2000 MPE System Improvement Ballot Results

Issue ID Votes Issue Description

mpesm00i 1947 Don't go through entire hello and the password routines only to receive "can't initiate new sessions now".

mpesm00b 1750 Provide shutdown mechanism with a reboot option similar to HP-UX.

mpesm00f 1335 Integrate MPE with UPS units to allow UPS units to signal need for shutdown. (Note: dependency on shutdown command.)

mpesm00e 1264 Enhance the console command to allow real-time console messages to go to multiple destinations.

mpesm00j 1141 Improve HP3000 printing capability by supporting the Centronics parallel interface on MPE.

mpesm00c 1067 Need system-level user-defined CI variables.

mpei00p 940 QUERY FIND, MULTIFIND, & SUBSET display running count of records retrieved and / or percent complete, without <CTRL-Y>

mpei00b 913 New IMAGE GETUPDATE intrinsic, to retrieve/update record(s) in one call without prior DBGET (saves overhead, plus simplifies coding if just want to change data regardless of current value).

mpei00a 825 IMAGE multi-record / multi-set DBGET, DBPUT, & DBUDPATE (process entire blocks of data instead of just individual records).

mpei00j 763 Measurement Interface (MI) for IMAGE performance data. Analogous to the MPE MI and GLANCE. Note at least one "non-MI" 3^rd-party performance tool is available now.

mpesm00h 760 Provide an 'initial connection' text mechanism for sessions to output a security disclaimer or similar text when connecting to the 3000, similar to the 9000's use of /etc/project or the telnet-d -b (banner) option.

mpei00s 756 Provide Date / Time and other new datatypes or "attributes" in IMAGE.

mpehs00c 679 Enhance ODBCLink/SE to use a thread safe model (cannot do multiple connections under NT, so useless from web page).

mpei00d 668 DBUTIL: Non-destructive creator access across groups. It is tedious for DBAs with databases in many groups to do routine, non-destructive maintenance; i.e: CHGROUP to each database; run DBUTIL; exit DBUTIL; CHGROUP to next database, etc. DBAs can do anything they want anyway, so current restriction does not provide more security; it just makes for more work.

mpei00t 590 IMAGE Support for Binary Large Objects (BLOBS) / BLOB Pointers. BLOBs can be anything from a text string to an illustrated tech manual to a full-length movie. Original idea was to store all BLOBS in auxiliary storage, not in-line (as with other RDBMS); IMAGE would only keep BLOB pointers. This would keep databases small enough to be backed up, but retain flexibility to evolve without modifying database structure. Follow-on idea was to allow storing relatively small BLOBs directly in IMAGE; in that case size would probably be limited by MPE Transaction Manager (XM) max limit.

mpei00f 557 DBSCHEMA ability to specify all DBUTIL flags/settings (has not "kept up" with many recent changes to DBUTIL).

mpei00c 521 Concurrent IMAGE read-only DBLOCK mode (repeatable read). Allow multiple reads, but force all DBLOCKs for WRITE access to be treated serially while READ lock was in effect.

mpei00i 482 Option to set max IMAGE chain lengths, with a unique key option. Would involve adding a max chain length (MCL) parameter to DBSCHEMA, adding MCL flag to root file, and adding MCL error code to DBPUT & DBUPDATE. Then DBPUT & DBUPDATE (with CIUPDATE) would have to check length of chain before adding or updating: If length already = MCL, then set new error status and quit. MCL = 1 option for Detail datasets would bring IMAGE closer to minimal definition of a relational database.

mpei00g 450 Better DBUPDATE performance for IMAGE Sort Fields with CIUPDATE (compare new value to old, then search for new position in the "right" direction, instead of start at end of chain).

mpei00o 435 Make IMAGE thread aware / thread safe.

mpesm00g 410 Pass a priority to services launched by INETD via a parameter rather than allowing simple inheritance from the priority of the root INETD process.

mpei00q 405 Allow default values for TurboIMAGE FIELDs not specified at DBPUT time, with equivalent to SQL/Server "AUTOINCREMENT" feature.

mpehs00d 387 Allow Image/SQL to be an ODBC CLIENT as well as server.

mpesm00d 354 Implement the CIPER protocol on all supported printer interfaces (serial, parallel, SCSI and network).

