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{{Short description|Fourth-generation programming language}}
{{
{{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
* ''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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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 <
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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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://
{{Hewlett-Packard software}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Minicomputers]]
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[[Category:Divested IBM products]]
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