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February 2004: Read about "Migrating Suprtool to HP-UX". |
Moving to HP-UX?
Suprtool & Qedit Can Make the Move Easier!
Rcently there has been a lot of interest in HP-UX, since HP announced the final "sunset" of the HP 3000, at the end of 2006, and the possibility of converting MPE systems into HP-UX systems. HP-UX is Hewlett-Packard's in-house version of UNIX; it runs on the same hardware as the MPE-based HP 3000 systems, but is actually available on a much wider range of hardware, from very small, right up to the SuperDome.
We are pleased to assure you that Robelle plans to support MPE and the HP 3000 as long as customers require. We have also supported HP-UX for many years and offer tried and tested products to assist migrating applications to HP-UX. For instance, our Unix Quickstart for MPE Users is a concise, useful guide to get you started on the transition from MPE/ix to HP-UX.
Solid Experience!
We converted our Qedit and Suprtool products to work on HP-UX over 10 years ago and our team has built up significant expertise and experience in supporting the platform.
Our Products - Versatile & Flexible!
Qedit/UX
When you migrate an application to a new platform, you will be doing an unusual amount of text editing! Qedit provides a standard, easy to use, full-screen editor to ease your tasks."Qedit for HP-UX has been indispensable in our migration from the HP 3000 to HP 9000. It is only tool we have that is common to both platforms an has been very helpful in smoothing out the learning curve on HP-UX. Not only do we use Qedit/UX to edit scripts and program files, but we also use it for all kinds of data migration tasks. For example, we download data from an AS/400 machine, then use Qedit/UX to reformat the data for the HP 9000. Qedit greatly simplifies these kind of tasks."Avoid the "vi" Curse
Mike Connor
NTN-BCA
The standard text editor provided with UNIX systems, including HP-UX, is called "vi". It runs in a character-based terminal window and assigns a special meaning to each keystroke (for example, "k" means cursor up). "Vi is free; why not use it?" If you have the time to become a vi expert, fine. If not, you can have the familiar, dependable Qedit.
If you want the peace of mind that comes from knowing a dedicated team of programmers and support people stand behind the editor you use all day, then Qedit is for you.
Suprtool/UX
Suprtool for HP-UX supports access to Eloquence (an IMAGE-like database), Oracle, Allbase, and regular flat files, and includes all the same components as Suprtool for MPE: Suprlink for combining data from several sources in a flexible and lightning fast manner and STExport for exporting data into whatever format the importing program requires.The Suprtool for HP-UX web page outlines the power and flexibility of this product.
For tips on migrating from MPE to HP-UX, especially transforming your TurboIMAGE database to a new database, visit our Migration Page.
Free Demo
We'd be happy to send you demo of Suprtool and Qedit on HP-UX. If you are interested please complete our online Request Form.
Always Looking Ahead...
We have recently enhanced Suprtool/UX to support the HP Eloquence database. Eloquence is a database marketed by HP that is very close in structure/design to TurboIMAGE. It works on HP-UX, Linux, Windows 2000 and Windows NT. With this enhancement, you can have virtually identical Suprtool extract tasks on the 3000 and the 9000: Current status of Suprtool-Eloquence project.
If you would like to be know more about Suprtool plus HP Eloquence, please check the appropriate box on our Response Form or email the Suprtool developer directly: neil@robelle.com
To learn more about our special offer contact me via email sales@robelle.com or call toll free 1-888-robelle.
Tammy Roscoe
Robelle Solutions Technology Inc.
Toll-free: 1-888-762-3553
Good Advice from an Experienced MPE/HP-UX User
In response to a cry for help from an MPE user (on the HP 9000 mailing list), long-time Robelle user Glenn Cole (glenn@non.hp.com) gave some good tips.Catherine Phelan writes:
> I am about to migrate from HP3000 to HP9000. Will I have to > learn totally new commands or is it the same?
As others have written, it's a totally new world.
Robelle has links to a bunch of articles geared specifically for MPE users moving to UNIX:
http://www.robelle.com/tips/unix-quickstart.html
As it happens, you can get a head start on the basic commands and concepts today, with your e3000. Try this:
- While MPE has a single command interpreter (CI), UNIX has
several from which to choose. Instead of being called a
CI, though, it's called a "shell." On MPE, the UNIX-like
interpreter is called the "POSIX shell."
In the samples below, colon (:) is used as the MPE prompt, and dollar ($) is used as the POSIX shell prompt. It is likely that neither is used on your machine.
- launch the POSIX shell. (On HP-UX, you would just login.)
:xeq sh.hpbin.sys -L - enter the POSIX (and UNIX) equivalent of :SHOWTIME
$date - exit the POSIX shell. (On UNIX, this would log you off;
on MPE, it just returns to the MPE prompt.)
$exit
The standard text editor in UNIX is vi. (emacs is also common, but it's not available on the e3000, or if it is, it's not installed by default.)
The advantages of learning vi are that you'll find it on every UNIX or Linux box, and that it's powerful enough to use in daily development. The disadvantages are that it is nowhere near as powerful or easy to use as Qedit, and the learning curve is exponential. Other than that, it's fine. ;)
HP has thoughtfully included a tutorial on vi, using text files that you view and edit with vi. To get started:
- launch the POSIX shell
:xeq sh.hpbin.sys -L - copy the files to your directory
$cp /hpshell-examples/*.v .cp is the UNIX 'copy' command
/hpshell-examples/*.v refers to all files in the /hpshell-examples directory ending in '.v' (the UNIX and POSIX shells use '*' instead of '@')
. refers to the current directory
- see what files were copied, with the UNIX version of :listf
$ls *.v - open the intro file in vi
$vi browse.v - if you need to exit vi before learning how ;)
:q! (enter all three chars from inside of vi) - exit the POSIX shell
$exit
If you end up using Oracle on the 9000, you'll probably want something to help you load data into the database and extract data out; the tools Oracle provides are abysmal.
Informix has decent tools, in the form of 'load' and 'unload' commands. For Oracle, I ended up writing Perl simulations of the Informix load and unload commands.
While these work fine for my needs, I suspect Robelle's Suprtool/UX is far better, and that it would be a worthwhile investment for any Oracle/HP-UX shop.
Bottom line: Kiss the simplicity of MPE and Image good-bye, but think of the migration as an opportunity to learn things that can be applied to many other platforms, including Linux and even Mac OS X!
--Glenn
HP-UX Resources
Suprtool/UX Product Information
Qedit for Windows Product Information
Robelle HP-UX Demo Request Form
Robelle Migration Assistance Web Page
Case Study: Synchronize Oracle/HPUX With IMAGE/MPE
Shawn Gordon: HP-UX For MPE Users
Robelle Book Review: "Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment"