Editing IMAGE (database)

'''IMAGE''' is a [[database management system]] (DBMS) developed by [[Hewlett-Packard]] and included with the [[HP 3000]] [[minicomputer]]. It was the primary reason for that platform's success in the market. It was also sometimes referred to as '''IMAGE/3000''' in its initial release, and later versions were known as '''TurboIMAGE''', and '''TurboIMAGE/XL''' after the [[PA-RISC]] migration.

IMAGE is based on the [[network database]] model, in contrast to most modern systems which are based on the [[relational database]] model. A [[SQL]] (Structured Query Language) front-end processor was later added, offering users the ability to run SQL queries on existing databases. This produced '''IMAGE/SQL''', the current name.
==Overview==
IMAGE consists of several utilities along with an API (referred to as "intrinsics" by the HP documentation):

* DBSCHEMA - Compile a source schema layout.  The source layout describes the tables (known as SETS) and columns (known as FIELDS).
* DBUTIL - Creates and performs maintenance functions on the database.
* QUERY - Generalized query tool for accessing any TurboIMAGE database.

The following is a sample list of the [[API]] calls used for application development.  These calls are supported by HP's compilers:  [[COBOL]], [[Fortran|FORTRAN]], [[BASIC]], SPL, [[Pascal (programming language)|PASCAL]] and [[C (programming language)|C]].

* DBFIND - Locates a record.
* DBGET - Retrieves a record.
* DBPUT - Adds a record.
* DBUPDATE - Updates a record.
* DBINFO - Provides information on the structure of the database.
* DBOPEN - Opens the database with a specified password to provide access rights to the application.

==History==
The significant highlights of IMAGE are:

* Originally released as IMAGE/3000 around 1972 as a $10,000 option, but later included free as part of the MPE operating system.
* Bundled with the [[PA-RISC|HP Precision Architecture RISC]] Computers along with HP ALLBASE/SQL, a Relational DBMS, on the MPE/XL operating system.
* Several [[Fourth-generation programming language]] products (Powerhouse, Transact, Speedware, Protos) became available from third party vendors.
* New capabilities were added including the increase of storage capacity and increase of several internal limitations such as the number of SETS allowed in a database.  IMAGE/3000 was renamed TurboIMAGE due to these new capabilities.
* HP provided a Third Party Interface (TPI) to DISC's OMNIDEX and Bradmark's SUPERDEX products.
* HP announced the end of life for the HP3000 which included TurboIMAGE.
* Marxmeier released Eloquence which is schema and API compatible with TurboIMAGE and allows TurboIMAGE applications to run on [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[HP-UX]].
* Stromasys released an HP3000 emulator allowing TurboIMAGE applications to be run on commodity hardware.


==External links==
* http://www.robelle.com/library/smugbook/image.html
* [http://www.hpmuseum.net/exhibit.php?hwdoc=101 HP Computer Museum 3000 Series II Documentation] - 1976 Image manual PDF
* http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1986-12.pdf - Hewlett-Packard Journal "Data Base Management for HP Precision Architecture Computers"

[[Category:Proprietary database management systems]]

{{Database-software-stub}}