mpehs00t 344 Bundle all of ALLBASE with Image/SQL (need 9th module): Image/SQL sites that have not purchased Allbase/SQL are now limited to 12 MBytes max of user data in an Allbase DBE (only difference between having just Image/SQL and having both). As Image/SQL sites add more user data to DBE's to support access to IMAGE databases, they may hit this limit. Potential revenue loss to HP from sites that might still buy the stand-alone Allbase product if this is NOT done is estimated at somewhere between small and nil.

mpesm00a 325 SysLogD should [optionally] listen for another socket connection for OUTPUT of messages. You could telnet into this port and have a "Remote Console" of sorts that monitors/captures these messages.

mpehs00s 322 Provide an AUTOINCREMENT datatype / column in ALLBASE: Each INSERT into a table is given the next sequential value. Other RDBMS contain such datatypes. When porting apps using this feature to ALLBASE, developers must make major changes to retain functionality; a serious migration impediment.

mpehs00r 295 Provide ANSI/SQL CASE statement or equivalent in ALLBASE and Image/SQL. Also Oracle DCODE & Microsoft IIF functions.

mpei00k 284 Ability to pass DBOPEN to another program or a son process, if IMAGE database is in stable state (avoid unnecessary duplicate DBOPENs). Making this work reliably while a database is being actively updated and / or while locks are in place is an extremely difficult task. But it would still be useful even if restricted to times when all pending transactions are completed and locks released. HP has indicated that these qualifiers should make it be easier to implement the feature.

mpei00h 275 Global file FOPEN (system-wide "handle" for a file), to improve performance and avoid single-process max # of open files limit (several sites are already hitting this limit). IMAGE & other PM processes could then access the file via file system intrinsics.

mpei00m 269 Allow IMAGE databases under HFS directories (but retain six-character limit on database name).

mpei00e 250 DBUTIL ignore file equations (can't use / do not apply anyway).

mpei00l 204 Drop need for IMAGE BlockLength to be a multiple of 256B (save space).

mpehs00e 201 IMAGESQL Utility: Improve DBA functions for managing user IDs in a DBE: Currently must use IMAGE database passwords that are difficult to maintain and hard to change, especially for a large number of users. This asks for ability to utilize user-classes when adding and updating user IDs in a DBE.

mpehs00o 196 ODBC / SQL access to TurboIMAGE via Image/SQL: Let split IMAGE keys be accessed as a full key at run time.

mper00c 189 Update Transact to enable it to call all system intrinsics callable from other HP3000 languages.

mpei00r 189 Allow tracking files to be associated with an IMAGE database (all associated files; such as schemas, 3rd-party indexes, etc.).

mpehs00b 180 Image/SQL and ALLBASE: Ability to limit max number / percent of rows / columns returned by SQL SELECT; using a set option or an optional parameter on SELECT.

mpehs00a 170 Image/SQL and ALLBASE: Ability to limit max number / percent of rows / columns returned in response to an ODBC request (SQL/Server "TOP dd [%]").

mpehs00q 153 Additional string manipulation and math functions for ALLBASE and Image/SQL.

mpehs00p 153 ALLBASE and Image/SQL multi-Column INDEXED retrievals: Techniques are available for rapid processing of multiple indices without retrieving data. (ex: Rushmore technology Microsoft has Access). This involves requesting the record addresses or tuple ids of each row, sorting them, and then intersecting the two result sets to implement select conditions that link associated columns.ALLBASE and Image/SQL multi-Column INDEXED retrievals: Techniques are available for rapid processing of multiple indices without retrieving data. (ex: Rushmore technology Microsoft has Access). This involves requesting the record addresses or tuple ids of each row, sorting them, and then intersecting the two result sets to implement select conditions that link associated columns.

mpehs00g 129 IMAGESQL Utility: Allow DBA to ATTACH IMAGE database without password: In most cases it is actually LESS secure to require a DBA to provide a maintenance word, since they end up being recorded in relatively unsecure log files.

mpehs00n 112 IMAGESQL Utility: Do not require IMAGE Maintenance Word if none is specified in the IMAGE database.

mpei00n 109 Provide external documentation for DBQUIESCE intrinsic used by TURBOSTORE, including appropriate end-user cautions.

mpehs00f 89 IMAGESQL Utility: Enable / Disable Image/SQL end-user SQL access without Attach / Detach.

