InformationWeek

February 16, 1998

Synon Adds Java-Code Generation To Environment

Obsydian 3.0 for Windows NT, AS/400 supports 32-bits

By Hakhi Alakhun El

ynon Corp. recently launched the latest version of its Obsydian client-server development environment for AS/400 and Windows NT environments, along with a Java code-generation tool.

Obsydian 3.0 offers code generators for AS/400, Windows NT, and other platforms that support Java. The development environment now supports a 32-bit architecture, the latest versions of leading component standards such as COM, Corba and JavaBeans, and automatic import of database structures via ODBC. Also included are simplified model and tool configuration, improved diagrammers, and TCP/IP support for the AS/400.

Obsydian's model-based architecture lets developers define and reuse business logic in multiple applications and automatically generate code. Obsydian uses class libraries of business objects or patterns to isolate developers from business-rules maintenance and technology changes.

Obsydian for Java provides automatic code generation, letting developers focus on the more creative and critical job of defining business logic. The tool generates Java code from Obsydian 3.0 data models and produces server applications for any platform running a Java virtual machine.

Obsydian for Java essentially extends the functionality of the 3.0 product into the Web development area, according to officials at the Larkspur, Calif., company. The Java generator lets customers deploy existing applications over the Web using a Java virtual machine, says Keith Jaegar, Synon's development VP.

"Because we insulate people from technology change, we tend to appeal to packaged software vendors and IT departments with complex heterogeneous environments," says Jaegar.

Productivity Enhanced
One such AS/400 customer is SoftLanding Systems in Peterborough, N.H., which has used an early version of Obsydian 3.0 for the past year to assist its programmers in the development of change-management software called Turnover. "Obsydian 3.0 has enhanced our productivity," says Mark Phippard, a senior software engineer at SoftLanding. "Synon has added a lot of robustness in the code that I wouldn't have thought of doing."

When SoftLanding developers needed to regenerate applications prior to using Obsydian, the process took an entire day. With Obsydian, applications can be regenerated in 30 minutes, Phippard says. SoftLanding sells applications to more than 600 customers in the AS/400 market and plans to use Obsydian for Java to develop its Turnover software into a full client-server offering.

Synon claims that customers don't need extensive Java programming knowledge to use the product. While this may be a big advantage for some customers, it could present problems if there are difficulties in deploying applications to specific platforms. Because of this, SoftLanding's Phippard says, Obsydian for Java has yet to mature into a complete solution. "I haven't encountered any problems," he adds, "but Synon doesn't offer anything native in the product to handle application deployment issues that may arise when moving applications to different platforms."

Obsydian for Java is priced at $7,800; Obsydian 3.0 is a two-seat package priced at $23,000.