AIMS-6
Building on its 20 year history and the features found in previous versions, AIMS-6 is
the latest release from VCR. AIMS is an Application Generator and Advanced DataBase
Management System (DBMS) that will run on most hardware platforms and operating systems
currently available, including Windows (3.1, 3.11, 95, NT), Novell, and more. AIMS offers
user-friendly file, graph and report designs, advanced search and sort features,
customizable menu's, user-definable security, and much more.
This is the main AIMS menu, as shown in MS Windows '95. From here, you can access AIMS
features with Hot Keys, Pull Down Menu's or buttons. It's the starting point to add, sort
or print your data, design new files or reports, or use any of VCR's features such as
graph tools!
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- Modern Interface AIMS-6 has an interface that can be either
totally controlled by a mouse or a keyboard. It's a modern interface, without the overhead
of a true Windows based program. (AIMS can be run in Windows, and can even use Windows
Print Manager, File Browse and Graphing tools.) For those who have been using previous
versions of AIMS, you can still use the Main Menu keyboard commands (such as
"11" to select a file).
- Character Based Search & Sort Most databases are
field based, you can find only those fields that match the first characters
entered in the search criteria. AIMS not only allows you to search by fields, it also
allows you to search for a specific character in any position in the field. For example,
if you wanted to find all the State abbreviations that end in "I", AIMS would
quickly find WI, MI, HI and the rest.
- Year 2000 Compliant Make sure you're not caught off
guard, and prepare now for the unforgiving deadline of December 31, 1999. AIMS-6 is
completely Year 2000 compatible, and will help make sure all of your data files are too.
All VCR products have been Year 2000 Compatible since 1981 by using a "Base
Year" for math calculations. AIMS-6 takes it one step further by adding edit types
for true Century Dates (mmddccyy). This gives you complete Year 2000 support for your AIMS
files. Click here for more information on Year 2000.
- True Client/Server Application AIMS-6
lets you decide to keep frequently used AIMS programs and Temporary files on the local
hard drive or on the Network Server. By keeping these files on higher performance work
stations, you can significantly improve performance by reducing network traffic. Click
here for more information on the Client/Server performance
increases in AIMS-6.
- Increased Performance The latest
release of AIMS-6 includes several new features that significantly improve performance on
Novell and Windows NT networks. AIMS-6 has been structured to be a true Client/Server
application - which means fast access to your data. Click here for more
information on the Performance Increase.
- Integration with Modern Environments AIMS-6 can Import and Export datafiles to almost any other application -
including word processors (Word, WordPerfect), spreadsheets (Excel) and other database
programs (Access, Oracle, etc). AIMS-6 also makes printing a snap by having the ability to
use the Windows Print Manager. AIMS-6 can also be easily updated from the Internet. AIMS
also have full Copy and Paste ability. Copy and Paste data from other Windows applications
right into your AIMS fields. You can also Copy and Paste text into FreeForm reports.
- Reporting Improvements Freeform,
Standard and Export now allow you to bring in fields from other files that may not
necessarily be linked to the file you printing. Bring in fields from up to 5 Files. These
reports styles also now allow you to perform basic math functions at print time. We also
have a new Report Style that lets you interface to a Form Filler application to print
graphically enhanced reports. And don't forget, our Export Tools allow you to send your
data just about anywhere.
- Design Control AIMS-6 lets you add colors and a variety of boxes
to your file design screen displays. Add shadow boxes or just colored backgrounds. Assign
different colors to key fields that you want to stand out. Add up to 25 Modules per page
(increase from 10 in previous versions.) And don't forget - using your File Design is not
a lot easier with mouse control - just click on the field you want to edit! Also, your
field prompts and data sections are now displayed in different colors.
- GraphTools AIMS now includes modern graphing abilities. See your
files displayed on Three Dimensional Bar, Line and Pie Charts. Customize your charts with
your own Titles. Print any chart in full color, or cut-n-paste into any other Windows
Applications to include in presentations.
- Automatic Disk Management Forget having the manually scratch and
move ends of your disks. Want to add a new disk to your AIMS system? Just go to our Disk
utility under the Preferences Menu and add it. AIMS will take care of scratching and
preparing it, as well as rewriting your boot program to load it up every time you run
AIMS. Want to change the size of a disk? Just go to our Disk utility and change the size.
We do it all for you!
- B+Tree's AIMS allows you to choose to store your data
either in B+Tree's or sequential . B+Tree's store your data in the order it was entered,
and creates "pointer files" to your data. This allows you to create various
Index keys to look up your data in a variety of ways. You can create up to 10 B+Tree's to
look up data by a customers name, or address, or city, or any combination of fields.
