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| What is OSMOSiS?
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| OSMOSiS is a Rapid Application Development Environment based on Multi-Valued principals. OSMOSiS allows the creation of database definitions, screen designs, reports, documents, menu structures, security and much more.
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| All RAD tools are available in Character and Windows graphical modes.
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| The advanced OSMOSiS RAD tools, including OSMOSiS-Developer and Configure, enhance the development environment. Reports are produced utilizing standard desktop tools such as Microsoft Excel, Word -- or by simply saving the data as CSV files to import into any other Windows application the user wishes.
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| With OSMOSiS-Developer applications created with OSMOSiS are available in both character-based and Windows client/server modes or a combination of both.
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| Using OSMOSiS SB Converter there is a migration path from other Multi-Value 4GL products. Existing applications, created with proprietary 4GL systems such as System Builder, SB+ or Magician, can be imported and converted into OSMOSiS formats and conventions, in a simple process, with minimal post-conversion work.
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| OSMOSiS SB Converter is a full and comprehensive conversion suite taking ALL of the original 4GL parameters and creating both character and Windows-based OSMOSiS applications.
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| Running OSMOSiS Applications
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| Once all of the tables have been designed and created including; fields, forms, prints, menu hierarchy etc it is possible to enable the run-time to do the rest of the work for the end-users. The run-time has been separated into specific modules, these are as follows:
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| Menu System
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| The Menu System has been designed to be used very much like Windows Explorer, but with a different 'look and feel'. Yes, it does have Favourites and History as would be expected from such an advanced product.
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| Enquiry Group
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| This is a group of files and under each file is a list of sub forms. It could be best described as a filing cabinet where the drawers are the files (such as Clients, Vendors, Products etc) and the related forms (such as Client Bills, Orders, History, Prices etc) are the folders.
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| The cabinet enquiry setup is parameterised within the developer, thus giving us a very quick and powerful window into the database especially good for telesales.
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| Once created, the focus will be on the key field and part of the key can be entered. The searching routine will go through the first file and search through all of the cross references, if not found it will continue through just the keys of all the other associated files making the searching very quick and extremely robust.
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| Entry Forms
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| These are a group of entry screens designed within developer or generated from a conversion. Included are all of the standard windows objects as well as a date, time, password and fields. Available is automatically filled combo boxes and list boxes.
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| Unlike other Windows packages, within OSMOSiS it is possible to set-focus to the next field by pressing the Return key. Also enabled is the Tab key if chosen but going from a character based system, being used to the Return key it makes it easier for the end user.
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| Access Reports, File Updates, Prints and Selects
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| A Gui front-end has been made available giving a standard 'look and feel' for entering select criteria, selecting/displaying fields to be listed and sort fields for Reports.
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| Once the Report data has been selected, there is a choice of 'what would you like to do the data'.
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| If chosen to preview the report before actually printing it, a list of export functions is displayed. Available from preview is the ability to export directly if requested.
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| Developing OSMOSiS Applications
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| Developer is split into two areas; to setup printers, users, passwords and sound exclusions; to setup tables, fields, forms etc. By using OSMOSiS Developer, it is possible to create a Full working system.
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| The idea of Developer is so that the Developer will never have to go to TCL again, that is why it has been possible to include all database functions such as Selects, ListU etc.
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| One of the objectives of OSMOSiS Developer is to provide functionality within the Gui environment so that the user does not need to revert to TCL (or the command prompt).
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| Developer consists of the following:
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| · | Program Editor
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| · | Processes
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| · | Table Editor
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| · | Automatic Jobs
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| · | Transactions
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| · | Background Parameters
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| · | Display Parameters
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| · | Print Parameters
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| · | Translation Tables
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| · | Generated Numbers
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| · | Terminal Definitions
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| · | Menu Editor
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| · | File Editor
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| · | Help Editor
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| · | File Properties
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| Why move to OSMOSiS from another RAD?
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| The OSMOSiS approach allows developers, who have invested their training in an existing 4GL, to retain much of that investment. An existing application is moved completely to OSMOSiS, with little redevelopment required. Retraining of staff is limited to the use of new OSMOSiS functionality not available in the user's current environment.
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| OSMOSiS-Developer is a true Graphical Multi-Value 4GL –no screen scraping from this product. These tools allow an application that is based on character- based principles to be transformed into a fully functional, Windows Visual Basic client application.
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| The developer does not lose anything, but gains the flexibility of Visual Basic forms. In addition to the GUI tools there is a complete set of character-based tools enabling both GUI and character applications on one system. Character-based routines can also be used in the GUI environment.
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| With OSMOSiS and a Multi-value environment, the longevity of an existing product is enhanced, and new avenues of business open up. It is possible to take an existing product into the mainstream of Windows applications, whilst retaining all its character-based options and functions.
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| Additional Tools
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| To compliment the OSMOSiS suite, we have introduced two additional tools that can be used with or without OSMOSiS.
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| OSMOSiS eFax
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| eFax is constantly monitoring in a specific directory for documents to send. Within the directory, each document must have a property file for example a document file name '100001.txt', must have the properties in a file name '100001_prop'.
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| The _prop file contains the information, required to direct the document to the following devices; email, fax or SMS.
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| Once the document has been received into the system, a history of items is available for viewing. The status of all methods includes; Sending, Sent and Failed items. If a document fails it is possible to re-send the document after a defined number of retries.
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| The time between monitoring cycles can be adjusted. This can enable fax and email consolidation to be incorporated. This could have a significant cost saving implication for some businesses.
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| Templates in OSMOSiS eFax are used to send complete document with logo's and any other graphics. If, for example it is required to send an invoice via this method, the user would scan in the invoice template which the user uses to print on and allocate a specific document to the invoice template. This will "overprint" the text onto the scanned "picture" document and send the resulting image.
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| Printer Manager
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| This tool is a comprehensive Gui representative of the multi-value spooler and looks similar to the Windows spooler. From here, a list of printers is displayed on the left-hand-side. Once a printer is selected, a list of all the print jobs for that printer is displayed in a grid on the right-hand-side.
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| Unlike the Windows spooler, Printer Manager can multi-select a list of jobs and view the actual contents of the print. Another function Windows doesn't allow is the ability to move jobs from one printer to another.
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| It is possible to add, delete, stop and edit the properties of a printer. Each print job can be viewed, deleted, put on hold and stopped.
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| Incorporating this tool into the user's site will surely simplify the process of controlling the print spooler. OSMOSiS Printer Manager can be used completely unbound from OSMOSiS as it just connects to an account already setup on the Server and uses the system commands to retrieve all printers and jobs.
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| To view a list of jobs, multi-select job items and view then in 'Print Job Viewer' using the shift and control keys. As seen below, the items selected are in the left-hand-side bar.
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