From: dpp@athena.com (David Pollak)
Subject: Re: Mesa --- lack of database functionality
Reply-To: dpp@athena.com (David Pollak)
Organization: Athena Design, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 21:18:29 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.135821.13185@dvorak.amd.com>  
rpomeroy@aunext3.cam.amd.com (Ron Pomeroy x(Coop)) writes:
> In article <1992Aug20.172624.689@prim> prim!dave@germany.eu.net (Dave  
> Griffiths) writes:
> >>In article <1992Aug19.143528.9405@mic.ucla.edu> iwelch@agsm.ucla.edu  
(Ivo  
> Welch) writes:
> >>>
> >>>I have been trying to  convince Athena  Design to include a Unix   
> command-line
> >>>file reader. That is, a utility  that reads a  Mesa spreadsheet and  
outputs  
> an
> >>>ASCII data file (i.e. a command line equivalent of "save as text").  
That  
> would
> >>>allow me to use Mesa to keep all my databases,  and  to  have  S or  
other  
> Unix
> >>>filters operate on a  database; or to dial  in and look  at the  
contents of  
> my
> >>>spreadsheets. (Even nicer if  there was an  update  mechanism.) Note  
that  
> this
> >>>cannot be accomplished through Mesa's API.
> >>>
> >>
> >>[Soapbox on]
> >>
> >>Their API doesn't support this? It should! (Take a look at Improv's  
API -
> >>beautiful). Not nearly enough attention is being paid to the  
possibility of
> >>running apps on the NeXT in any way other than through the GUI.
> >>
> >>[Soapbox off]
> >>
> >>Dave Griffiths
> 
> OK, this is scary.  The WHOLE REASON I was going to buy Mesa was (aside 
> from the great edu price) was MOLI (Mesa Object Library Interface).  My 
> impression was that this was a real OO (not just c calls like Improv!)
> interface to the app.  So what's the deal ?!?!?
> 

The Mesa Object Interface Library is fully object oriented.  A person can  
write a custom program using MOLI to extract data.  MOLI interfaces to  
Mesa via mach messaging (it's more efficient than speaker-listener and  
because we have our own data packing and un-packing that is tuned to Mesa,  
it's even faster than remote objects in 3.0 *AND* MOLI runs under 2.x.)

The only situation in which MOLI will not function is if the user is not  
logged in and running the window server and the workspace manager.  MOLI  
requests that the Workspace Manager run Mesa and then messages Mesa to  
open the appropriate file.  The original poster wants to be able to log  
out of his NeXT, call into his NeXT via modem and retrieve data from a  
Mesa worksheet.  Because the Workspace Manager would not be running, he  
could not use a custom app written with MOLI to achieve his goal.

MOLI allows you to put data into a Mesa worksheet, pull data out of a Mesa  
worksheet, print a report, get a graph or a range of cells (represented  
graphically), and more.  Version 1.1, due out on the 4th, will include a  
fully editable spreadsheet view that you can drop into your custom app.   
You'll be able to edit data in this view, drop colors on the view, and  
generally treat the view just like a Mesa spreadsheet.

I have put a lot of time and effort into the Object Library.  It is  
light-years ahead of any other interface to any other spreadsheet.  Mesa  
will be the first spreadsheet on any platform to allow users to have  
spreadsheet views right in their custom apps.  And all of this comes with  
Mesa, right out of the box.

Before you folks spread false information about the program, please grab a  
demo copy off one of the archives.  MOLI is included with the demo.  Play  
with it.  Learn about it.  Send suggestions about additional  
functionality.  Don't tell others that it won't work when it really will!!

David

-- 
David Pollak - dpp@athena.com - NeXTMail Compliant
Attorney at Law,
Feeder of the Bears, Athena Design, Inc.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.marketplace,misc.forsale.computers