Author Topic: EA and PowerBuilder  (Read 12515 times)

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
EA and PowerBuilder
« on: March 08, 2004, 08:25:20 pm »
Hi,

I have been wondering whether anybody would be interested in a functionality for reverse/forward engineering of PowerBuilder code into/from EA.
One of our clients has recently asked us about it and we are considering developing the functionality. I would very much appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

Bruno

Keith Bollwahn

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 31
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2004, 10:59:12 am »
 ;D YES!, YES!, YES!  I've been working the project here for the past 2 years using EA to just generate hardcopy MS Word specs for updates to a legacy PowerBuilder application and a new PowerBuilder app.  This functionality would, 1) Let me use EA for more than a 'word processing' repository, 2) better document the legacy system, and 3) work to get EA accepted as a standard here since PowerBuilder is the agency standard for client/server apps.

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2004, 11:44:32 am »
Good :-) Out of curiosity, do you have experience with PowerDesigner? Would you want the same functionality that PowerDesigner offers?
This is a rather complex issue and I am trying to figure out what exactly does it entail and if there is interest in it out there.
By the way, what version of PowerBuilder do you use?

Bruno

Keith Bollwahn

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 31
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2004, 11:55:10 am »
Sorry,  :-/  I don't have any experience with PowerDesigner.  We're currently using PowerBuilder 7.2

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2004, 12:00:16 pm »
Not a problem :-)
7.2? Are you looking into upgrading? As public release of PowerBuilder 10 is imminent, support of 7.x is surely going to be discontinued (if it has not been already).
Are you interested in both forward- and reverse-engineering? Is any of them more important to you? I.e. do you use EA primarily for the design or for documentation of the legacy application?

Bruno

Keith Bollwahn

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 31
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2004, 03:52:47 am »
Yes, the standard here is now PowerBuilder 9, but they probably won't finish the upgrade before this current project goes live.  As the tech writer, with a log of legacy code, I'm more interested in reverse engineering for the short term. As someone wanting be be more involved with analysis, modeling and rapid development I'd really like to see the forward engineering in the near future.

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2004, 09:05:10 am »
We have started work on the reverse-engineering piece. We will release it in iterations, first release should be out in two weeks.
Will keep you updated!

Bruno

Keith Bollwahn

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 31
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2004, 12:06:17 pm »
 ;D I'll be looking forward to seeing it. If you need someone to beta test, let me know.

Keith

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2004, 12:16:34 pm »
We most certainly will!
(This is kind of my pet project - I have a thing for PowerBuilder :-) )

Bruno

Samuel B

  • EA Novice
  • *
  • Posts: 5
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2004, 06:29:18 am »
Yes,yes, me too  :D!
I'll be interested by the functionality reverse/forward engineering of PowerBuilder code into EA. Reverse for existing code and forward for new functionality.
Like Keith, i don't have any experience with PowerDesigner.
We're currently using PowerBuilder 7.02 and we're looking to upgrading to PowerBuilder 10.
If you need someone to beta test, i'm interested too.

Have a good day.

Samuel

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2004, 08:15:12 am »
Hi Samuel,

good to meet another PB fan! :-) Beta version of the tool for reverse engineering of PB into the EA is currently scheduled to be released on March 25, i.e. next week. The original plans were for PB9 support but we are going to include PB7, too.

Will keep you updated!

Bruno

Samuel B

  • EA Novice
  • *
  • Posts: 5
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2004, 12:21:41 am »
Hi Bruno,

That's a good news.... ;D ;D
I am going to look forward this day.

Do you have an idea for availability of the PB code generation tool into EA ?

Samuel

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2004, 04:53:50 am »
Hi Samuel,

glad to make you happy :-) As far as the code generation goes, I should have an estimated target date early next week, I will let you know then. That is a pretty big task...
Just out of curiousity, you may want to have a look at PowerDesigner (download a trial version from www.sybase.com). Their PB Code Generation went to the point where you can generate full PowerBuilder application.

Bruno

Samuel B

  • EA Novice
  • *
  • Posts: 5
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2004, 07:00:10 am »
Hi Bruno,

I downloaded the trial version of PowerDesigner. The generation of code is very complete and corresponds to the fact that I look for.

Samuel

Bruno.Cossi

  • EA User
  • **
  • Posts: 803
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: EA and PowerBuilder
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2004, 07:17:34 am »
Hi Samuel,

my opinion exactly! (After all, PowerDesigner is Sybase's product just like PowerBuilder, they should know their stuff). The main setback though is the price... excellent product as it is, USD $6990 for a licence of the ObjectArchitect is not cheap.
We will try to build much the same functionality for EA.

Bruno

P.S. I do love PowerDesigner :-)