Editing ADABAS

{{Short description|Database management system}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
'''Adabas''', a contraction of "adaptable database system",<ref name=Book77>{{cite book |title=Fundamentals of Data Base Systems |page=174 |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1349158437 |isbn=1349158437 |author=S. M. Deen |date=1977 |quote=Adaptable Data Base System, or ADABAS, was developed by Software AG of Darmstadt, West Germany. Its first version appeared in 1971, and by now it has over 80 installations in Europe and the United States.}}</ref> is a [[database]] package that was developed by [[Software&nbsp;AG]] to run on IBM mainframes. It was launched in 1971 as a [[NoSQL|non-relational]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Pro Oracle Collaboration Suite 10g |page=324 |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1430202351 |isbn=978-1430202356 |author=John Watson |year=2007 |quote=Historically, the solution was to use nonrelational structures, such as the inverted structure used by Adabas&nbsp;...}}</ref> database. As of 2019, Adabas is marketed<ref>Formerly named with [[all caps]], today as Adabas.</ref> for use on a wider range of platforms, including [[Linux]], [[Unix]], and [[Windows]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Software AG Product Documentation |url=https://documentation.softwareag.com/ |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=Software AG Product Documentation}}</ref>

Adabas can store multiple data relationships in the same table.

==History==
Initially released by [[Software AG]] in 1971<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240065879/Adabas-continues-to-play-a-vital-role-for-installed-base |title=Adabas continues to play a vital role for installed base |website=Computer Weekly |access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref> on [[IBM mainframe]] systems using [[DOS/360]], [[OS/MFT]], or [[OS/MVT]], Adabas is currently available on a range of enterprise systems, including [[BS2000]], [[z/VSE]], [[z/OS]], [[Unix]], [[Linux]], and [[Microsoft Windows]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.softwareag.com/UK/products/transactions/adabas/overview/default.asp |title=Adabas & Natural Database Management System |website=Software AG |access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref> Adabas is frequently used in conjunction with Software&nbsp;AG's programming language [[#Natural (4GL)|Natural]]; many applications that use Adabas as a database on the back end are developed with Natural. In 2016, Software&nbsp;AG announced that Adabas and Natural would be supported through the year 2050 and beyond.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160831005145/en/Software-AG-Announces-%E2%80%9CAdabas-Natural-2050%E2%80%9D-Agenda |title=Software AG Announces New "Adabas & Natural 2050" Agenda |website=Business Wire |date=31 August 2016}}</ref>

Adabas is one of the three major [[inverted list]] DBMS packages, the other two being Computer Corporation of America’s [[Model&nbsp;204]] and ADR’s [[Datacom/DB]].<ref>{{cite web |quote=ADABAS was&nbsp;... one of the three major inverted-list DBMS, the other two being Computer Corporation of America’s Model 204 and ADR’s Datacom/DB. |url=http://www.softwarememories.com/category/companies/software-ag |date=March 25, 2011 |title=Software AG memories}}</ref>

==4GL support==
Since the 1979 introduction of Natural<ref name=Jan.Nat>{{cite news  
|newspaper=Computerworld  |date=May 29, 1978  |page=27
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qrjca3MN6nIC 
|title=Adabas new products}}</ref><ref>"Both the Adabas Data Dictionary System and the Adacom batch report writer are due out in July while Natural, a natural programming language, is expected to be ... Described as entirely reentrant, multithreaded and priority dispatched, the system is in Alpha testing and scheduled for general release in January 1979.</ref> the popularity of Adabas databases has grown. By 1990, [[SAS (software)|SAS]]<ref>{{cite web |title=SAS/ACCESS 9.2 Interface to ADABAS: Reference
|url=http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/acadbas/59521/PDF/default/acadbas.pdf}}</ref> was supporting Adabas.

==Non-relational==
In a 2015 white paper, IBM said: "applications that are written in a pre-relational database, such as Adabas, are no longer mainstream and do not follow accepted IT industry standards".<ref>{{cite web |title=Converting Adabas to IBM DB2 for z/OS |url=http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/pdfs/redp5154.pdf}}</ref> However, an Adabas database can be designed in accordance with the relational model. While there are tools and services to facilitate converting Adabas to various relational databases,<ref>{{cite web |title=ADABAS Database Migration to IBM DB2, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server
|url=http://www.tsg.co.uk/services/adabas-natural.htm |quote=...&nbsp;including the conversion of any applications written in 4th Generation languages (4GL) to more contemporary languages, and the adaptation of any applications in standard programming languages to directly access the new relational database. Included in that coverage is Adabas and Natural from Software AG&nbsp;...}}</ref> such migrations are usually costly.<ref name=iDUG>{{cite web |url=http://www.idug.org/p/fo/et/thread=17428 |title=Adabas to DB2 conversion |quote=COSTS: "So far its been 2 years and 30 million  dollars to convert." _versus_ BENEFITS: (but) "a single SQL statement (with joins) to replace pages of code.}}</ref>

