Informix Software Inc has come up with Informix-4GL Rapid Development System, which the company claims eliminates the need for a C linker and C compiler, dramatically reducing database application development time. The company also introduced Informix-4GL Interactive Debugger, a source code level debugger that allows developers to animate and debug applications built with Informix-4GL Rapid Development System. Informix says that the Rapid Development System reduces application development time by quickly compiling 4GL code into Informix’s proprietary p-code, or psuedo code. The p-code runner, a module included in the product, can then be used to run the p-code. Informix 4-GL Rapid Development System supports the same features included in Informix 4-GL such as windows, colour, multiple-page menus, a variety of screen-handling commands, report writing, audit trails and command line syntax. The Interactive Debugger enables Development System users to perform debugging operations interactively within a running program. The debugger uses hot keys to enable a programmer to switch between the running program and a windowed screen that provides an X-ray vision view into the running program. The X-ray vision view displays both a source code window and a command window for setting break points, printing variables and stepping through program execution. The Interactive Debugger eliminates the need to add debugging statements to 4GL programs and enables the developer to work interactively with the Development System p-code system. Informix says that its Rapid Development System eliminates the need for a C compiler licence and speeds compilation and linking by at least a factor of 10. Both new products are compatible across the entire Informix product line and are currently available under Unix but MS-DOS and VMS versions will be released in early 1988. Pricing for Informix-4GL Rapid Development System starts at $1,800 and the Interactive Debugger starts at $1,200.
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