Chapter 1
Introduction
Overview of BASIS Components
For an overview of BASIS components, see Database Definition and Development,
“Overview of Database Definition and Development.”
Utilities Overview
The BASIS utilities help you perform the following tasks:

Build and maintain Definition Databases (DDBs)

Load and update Record Database (RDBs)

Restructure RDBs and maintain files

Monitor Kernel activity
The utilities are grouped and described below according to their uses.
DDB Building and Maintenance Utilities
DMDBA — Database Administration
The DMDBA module is used to create and manage databases. For information about the
DMDBA module, see Database Definition and Development.
Introduction  19
DMDDBE — Definition Database Extract
The DMDDBE utility extracts all or a portion of a DDB and generates a syntactically
correct source statement file that is ready for use by DMDBA. With these statements
your DDB can be recreated. For more information about this utility, see “DMDDBE,
Definition Database Extract.”
DMDDBR — Definition Database Report
The DMDDBR utility generates various reports from the DDB. 1 A series of menus help
you select what appears in the report. Reports may be displayed, written to a file, or both.
For more information about this utility, see “DMDDBR, Definition Database Report.”
DMTDTD — Transform Document Type Declaration
The DMTDTD utility enables you to store Extensible Markup Language (XML)
documents in BASIS. The utility reads an XML Document Type Declaration (DTD) and
creates Markup and Style Guide statements and DDL code that you can apply to your
BASIS database so that it can properly parse and store the XML documents that conform
to the DTD. For more information about this utility, see “DMTDTD, Transform
Document Type Declaration.”
DMFORM — Form View Definition
The DMFORM utility lets you define the layout of formatted screens. 1 For more
information about the DMFORM utility, see Screens.
1
20  Introduction
Not available on Windows.
RDB Loading and Updating Utilities
FQM — Fundamental Query and Manipulation
The FQM module is used for entering, retrieving, displaying, and updating information in
the RDB.
USE/SCREEN
The FQM USE/SCREEN command lets users enter, retrieve, display, and update
information from the RDB via formatted screen. 1 For more information about this
command, see Interactive FQM Commands and see Screens.
DML — Data Manipulation Language
The commands that can be used to enter, retrieve, display, and update information in
the FQM module are also called Data Manipulation Language. For more information
about the FIND command, see The Complete FIND Handbook. For more
information about other commands, see Interactive FQM Commands.
HVU — High Volume Update
The High Volume Update utility can rapidly add or update a large number of records in
an RDB. It can update thousands of records in a database at one time. For more
information about this utility, see “Using HVU,” “Import/Export ,” and “HVU, High
Volume Update.”
DMQ — Queue Area Manager
The Queue Area Manager manages the queue area and loads data from the queue into the
database. For more information about this utility, see “DMQ, Queue Area Manager.”
For more information about use of the queue area, see “Using Queues” and see The
Complete FIND Handbook and see Interactive FQM Commands.
1
Not available on Windows
Introduction  21
Application Programming Interfaces
Three kinds of application programming interfaces can be used for loading and updating
data in the RDB:
OpenAPI
The OpenAPI interface to BASIS runs on MS Windows, Macintosh, VMS and UNIX
clients. These client interfaces communicate with the BASIS Kernel running on a
VMS or UNIX server over a variety of network configurations. For more
information about use of OpenAPI, see Programming with OpenAPI.
DHI — Document Handler Interface
The Document Handler Interface enables FORTRAN, COBOL, C, and PASCAL
programs to work with applications using conventional, continuous, or sectioned
records. 1 For more information about use of the Document Handler Interface, see
Programming with DHI.
Precompilers
COBOL and FORTRAN precompilers provide an interface between programs
written in COBOL or FORTRAN and conventional records in a BASIS database. 1
For more information about use of these precompilers, see Programming for
Conventional Records.
1
Not available on Windows
RDB Restructure and File Maintenance Utilities
DMJ — Journal Processor
The Journal Processor can be used to replay or backout changes made to the RDB. DMJ
uses the changes to Journal Files performed since a specified time. For more information
about this utility, see “DMJ, Journal Processor.”
DMR — Restructure
The Restructure utility can be used to restructure a database, changing the definition of a
database object when the change means that the object’s storage structure must be altered.
For more information about this utility, see “DMR, Restructure.”
22  Introduction
DMSACK — Stand-alone Checker
The Stand-alone Checker finds records which violate the referential integrity constraints
in a database. This utility does not correct records in violation but can display them
and/or write them to a file. For more information about this utility, see “DMSACK,
Stand-alone Checker.”
DMKMON — Kernel Monitor Utility
The Kernel Monitor utility lets you use screens to monitor the Kernel’s activity. 1 It
updates data for Kernel monitoring reports every few seconds to give you the latest
information. For more information about this utility and its reports, see “DMKMON,
Kernel Monitor.”
1
Not available on Windows
Other BASIS Utilities
The System Administration utilities are documented in System Administration.
Additional utilities are described only in online help files that come with the installation
tape; see the Preface to this manual for a list of these utilities.
Introduction  23
24  Introduction