===Hardware zIIP boost===
IBM's [[zIIP]] (System z Integrated Information Processor) special purpose processors permit "direct, real-time SQL access to Adabas" (even though the data may still stored in a non-relational form).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rocketsoftware.com/sites/default/files/resource_files/WP_Data_Adabas-Data-Virtualization.pdf |title=5 Ways to Simplify Access to Adabas & Natural with Data Virtualization |date=1990}}</ref>

==Adabas data model==
Adabas is an [[acronym]] for Adaptable Data Base System<ref>{{Harvnb| Pratt | Adamski | 1987 |p=471 |Ref=Pratt&Adamski1987}}</ref> (originally written in all caps; today only the initial cap is used for the product name).

Adabas is an [[inverted list]] data base, with the following characteristics or terminology:
* Works with tables (referred to as files) and rows (referred to as records) as the major organizational units.
* Columns (referred to as fields) are components of rows.
* No embedded [[SQL]] engine. SQL access via the Adabas SQL Gateway was introduced through an acquired company, CONNX, in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.connx.com/databases/adabas-db.php |title=CONNX for Adabas |website=CONNX Solutions |access-date=2017-09-01}}</ref> It provides ODBC, JDBC, and OLE DB access to Adabas and enables SQL access to Adabas using [[COBOL]] programs.
* Search facilities may use [[Index (database)|indexed fields]], non-indexed fields, or both.
* Does not natively enforce [[referential integrity]] constraints, and parent–child relations must be maintained by application code.
* Supports two methods of [[denormalization]]: repeating groups in a record ("periodic groups") and multiple value fields in a record ("multi-value fields").

Adabas is typically used in applications that require high volumes of [[data processing]] or in high-transaction [[OLAP|online analytical processing]] environments.<ref>{{cite web |title=WHAT IS ADABAS? |url=https://archive.sap.com/discussions/thread/577971}}</ref>

Adabas access is normally through Natural modules using one of several Natural statements including READ, FIND, and HISTOGRAM. These statements generate additional commands, under the covers, like open and close file. Adabas data can also be retrieved via direct calls.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

=== Example of Natural program running against Adabas ===
<syntaxhighlight lang="cobolfree">
FIND EMPLOYEE WITH NAME = 'JONES' OR = 'BAKER'
 AND CITY = 'BOSTON' THRU 'NEW YORK'
 AND CITY NE 'CHAPEL HILL'
 SORTED BY NAME
 WHERE SALARY  < 28000
  DISPLAY NAME FIRST-NAME CITY SALARY
END-FIND 
END
</syntaxhighlight>

In the above program, the search criteria specified in the <code>WITH</code> clause is processed by Adabas, whereas the additional filtering indicated by the <code>WHERE</code> clause is performed by Natural.

Output of program:
<syntaxhighlight lang="output">
NAME  FIRST-NAME CITY      SALARY 
---------------------------------
BAKER PAULINE    DERBY     4450
JONES MARTHA     KALAMAZOO 21000
JONES KEVIN      DERBY     7000
</syntaxhighlight>

==Natural (4GL)==
Natural is a proprietary [[fourth-generation programming language]]. It was not part of the initial (1971) Adabas release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pks.de/_old/en/adabas-natural |title=Adabas / Natural – From pioneer to relegator - fast and proprietary for over 40 years }}{{Dead link|date=September 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Natural programs can be "run" interpretively or "executed" as compiled objects.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://frontline.compuware.com/doc/sb/sb52/html/Strobe%20Options%20Guide/WebHelp/CWSTUO5B/Anfch3/Natural_Program_Activity.htm
|title=Natural Program Activity}}</ref> Compiled programs can more directly use operating system services, and run faster.

Proponents say that Natural has evolved from a competitor of COBOL
to "being in competition with Java as language of choice for writing services ([[Service-oriented architecture|SOA]])."<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://tech.forums.softwareag.com/techjforum/posts/list/24345.page
|title=Which is better, COBOL/DB2 or Natural/ADABAS
|date=July 6, 2011}}</ref>

===About Natural===

Natural, which includes a built-in screen-oriented editor, has two main components: the system and the language.

The system is the central vehicle of communication between the user and all other components of the processing environment.

The language is structured and less procedural than conventional languages.

Natural objects (programs, maps, data areas, etc.) are stored in libraries, similar in structure to a DOS directory, and can be named with identifiers up to 8 characters.

Objects, even if they are of different types, cannot have the same name (within the same library).

