The Data Access Manager is a Macintosh system interface. It gives Macintosh application developers the flexibility of using a single, unified API for accessing data from different data sources. These sources include local Macintosh databases, remote Macintosh database servers, and even other remote host database servers, like DEC VAXes and IBM mainframes.
The Data Access Language (DAL) client/server API is a database extension in System 7 which provides access to remote host database servers. Applications written to the Data Access Manager can transparently use DAL to access data from DAL servers on host computers across different networks. The Data Access Manager is included along with the DAL client software in System 7.0.
The Data Access Manager offers three benefits:
* Macintosh applications now have a standard way to access data, regardless of the location of the data or the storage mechanism.
* Transparent access to the DAL client/server protocol is a part of the Data Access Manager.
* The architecture of the Data Access Manager is tailored for future extensibility.
The Data Access Manager provides two levels of interface for applications, a high-level interface and a low-level interface. The high-level interface is a standard way for all desktop applications, like a graphical charting package, to access data.
A new command has been added to the File menu: "Open Query". The end-user can pull down the File menu, select "Open Query", and choose a query like "Monthly Sales" to launch a request for data. This request returns the sales information for the month into an application, like a charting package.
The Data Access Manager's query builder makes it easier for in-house developers to create data-access pathways to different data sources. Thus, it delivers the flexibility to use such queries to create custom reports and presentations. The low-level interface is intended for in-house or custom developers who use tools like HyperCard and 4th Dimension to build highly-customized data-access interfaces. This low-level interface permits developers of data-intensive commercial applications, like statistical packages, to build sophisticated query interfaces for their desktop applications.