PowerHouse (programming language): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Fourth-generation programming language}}

{{RefimproveMore citations needed|date=February 2007}}

{{Infobox software

| name = UNICOM PowerHouse

|logo =

| logo alt = Unicom Systems corporate logo

| screenshot =

| caption =

| author =

| developer = UNICOM Systems, a division of [[UNICOM Global]]

| latest_release_version =

| latest_release_date =

| operating_system =

| genre =

| license = [[Proprietary software]]

| website = {{URL|https://teamblue.unicomsi.com/products/powerhouse-4gl/}}

}}

'''PowerHouse''' is a trademarked name for 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/VMS]] systems. It was initially composed of five components:

* ''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 ''[[VAXOpenVMS|VMS]]'', [[Data General]]'s ''[[EclipseAOS/VS MVII]]'', and [[IBM]]'s ''[[ASOS/400]]'', along with the [[UNIX]] platforms from these vendors. Cognos also began extending their product line with add-ons to PowerHouse (for example, ''Architect'') and end-user applications written in PowerHouse (for example, ''MultiView''). {{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} Subsequent development of the product added support for platform-specific relational databases, such as HP's ''Allbase/SQL'', DEC's ''[[Oracle_RdbOracle Rdb| Rdb]]'', and [[Microsoft]]'s ''[[Microsoft Microsoft_SQL_ServerSQL Server| SQL Server]]'', as well as cross-platform relational databases such as [[Oracle_DatabaseOracle Database| Oracle]], [[Sybase_SQL_ServerSybase |SQL Server|Sybase]], and [[IBM]]'s [[IBM_DB2IBM DB2| DB2]].

The PowerHouse language represented a considerable achievement.{{SaysAccording whoto 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:

* display masks

* help and message strings

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* help and information texts.

In order to support the data dictionary, PowerHouse was tightly coupled to the underlying database management system and/or file system on each of the target platforms. In the case of the HP3000 this was the ''[[TurboIMAGE | IMAGE]]'' shallow-network DBMS and ''KSAM'' indexed file system, and the entire PowerHouse language reflected its origins.

Once described in the data dictionary, there was no further need to describe the attributes through any of the applications unless there was a need to change them on the fly, for example, to change the size of an item to make it fit within the constraints of a defined item.

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GO

{{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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Commands could be abbreviated to the first three characters when writing source code. ACCESS could be abbreviated to ACC, as well as DEFine, REPort, SCReen, etc.

QUIZ reports could be routed to a printer, screen, or ASCII text files with the <ttcode>SET REPORT DEVICE <printer> <screen> <disk></ttcode>command.

Given the right access and commands, a novice could write simple report programs. Just as dangerous, though, the same novice could easily destroy the data as there was no security to whether one can call up any of the interpreters. If you had access to QUIZ, you also had access to QTP and QUICK.

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== Migration to the PC ==

Cognos initially attempted to move to the [[Intel]] platform in 1988 with the [[DOS]]-based ''PowerHouse PC''. While the product was used by numerous partners to build bespoke applications for small to medium -sized customers it was not entirely unsuccessful at that time. However, Cognos eventually produced Axiant (c.1995), which ported PowerHouse-like syntax to an Intel-based [[Microsoft Windows]] visual development environment and linked it to [[SQL]] aware [[DBMS]] running on these machines. The radical changes wrought by the PC revolution, which began just at the time ''PowerHouse'' was introduced, eventually brought down the cost of host computers to such an extent that high-priced software development tools such as PowerHouse became unattractive to customers.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}

==PowerHouse in the 21st Century==

Although ''PowerHouse'' is still available and continues to receive occasional minor functional and platform conformance updates, by 1999 ''Cognos'' had all but ceased major development of ''PowerHouse'' on mid-range computers in favour of newer product lines. Around 1999 ''PowerHouse Web'' was released in order to support the development of [[World Wide Web|web-aware]] applications.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} Products like ''Business Intelligence'' and ''Financial Performance Management'' that run on commodity architectures and high-end ''UNIX'' servers now form the core of the Cognos product line.

Cognos was acquired by IBM on January 30, 2008, and continues to support the PowerHouse line of products.

The PowerHouse Application Development Tools including PowerHouse server, Axiant 4GL and PowerHouse Web were acquired from IBM by UNICOM Systems, a division of [[UNICOM Global]] on December 31, 2013, and UNICOM continues to support the worldwide customer base for the products.<ref>{{cite news |last=Woodie |first=Alex |url=http://www.itjungle.com/fhs/fhs012114-story07.html |title=Unicom Adds HP3000 Biz with Cognos ADT Buy |work=Four Hundred Stuff |date=2014-01-21 |accessdate=2016-03-24 }}</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://wwwteamblue.ibmunicomsi.com/software/data/cognos/products/powerhouse-4gl/ IBMUNICOM CognosSystems' Application Development Tools home page]

* [http://www.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/products/powerhouse/support/ IBM Cognos Application Development Tools support home page]

{{Hewlett-Packard software}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Minicomputers]]

[[Category:Hewlett-PackardHP productssoftware|PowerHouse]]

[[Category:4GLFourth-generation programming languages]]

[[Category:Divested IBM products]]