- E-Mail & Web Updates VCR is always adding features to
AIMS, and instead of making our customers wait months or years for updates, we've built in
the ability to update your AIMS software from the Internet. We can e-mail you an update
that will add features, fix bugs, etc., or you can install it directly from our web site!
- Source Code All of VCR's products are shipped with
source code. Should the customer encounter a "bug" (we call them
"Leaks"), they simply place a call to VCR. Normally, all bugs are fixed within
minutes, and AIMS returns the user to where they were before the leak, with no loss of
data.
- Customize Your Interface AIMS can handle up to 255
terminals. Each user can select or design their own color scheme, keyboard layout and
display options.
- Intuitive Menu Designer Forget having to manually manage your
front end menu with DMENU6 files. You can now use our Menu Designer Wizard to visually
create your menus. Assign your own colors, and place items and boxes anywhere on the
screen.
- Virtually No File Limitations The number of files that
you are able to create is limited only by the amount of hard disk space you have
available. File are limited to 67 million records per file.
- Math Designers make math easy, and give you the results
you asked for, even if you're not a math wizard!
- Overlays allow custom written programs, such as API programs, to be run from a field. Uses of this would
include math formulas (if our predefined formula's don't meet your needs), interfacing to
scanners, bar code readers, or other software packages, and much more!
- Soundex allows you to look up records by how they sound,
not how they're spelled. For example, you have a customer, Mr. Smithe, who calls in. You
can find his information by searching for Smith, Smythe, or Smithe. So, if you're not sure
how a name or location is spelled, we can still find it!
- Import and Export is easy with AIMS. Our import and
export feature allows you to share your data with other applications, such as word
processors (Word, WordPerfect), spreadsheets (Excel, Lotus), or other databases (Access,
dBase) and can even be included in Remember Processes.
- Remember Processes Automate time consuming, repetitive
tasks and save time! Need a report only once a month? Make a Remember Process out of it,
and throw away those coffee stained notes with your import, search, sort, merge and
deduplicate steps!
- Support
Agreements are available.
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- API allows junior to advanced programmers to write very simple programs that solve
extremely complicated problems in far less time that it would take to write using
conventional methods.
API automatically checks to make sure changes to your AIMS file won't adversely affect
your custom programs. Normally, custom programs would be written against a specific file
design. As that file design changed, (fields added, changed, deleted, etc.), that custom
program would have to be re-written, often at great expense. API programs are highly
intelligent, and as the AIMS file designs change, the API programs re-write themselves.
The API main menu, shown here, is the beginning point for all API
processes. From here, new API processes can be built, tested and compiled for use.
What is API used for?
API has been used by VCR's staff and many AIMS clients for years to
handle needs that the regular features in AIMS just couldn't handle.
Here are some examples of projects that API has been used for:
- Complex end of month/quarter/year procedures
- Special printing needs that AIMS reports aren't capable of
- Interfacing to Bar Coders
- Interfacing to POS (Point of Sale) systems like cash registers and
restaurant automation systems
- Design of Expert Systems (Telemarketing, Customer Support, etc.)
- Special data entry look-ups
- Automation of complex tasks (Full Payroll, A/P, A/R)
- Comparative Analysis
- Generation of Data for use by other Programs (complex Export)
- Integration of Data from other Programs (complex Import)
API has been used countless times to convert older custom programs
(including Hook) to more modern code that is integrated with AIMS - allowing full smooth
upgradeablity to AIMS-6 and beyond. API is available to run with AIMS-5 and AIMS-6. API
can be successfully implemented by someone with moderate computer programming skills in a
Basic language, or VCR is happy to assist with any custom projects you may need.
Many times, using API, VCR can accomplish in a few hours what would normally take days or
weeks for other programmers without these tools.
Key Features
- Screen Display - lets you can use API to design boxes, headers, footers, thermometer
bars, operator instructions, warnings, field editing displays and much more.
- Fields - Use up to 9,999 fields and up to 49 files from your AIMS and Enable designs.
- B+Trees - including Soundex, etc.
- Automatic - Adjustment of code and variables.
- Blend - custom code with VCR's other powerful features such as Remember Processes
(search, sort, interface to DOS, etc.). Record Highlight List Windows, and Report
Generators
- Subroutine Libraries - for File Access, Conversions, Screen Display, B+Trees and much
more!
- Access - Peripherals such as Cash Registers, Bar Code Scanners, and much more!
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PO Box 33666, Indialantic, Florida 32903.
Phone us at (321) 722-0220,
Fax us at (321) 722-1080,
or e-mail us at
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
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