News Briefs and Product Shorts

Lakeview Supports Informix with Data Replicator

Companies can now use Lakeview Technology's data replication software to connect to IBM's Informix relational database management software. Last week the Chicago software developer announced that it now supports Informix Dynamic Server Versions 9.3 and 9.4 with the Version 4.02 release of Replicate1 (formerly called OmniReplicator). Other new features with this release include better performance for loading bulk data into databases, more flexible options for updating data movement models, and improvements in MVS/DB2 data capture. Lakeview says customers will see a 350 percent increase in performance in copy requests when loading into an Oracle database, and up to a 250 percent gain when loading into a Microsoft SQL Server database on Windows 2000 servers. These performance increases are a result of Lakeview's use of native Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server loaders for all copy requests. Replicate1 4.02 also has support for IBM's AIX 5.2 and Sun Microsystems' Solaris 2.9 operating systems, as both source and targets, as well as support for Linux on iSeries, pSeries, and zSeries servers. Additionally, support for data types such as Unicode and FOR BIT (on OS/400, DB2/MVS and DB2 UDB) are included in this version, the company says.

Profound Logic, Seagull Link Their Products

Profound Logic and Seagull Software announced a new partnership last week to make their products work together. Users of Profound Logic's RPG-Alive, an editing and analysis program that provides graphical tools for IBM's SEU editing tool, will now have a link to Seagull's BlueZone 5250 emulation software, in addition to five other popular emulators. Profound Logic says it initiated contact with Seagull, and that the link was established through HLLAPI.

German Manufacturer Refaces 5,000 Screens with newlook

When German plastics manufacturer REHAU decided to update its OS/400-based ERP system with a new graphical interface a couple of years ago, company officials realized they wouldn't be able to use rejuvenation tools that required access to source code, such as IBM's WebFacing tool. Another factor steering its eventual selection was the fact that the company, which employs 7,200 people across 16 sales offices and 12 manufacturing plants, did not want to code more than 5,000 new pages by hand, so it required a tool with some degree of automation. A further requirement was integration with Microsoft Office products, which ruled out IBM's Client Access suite. What REHAU eventually found was looksoftware's newlook screen-rejuvenation suite, which provides on-the-fly 5250 datastream conversion based on rules and a filter set up by administrators. The Bavarian company eventually purchased 1,300 client licenses from the Australian software developer, and company officials say they are satisfied with the software. Ewald Gebhardt, a department manager in REHAU's sales organization, says that newlook was "easy to use" and was "ideally suited to modernize and extend our ERP application."

CWDirect 8.0 Available from CommercialWare

CommercialWare last week launched CWDirect 8.0, the latest release of its flagship order management and fulfillment system for cross-channel retailers.. CWDirect 8.0 provides support for the Newgistics SmartLabel returns management system, which makes it easier for consumers to return merchandise purchased online or through a catalog. Another new feature is integration with QAS QuickAddress Pro address management software. New antifraud features in this release should help users to identify fraudulent patterns that are usually difficult to detect in high-volume retail environments. A new audit facility that ships with CWDirect should help users to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by enabling managers to track and analyze any changes made to business logic. Finally, CWDirect 8.0 provides new interfaces and localization for EU and UK currencies.

New Release of Chrono-Logic's Change Management for LANSA

Chrono-Logic is now shipping iAM for Development 4.0, the newest version of its change management system for LANSA development environments. Company officials say the new release is designed to automate some of the repetitive and time-consuming tasks faced by LANSA developers and analysts, across three LANSA products: Visual LANSA, LANSA for the Web, and LANSA for iSeries. There is a new Forecast tool with this release, which should help developers to get started with LANSA development by quickly performing cross reference evaluations and impact analysis related to LANSA definitions. A related function, called Rebuild in Development, keeps track of the related files and functions and adds automation to the recompilation process. These two new tools, along with support for IFS and QDLS documents and objects, mean that systems managers don't have to worry about LANSA cross references, says Ghislain Jacques, vice president of product development at the Montreal, Quebec, company. "In all cases, only the modified definitions and objects need to be included in packages," he says. iAM for Development 4.0, which is available now, also includes a new Windows interface.

New Autobag System Supports Two-Sided Printing

Automated Packaging Systems last week announced the introduction of a new two-sided printer for transferring images to bags and packaging. The Autobag PI 412cw Prism high-speed thermal printer can imprint on two locations of the bag, at speeds of up to 12 inches per second, or 80 bags per minute. The printer enables text, graphics, and barcodes to be easily applied to individual packages in-line, then indexed for product loading and sealing for an efficient Print-n-Pack operation. It interfaces with the company's AutoLabel software, supports 2D barcodes, UPS MaxiCode, and True type fonts, and connects to OS/400 servers and other computers via Ethernet or USB connections.

Guild Companies Adds Google Search Service