ODBiC - Open DataBase Internet Connector

Open DataBase
Internet
Connector

ODBiC is a simple yet powerful interface between your Web pages and your ODBC databases. It can be run as a CGI program or ISAPI server extension to dynamically insert your data into your HTML documents or to update your databases from Web browser forms, or it can be run from the command line to "publish" HTML documents.

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Release 1.5 - Release 1.6 (Beta)

Features:

Use ANSI SQL statements to SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE data in any ODBC-accessible database.

The SQL statements and HTML output documents are fully controlled by "template" files and Web browser forms that you design. For example, you can:

get the user's data selection criteria from a Web browser form and use them in SQL queries;

write your own SQL SELECT statement or, with one command, automatically generate a Query By Example (QBE) SQL statement from the user's input;

with one command, automatically display your query results in a table with column name headers;

format your own result tables, or insert the selected data and form variables anywhere in the document text, including into HTML commands or subsequent SQL statements;

use one command to automatically write the selected data back to the user as a database update form (i.e., a complete HTML form with the current data in modifiable input fields, a link back to ODBiC, and an SQL statement to update the database with the user's changes);

create browser forms to allow users to insert, update, or delete database records.

	Use one command to automatically create a form input field that is an HTML "pull-down choice list" of values selected from a database table.
	Easily detect when key columns change value in a sorted set of query results, which allows formatting results as "master/detail" or "category" groups.
	Define formatting masks for variables to force a certain number of decimal digits, add commas to mark thousands, add a dollar sign, "zero-fill", or insert other special characters.
	Define translation values to display database codes as meaningful text.
	Set default values to be used for any variables not entered by the user or selected from the database.
	Use "nested", compound conditional tests (combined with AND, OR, and NOT) on database values and form input variables to control your SQL statements and your output. Use special functions to validate the content of data entry.
	Use complex mathematical and "character string" expressions in comparison statements, in "set variable" statements, or directly in your output.
	Automatically "redirect" the user's Web browser (that is, transfer to another URL). You might select the new URL by using conditional testing of input variables or by looking up the URL from your database.
	Include text from other files. This allows you to maintain just one copy of standard HTML text or ODBiC statements and dynamically insert them into any of your ODBiC templates.
	Execute other DOS programs from your ODBiC templates and any "console" text output will be sent to the browser.
	Submit multiple SQL statements to multiple databases in the same document.
	ODBiC allows ad hoc SQL statements from a browser form, so authorized users can have full access to the databases through the Internet. Or, you can provide SQL statements as hidden fields in forms, then use the same standardized reporting format for various queries.
	To restrict access privileges, you have the option of requiring users to enter their database-defined user IDs and passwords, or you can provide a default. For ODBC databases that don't provide built-in access security, you can easily provide your own by querying a password table before allowing the user's actions.
	When ODBiC is run as a CGI or ISAPI program on a system with a Web server, it can output "real-time" data directly back to browsers and update databases from browser forms. But it can also "publish" data as HTML documents on disk. For example, if your database is on your PC but your Web pages are on your Internet Service Provider's system, you can generate your pages on your PC whenever your database changes, then upload the pages to your ISP. Even if you use ODBiC as a CGI program, you may want to write HTML files for data that does not change frequently, for increased Web access speed. ODBiC can also be scheduled to run automatically at regular intervals by using the Windows NT Schedule service. For example, you might choose to have your Web pages updated every hour or every night instead of in "real time".
	ODBiC is ideal for rapid prototyping even if you intend to develop custom CGI code for your application.
	ODBiC costs only $39 for the single-copy license, and only $79 for the unlimited-copy corporate license.

NEW FEATURES IN RELEASE 1.5
These features are currently available only in the registered version

An ISAPI version for MS-IIS, O'Reilly Website 1.1g and Pro 2.0, and other servers is now available. ISAPI extensions are more efficient than CGI programs because they run as Dynamic Link Library (DLL) routines directly under the server, avoiding CGI program startup overhead and interprocess communications with the server, and they can take advantage of ODBC's "connection pooling" feature to save time for repeated queries to the same database.

The new SENDMAIL command allows you to send e-mail directly from a template. When combined with SQL SELECT, you can use ODBiC as a "mail merge" program to send personalized e-mail to the people in your database. When used with the new SHOWINPUT command, you can use ODBiC as a "form e-mailer" to have Web form input mailed to you. Multiple "TO:" recipients may be specified, or you may use mailing list files. Optional MIME 1.0 encoding is provided to support the European character set.

HTTP "cookie" support. Cookies allow you to track a user's activities across multiple pages and over time for repeated visits to your site. In effect, cookies allow you to use each user's browser as an extension of your database, with the data automatically associated to that user.