mpehs00l 78 IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH register Master / Detail referential integrity constraints in DBE: Make ALLBASE aware IMAGE DETAILs must have corresponding MASTERs; so that SQL INSERT and DELETE will verify.

mper00d 73 Correct the defect that prevents Transact from recognizing and properly handling child items defined in DICTIONARY/V beyond the first sub-item level. Applicable SRs: 5000044321 and 4700082669.

mpehs00h 72 IMAGESQL Utility: Don't require exclusive DBE access for all functions.

mper00a 43 Allow the use of variables in Transact expressions currently requiring mandatory literals including, but not limited to, data set names, key, update, and match item names, and PERFORM/GO TO targets.

mpehs00i 41 IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH NOAUTOS option: Skip Auto Masters.

mper00j 35 Allow the "home" database to be specified in Transact data-access statements.

mper00b 29 Correct issues preventing Transact/iX from providing the same capabilities as other languages when used in a CGI context under a browser.

mpehs00k 24 IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH NOVIEWS option: Do not auto-create views in DBE; allow user to declare their own views later.

mper00e 22 Make all operators available as parameters in Transact PROC statements (things like ARG, INPUTLNG, the address of operator '%', KEY, etc.) available as rvalues in LET and MOVE statements (as appropriate to the type).

mpehs00m 18 IMAGESQL Utility: Allow wild-card ADD USER.

mpehs00j 18 IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH NOAUTOSPLIT option: Do not split compound items; instead map as a single column.

mper00h 15 Support "callback" capability in Transact/iX as required by, for example, XCONTRAP.

mper00f 14 Remove the undocumented control sequences that appear after the ">" and ">>" prompts output by Transact command-sequence" programs, i.e. those driven by user input with the "$$" and "$" labels.

mper00g 12 Enhance Transact data-input verbs (DATA, INPUT, PROMPT) to allow the "prompt string" to be specified using a variable and to include the Transact-generated subitem number when a sub-element of a compound item (array) is requested.

mper00i 5 Improve support for the tl_call_transact Architected Call Interface (ACI) by documenting and supporting use of the ACI from C, since it currently works, and supporting the ACI from FORTRAN, which currently does not work.

