Entity / Relationship
Data Modeller -The E-R Data Modeller is used by a developer
to graphically model a database application and serves as the entry point
to the other Micro Creator components. Like many CASE tools it allows
the placing and editing of entities and their relationships. All entities,
entity relationships, attributes, attribute data type and size information,
screen layout and field positioning, lookup tables etc. are entered
using the E-R Data Modeller and are stored in the Micro Creator
data model.
Application
Prototype - Aunique feature is the Application Prototype
which allows the developer to test a data model at any stage of its development
and to preview the screens, menus, system navigation and database
features. This system automatically generates the windows, menus etc.
while giving the developer control over the graphical "look and feel"
- with label, field and button positioning.
TEMPLO
Interpreter - Included with the Micro Creator is a full
featured BASIC Interpreter that is used as a data access, reporting
and batch processing language. TEMPLO programs are easily written
by people familiar with BASIC and have the added advantage of allowing
embedded SQL thus providing a solid database access and retrieval language.
TEMPLO also allows use of the Microsoft Windows Graphical Interface
for users to interact with running TEMPLO programs. TEMPLO
is also used by the Micro Creator code generation system to format
and output the generated source and documentation.
Templates
- The core of the Micro Creator code generation facilities
are the Templates that allow generation of the C/C++ application
code, help file and system and user documentation. Templates are also
supplied to modify the data model, to add missing foreign keys and to load
user modified windows dialogs back into the model. The C/C++ source templates
contain blocks of code that are used in Windows applications. The code
generation process combines these blocks of code to produce the final source
files. A compiler is required to compile and link this code and turn it
into a native Windows application. The Micro Creator currently supports
the Microsoft and Borland C/C++ compilers.
MCRSQL
Interpreter - MCRSQL responds to SQL database manipulation
statements, dispatching SQL statements to the MCRSQL Library. These
are statements such as INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, SELECT, etc. Two different
versions of MCRSQL are provided:
- MCRSQL.ODB which includes the ODBC connectivity capability. It also requires the presence of the Microsoft Open Database Connectivity dynamic link library (ODBC.DLL) somewhere on the development system to function.
- MCRSQL.NOD which doesn't.
MCRSQL is a single table SQL and currently works with one database table at a time. As a general rule, MCRSQL is case insensitive; that is, it doesn't matter whether keywords and table/column names are in upper or lowercase or a mixture of both. The MCRSQL Library provides a consistent Application Programming Interface (API) for both native and ODBC MCRSQL.
The
MCR / Microsoft Office Interface - MCRMOI is a Word 6.x and
7.x macro that provides the user with access to the MCRSQL database.
The database link supports the user constructing single table SQL queries
of the connected database. The interface is written for the novice user
that is not familiar with formal SQL verbs, structures, and syntax. The
interface utilizes common verbs and constructs in guiding the user through
the creation of the database query. Secretaies, clerks, and administrators
have successfully used the facility to access information in the database
with less than a half hour of training. Access to the query engine is granted
through both MS Word and the database application.