A new SEARCH command implements an automatic "Boolean keyword search" SQL statement on specified database columns, with multiple columns allowed in the same search. The user can enter multiple search terms, optionally combined with AND, OR, or NOT, or enter quoted phrases for an exact match. The new SEARCH and the existing QBE (query by example) commands give you easy access to database searching capabilities not available in any similar product.

An enhanced OUTPUT command allows you to APPEND to an existing file (to create activity log files, for example), to INSERT AFTER or INSERT BEFORE a given "target" text string in an existing file (to create "guestbook" or "forum" style HTML pages, for example), or to REPLACE BETWEEN given target strings (to update a section within a page without concern for the rest of the page).

A new SHOWINPUT command outputs all CGI variables passed in from an HTML form. This command may be used with SENDMAIL to e-mail form data to yourself, or with the OUTPUT APPEND command to log form data to a disk file.

You may now use "nested" SQL queries or updates within an EACHROW loop, up to three levels deep.

A new string function, $memo( ), makes it easy to format memo-type fields for HTML output by replacing the user's "new line" (RETURN) characters with HTML <BR> (line break) tags, and pairs of RETURNs with <P> (paragraph) tags. Another new string function, $trim( ), removes extra spaces, tabs, and "new lines" from the beginning and end of strings.

Requirements:

	ODBiC runs on Windows NT and Windows 95 systems. (A UNIX version will be available soon; see below.)
	ODBiC may be used with any CGI 1.1-compliant or ISAPI HTTP Web server. (A server is required only for "real-time" database access via the Web. It is not required if ODBiC is run from the command line to write HTML files to disk.)
	Database access requires ODBC drivers for your databases. (Windows NT and 95 are shipped with drivers for MS Access, dBASE, FoxPro, Paradox, and text files. MS Office adds a driver for Excel. Most of the commercial database packages for the PC, such as MS SQL Server, Sybase, and Oracle, include ODBC drivers.)
	ODBiC requires some knowledge of SQL and HTML to be used effectively. However, there are example files available from the link below and examples in the User's Guide to get you started.

Read the USER'S GUIDE

Try this ONLINE DEMO

Download your 30-day free EVALUATION COPY (101 K)

Download the example DEMO FILES (43 K)

Post questions and read announcements at the ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARD

DATABASE HOSTING SERVICE with ODBiC and ASP support.

REGISTER ONLINE with your credit card (via secure server)

Coming soon:

	Linux and FreeBSD UNIX versions of ODBiC. If you would like to receive an e-mail notice when these versions are available, send a request to [email protected]
	NSAPI version for Netscape servers. Like ISAPI "server extensions", NSAPI modules offer efficiency improvements over CGI programs.

Questions or comments? Email: [email protected]

	An ISAPI version for MS-IIS, O'Reilly Website 1.1g and Pro 2.0, and other servers is now available. ISAPI extensions are more efficient than CGI programs because they run as Dynamic Link Library (DLL) routines directly under the server, avoiding CGI program startup overhead and interprocess communications with the server, and they can take advantage of ODBC's "connection pooling" feature to save time for repeated queries to the same database.
	The new SENDMAIL command allows you to send e-mail directly from a template. When combined with SQL SELECT, you can use ODBiC as a "mail merge" program to send personalized e-mail to the people in your database. When used with the new SHOWINPUT command, you can use ODBiC as a "form e-mailer" to have Web form input mailed to you. Multiple "TO:" recipients may be specified, or you may use mailing list files. Optional MIME 1.0 encoding is provided to support the European character set.
	HTTP "cookie" support. Cookies allow you to track a user's activities across multiple pages and over time for repeated visits to your site. In effect, cookies allow you to use each user's browser as an extension of your database, with the data automatically associated to that user.
	A new SEARCH command implements an automatic "Boolean keyword search" SQL statement on specified database columns, with multiple columns allowed in the same search. The user can enter multiple search terms, optionally combined with AND, OR, or NOT, or enter quoted phrases for an exact match. The new SEARCH and the existing QBE (query by example) commands give you easy access to database searching capabilities not available in any similar product.
	An enhanced OUTPUT command allows you to APPEND to an existing file (to create activity log files, for example), to INSERT AFTER or INSERT BEFORE a given "target" text string in an existing file (to create "guestbook" or "forum" style HTML pages, for example), or to REPLACE BETWEEN given target strings (to update a section within a page without concern for the rest of the page).
	A new SHOWINPUT command outputs all CGI variables passed in from an HTML form. This command may be used with SENDMAIL to e-mail form data to yourself, or with the OUTPUT APPEND command to log form data to a disk file.
	You may now use "nested" SQL queries or updates within an EACHROW loop, up to three levels deep.
	A new string function, $memo( ), makes it easy to format memo-type fields for HTML output by replacing the user's "new line" (RETURN) characters with HTML <BR> (line break) tags, and pairs of RETURNs with <P> (paragraph) tags. Another new string function, $trim( ), removes extra spaces, tabs, and "new lines" from the beginning and end of strings.