PixieWeb and PixieLink Product Information

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HTML GUI Information

Introduction

The manufacturers of PICK products (e.g. D3, Universe, Unidata) provide Windowing front-end methods that mostly involve ODBC drivers. These can be good value for building new applications from scratch, but many developers already have a large body of well-proven existing data processing and business rules programs. They don't have time to rewrite them all, so we set out to talk to the PICK database in its existing language. The result is PixieWare, which includes the modules PixieWeb and PixieLink.

Initially we created them for our own D3 systems, but we found that they can work for other terminal-serving PICK-like, and some non-PICK-like systems too. We now also find that for new projects PixieWare software, with their universal TCP/IP connections, have the advantage of covering more databases more simply than ODBC methods can manage. You can contact us for more information via Email: sales@pixieware.com

At the heart of PixieWeb/PixieLink is a methodology and template for deploying a sub-set of HTML 4.0 that will allow:

Persistent or non-persistent data connections.

Fully functional grids to be developed.

Field-by-field, on-the-fly, data validation to be applied.

Efficient one-page applications where only changed data is repainted on the screen.

A full array of event driven methods encased in a simple macro language.

What's New : New features recently added

Examples Example before and after screen images of a sample conversions with PixieLink & PixieWeb

PixieLink® Overview

The product PixieLink is the first of a new breed of super terminal emulator (mostly an HTML interpreter), and provides a full Windows Graphical environment, including mouse support, to previously terminal-serving programs. PixieLink requires some rewriting of existing database programs for successful implementation. PixieLink is a Visual Basic application residing on a client PC, communicating with a legacy PICK application via the HTML protocol. We have standardised on HTML as the "Modern Terminal Emulation".

A web browser is a program which is used to access HTML text pages and display them on the web. PixieLink is a User-Agent program that can also reference the same text pages containing the markup commands and interprets the page contents without the need of a web server. In the PixieWare environment existing or new PICK programs may generate the HTML text pages.

The legacy PICK application will need to be modified to communicate with PixieLink. Well-written PICK applications with a consistent structure will be easy to modify. Some examples of before and after screen images are appended to this document.

With the popularity of the web, HTML has developed display capabilities well beyond those of VT100, WYSE50 etc., so PixieLink provides a convenient means of adding an attractive GUI interface to an existing PICK application.

Applications initially developed with PixieLink may subsequently be published on the web by installing PixieWeb and a web server, without any change to the application.

PixieLink Environment

Intended for company staff to carry out a full range of functions. Security is the same as for terminal users i.e. PixieLink is intended for secure use in the office or by carefully controlled remote access.

Users need PixieLink client installed on each PC.

TCP/IP is the method of communications.

PICK database application on NT or Unix Server generates HTML to control presentation.

Full range of terminal functions transformed into a modern mouse-driven graphical environment.

Some Database program rewrites are needed, mostly in "CRT" and related output statements, to follow a HTML protocol and programming guidelines, which we supply.

PixieLink Application Compatibility

The target legacy application will be customised quicker if the following design characteristics have been built into the application:

Relatively few input and output modules.

Ideally dictionary driven.

Minimal use of "ad hoc" INPUT statements.

Consistently applied presentation standards.

Table-driven device output, either PICK standard or application specific.

Modular design with "clean" architecture.

PixieLink will provide about 80% of a GUI environment for about 20% of the cost.

PixieLink Delivers 80% of the Windows experience

What’s the other 20%?

Any restrictions will be because PixieLink’s behaviour, while providing a true Windows look & feel, must by its nature mirror the behaviour of the host application. If the host application acts in a certain way, then PixieLink will re-act accordingly. Most host legacy applications cannot behave in the manner required for PixieLink to behave as a 100% Windows environment.

PixieLink is evolving as an increasingly intelligent interpreter. The features available within PixieLink are being added to each time a host application is modified.

PixieLink Improves the User Interface

Apart from the obvious change in the "look and feel", the original screen functions will be enhanced, and the following immediate advantages will also be apparent when PixieLink has been integrated into the legacy PICK application:

Mouse control to any field (plus alternative control from keyboard).

Full Windows style text manipulation (e.g. insert / delete characters from the middle of text).

Normal "exit" or "quit" at any point on the screen.

Updated fields highlighted for reference purposes.

Menus follow "Internet" style standards.

Use of back / forward and navigate facilities at a menu to access the usage history list (again relating to the "Internet" philosophy).

Scrolling grid control with insert/delete line facilities.

Pop up window control.

Drop down boxes.

Tabs and buttons.

Any other HTML construct.

