Ada and SQL on a Sparc

Ada and SQL on a Sparc

[Bill Hensley]

I have been tasked to develop a set of Web pages that are hosted on a Sparc.
I would like to use Ada GNAT to accomplish the CGI side of this.  The only
thing that holds me back is the Ada interface to the Oracle SQL database that
is to be used as the data repository for the Web site.  While I have developed
Oracle-interfacing CGI using 4GL tools (Sapphire/Web) and with C, I'd rather
use Ada.   I'd like to know if GNAT supports a SQL interface, and if there are
any "gotchas" or war stories.  If there is not too much negative commentary I
will be able to go to my management and make a strong case to use Ada.

Thanks, Bill

Bill_Hensley@smtp.rc.trw.com
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Hensley/

Re: Ada and SQL on a Sparc

[William W Pritchett]

The only way I know of to access Oracle using GNAT is through ODBC.  Objective 
Interface Systems sells an ODBC product for Ada which I've used with GNAT on 2 
projects.  Oracle's ProAda product, to my knowledge, hasn't been ported to GNAT.
ProAda has many compiler dependencies and making it GNAT-friendly isn't easy 
(I've tried).  ODBC, however, is very easy to use.  Plus it's vendor independent.

Hope this helps,
Bill Pritchett

Bill Hensley (Bill_Hensley@SMTP.RC.TRW.COM) wrote:
: I have been tasked to develop a set of Web pages that are hosted on a Sparc.
: I would like to use Ada GNAT to accomplish the CGI side of this.  The only
: thing that holds me back is the Ada interface to the Oracle SQL database that
: is to be used as the data repository for the Web site.  While I have developed
: Oracle-interfacing CGI using 4GL tools (Sapphire/Web) and with C, I'd rather
: use Ada.   I'd like to know if GNAT supports a SQL interface, and if there are
: any "gotchas" or war stories.  If there is not too much negative commentary I
: will be able to go to my management and make a strong case to use Ada.

: Thanks, Bill

: Bill_Hensley@smtp.rc.trw.com
: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Hensley/

Re: Ada and SQL on a Sparc

[Chad Bremmon]

Bill Hensley wrote:
> 
> I have been tasked to develop a set of Web pages that are hosted on a Sparc.
> I would like to use Ada GNAT to accomplish the CGI side of this.  The only
> thing that holds me back is the Ada interface to the Oracle SQL database that
> is to be used as the data repository for the Web site.  While I have developed
> Oracle-interfacing CGI using 4GL tools (Sapphire/Web) and with C, I'd rather
> use Ada.   I'd like to know if GNAT supports a SQL interface, and if there are
> any "gotchas" or war stories.  If there is not too much negative commentary I
> will be able to go to my management and make a strong case to use Ada.
> 
> Thanks, Bill
> 
> Bill_Hensley@smtp.rc.trw.com
> http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Hensl
ey/
We have had relatively good success with the 
Ada-Connect ODBC product.  We are using Gnat 
with Sybase, but the Airfields project used Oracle 
with the ODBC drivers.  Ada-Connect is based on the 
Intersolv ODBC technology, and provides Ada95 
access for Gnat and potentially any other Ada95 
compiler.  Please contact me if you would like more 
information about getting those drivers. 
bremmon@acm.org

Re: Ada and SQL on a Sparc

[Brad Balfour]

In article <n1373396961.54880@smtp.rc.trw.com>, Bill Hensley
<Bill_Hensley@SMTP.RC.TRW.COM> wrote:

>I'd like to know if GNAT supports a SQL interface, and if there are
>any "gotchas" or war stories.  If there is not too much negative commentary I
>will be able to go to my management and make a strong case to use Ada.

It certainly can be done. The Airfileds project was successful in creating
an MIS application that connected Ada 95 software (compiled with GNAT)
with the Oracle DBMS. (see various issues of the AdaIC newsletter on
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us).

In doing this, they discovered that the Oracle Pro*Ada software is Ada 83
speicifc and compiler specific and will *not* work. What did work,
however, was some marvelous ODBC software from Objective Interface Systems
(OIS) of Reston VA. Their AdaConnect 95 product was used successfully to
talk to Oracle from Ada on a Sun/Sparc running Solaris. One advantage of
using ODBC is that you can change DBMS without modifying the software.

You can contact OIS at:

Objective Interface Systems, Inc.       
1892 Preston White Drive
Reston, Virginia 22091
tel:    (703) 264-1900
fax:    (703) 264 1721
email:  info@ois.com
WWW:    http://www.ois.com

-- 
Brad Balfour                         SIGAda WWW Server
CACI, Inc.                         http://www.acm.org/sigada/
703/277-6767                         and also try:
bbalfour@std.caci.com                   http://lglwww.epfl.ch/Ada/
bbalfour@sw-eng.falls-church.va.us
bbalfour@acm.org
**new address: 3930 Pender Drive * Fairfax, VA 22030 * 703/277-6767**

Re: Ada and SQL on a Sparc

[Wayne R. Lawton]

Greetings,

    I worked with Brad Balfour and Bill Pritchett on the Airfields 
effort (hi guys) and can readily second (third?) their endorsement of 
the OIS AdaConnect package.

    However, IF the goal is _simply_ to connect Oracle to a web page, 
and not necessarily to demonstrate a successful usage of Ada, then why 
not simply pull down Netscapes server with Oracle support?

    The technology works.  It is in place and operational.  I cannot 
discuss the specific implementation site publicly.  The company I am 
working for is a Netscape partner and the server may be alpha/beta.  We 
are currently implementing a series of database 
add/update/delete/modify/report applications for the same commercial 
customer.  

If Ada is required/desired then I strongly support OISs entire product 
line.

Regards,
Wayne R. Lawton
WLawton@servtech.com