PowerHouse (programming language)
| Company type | Software product |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software development |
| Predecessor | Quasar Corporation |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Quasar Corporation (later Cognos Incorporated) |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | PowerHouse 4GL, QDD, QDesign, Quick, Quiz, QTP, Architect, MultiView, Axiant |
| Parent | UNICOM Systems |
| Website | www |
PowerHouse is a bytecode-compiled fourth-generation programming language (4GL) originally created by Quasar Corporation (which later became Cognos Incorporated) for the Hewlett-Packard HP3000 minicomputer, as well as for Data General and DEC VAX/VMS platforms. The suite consisted of five main components:
- QDD (Quasar Data Dictionary): a centralized data dictionary used across all modules
- QDesign: a character-based screen generator
- Quick: an interactive screen processor that executes screens designed with QDesign
- Quiz: a tool for report generation
- QTP: a batch transaction processing system
History
Launched in 1982, PowerHouse originally combined Quiz and Quick/QDesign with a new batch processing component called QTP. In 1983, Quasar transitioned to the name Cognos Corporation and broadened PowerHouse’s compatibility to additional environments, including Digital Equipment Corporation's OpenVMS, Data General's AOS/VS II, IBM's OS/400, and various UNIX systems. Cognos further enhanced PowerHouse by introducing add-ons such as Architect and developing end-user solutions like MultiView. The product line advanced to support a range of relational databases tailored to specific platforms, including HP's Allbase/SQL, DEC's Rdb, and Microsoft SQL Server, along with cross-platform databases like Oracle Database, Sybase, and IBM DB2.
Compared to languages like COBOL, Pascal, and PL/1, PowerHouse dramatically decreased development time. This was largely due to its centralized data dictionary, which extended native database fields with programming capabilities such as:
- display formatting masks
- help text and message strings
- validation rules for ranges and patterns
- descriptive information texts
PowerHouse was deeply integrated with the underlying database management systems and file storage methods—such as HP3000's IMAGE and KSAM—highlighting its platform-specific roots. Once attributes were established in the data dictionary, they did not require redefinition unless altered dynamically during runtime.
Creating simple QUICK screens demanded minimal coding effort:
SCREEN <screenname> FILE <filename> GENERATE GO
In this structure, represents the designated screen name, while refers to the associated data dictionary file. The system automatically adjusted field sizes within the screen layout, necessitating manual overrides only in exceptional cases.
QUIZ report creation was equally uncomplicated; generating a report from one file could be done with:
ACCESS <filename> REPORT ALL GO
Because QTP programs had the ability to modify data, additional precautions were necessary to avoid unintended data corruption or loss.
Programs written in QUICK, QUIZ, or QTP could be executed either as compiled binaries or directly from source code. Compiled forms delivered superior performance but required diligent source code management to prevent corruption of object files. QUICK screens primarily facilitated data entry tasks and could launch other QUICK screens, QUIZ reports, or QTP applications. Commands could be shortened to three-letter abbreviations (for example, ACCESS shortened to ACC).
QUIZ reports offered flexible output options including printers, display screens, or ASCII files through the SET REPORT DEVICE command.
Although users without extensive experience could easily generate basic reports, the absence of security mechanisms meant that access granted to one interpreter (such as QUIZ) inherently provided access to others (like QTP and QUICK), which posed potential security vulnerabilities.
As a language running on a virtual machine, PowerHouse was resource-intensive on CPU usage, sometimes affecting transaction throughput and prompting hardware upgrades. Additionally, Cognos’ licensing scheme was based on hardware specifications, leading to considerable licensing expenses for customers.
Migration to the PC
Cognos initiated its shift to the Intel architecture in 1988 with the release of the DOS-based PowerHouse PC. Although this platform was embraced by partners for custom solutions aimed at small and medium enterprises, its overall market impact remained modest. By approximately 1995, Cognos unveiled Axiant, a product that translated PowerHouse syntax into a visual development environment on Intel-based Microsoft Windows, featuring integration with SQL-compatible DBMS. The advent of the PC significantly reduced the expense of host computers, which in turn diminished the demand for costly development tools such as PowerHouse.
PowerHouse in the 21st Century
The year 1999 saw the introduction of PowerHouse Web, designed to enable applications accessible via the World Wide Web. Currently, Cognos’s principal product suite centers on Business Intelligence and Financial Performance Management solutions that operate on standard hardware platforms as well as advanced UNIX servers.
On January 30, 2008, IBM completed its acquisition of Cognos. Later, on December 31, 2013, UNICOM Systems, a branch of UNICOM Global, acquired the PowerHouse Application Development Tools—including PowerHouse server, Axiant 4GL, and PowerHouse Web—from IBM. UNICOM maintains ongoing support for these products’ international user community.