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Issue ID	Votes	Issue Description
mpesm00i	1947	Don't go through entire hello and the password routines only to receive "can't initiate new sessions now".
mpesm00b	1750	Provide shutdown mechanism with a reboot option similar to HP-UX.
mpesm00f	1335	Integrate MPE with UPS units to allow UPS units to signal need for shutdown. (Note: dependency on shutdown command.)
mpesm00e	1264	Enhance the console command to allow real-time console messages to go to multiple destinations.
mpesm00j	1141	Improve HP3000 printing capability by supporting the Centronics parallel interface on MPE.
mpesm00c	1067	Need system-level user-defined CI variables.
mpei00p	940	QUERY FIND, MULTIFIND, & SUBSET display running count of records retrieved and / or percent complete, without <CTRL-Y>
mpei00b	913	New IMAGE GETUPDATE intrinsic, to retrieve/update record(s) in one call without prior DBGET (saves overhead, plus simplifies coding if just want to change data regardless of current value).
mpei00a	825	IMAGE multi-record / multi-set DBGET, DBPUT, & DBUDPATE (process entire blocks of data instead of just individual records).
mpei00j	763	Measurement Interface (MI) for IMAGE performance data. Analogous to the MPE MI and GLANCE. Note at least one "non-MI" 3^rd-party performance tool is available now.
mpesm00h	760	Provide an 'initial connection' text mechanism for sessions to output a security disclaimer or similar text when connecting to the 3000, similar to the 9000's use of /etc/project or the telnet-d -b (banner) option.
mpei00s	756	Provide Date / Time and other new datatypes or "attributes" in IMAGE.
mpehs00c	679	Enhance ODBCLink/SE to use a thread safe model (cannot do multiple connections under NT, so useless from web page).
mpei00d	668	DBUTIL: Non-destructive creator access across groups. It is tedious for DBAs with databases in many groups to do routine, non-destructive maintenance; i.e: CHGROUP to each database; run DBUTIL; exit DBUTIL; CHGROUP to next database, etc. DBAs can do anything they want anyway, so current restriction does not provide more security; it just makes for more work.
mpei00t	590	IMAGE Support for Binary Large Objects (BLOBS) / BLOB Pointers. BLOBs can be anything from a text string to an illustrated tech manual to a full-length movie. Original idea was to store all BLOBS in auxiliary storage, not in-line (as with other RDBMS); IMAGE would only keep BLOB pointers. This would keep databases small enough to be backed up, but retain flexibility to evolve without modifying database structure. Follow-on idea was to allow storing relatively small BLOBs directly in IMAGE; in that case size would probably be limited by MPE Transaction Manager (XM) max limit.
mpei00f	557	DBSCHEMA ability to specify all DBUTIL flags/settings (has not "kept up" with many recent changes to DBUTIL).
mpei00c	521	Concurrent IMAGE read-only DBLOCK mode (repeatable read). Allow multiple reads, but force all DBLOCKs for WRITE access to be treated serially while READ lock was in effect.
mpei00i	482	Option to set max IMAGE chain lengths, with a unique key option. Would involve adding a max chain length (MCL) parameter to DBSCHEMA, adding MCL flag to root file, and adding MCL error code to DBPUT & DBUPDATE. Then DBPUT & DBUPDATE (with CIUPDATE) would have to check length of chain before adding or updating: If length already = MCL, then set new error status and quit. MCL = 1 option for Detail datasets would bring IMAGE closer to minimal definition of a relational database.
mpei00g	450	Better DBUPDATE performance for IMAGE Sort Fields with CIUPDATE (compare new value to old, then search for new position in the "right" direction, instead of start at end of chain).
mpei00o	435	Make IMAGE thread aware / thread safe.
mpesm00g	410	Pass a priority to services launched by INETD via a parameter rather than allowing simple inheritance from the priority of the root INETD process.
mpei00q	405	Allow default values for TurboIMAGE FIELDs not specified at DBPUT time, with equivalent to SQL/Server "AUTOINCREMENT" feature.
mpehs00d	387	Allow Image/SQL to be an ODBC CLIENT as well as server.
mpesm00d	354	Implement the CIPER protocol on all supported printer interfaces (serial, parallel, SCSI and network).
mpehs00t	344	Bundle all of ALLBASE with Image/SQL (need 9th module): Image/SQL sites that have not purchased Allbase/SQL are now limited to 12 MBytes max of user data in an Allbase DBE (only difference between having just Image/SQL and having both). As Image/SQL sites add more user data to DBE's to support access to IMAGE databases, they may hit this limit. Potential revenue loss to HP from sites that might still buy the stand-alone Allbase product if this is NOT done is estimated at somewhere between small and nil.
mpesm00a	325	SysLogD should [optionally] listen for another socket connection for OUTPUT of messages. You could telnet into this port and have a "Remote Console" of sorts that monitors/captures these messages.
mpehs00s	322	Provide an AUTOINCREMENT datatype / column in ALLBASE: Each INSERT into a table is given the next sequential value. Other RDBMS contain such datatypes. When porting apps using this feature to ALLBASE, developers must make major changes to retain functionality; a serious migration impediment.
mpehs00r	295	Provide ANSI/SQL CASE statement or equivalent in ALLBASE and Image/SQL. Also Oracle DCODE & Microsoft IIF functions.
