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Conference ulysse::rdb_vms_competition

Title:DEC Rdb against the World
Moderator:HERON::GODFRIND
Created:Fri Jun 12 1987
Last Modified:Thu Feb 23 1995
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1348
Total number of notes:5438

801.0. "SQL on ADABAS ?" by ZPOVC::TEOHEN () Mon Nov 19 1990 10:23

    A customer has ADABAS/NATURAL installed and is running. A requirement
    exists for our Rdb application to access data from ADABAS via SQL. Is
    SQL supported by ADABAS?
    
    Teohen
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801.1As my costomer told me last week: NO!SUOSW3::KAISERULTRIX/SQ...what??Mon Nov 19 1990 11:180
801.2Wrong, SQL for Adabas does exist!SUOSW3::KAISERULTRIX/SQ...what??Mon Nov 19 1990 13:109
About  half an hour ago I talked with another customer and asked him to verify
my answer in the previous reply. But he told me that Software AG has now a 
SQL interface for ADABAS. Now I asked someone who was a former employee of 
Software AG, and she gave me the same answer. SQL for Adabas does exist on
VMS for nearly two years now!

Sorry for the first answer,

-Hans
801.3No problem for our SQL access!ZPOVC::TEOHENMon Nov 19 1990 13:214
    Thanks for the positive answer! This means that we can interface and
    access ADABAS data via our SQL services, right?
    
    Thtan
801.4not quite !WOTVAX::BRYANio,io its off to disk we goMon Nov 19 1990 14:4211
    
  >  Thanks for the positive answer! This means that we can interface and
  >  access ADABAS data via our SQL services, right?
    
     No, absolutely wrong.
    
     SQL/Services provides access to a RDB/VMS only. Maybe one day all the
    db vendors will get together and support a common sql interface, a
    common network protocol and a common set of db access routines in a
    common library, which would provide the sort of functionallity your
    looking for, maybe one day.  Don't hold your breath though.  
801.5CorrectionBROKE::HIGGSSQL is a camel in disguiseMon Nov 19 1990 19:2734
    
  >  Thanks for the positive answer! This means that we can interface and
  >  access ADABAS data via our SQL services, right?
    
     No, absolutely wrong.
    
     SQL/Services provides access to a RDB/VMS only. 

SQL/Services provides access to DSRI-based databases that support VAX SQL. 
This includes Rdb/VMS, and the various RdbAccess products that allow access 
(via a VMS system with a SQL/Services server on it) to DB2, Oracle, and now 
RMS and IBM files (or datasets or whatever strange terminology those guys use).

    Maybe one day all the
    db vendors will get together and support a common sql interface, a
    common network protocol and a common set of db access routines in a
    common library, which would provide the sort of functionallity your
    looking for, maybe one day.  Don't hold your breath though.  

The effort is called the SQL Access Group, and Digital is very much involved 
with it, and it's being worked on.  Who knows?  They might surprise you.  It
may be that it will become available before you expect.

Incidentally, it won't require all vendors to implement a common set of access
routines to access their databases;  they will have to support a SQL Access 
server that understands the SQL Access protocol on top of DECnet and/or TCP/IP, 
and translates the requests into whatever magic incantation is necessary to 
access their databases.  Presumably, a standard *client* interface would be 
likely, however.

Note that we have to rely on the appropriate vendors to implement a SQL Access 
server that understands the protocol.  Some vendors will be ahead of others in 
supporting SQL Access, of course.

801.6anticipating the next questionBROKE::ASHELL::WATSONless accumulated depreciationTue Nov 20 1990 20:023
    And yes, Software AG are on SQL Access.
    
    	Andrew.
801.7ADASQL from Software AGNOT003::DENTIIan Dent @NOT, Nottingham, UKMon Dec 10 1990 15:3613
    The SQL product from Software AG is called ADASQL and consists of
    a precompiler for Fortran, Cobol and PL/I only. 
    
    The SQL syntax is a "super-sub-set of ANSI SQL".
    
    The precompiler generates "direct calls" in the source program which
    can then be modified or compiled.
    
    Direct calls are the standard access method to an Adabas database
    and consist of setting up a series of buffers and then making a
    call to the Adabas routine.
    
    Ian Dent
801.8super-sub-set ?TRCA03::MCMULLENKen McMullenMon Dec 10 1990 17:435
    Ian,
    
    What do you mean by "super-sub-set of ANSI SQL"?
    
    Ken 
801.9ADASQL featuresNOT003::DENTIIan Dent @NOT, Nottingham, UKTue Dec 11 1990 17:3737
    It appears to be a marketing term to cover up the fact that it does
    not meet the standard!
    
    To quote Software AG, "ADASQL is a subset of the ANSI SQL enlarged
    by specific functions to allow full use of the ADABAS facilities".
    
    Things missing include:
    
    UNION
    AVG, COUNT, UNIQUE, SUM  
    error handling on conditions (instead there is a central error handling
    routine).
    EXISTS
    no null-value support
    LIKE
    INSERT syntax is different
    ALL, DISTINCT on SELECT
    
    Additions are:
    
    specification of access path on SEARCH
    support of periodic groups and multiple fields (arrays, repeating
    groups)
    support of SUPER(compound), SUB(partial) and phonetic keys
    Access by ISN (db-key)
    reading and writing of data on END of TRANSACTION
    encryption
    password protection on tables
    dealing with ISN lists
    
    Details of files used by ADASQL must be stored in PREDICT data
    dictionary. A pre-requisite of PREDICT is NATURAL.
    
    To summarise, "super-sub-set of standard" means "not meeting standard".
    
    Ian    
    
801.10NATURAL for RdbBROKE::THOMASSat Dec 15 1990 02:142
    Also, NATURAL for Rdb has an interoperability component that 
    allows access to IBM ADABAS.