Hello
I have a client who has an older windows 3.1 program that has a
modified ISAM database backend based on the X/Open standard. The ISAM
backend was written using a library/API called ObjecTrieve, which was
developed by a company in India called Co-Soft. The original source
code for the windows program has been lost, the original programmers
are also nowhere to be found.
It also appears that co-soft is now defunct. Their website is
www.co-soft.com, which appears active, however their contact pages and
downloads pages generate errors, and googling for names of employees
shows up resumes listing cosoft as a previous employer. None of the
prior employees have responded to e-mails.
The database has an extension of .DAT, and includes a second file with
an extension of .IDX.
The database holds data, and images linked to the data. The images
are in vector format and stored in some sort of binary file, in a
subfolder, linked to the database. The extension of the binary files
is TBF. Opening the binary files in notepad shows a text comment
saying 'Tabbed Binder File'.
The program includes a utility which checks the integrity of the
database files and appears to function correctly. The 'about us'
option in the utility shows up as ObjecTrieve v2.1.2, copyright
1983-91 Coromandel. Coromandel is a previous business name of
Co-soft.
We have tried to use several third party ISAM APIs to access the
database including Byte Designs D-ISAM, ISAMJ and several others, all
to no avail.
According to an old cached Microsoft page regarding 3rd party VB
solutions, objecTrieve was at one time available as a COM object. It
was also available at some time as a library for Unix and Linux. Some
associates have suggested that ObjecTrieve may have been included in a
distribution of Borland C++ at some point.
What I would like is to find some way to gain access to an ObjecTrieve
Libray/API either through an individual that may have it archived, or
through an older version of software (such as Borland) that it may
have been bundled with. A second solution would be a robust third
party API or database manager that would give us access to the data
and allow us to extract it programatically. |
Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
13 May 2004 14:11 PDT
I can't help you on the technical side of things (though I will note
that on StarTrek, whenever they travel back in time, they *NEVER* have
any trouble accessing the old computers!).
However, it may be possible to track down some of the Co-Soft talent.
A whois search of their domain name shows the following:
co-soft.com Back-order this name
Registrant:
Cosoft India Limited (CO-SOFT-DOM)
Tarapore Towers
826,Anna salai
Chennai, TN 600002
IN
Domain Name: CO-SOFT.COM
Administrative Contact:
Dadabhoy, Ruqshad (RFD29) cosoft@MD2.VSNL.NET.IN
Cosoft India Limited
Tarapore Towers 1st Floor
Chennai Tamilnadu 600002
- 600002
INDIA
600002
IND
91-44-8526443 fax: 91-44-8521249
Technical Contact:
Parthasarathy, Srivatsan (SP5516) vatsan@CHENNAIONLINE.COM
CIBS (P) Ltd.
Haveli IV Floor, 2 North Crescent Road
T.Nagar
Chennai, TamilNadu 600017
IN
91-44-28154489 fax: 91-44-28151995
==========
You may want to try contacting the folks mentioned above to see if
they can assist you. Let me know how it works out. There are other
strategies for pursuing ex-employees...let me know if you'd me like me
to look into it for you.
Good luck.
pafalafa-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
begby-ga
on
13 May 2004 14:31 PDT
Pafalafa,
Thank you for the suggestion. I believe that we have already sent an
e-mail to everyone from WHOIS. But hey, why not try again hey? We
even called the numbers in the hope someone would answer that spoke
english, however there was no answer. I'll send them all a mail.
Thanks again
|
Request for Question Clarification by
kapilr-ga
on
14 May 2004 03:55 PDT
Dear Begby,
Good news! I managed to reach them over phone. They say that they have
stopped support for the product but they pass it on to their technical
team and get back with the answer as soon as possible.
kapilr-ga
|
Request for Question Clarification by
kapilr-ga
on
17 May 2004 04:52 PDT
Dear Begby,
I spoke to them at length today. They have agreed to give the latest
version of the product free of cost to help you.