mpei00k	284	Ability to pass DBOPEN to another program or a son process, if IMAGE database is in stable state (avoid unnecessary duplicate DBOPENs). Making this work reliably while a database is being actively updated and / or while locks are in place is an extremely difficult task. But it would still be useful even if restricted to times when all pending transactions are completed and locks released. HP has indicated that these qualifiers should make it be easier to implement the feature.
mpei00h	275	Global file FOPEN (system-wide "handle" for a file), to improve performance and avoid single-process max # of open files limit (several sites are already hitting this limit). IMAGE & other PM processes could then access the file via file system intrinsics.
mpei00m	269	Allow IMAGE databases under HFS directories (but retain six-character limit on database name).
mpei00e	250	DBUTIL ignore file equations (can't use / do not apply anyway).
mpei00l	204	Drop need for IMAGE BlockLength to be a multiple of 256B (save space).
mpehs00e	201	IMAGESQL Utility: Improve DBA functions for managing user IDs in a DBE: Currently must use IMAGE database passwords that are difficult to maintain and hard to change, especially for a large number of users. This asks for ability to utilize user-classes when adding and updating user IDs in a DBE.
mpehs00o	196	ODBC / SQL access to TurboIMAGE via Image/SQL: Let split IMAGE keys be accessed as a full key at run time.
mper00c	189	Update Transact to enable it to call all system intrinsics callable from other HP3000 languages.
mpei00r	189	Allow tracking files to be associated with an IMAGE database (all associated files; such as schemas, 3rd-party indexes, etc.).
mpehs00b	180	Image/SQL and ALLBASE: Ability to limit max number / percent of rows / columns returned by SQL SELECT; using a set option or an optional parameter on SELECT.
mpehs00a	170	Image/SQL and ALLBASE: Ability to limit max number / percent of rows / columns returned in response to an ODBC request (SQL/Server "TOP dd [%]").
mpehs00q	153	Additional string manipulation and math functions for ALLBASE and Image/SQL.
mpehs00p	153	ALLBASE and Image/SQL multi-Column INDEXED retrievals: Techniques are available for rapid processing of multiple indices without retrieving data. (ex: Rushmore technology Microsoft has Access). This involves requesting the record addresses or tuple ids of each row, sorting them, and then intersecting the two result sets to implement select conditions that link associated columns.ALLBASE and Image/SQL multi-Column INDEXED retrievals: Techniques are available for rapid processing of multiple indices without retrieving data. (ex: Rushmore technology Microsoft has Access). This involves requesting the record addresses or tuple ids of each row, sorting them, and then intersecting the two result sets to implement select conditions that link associated columns.
mpehs00g	129	IMAGESQL Utility: Allow DBA to ATTACH IMAGE database without password: In most cases it is actually LESS secure to require a DBA to provide a maintenance word, since they end up being recorded in relatively unsecure log files.
mpehs00n	112	IMAGESQL Utility: Do not require IMAGE Maintenance Word if none is specified in the IMAGE database.
mpei00n	109	Provide external documentation for DBQUIESCE intrinsic used by TURBOSTORE, including appropriate end-user cautions.
mpehs00f	89	IMAGESQL Utility: Enable / Disable Image/SQL end-user SQL access without Attach / Detach.
mpehs00l	78	IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH register Master / Detail referential integrity constraints in DBE: Make ALLBASE aware IMAGE DETAILs must have corresponding MASTERs; so that SQL INSERT and DELETE will verify.
mper00d	73	Correct the defect that prevents Transact from recognizing and properly handling child items defined in DICTIONARY/V beyond the first sub-item level. Applicable SRs: 5000044321 and 4700082669.
mpehs00h	72	IMAGESQL Utility: Don't require exclusive DBE access for all functions.
mper00a	43	Allow the use of variables in Transact expressions currently requiring mandatory literals including, but not limited to, data set names, key, update, and match item names, and PERFORM/GO TO targets.
mpehs00i	41	IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH NOAUTOS option: Skip Auto Masters.
mper00j	35	Allow the "home" database to be specified in Transact data-access statements.
mper00b	29	Correct issues preventing Transact/iX from providing the same capabilities as other languages when used in a CGI context under a browser.
mpehs00k	24	IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH NOVIEWS option: Do not auto-create views in DBE; allow user to declare their own views later.
mper00e	22	Make all operators available as parameters in Transact PROC statements (things like ARG, INPUTLNG, the address of operator '%', KEY, etc.) available as rvalues in LET and MOVE statements (as appropriate to the type).
mpehs00m	18	IMAGESQL Utility: Allow wild-card ADD USER.
mpehs00j	18	IMAGESQL Utility: ATTACH NOAUTOSPLIT option: Do not split compound items; instead map as a single column.
mper00h	15	Support "callback" capability in Transact/iX as required by, for example, XCONTRAP.
mper00f	14	Remove the undocumented control sequences that appear after the ">" and ">>" prompts output by Transact command-sequence" programs, i.e. those driven by user input with the "$$" and "$" labels.
mper00g	12	Enhance Transact data-input verbs (DATA, INPUT, PROMPT) to allow the "prompt string" to be specified using a variable and to include the Transact-generated subitem number when a sub-element of a compound item (array) is requested.
mper00i	5	Improve support for the tl_call_transact Architected Call Interface (ACI) by documenting and supporting use of the ACI from C, since it currently works, and supporting the ACI from FORTRAN, which currently does not work.