Natural provides both online and batch execution. Batch programs can read/write up to 32 work files and print up to 32 reports.  Natural also supports an interactive debugger that allows developers to step through the code and display the contents of variables.

Versions exist for z/OS, z/VSE, BS2000/OS, Linux, Unix and Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://resources.softwareag.com/adabas-natural/2018-3-fs-natural-app-dev-en-natural-application-development-platform-fact-sheet |title=Resource Library |publisher=Resources.softwareag.com |date= |accessdate=2023-03-22}}</ref>

===Language features===

Natural works not only with Adabas files, but also supports [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]],
[[IBM Db2|DB2]], and others.
<!-- Db2 Discombobulated by 2manyCooks -->

Sample code:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cobolfree">
DEFINE DATA LOCAL                                     
01 EMPLOYEES VIEW OF EMPLOYEES                        
  02 SALARY (1)                                       
END-DEFINE                                            
READ EMPLOYEES BY NAME                                
  AT END OF DATA                                      
    DISPLAY                                           
      MIN (EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1)) (EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)        
      AVER(EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1)) (EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)        
      MAX (EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1)) (EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)        
  END-ENDDATA                                         
END-READ                                              
END                                                   
</syntaxhighlight>
Output:
<pre>
Page      1                                                  18-08-22  16:42:22
                                                                               
  ANNUAL      ANNUAL      ANNUAL                                               
  SALARY      SALARY      SALARY                                               
----------- ----------- -----------                                            
                                                                               
          0     240,976   6,380,000                                            
</pre>
The language is [[Strong and weak typing|strongly-typed]], using explicit typing of variables, which may be one of:
* Alphanumeric 
* Numeric [[Zoned decimal]] up to 27 total digits, of which a total of 7 may be to the right of decimal point
* Packed Decimal,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/ssw_ibm_i_73/rzasd/padecfo.htm|title = Packed-Decimal Format|website = [[IBM]]|date = June 2012}}</ref> same limits as "Numeric")
* Integer (1, 2 or 4 bytes, ranging from -128 to 127 / -32,768 to 32,767 and -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647)
* Date
* Time (which includes the date)
* Logical (True or False)
* Binary
* Control variable paralleling CICS map attribute
* Floating Point (4 or 8 bytes)

===The system file===

The system file is an Adabas file reserved for use by Natural, which contains, but is not limited to, the following:
* All Natural programs, both in source format (programs) and in object format (compiled), grouped in libraries;
* File Definition Modules, or Data Definition Modules (DDM), which describe the fields defined within Adabas or other databases supported by Natural as well as userviews, which are fields groupings/subsets;
* Natural error messages;
* The texts of the Help function.

The system file is not limited to Adabas. Natural can also store programs in VSAM on mainframe operating systems. Natural uses the file system on Windows and various Unix implementations.

====Programs====
Natural objects are identified by names up to 8 characters, the first of which must be alphabetical.

The Natural program editor allows source in rows of up to 72 positions.  Lines are numbered by 4 digits. This numbering is generated by Natural during program creation.  Line numbers used by the compiler and editors, and can have important logical functions in the programs.

Comments can be included in two ways:

* Full-line comments are identified by a "*" or "**" prefix.
* Annotated code lines have a "/*" - everything to its right is a comment.

Examples:
 0010 * These two lines (0010 and 0020)
 0020 ** are comments.
 0030 FORMAT LS = 80 /* As well as this part of the line (0030)
 0040 * NOTE: The "/*" form has no space between the SLASH and ASTERISK.
 .
 .
 0200 END
"END" or "." indicates the end of a program.

A Hello World code example:

 * Hello World in NATURAL
 WRITE 'Hello World!'
 END

==Related products==
Most Natural installations include add-on products such as:
* Natural Security - used to administer security related to Users, Libraries and Files (tables).
* Predict - A dictionary used to define and document Files, Relationships, Programs, etc.
* Natural Construct - A code generator used to generate Natural applications.

==See also==
* [[Adabas D]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{ cite book | last = Pratt | first = Philip J. |author2= Adamski, Joseph J. | title = DATABASE SYSTEMS: Management and Design | publisher = Boyd & Fraser Publishing Company | year = 1987 | location = Boston | ref = Pratt&Adamski1987 | isbn = 0-87835-227-9 }}

==External links==
*[https://www.softwareag.com/en_corporate/platform/adabas-natural.html ADABAS product home page]
*[https://tech.forums.softwareag.com/tag/Adabas-Natural ADABAS Developer Community]
*[https://tech.forums.softwareag.com/tags/c/forum/1/adabas-natural ADABAS Discussion Forum]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Proprietary database management systems]]
[[Category:Software AG]]
[[Category:IBM mainframe software]]