DBMaker as a Solution for ACUCOBOL Developers

As a COBOL developer, you encounter a far wider range of demands than other developers. As you work in COBOL, the stability and quality of your work is expected to be very high. Your code has been in production for a long time, and you have removed many of the bugs and glitches that exist in other code. However, this very high quality adds urgency to the need to fix any problem discovered by customers. In addition, you have to deal with upgrading to new interfaces, requests for new functionality, etc. DBMaker provides a solution that is easy for developers like you to implement, and will eliminate many current user requests and concerns.

DBMaker is Easy to Implement
DBMaker requires NO change to your COBOL code. Your highly stable application will NOT have to be changed. Its stability will not decrease. DBMaker keeps all of your COBOL statements (File Select, File Definition, READ, WRITE, OPEN, CLOSE, etc.) in the exact same format they are currently. The steps for installing DBMaker and converting your data are very simple. The only impact to any text file may be comments within your file definition that are generated by the Acucorp XFD process.

DBMaker does not Impact other COBOL Development
DBMaker does not require changes to the COBOL code. There is no need to have a CODE FREEZE while adding DBMaker to your application. This allows you to make adjustment to code, even working on bug fixes at the same time you are implementing DBMaker, WITHOUT worrying about parallel development and later integration hassles. As DBMaker allows COBOL syntax for file access, you can continue to access files using the exact same syntax, using the consistent routines and coding styles that you have evolved over time. You do not have to learn new ways of coding, or new styles for DBMaker.

DBMaker allows you to start using SQL Syntax
As soon as your COBOL files have been converted to DBMaker, you can start using SQL syntax within your COBOL programs. While SQL is NOT required at any time to use DBMaker, many complex queries in your application can best be resolved through your knowledge of SELECT, JOIN, and FETCH statements. DBMaker allows both SQL and COBOL access to the same table as needed. This can quickly help you resolve data design issues that were far more complex when limited solely to COBOL syntax and retrieval.

DBMaker provides you with Flexible Data Retrieval Options
User demands for additional ways to look at data are constant and unrelenting. While it is possible to create COBOL sort files, establish screens for data review, it is more efficient to use tools that already exist (like 4GL tools) for data retrieval. With your data in a RDBMS, you can choose to utilize other development skills to resolve these problems.

DBMaker does not Require new Technology, Learning, or Tools
As a COBOL developer, you know COBOL. You are very good at COBOL. While your knowledge and skills are equal to learning any new technology, working on real applications for real customers often does not permit you time for learning new languages, concepts, etc. Implementing a new technology can have hidden costs that will slow development significantly. DBMaker has no such requirements. You continue to code the way you have always coded; using the style you have already developed. DBMaker will convert your files to an SQL database, and will access that database directly from COBOL statements, so that data access remains comparable to current applications.