Re: Data Browser

From: Nigel Campbell <nigelc_at_cognos.com>
Date: Wed, 26 May 1993 23:46:31 GMT
Message-ID: <1993May26.234631.27478_at_cognos.com>


In article <1ttrojINN6fb_at_cronkite.cisco.com> pkane_at_cisco.com (Peter Kane) writes:
>In article <sjsC7LDvI.AnH_at_netcom.com> sjs_at_netcom.com (Stephen Schow) writes:

>>Anyone use Oracle Data Browser yet....especially for the mac? Its 600 bucks
>>plus more for the support. Anyone have any strong reasons for paying more

If your an MS/Windows user, you should take a look at Impromptu from Cognos. I have attached some blurb on what we've added to our current production offering which supports Oracle. For more info, try 800-426-4667 in the US
800-267-2777 in Canada
+61 2 437 6655 in Australia
+44 344 486668 in the UK

Impromptu 2.0 Enhancements

Report Writing Capabilities: Support for report headers and footers, page headers and footers and group headers and footers will be provided. Header and footer areas can contain text, bitmaps, data and aggregates. Control over font, colour, patterns, and borders will be added. The ability to format reports using previously created reports will also be supported.

WYSIWYG Printing: Reports will be printed as seen on the screen. A Print Preview capability will allow the user to ensure correct page layout.

DDE and OLE: New support for DDE Paste-Link and full OLE capabilities will be added.

Extended Business View: Users will be able to create their own folders and store their queries in a structured hierarchy, instead of a flat list. Impromptu users can "protect" folders to prevent alteration before distributing catalogs to other users.

Improved Export and Import: Queries can be exported to a flat text file format, suitable for transmission via electronic mail, and subsequently imported by recipients.

Catalog Distribution: Central copies of catalogs can be stored on remote LAN servers for distribution. Changes made to the "central" catalogs will be automatically reflected in each user's copy.

Query Restrictions: Query cost limitations can be enforced, such as restrictions on the number of tables a query can join, or limits to the number of rows that can be retrieved. Users can still explore the database, but only within these preset limits.

Catalog Descriptions: Descriptive text can be entered by the user and stored within the Catalog. This description is displayed when the user is selecting and editing catalogs.

Frozen Catalogs: Catalogs can be frozen before being distributed to other users. Once frozen, the catalog can be used to execute existing queries, and export or print the results, but the queries can not be altered, and new queries can not be created.

Catalog Content Report: Printed reports of catalog contents and related database information can be generated.

Advanced User Interface: Columns and other report objects can be relocated or re-sized using an intuitive "drag-and-drop" technique. In addition, all dialogs will support drag-and-drop within list-boxes

Query Bar: The Query bar will be extended to include four times as many tool choices. In addition, the user can configure the query bar to "launch" other applications and automatically establish links with Impromptu reports.

Advanced Query Capabilities: New capabilities, such as sorting by aggregates and using aggregates in calculated columns, and filtering on aggregate values will be supported. Outer-joins and self-join capabilities will also be available. New date manipulation functions will be provided in the expression editor for filters and calculated columns.

Security-by-value: Filters can be attached to tables or columns to prevent users from accessing privileged information.

Pick List Support: Query filters can contain "pick list" prompts, which allow the user to select the desired value from a list of valid values for a particular field.

dBase and Paradox Access: Catalogs and queries can be created to access local dBase and Paradox databases.

ODBC Support: This allows Impromptu to access any database with an appropriate ODBC driver

Impromptu 2.0 Hardware and Software Requirements

PC Requirements:Windows 3.1
CPU: 80286 or higher
Memory: 4Mb RAM (6 Mb Recommended)

Database Support:Sybase - DB Net Library 1.0 to Server 4.0. M/S SQL Server - DB Net Library 1.1 to Server 4.2 Oracle OCI v6.0 accessing Oracle SQL*Net v1.2 to host Oracle v6.0 dBase IV v1.5
Paradox 4.0
ODBC v1.0 accessing any database with an ODBC driver. (need Level 1 API and Core Grammar conformance)

-- 
Nigel Campbell          Voice: (613) 738-1338 ext 3016    P.O. Box 9707
Cognos Incorporated       FAX: (613) 738-0002             3755 Riverside Dr.
UNIX and RDBMS            MCI: nigel campbell || 307-4729 Ottawa, Ontario
UUnet: nigelc_at_cognos.COM                                  CANADA  K1G 3Z4
Received on Thu May 27 1993 - 01:46:31 CEST

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