
           Software
           Product
           Description

           _________________________________________________________

           PRODUCT NAME:   VAX RALLY, Version 2.3       SPD 27.03.06

           DESCRIPTION

           VAX RALLY provides a powerful fourth-generation environment
           for developing interactive database applications. As an in-
           tegrated package, RALLY provides tools to define Rdb/VMS databases,
           forms, reports, menus, and on-line help for the application
           user.

           Application developers can use RALLY's menu interface and
           extensive defaulting capabilities to create simple appli-
           cations quickly. More sophisticated applications can be cre-
           ated in the RALLY editing environment. Once applications are
           created they can be:

           o  Run directly from within RALLY without compilation

           o  Installed in a VAX TEAMDATA folder*

           o  Accessed directly from an ALL-IN-1 menu*

           o  Run from other 3GL programs*

           o  Run from DCL*

           *  On systems where VAX RALLY Development Option (also known
              as the VAX RALLY Base Option) or VAX RALLY Run-Time Op-
              tion are installed.





                                    DIGITAL                 May 1991

                                                         AE-GW56H-TE

 



           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           Features

           VAX RALLY offers the application developer the following fea-
           tures and capabilities:

           Application Development Tools

           RALLY provides a fourth-generation environment for creat-
           ing VAX Rdb/VMS and RMS applications. RALLY can also access
           data from any database through the Open Data Interface (ODI).
           RALLY provides tools to create databases, forms, reports,
           menus, and procedural routines. Generated applications can
           run in one or more user-controlled windows on the terminal
           screen.

           RALLY has a set of integrated Builder Tools that provide ex-
           tensive defaulting capabilities for quick prototyping of ap-
           plications. Once the initial design is complete, RALLY of-
           fers dozens of powerful features for customizing and tai-
           loring applications.

           Application data can come from multiple data sources, in-
           cluding local and remote Rdb/VMS databases, RMS files, TEAM-
           DATA tables, and DBMS databases that have been defined as
           VAX DATATRIEVE domains.

           In addition, users can create RALLY forms and reports that
           access data from any other source. This is accomplished through
           use of the ODI. Users write data access routines in the VAX
           programming language of the users' choice, link them into
           a shareable image, and then use the ODI to integrate them
           into the application. At run-time, RALLY will call the users'
           code when it would normally call Rdb/VMS.

           The ODI can be used to call 3GL code that acts as a VAX ACMS
           agent, allowing the user's RALLY application to use database
           servers that are implemented using VAX ACMS. The result is
           a client/server application. VAX ACMS manages the client/server
           link. This enables users to off-load front-end processing
           efficiently onto cost-effective client VAX processors, or

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           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           to move transactions onto central back-end processors. A com-
           plete example of a RALLY application that uses ACMS servers
           in this way is provided.

           "Simple Applications Simply" Capabilities

           Building RALLY applications is as easy as filling in a form.
           All parts of the application (menus, forms, reports, help,
           database) are created in the same manner, using the same in-
           terface. RALLY has a special screen editor to allow for de-
           signing and editing screens.

           RALLY provides tools for less experienced application de-
           velopers to get started designing and building applications.
           Business systems analysts can take advantage of the exten-
           sive defaulting capabilities of the product to design the
           databases, forms, reports and menus that make up, for ex-
           ample, a simple data entry application. As the user gains
           more experience, such simple applications can be expanded
           and modified.

           RALLY includes a builder tool that creates a default appli-
           cation from an Rdb/VMS database. The application definer spec-
           ifies the name of the database either by CDD/Plus pathname
           or by filename. RALLY builds a data source definition and
           a form/report for each relation in the database, and con-
           nects all the form/reports on a new main menu for the ap-
           plication.

           Database Creation/Maintenance Features

           RALLY provides a menu-driven tool for the creation and main-
           tenance of Rdb/VMS databases in a style consistent with the
           other RALLY application definition system facilities. The
           database builder allows the definer to define and edit databases,
           relations, fields, and indexes.

           Unified Forms and Reports



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           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           The centerpiece of RALLY is its integrated form/report pro-
           cessor. One RALLY subsystem supports both forms and reports.
           If the application developer so allows, anything that can
           be done with a form can also be done with a report, and vice
           versa. Depending on how the application definer specifies
           access to a form/report (input only, output only, query, up-
           date), users interact with an object as a form, a report,
           template for queries, or as an editable report.

           RALLY automatically generates a form/report using the in-
           formation from a database description. The definer can then
           use the form/report screen editor to customize the form/report.
           RALLY form/reports can include scrolled regions, field-level
           validation mechanisms, video highlighting, complex comple-
           tion handlers, and can span multiple screens.

           Besides allowing the user to create complex reports with to-
           taling and subtotaling, multiple data source access, and flex-
           ible formatting, the RALLY form/report processor lets the
           user actually manipulate the underlying data dynamically through
           the screen form/report. This means that if the application
           definer so allows, a user can use a form/report to browse
           through data, change values, add/delete records, and then
           either save the changes or quit from the report. Changes that
           affect computed fields are reflected instantly on the screen.
           RALLY also allows application developers to create control
           break reports.

