Conference ilbbak::ibi_focus

364.0. "FOCUS vs AS/400 QUERY" by HAMPS::MUTCH (Another day, another re-organisation) Thu Sep 06 1990 14:01

    The following is a description of an end user query/reporting tool
    called QUERY, available on the AS/400. I am involved in a project to
    convert from AS/400 to VAX and was wondering if FOCUS provided similar
    functionality for producing the reports. It would be used to
    access an RdB database. Can anybody knowledgeable about FOCUS comment
    on how it compares with QUERY ?
    
    Regards,
    Graeme
    
    
    
				    QUERY

    
    QUERY is a utility that is part of the AS/400 operating system. It is 
    very powerful and very easy to use. The user interface is totally menu 
    and form driven, whereby all options are presented to the user who 
    positions the cursor and makes a selection from a list. It is not 
    command line based.
    
    The method of producing a query is roughly as follows. The user is 
    initially given the menu which allows them to run, create, modify or 
    delete a query. If the user wants to create a query they select one or 
    more source data files from a list. For each file they then select the 
    fields, again from a list. For each field they can then add a number of 
    selection parameters, for example part numbers greater than 10000. 
    This is all that is is needed to produce a default report. They can then 
    tailor it, for example by by changing the position on the page of each 
    field, the output format and the column title. The output title and 
    format were originally retrieved from the data dictionary. They can add 
    sub totals, minimum, maximum and page breaks. The report can be run 
    immediately, or in batch at a later time. The output can be to the 
    screen, a file or a printer.
    
    A summary of the features are:
    
    Menu and form driven.
    
    Functions to create, change, copy, display and delete a query.
    
    Be given a list of source data files to query against. 
    
    Be able to run a query against different versions of a data file.
    
    Be given a list of fields in each data file to choose which are included 
    in the report, and be able to define the left to right order.
    
    For each field, be able to define one or more selection expressions, 
    (eq, ne, le, ge, lt, gt, range, list, like) against another field, a 
    number or character string. The sort order and ranking (ascending and 
    descending), column headings and column position and output picture can 
    be selected.
    
    Be able to include column summary functions, total, average, 
    minimum, maximum and count, and be able to produce a summary report 
    containing just these values, or a full report containing these and all 
    the input records.
    
    Define optional line wrap, page size, one record per page, line spacing, 
    start and end line and position of page breaks.
    
    When using data from several files, define the join rules. Join rules 
    are matching records, records matched with a primary file and records 
    unmatched with a primary file.
    
    Add page header and footer text, and text for a cover page, and optional 
    date/time and page numbers.
    
    Output to the terminal, file or print spooler. Specify the number of
    copies, and delay running to a future time.
    
                                - - - - - - -
    

    FOCUS can do the things you listed as QUERY features.  
    You can accomplish this using the FOCUS 4GL non-procedural language,
    or you can use the FOCUS Tabletalk facility which is a Menu driven
    Windowed interface (Char. terminal based now).
    
    One of FOCUS's strengths is its reporting capabilities using RDB,
    RMS, FOCUS data files or any combination of them.