Re: Accessing ODBC drive from ADA

[Dave Wood <dpw@thomsoft.com>]

Larry Kilgallen wrote:
> 
> In article <54gen2$f6q@hecate.umd.edu>, jinxue@Glue.umd.edu (Jin Xue Kuang) writes:
> 
> >   I am new in ADA95.  My company wants me to create Windows NT
> > application using ADA 95.  My development platform will be
> > Thomson Ada compiler.  Does any one knows how to make a connection
> > with the ODBC driver in general from the ADA codes.  I know how to
> 
> According to http://www/thomsoft.com/products/ada/oa/family.html
> the ODBC bindings (moral equivalent of a C header file) are in
> even the lowest cost of the Thomson ObjectAda compilers, so it
> looks like you have that part on hand already.  

True, ODBC bindings may be found in the Win32Ada folder.

>The fact that
> it was easier for me to look at their web page than to look at
> my copy of the software says quite a bit about their concept of
> not providing _any_ printed documentation.
>

Ouch, Larry, you cut me to the quick!

The industry trend is definitely toward "paperless" documentation,
but like many (most??) people, I like to sit down with a book in
my lap (not a laptop) in addition to enjoying the fruits of on-line
docs.   To that end, a full, hardcopy document set will be
available for the next release of ObjectAda for Windows (v7.1).

In the meantime, we're making available a draft set of docs,
(8.5x11, 3-hole punch, shrink-wrap) for a nominal fee to cover
reproduction and shipping.  Call your sales rep and ask for 
product 1102-DRFT-DC.

In terms of content, it won't be significantly different from
the on-line help files for the Professional Edition (our goal 
is to put *everything* on-line), but you may find it more 
pleasant to read if you're reclined on your couch.

> 
> Be sure to subscribe to the Thomson ObjectAda mailing list.
> There is no track record yet to indicate whether you will
> get good answers there, but if you indicate problem areas
> then Thomson will know what to improve for the next version.

The OA mailing lists are intended to be essentially self-
sustaining.  They are just now building up to a critical
mass where users can help one another as they might here on
c.l.a.  We think it best not to have product-specific 
discussions on a general newsgroup because it can clutter
up discussion of the main topic (hint, hint...)

Our development and support engineers monitor the groups and
you will find that often your questions will be answered in
this way (but not always - customers are always innovative
and trying things we never thought of - if you're a pioneer,
the quickest answer may be one you will find on your own,
which you will hopefully then share with the rest of us.)

-- Dave Wood
-- Product Manager, ObjectAda for Windows
-- Thomson Software Products
-- http://www.thomsoft.com