           Transaction Management Options

           RALLY provides several options for controlling transactions
           in form/reports. The use of certain options improves the per-
           formance of applications by reducing the length of Rdb trans-
           actions, reducing the number of database attaches, and re-
           ducing lock contention. A form/report requires only a sin-
           gle database attach if the following options are used:

           o  Defer updates until commit

           o  Rollback at end of table

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           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           o  Force read to end of table

           Moreover, if these options are used in several form/reports
           chained together (for example, through local functions) then
           a single database attach can be used for the entire chain
           of form/reports.

           Two-Phase Commit

           RALLY form/reports can access data from two or more databases.
           RALLY presents the end user with a model where modifications
           to all groups are treated as a single transaction that can
           be committed or rolled back as a unit. RALLY provides a form
           /report option, "use two-phase commit," that uses DECdtm to
           ensure that transactions to several databases are, in ef-
           fect, treated as one. This option takes effect only when us-
           ing Data Source Definitions based on Rdb/VMS.

           DECtrace/RdbExpert Support

           RALLY support for DECtrace allows users to obtain a break-
           down of database resources by form/report for their appli-
           cation. DECtrace support with RdbExpert also provides the
           user with the ability to optimize the databases that are used
           by the RALLY application. This support assumes an associ-
           ation between the RALLY form/report and the SQL statements.
           With RdbExpert the user rates the importance/use of the SQL
           statements used by the application.

           Flow Control

           Application flow control is typically controlled by menus.
           RALLY provides a menu definition tool that lets application
           definers create user menus in a variety of styles. Menus sim-
           ilar to VAX TEAMDATA strip menus are the default style for
           simple, defaulted applications from the Builder Tools. How-
           ever, other menu formats such as vertical ALL-IN-1 styles
           can be created by the definer. Various mechanisms such as
           action sites, application commands, and tasks for control-
           ling application flow are also supported.

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           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           Integrated Dictionary and RMS Support

           RALLY supports integration with VAX CDD/Plus in the follow-
           ing areas:

           o  Storage in VAX CDD/Plus of VAX Rdb/VMS metadata created
              or changed by RALLY

           o  Storage in VAX CDD/Plus of VAX RALLY Data Source Defi-
              nition and RALLY application information to support us-
              age tracking

           o  Access to VAX CDD/Plus field attributes-used when default-
              ing forms/reports

           o  Access to RMS file and record definitions given the dic-
              tionary pathname

           o  Access to VAX DATATRIEVE domains given the dictionary path-
              name

           o  Access to record definitions for ODI routines

           Built-In Application Development Language (ADL)

           RALLY includes an integrated application development lan-
           guage for such things as special field validation operations,
           special-purpose arithmetic computations, and unusual database
           management interactions. ADL is intended to supplement an
           application composed primarily of other RALLY objects (for
           example, forms, reports, menus) with computations and flow-
           of-control.

           The Language-Sensitive Editor component of VAX Language-Sensitive
           Editor/Source Code Analyzer (LSE/
           SCA) can optionally be used to edit ADL procedures. An LSE
           template for ADL is provided.

           Access to Third Generation Language (3GL) Programs


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           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           While most RALLY application requirements are satisfied us-
           ing the tools provided with the product, application devel-
           opers with special requirements can create applications that
           directly call external routines (for example, a COBOL rou-
           tine, VMS Run-Time Library routine, or a VMS Utility).

           Optional Integration with ALL-IN-1 and VAX TEAMDATA

           RALLY provides integration with ALL-IN-1 in the following
           areas:

           o  Function keys are (by default) similar to ALL-IN-1 and
              WPS-PLUS

           o  Support for ALL-IN-1 GOLD-Interrupt facility

           RALLY applications can be run from a TEAMDATA directory, an
           ALL-IN-1 menu, or directly from DCL.

           Comprehensive On-line Help

           At every stage in the development process, the definer can
           get context-sensitive help on particular areas being worked.
           RALLY continually makes the definer aware of appropriate val-
           ues for fields, options, and variables.

           RALLY allows definers to define context-sensitive interac-
           tive help, legend, and error messages for an application.

           Other Features

           o  Date arithmetic

           o  Computed fields and aggregate functions

           o  Password security for entire applications or selected ap-
              plication parts (for example, forms or reports)

           o  Single-user or multi-user access to Rdb/VMS relations

           o  Ability to save keystroke sequences in named macro files

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           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           o  Virtual multi-tasking with windowing

           o  Default function key mappings similar to ALL-IN-1/WPS-PLUS;
              optional EDT function key mappings included; can be cus-
              tomized by definer

           o  A callable interface

           o  Application reporting utility to generate reports describ-
              ing the entire application, single objects, all objects
              of a single type, and cross-references between the RALLY
              application and the database.

           o  Trace logging and ADL debugging options

           Run-Time Option

           The VAX RALLY Run-Time Option is available separately and
           is a subset of VAX RALLY Development Option. The VAX RALLY
           Run-Time Option supports the execution of RALLY applications
           on a target machine that have been developed on a host ma-
           chine using the VAX RALLY Development Option. Application
           development is not supported by the VAX RALLY Run-Time Op-
           tion.

