TurboIMAGE

TurboIMAGE is one of several names used to refer to a database developed by Hewlett Packard and included with the HP3000 minicomputer. TurboIMAGE was also available on the HP250 minicomputer. Originally released under the name IMAGE/3000 in 1972, it was later known as TurboIMAGE, IMAGE/SQL, and TurboIMAGE/XL.

IMAGE is the primary reason that the HP3000 was a success. It is a reliable, simple, fast database for MPE. After about a decade of enhancements it was renamed TurboIMAGE, then TurboIMAGE/XL after the PA-RISC migration. Programs can access and update records using IMAGE intrinsics which was HP's name for the API used to access records. Today it is known as IMAGE/SQL because it includes an SQL (Structured Query Language) frontend and client-server support for PC accessors.

Overview

TurboIMAGE consists of several utilities along with an API (referred to as intrinsics by the HP documentation):

DBSCHEMA - Compile a source schema layout. The source layout describes the tables (known as SETS) and columns (known as FIELDS).
DBUTIL - Creates and performs maintenance functions on the database.
QUERY - Generalized query tool for accessing any TurboIMAGE database.

The following is a sample list of the API calls used for application development. These calls are supported by HP's compilers: COBOL, FORTRAN, BASIC, SPL, PASCAL and C.

DBFIND - Locates a record.
DBGET - Retrieves a record.
DBPUT - Adds a record.
DBUPDATE - Updates a record.
DBINFO - Provides information on the structure of the database.
DBOPEN - Opens the database with a specified password to provide access rights to the application.

History

The significant highlights of TurboIMAGE are:

TurboIMAGE was originally released as IMAGE/3000 around 1972 and was included free as part of the HP3000 and MPE operating system.
Several Fourth-generation programming language products (Powerhouse, Transact, Speedware, Protos) became available from third party vendors.
New capabilities were added including the increase of storage capacity and increase of several internal limitations such as the number of SETS allowed in a database. IMAGE/3000 was renamed TurboIMAGE due to these new capabilities.
HP provided a Third Party Interface (TPI) to DISC's OMNIDEX and Bradmark's SUPERDEX products.
HP announced the end of life for the HP3000 which included TurboIMAGE.
Marxmeier released Eloquence which is schema and API compatible with TurboIMAGE and allows TurboIMAGE applications to run on Windows and HPUX.
Stromasys released an HP3000 emulator allowing TurboIMAGE applications to be run on commodity hardware.

External links

http://www.robelle.com/library/smugbook/image.html
HP Computer Museum 3000 Series II Documentation - 1976 Image manual PDF

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