What is Omnis 5?

Omnis 5 is a relational database software initially made for Windows 1.0 and ported to the Macintosh and OS/2.

Version 1.1 archive includes the following disk images:

• Examples.image
• Omnis 5 Auxiliary Disk  2.image
• Omnis 5 Auxiliary Disk 1.image
• Omnis 5 Examples.image
• Omnis 5 v1.1.image

Version 1.2 archive includes the following disk images:

• Omnis 5 (USA).image
• Omnis 5 v1.221 update.image
• Omnis 5 v1.21 update.image

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Anyone who follows the evolution of Macintosh relational-database languages will wonder why Blyth Software skipped from Omnis 3 to Omnis 5. Actually, Omnis 4 was released about two years ago for the Windows environment on IBM PCs under the name Omnis Quartz, but it was never ported to the Mac. Quartz was a giant technological step over Omnis 3. but it suffered from Windows' slowness and inability to use extended RAM effectively. Omnis 5 is a generation beyond Quartz, and it's not looking back.

Despite Blyth's low profile, there are still more custom and vertical-market business-information systems written in versions of Omnis than in any other Macintosh database. Professional developers have complained about the Omnis product family's lack of access to interface tools, the not-quite-adequate product documentation, and the lack of publicity about the true nature of this powerful language.

WHAT IT IS Omnis 5 is a graphically oriented, multi user relational/heirarchical-database applications-development environment. As this lengthy description implies, it's a programming language for creating information-management systems, which also means that it's not the first choice for average users. The multiuser and re1ational/hierarchical aspects are among the features that elevate Omnis 5 above the capabilities of the other contenders in this field.

In multiuser mode, Omnis incorporates record locking into every command that can write to disk, so that multiple users cannot access the same record at the same lime and potentially corrupt the data. Omnis 5 has features, such as a read-only file mode, that gives further flexibility for multiuser programming.

Relational databases are notoriously clumsy in dealing with transactional data. Hierarchical databases are much more effective in storing and retrieving transactional information, but not all data structures are strictly hierarchical. Business-information systems genera11y need to be designed around transactions. By combining relational and hierarchical methods, Omnis 5 provides ease of programming and speed of data entry, retrieval, and reporting of complex transactional data.

The Omnis 5 interface has tremendously improved over previons versions, Programmers now have complete control over the size and position of any window (with the abibility to span multiple monitors). There are check-box, push-button, button-region, and picture fields, as well as the traditional data-entry and display fields. Bach window has a draw layer and a field layer similar to the HyperCard model. Each layer is object-oriented with pixel-precise placement of objects and an array of alignment commands. There is full access to fonts, sizes, and styles for text and fields, and color for all objects. Graphics can be pasted into the draw layer during window design or into picture Helds during data entry.

There is a Paste From File command in the Edit menu for text and PICT documents, similar to the Place command in PageMaker. Multiple-window operations are easily programmed.

There are commands to launch other Omnis 5 applications, other programs, or DAs from a menu or a button or as a data-entry process.

Omnis has always had a sophisticated report generator, but Omnis 5 has reached new heights of flexibility and performance, including graphics fields, an extending field that expands to accommodate varying amounts of text up to 32K, and the ability to redefine sort fields (and other report parameters) on the fly from within a procedure.

While many database products claim that they can support an unlimited file size. Omnis 5 is limited to 2.56 gigabytes per data file in ten segments of 256 megabytes. The data file stores the data for up to 60 logical files, each having up to 12 indexes. The segmenting of an Omnis data file allows the data file to span volumes — a capability no other product has because the others are limited by the size of the storage media. Procedures are limited to 30K each.

Omnis 5 ships with a collection of HyperCard externals that turns HyperCard into a multiuser relational database that simultaneously accesses multiple Omnis 5 data files. Programmers who prefer HyperCard now have full access to the powerful Omnis database engine. These external resources can be used in conjunction with the Oracle HyperCard front end for simultaneous Oracle/Omnis 5 database access. There are no direct links to Oracle without HyperCard.

Omnis 3 was the first Macintosh database program to support Apple's CL/1 procedures, and CL/1 is built directly in to Omnis 5's command set. There are also commands for selecting and configuring a port as well as sending and receiving text, which permits telecommunications to be built into Omnis 5 applications.

Blyth Software's support staff gives competent and timely responses to users' questions. Support is available by telephone or on MacNET. Blyth-authorized training courses are also available.

Omnis 5's documentation shows a marked improvement over previous versions. There is an Application Designers' Handbook, a Programmers Reference, and a tutorial called Getting Started. Each is well organized and concise,

HOW IT WORKS It would be impossible for a program of Omnis 5's complexity and power to be perfect, and it isn't — although its flaws aren't major. For example, in an effort to remain completely DOS-compatible, the interface isn't entirely Mac-like: Not every tool palette is given a title bar, you can't easily save a file in a sorted order, and there is no default search interface — you must either design a custom interface beforehand or build one on the fly. But there are also compensations. Unlike 4th Dimension. Omnis 5 lacks a charting function, but it easily calls up Cricket Graph, Excel, or Wingz to access their power.

In short, Omnis 5 is primarily a programming environment more suited to professional developers than to casual users. Programmers of traditional relational-database languages will have a few things to unlearn to take full advantage of Omnis 5's power, but it'll he worth it.

Swaine, David. (September 1989). Omnis 5. MacUser. (pgs. 61-62).

Download Omnis 5 for Mac

Architecture

Motorola 68K

Compatibility notes

Architecture: 68K

 

Emulating this? It could probably run under: Mini vMac