Sage Software Inc of Rockville, Maryland has added a DB2 product to its line of APS computer-aided software engineering tools for IBM mainframes. APS/DB2 Data Base Painter is designed to allow users to change their DB2 file structures outside the production environment without having to learn DB2 syntax. But, the company claims, the ‘fill-in-the-blanks’ product is also for experienced DB2 users as it is up to 10 times faster for creating and maintaining database structures than DB2 syntax. The APS/DB2 Data Base Painter automatically generates reports showing the interrelationships of tables within DB2 and is said to protect the integrity of the data residing in DB2 by providing a staging area, where data administrators can define and document DB2 data base structures, assess interrelationships and analyse the impact of potential design changes before updating the DB2 catalogue. APS/DB2 Data Base Painter runs under MVS and MVS/XA and requires version 2.2 or above, of IBM’s Interactive System Programming Facility, ISPF, and version 1.2 or above, of DB2. It is available immediately in the US from Sage Software’s direct sales force at at $20,000 per copy. The product joins Sage’s APS Development Centre family of application generators for IBM mainframe and personal computers. The family already consists of five product groups that cover the application development life cycle, including design, prototype construction and execution, code generation and maintenance. The product is being marketed in the UK by newcomer Software Generation Ltd of Whetstone, London (CI No 713) at UKP14,000.