           Internationalization

           RALLY can be tailored for various languages. Conditional form
           /report text can display different labels for different users.
           Standard error messages are provided in French, Spanish, Ger-
           man, Danish, and Hebrew. Individual users can use differ-
           ent languages on the same machine.

           Documentation

           VAX RALLY Development Option includes the following printed
           documentation:

           o  Introduction to VAX RALLY

           o  VAX RALLY Definition System User's Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Command Reference Manual

                                       8

 



           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           o  VAX RALLY ADL User's Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Reference Manual and Master Index

           o  VAX RALLY Installation Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Application User's Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Guide to Application Development

           VAX RALLY Run-Time Option includes the following printed doc-
           umentation:

           o  VAX RALLY Installation Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Application User's Guide

           RALLY includes the following Bookreader documentation:

           o  Introduction to VAX RALLY

           o  VAX RALLY Definition System User's Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Command Reference Manual

           o  VAX RALLY ADL User's Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Reference Manual

           o  VAX RALLY Application User's Guide

           o  VAX RALLY Guide to Application Development

           RALLY also provides the source file for the Application User's
           Guide, to be customized by the definer (requires VAX DOC-
           UMENT).

           Additionally, RALLY provides complete on-line help.

           HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

           VAX, MicroVAX, VAXstation, or VAXserver configuration as spec-
           ified in the System Support Addendum (SSA 27.03.06-x).

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           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

           For Systems Using Terminals (No DECwindows Interface):

           VMS Operating System

           For Workstations Running VWS:

           VMS Operating System
           VMS Workstation Software

           For Workstations Running DECwindows:

           VMS Operating System (and necessary components of VMS DECwin-
           dows)

           VAX Rdb/VMS (Interactive or Development System) is required
           for the VAX RALLY Development Option. VAX Rdb/VMS (Run-Time,
           Interactive, or Development) is required for the VAX RALLY
           Run-Time Option if the application uses VAX Rdb/VMS. If us-
           ing the VAX RALLY Run-Time Option with RMS files only, VAX
           Rdb/VMS is NOT required.

           VAX CDD/Plus is required for the VAX RALLY Development Op-
           tion, but not required for the VAX RALLY Run-Time Option.

           Refer to the System Support Addendum (SSA 27.03.06-x) for
           availability and required versions of prerequisite/optional
           software and for information regarding components of VMS DECwin-
           dows.

           ORDERING INFORMATION

           VAX RALLY Development Option (includes VAX RALLY Run-Time
           Option):

           Software Licenses: QL-A86A*-**
           Software Media: QA-A86A*-**
           Software Documentation: QA-A86AA-GZ
           Software Product Services: QT-A86A*-**

                                      10

 



           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           VAX RALLY Run-Time Option:

           Software Licenses: QL-VF4A*-**
           Software Media: QA-VF4A*-**
           Software Documentation: QA-VF4AA-GZ
           Software Product Services: QT-VF4A*-**

           *  Denotes variant fields. For additional information on avail-
              able licenses, services, and media, refer to the appro-
              priate price book.

           SOFTWARE LICENSING

           This software is furnished under the licensing provisions
           of Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Con-
           ditions. For more information about Digital's licensing terms
           and policies, contact your local Digital office.

           LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SUPPORT

           This layered product supports the VMS License Management Fa-
           cility.

           License units for this product are allocated on a CPU-capacity
           basis.

           For more information on the License Management Facility, re-
           fer to the VMS Operating System Software Product Descrip-
           tion (SPD 25.01.xx) or the License Management Facility man-
           ual of the VMS Operating System documentation set.

           For more information about Digital's Licensing Terms and Poli-
           cies, contact your local Digital office.








                                      11

 



           VAX RALLY, Version 2.3                      SPD 27.03.06


           SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES

           A variety of service options are available from Digital. For
           more information, contact your local Digital office.

           SOFTWARE WARRANTY

           Warranty for this software product is provided by Digital
           with the purchase of a license for the product as defined
           in the Software Warranty Addendum of this SPD.

           [TM]The DIGITAL Logo, ALL-IN-1, CI, DATATRIEVE, DBMS,
               DECterm, DECwindows, MicroVAX, RALLY, Rdb/VMS, TEAM-
               DATA, TK50, VAX, VAX ACMS, VAX CDD/Plus, VAX DOC-
               UMENT, VMS, VAXstation, VAXserver, VAXcluster, VT,
               VAXft, VT220, VT320, VT330, VT380 and WPS-PLUS are
               trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation.
























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