/ Site Map / About Us / General Products / MV Products / Outsourcing / Home page /
|
|
About Pixieware® Software |
/ Site Map / About Us / General Products / MV Products / Outsourcing / Home page /
About Pixieware® Software
Pixieware® Software - The Company
Pixieware Software, a leader in application migration tools development and outsourcing services, has a wide range of Multivalue and Non-Multivalue experience, with cross-platform skills. We offer ourselves as the ideal application re-engineering and migration service provider, to customers with information systems that need to be upgraded to the latest web technology.
We develop and design web applications that interface directly to core business applications. There are no middle steps.
Initially specialising in PICK-like Multivalue database systems, we now write in the Visual Basic (VB6/7), HTML, XML and PHP as well as PickBasic. We are becoming experts in the use of SQL-like datastores (MySQL, MS Access, MS SQL-Server, Oracle). We are the experts in the use of HTML/DHTML/XML/ASP being applied to legacy source code and writing new web applications requiring web interfacing capabilities.
Pixieware® Software - The Software
We have built a re-engineering workbench, which is a unique and versatile collection of software tools to TRANSFORM and revitalise legacy systems into today's technology. This workbench (Pixieware® software), combined with our in-house experience and skills, helps overcome specific design and complexity problems that are encountered during these future proofing activities.
Our accumulated experiences have been built into the PixieWare® software products, and are available through our re-engineering (outsourcing) activities. We allow our customers to rapidly adapt to changes and advances in Technology. We can RE-HOST and RE-INTERFACE many types of applications.
Products in the PixieWare® software range were developed to keep pace with an ever changing world. These software products represent a change in emphasis from our past where we had established ourselves as premier MV business applications developers. We now see ourselves as "contractors facilitating the transformation of text-based legacy software".
PixieWare is not a "screen scraping" technology, as genuine software re-engineering is required to transform the user-interface, while retaining the use of back-end logic.
We understand MV systems, and our customers, who were the driving force behind these new methods of presenting and accessing data within existing systems. In satisfying this demand we researched and developed a new generation of GUIising software. This software may also be used in non-MV environments where the DBMS environment is TCP/IP capable or COM aware.
We have successfully mastered the ability to insert HTML code into MV Basic and Visual Basic code allowing existing and new applications to use a common browser as a terminal emulator. Green screen applications may be deployed world-wide with modern GUI characteristics.
PixieWeb® is the underlying technology which allows applications to retain the on-the-fly, field-by-field validation characteristics of Pick applications. PixieWeb is a connectivity tool that provides special services to allow MV systems connect to the web. We have been commissioned to develop on behalf of our customers, a variety of web based applications interacting directly with mission critical databases.
Working in conjunction with PixieWeb is another of our developments PixieLink®. This connectivity and presentation layer software, provides a full Windows graphical environment, including mouse support, to previously terminal-serving programs. The PixieLink and PixieWeb software requires some rewriting of existing database programs for successful implementation, but still provides most of the Windows experience for less effort than a complete redevelopment project.
The GUI effects are driven entirely by HTML generated from server based applications. New Visual Basic applications written to generate HTML may also utilise the features of PixieLink. A web-server is not required for PixieLink as a direct connection to PICK or Non-PICK applications is made instead.
Another core development is PixieEngine™ which allows legacy MV applications to be re-hosted on non-MV environments. Conversion utilities for PICK data and PICKBasic programs are provided. PixieEngine includes a set of PICK-like VB functions that train the new datastore (Oracle, MySQL, ACCESS, SQL_SERVER) to behave like PICK. These functions include special PICK READ and WRITE methods so that the PICK data structures, and the PICK program structures do not need to be altered during the conversion.
PixieEngine may also be used as a "web application framework" which does not require a web-server to be present during development, but which may be optionally teamed up with a web-server when "going live". HTML front-end applications deliver true field-by-field applications with the look and responsive feel and controlled flow of local desktop applications, to internet users via conventional browsers, or to remote and local users via the PixieEngine browser (PixieLink).
PixieLink connects directly to a PixieEngine server by either COM (local networks) or Telnet (remote connections including Internet).
PixieEngine is usually programmed in VB6, but all COM-aware languages on Windows are supported. Any and all database engines accessible from your programming language can be used with PixieEngine applications.
Company Fact Sheet
Company established in 1989 (Mostly Pick at that time).
Privately owned company.
Primary business activity is the development, marketing and sales of PixieWare® software.
Secondary business activity is the re-engineering of legacy applications and writing new web applications.
N.Z./Australia support based in Auckland.
North American/UK support bases being developed through distribution agencies.
Support for the PixieWare® software provided via email, phone and internet.
Pixieware® software products continually being developed as new technologies emerge.
The Software Origins
"Rather than invent new or different methods of access to MV and other engines, at PixieWare we set out to make intelligent, creative, and extended use of the rock solid Telnet interface that many database engines have in common. This forms the basis of all the Pixieware products.
We made PixieWare as an alternative approach to ODBC and made it fast and reliable."Comment Made by Long-Time MV Developer - After D3/U2 Changes
"By moving into a RAD, VB or similar environment, we feel that we might be less exposed to the shuffling of assets that seems to have been occurring in the multivalue community in the last several years. I hesitate to commit my company resources to products that I have no comfort level, will exist or be supported more than a year out in time."
"We'll connect you easier, faster and more reliably to data"
Email: sales@pixieware.com
/ Site Map / About Us / General Products / MV Products / Outsourcing / Home page /