They require a small form to be filled before they can pass on the
product to you. I have uploaded the form at
http://www.kapil.com/form.doc
Best regards,
kapilr-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
begby-ga
on
17 May 2004 05:55 PDT
Thank you much. I have filled out the form and sent it to the address
indicated within the form. Please let me know if there is anything
else I need to do.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
17 May 2004 07:29 PDT
Hello begby-ga,
Both kapilr-ga and I have been working on your question since it was
posted, but I see that kapilr-ga has done an excellent job of tracking
down the original makers of your software system.
If this information provides a satisfactory resolution of your
problem, then please let us know by posting a note here. That way,
kapilr-ga will be able to post the information as a formal answer to
your question.
And if it doesn't solve your problem, let us know that as well, so
that the researchers here will know to continue working on this
question.
Best of luck,
pafalafa-ga
|
Request for Question Clarification by
kapilr-ga
on
17 May 2004 07:42 PDT
Dear Begby,
I confirmed it with them. They have received the form in order. They
are closed for the day right now (8:10pm their time) and will be
processing it tomorrow.
They say that the product is around 3Mb. I will receive it and post it
online for your reference.
Best regards,
kapilr-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
begby-ga
on
19 May 2004 06:22 PDT
Any luck with this yet?
|
Request for Question Clarification by
kapilr-ga
on
21 May 2004 08:11 PDT
Dear Begby,
I have received the software from Co-Soft. I will be uploading the
files (more than 4Mb), and will be posting the URL as an answer to
this question.
Best regards,
kapilr-ga
|
Dear Begby,
After persistent efforts of my colleague, and me we have been able to
get what you were looking for.
Co-soft is very much in software business but they are focusing on
other projects and have discontinued the discussed product. They have
been cooperative and have decided to help us. They have given a free
version of their product. I have uploaded them for your convenience:
The latest version of Objectrieve - 2.20Mb ( http://www.kapil.com/ot4win.exe )
The latest version of Jtrieve - 2.16Mb ( http://www.kapil.com/JTrievec.exe )
Please confirm if you can download and use these files in order.
Although I have verified the files as working, there might be errors
while uploading or downloading.
If you have any issues or questions, please send in a clarification
request. Hope that helps! |
Request for Answer Clarification by
begby-ga
on
21 May 2004 11:36 PDT
Thank you for answering. I was able to download the Jtreive version,
but am not able to access the Objectrieve one - ot4win.exe. Please
advise.
|
Clarification of Answer by
kapilr-ga
on
21 May 2004 21:25 PDT
Dear Begby,
The file has been placed again at http://www.kapil.com/ot4win.exe
Please feel free to get back to me in case you face any more problems.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
begby-ga
on
24 May 2004 07:35 PDT
These versions do not appear to work. The database I have was written
with v2.x and is a flat file system, ie there is a .dbf file, a .idx
file, and a .lob file for each database. The new version of
objectrieve, v4, uses a virtual file system with an extension of .cpt,
and has a daemon server. It does not appear backwards compatible at
all nor does it come with any utilities that will access the data or
check the integrity of the database.
|
Clarification of Answer by
kapilr-ga
on
24 May 2004 20:52 PDT
Dear Begby,
I will check-up with the Co-soft team and revert back to you on this.
We can request them to send us the older version as well.
Best regards,
kapilr-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
begby-ga
on
27 May 2004 08:46 PDT
Any progress with co-soft?
|
Clarification of Answer by
kapilr-ga
on
27 May 2004 09:40 PDT
Dear Begby,
I have sent them a communication. I am just waiting for a reply. I
will get back to you as soon as they respond.
Best regards,
kapilr-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
kapilr-ga
on
02 Jun 2004 05:25 PDT
Dear Begby,
I spoke to them again at great length today. The library that will
solve your purpose is Objectrieve for dBase. They are saying that its
a very very old product and they are in process of locating it for
you. They also have been very cooperative and are trying to locate
the product or documentation that will assist you.
I am regularly in touch with them and will update you as soon as they find it.
Best regards,
kapilr-ga
|
