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· Nov 13, 2018

ObjectScript, IRIS, CACHE, upgrading and Java, Python, C++ whatever

#Beginner #Databases #Development Environment #Java #Languages #ObjectScript #InterSystems IRIS

Hi

Totally new to IRIS and Cache.

Trying to evaluate it and work out how we could use it.

As a standard application database. Object or relational etc. does not matter. 

Issue is ObjectScript.

So:

1) Can we develop, maintain and use an IRIS database and never use ObjectScript i.e. use only Java, Python, C++ interfaces etc. (exactly which one does not matter)? Would that make designing and using the IRIS database more prone to inefficiency and error?

2) Can we import an existing Cache database into IRIS and convert its ObjectScript code into Java, Python whatever? Is that a big, difficult, error-prone job?

If the answers are no that may not be a showstopper but would like to know it now. 

A lot of training will be involved in any case I know and Oracle has PL/SQL but ObjectScript developers are rare.

Apologies if the answers are in the doco. Have read some of it but need some indication about the above urgently. 

Thanks very much,

Brett Morgan

Discussion (4)0
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Dmitry Maslennikov · Nov 14, 2018
  1. It is possible to develop and never use ObjectScript, but you will be limited with used language and will not most of the breakthrough features we have in Caché/IRIS. Likely with IRIS you have more capabilities, and even almost as in ObjectScript.
  2. Yes, you can move from Caché to IRIS, maybe you will need some changes in your code. But it's not so much work.
    But if speaking about conversion to any other language. How do you think, is it possible to convert let's say, C# application to Python, or to Java or vice versa? This, of course, depends on, how big is your application, and how much time you ready to spend on this process. No easy way, just complete rewrite, no other ways.
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Robert Cemper · Nov 14, 2018

1)  YES, you can! 
And it will not affect stability and usability. Though understanding COS is definitely an advantage in understanding what is going on. Similar to all other DBs: Understanding concepts and internals is always a benefit. Other DBs are just not as open to investigation and not as flexible doing the "undoable".

2a) Importing and running a Caché DB into IRIS works for 98% at least.
For the remaining 2%, ISC engineers are very open to assist you and solve the issue.

2b) Converting COS to anything else depends mostly on the COS code you have in hands. I know of no converter to do it for you.
As COS allows coding style that was used 40yrs back the range of styles is a very broad and unpredictable field without touching it.
#1 You depend on the quality of external documentation.
#2 You depend on inline documentation, comments, remarks in code. This can be excellent or just not existing, 
#3 You depend on how tricky the code is designed and written.
At that point just knowing COS might not be enough and even experts could get their headache on what I call "dirty coding". 
#4 ISC has experts also to read and understand old style and its side effects.
#5 You have this bright community to ask.
#6 You have excellent online training facilities to learn COS. I've done this with ~12 people over the last few years.
If they understand Objects, SQL, Java (or generic OO programming concepts) it's a matter of a few weeks to be inside COS.
And they have to be willing to break out and see something new with other limits and other possibilities other horizons.

HTH 

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