Routines WEBIX, WEBDX are supplied with PixieLink to assist with web-page formatting. Field-by-field interactive processing of input data is supported. Events occurring on a browser or PixieLink (e.g. mouse clicks, mouse movements, field value changes) invoke MV-side operations to update the current page without repainting it. Browser/PixieLink events can trigger database responses without waiting for a page to be submitted, making the GUI interface interactive and responsive.

PixieLink details (FAQ)

PixieWeb® Overview

The product "PixieWeb" resolves a key Web publishing issue, that of using browsers eg "Internet Explorer" or "Netscape" as the front end for PICK D3 and other Terminal-serving database systems (e.g. Universe), while allowing them to continue working with their native commands and existing/legacy programs. Internet connection is to the WebServer computer, which behaves as a terminal from the PICK (Database) Server's point of view. Easy to set up for simple queries and transactions using existing programs. More complex application building is also possible but this require existing or new programs to be written in Web information handling style, although you can still work in native database languages such as PICK/BASIC.

PixieWeb Environment

Toolkit enabling general public access via the Web to information held in a D3 database. Also as an environment for development and delivery of intranet GUI applications.

Security is controlled by;
   a. the set-up within the PICK system of PixieWeb's robot user identity,
   b. what actions you choose to write scripts for,
   c. your overall and folder-by-folder WebServer security.

Users only need a general browser e.g. "Netscape" or "Internet Explorer".

Database provides information to a screen enquiry generated for each action, which can be designed with an HTML editor. New (July 1999) is Microsoft's RSPROXY technology which when used with PixieWeb enables PICK/BASIC apps to generate HTML page output.

No changes needed to the Database or legacy application for web queries. More involved transactions are possible but require PICK/BASIC programs to be specially written or converted.

"PixieWeb" works with Microsoft Internet Information Server^TM to translate the conversation with the database into responses that are easy to process with scripts.

During the set-up of "PixieWeb", a process called "scripting" (which is a simplified form of programming) is used to connect the HTM page (ex HTML editor) to the D3 database via either TCL or a PICKBasic program.

PixieWeb Applications Compatibility

Any D3 or PICK-like application is a candidate. Also filePro®.

PixieWeb Improves the User Interface

Obviously the response to the Web page enquiry is in the normal Internet style, so the presentation of PICK data looks quite at home on the Web. The normal mouse and/or keyboard control techniques are fully available to the Internet browsing user.

Applications initially developed with PixieLink may subsequently be published on the web by installing PixieWeb and a web server, without any change to the application.

PixieWeb technical details and example app code

PixieWare – summary diagram

Examples Example before and after screen images of a sample conversions with PixieLink & PixieWeb

Pricing and Licensing

All recipients of the PixieWare(TM) product range, will be required to complete the necessary registration details on the appropriate licence documents.

Distribution Agreement

Any organisation that wishes to on-sell the PixieWare products to "other organisations" must complete a Distribution Agreement. This form of agreement is not required if the PixieWare products are acquired solely for their own use. The Distribution Agreement will be non-exclusive, but where some form of exclusive protection is required (eg to protect a client base), then that may be incorporated into the agreement.

The Distributor is responsible for executing Software Licence and Software Sub-licence Agreements to "other organisations".

Software Licence Agreement

Any organisation that wishes to use these PixieWare products for their own purposes must complete the Software Licence Agreement. This form of agreement provides a non-exclusive licence to use the PixieWare software, and it does not allow the licensee to distribute the PixieWare products to "other organisations".

This licence also provides for the registration of the end-user-counts where appropriate.

End-user Software Sub-Licence Agreement

This licence provides for the registration of the end-user-count, where the PixieWare products have been incorporated into legacy software that is distributed by the Licensee of the Software Distribution Agreement. This form of agreement is a sub-licence that must be executed by the licensee of the Software Distribution Agreement (normally the distributor).

Link to Prices

All prices are one-off and there are no ongoing subscription or support fees.

Local sales taxes are the responsibility of the Distributor.

Please refer to our Sales and Licence Agreement (SLA) before purchasing.

You may download a free trial copy of the Pixieware® software with simple installation instructions. There are many possible environments in which this software can run. Should you encounter difficulties please e-mail us for free support. helpme@pixieware.com

/ 30-Day Free Trials / Site Map / About Us / Contacts & links / Products / Demonstrations / Home page /

Email: sales@pixieware.com

/ 30-Day Free Trials / Site Map / About Us / Contacts & links / Products / Demonstrations / Home page /

/ 30-Day Free Trials / Site Map / About Us / Contacts & links / Products / Demonstrations / Home page /