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'''PowerHouse''' is a [[Bytecode|byte-compiled]] [[fourth-generation programming language]] (or 4GL) originally produced by Quasar Corporation (later renamed [[Cognos]] Incorporated) for the [[Hewlett-Packard]] ''[[HP3000]]'' mini-computer, as well as Data General and DEC [[VAX
* ''QDD, or Quasar Data Dictionary'': for building a central data dictionary used by all other components
* ''QDesign'': a character-based [[screen generator]]
* ''Quick'': an interactive, character-based screen processor (running screens generated by QDesign)
* ''Quiz'': a report writer
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== History ==
PowerHouse was introduced in 1982 and bundled together in a single product Quiz and Quick/QDesign, both of which had been previously available separately, with a new batch processor QTP. In 1983, Quasar changed its name to ''[[Cognos]] Corporation'' and began porting their application development tools to other platforms, notably [[Digital Equipment Corporation]]'s [[
The PowerHouse language represented a considerable achievement.{{According to whom|date=March 2011}} Compared with languages like [[COBOL]], [[Pascal programming language|Pascal]] and [[PL/1]], PowerHouse substantially cut the amount of labour required to produce useful applications on its chosen platforms. It achieved this through the use of a central data-dictionary, a compiled file that extended the attributes of data fields natively available in the DBMS with frequently used programming idioms such as:
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{{code|<screenname>}} was the name of the screen that the programmer assigned to the program. {{code|<filename>}} was the file name to be accessed in the data dictionary. Whether the items in the file would all fit in the screen would be determined by how many items and the size of them. If they didn't all fit, the program would have to be modified to eliminate unneeded items, change the size of items to some other size, etc. But, for a file with only a couple of items in it, it is quick and easy to generate a screen for data entry, deletion, or to simply look up data by an index.
Simple QUIZ reports were almost as easy. A one-file report was as simple as:
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* [http://teamblue.unicomsi.com/products/powerhouse-4gl/ UNICOM Systems' Application Development Tools home page]
{{Hewlett-Packard software}}
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