you need appropriate connectivity from the database side.
Zope, an application framework for building dynamic web-based applications, has released the Zope DB Adapter for Oracle.
POWERflex Corporation is the developer and manufacturer of a high performance multi-user Application Development Software product called PFXplus, or POWERflex. With it you can create industrial strength commercial quality network business applications which are portable between MSDOS, OS/2, Unix (including SCO, LINUX and Xenix) and Windows 3.1, 95-98 or NT. POWERflex is an extremely fast and powerful product capable of handling extremely large data files.
Products developed by POWERflex Corporation other than PFXplus include the following, which support both Unix and Windows environments:
- PFXdebug
a superb source code debugger which includes a watch window for variables, expressions and array elements, a persistent variables windows, sorted name lists, gosub calls on call stack and more.
Uh, oh... With the gosub statement, this suggests to me that this is some sort of "Business BASIC"...
- PFXsort
a program used to update PXFplus database index files at amazingly fast speed.
- PFXbrowse
allows quick and easy look-up access to any database file plus optional editing capabilities.
- POWERflex Reporter
used to generate and run reports.
- PFX C-lib
a set of libraries which allow lightning fast access to PFXplus data files by third party languages.
- The PFXplus Dialog Resource Editor
allows visual manipulation of screen layouts; a very useful tool for PFXplus for MS Windows developers.
- The PFXplus ODBC Driver
allows access to data contained in PFXplus file format from any ODBC compliant front-end application under MS Windows
- PFXplus Driver for Crystal Reports
coming soon, which will allow PFXplus data files to be accessed by Seagate Crystal Reports under MS Windows
Rexx/SQL Extensions for Rexx for SQL databases and ODBC.
4.3. Other Middleware
KQML - Knowledge Query and Manipulation Language - looks like a Lisp
KQML has been used in an RFI to OMG on Common Facilities - Common Intelligent Agent Services Specification