Unisys Corporation announced an agreement with Rational Software that will enable Rational to provide the Unisys implementation of the XMI (XML Metadata Interchange) specification for its customers’ use in exchanging information between the new Rational Rose 2000 visual modeling environment and other UML (Unified Modeling Language)-based tools and environments. The Unisys XMI software is available immediately for customer download from the Rational Web site. Through Unisys XMI software, Rational Rose 2000 users will be able to interchange information with other development and planning tools at a much finer level of detail than ever before. This capability will enable enterprise customers to build an application infrastructure that improves their capability to conduct high-volume electronic business in heterogeneous, multi-vendor environments. Rational Rose users download the XMI software at no charge from the Rational Web site at www.rational.com/products/rose/support/patches/2kdownloads.
Category: Content technology news (Page 544 of 647)
Curated information technology news for content technology, computing, and digital experience professionals. News items are edited to remove hype, unhelpful jargon, iffy statements, and quotes, to create a short summary — mostly limited to 200 words — of the important facts with a link back to a useful source for more information. News items are published using the date of the original source here and in our weekly email newsletter.
We focus on product news, but also include selected company news such as mergers and acquisitions and meaningful partnerships. All news items are edited by one of our analysts under the NewsShark byline. See our Editorial Policy.
Note that we also publish news on X/Twitter. Follow us @gilbane
JafSoft Limited has released AscToHTM 3.2 for Windows 95/98/NT, a program that converts plain text files (.txt) into good looking HTML web pages in seconds. AscToHTM converts text files using text-recognition algorithms that detect the document’s structure. These can recognize headings, bullets, lists, indentation, URLs, tables, ASCII art and much more. The resulting HTML faithfully reflects the structure of the original document. This program adds value to the HTML e.g. by turning URLs into hyperlinks and adding color to your pages. It also creates a hyperlinked contents list from your headings. These extra features make the software suitable for use as an authoring tool as well as a conversion tool. At its simplest you just choose the files to be converted, press a single button and the results are displayed in your browser. For the advanced user a large number of options allow you to add a title, colors, tags and many other features. Selected options may be saved in “policy files” for reuse next time you run the program. AscToHTM is a tool for web developers, anyone who wants to generate web pages quickly and companies that want to migrate large structured or legacy text files to their Intranet or Internet sites. Recent changes include drag and drop support, recognition of mail and Usenet headers and a tagging system that allows you to add hyperlinks and conversion timestamps to your document. The interface can be switched to German, Spanish or Portuguese, although the documentation is still in English. AscToHTM 3.2 costs $40 for a single user license. Site licenses are available, and the software is made available free to FAQ maintainers. A 30-day trial can be downloaded from www.jafsoft.com/download/windows/aschtm32.zip
Just in Time Solutions announced it has delivered the DTD for the XML presentation contained in the Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX) 1.01 specification. The IFX 1.01 specification, which was recently released by the IFX Forum for public comment, is an open standard that provides a framework for the exchange of financial data between financial institutions, service providers and customers. With input from other members of the IFX Forum’s XML Working Group, Just in Time took the lead in creating the DTD for the XML representation contained in the IFX 1.01 specification. The incorporation of a DTD in IFX 1.01 enables financial institutions, service providers and technology vendors to begin developing applications using IFX. In addition, Just in Time helped establish the rules and guidelines for sending and receiving IFX messages in XML. The standard can be found at www.ifxforum.org, www.justintime.com
Extensibility, Inc. and Bristol Technology Inc. announced a cooperative agreement to market Extensibility’s XML Authority schema design and conversion solution and Bristol Technology’s eXactML, which simplifies the task of adding XML capabilities to applications. XML Authority is a compliment to eXactML as companies use XML to drive e-business applications using Internet technologies. XML Authority converts existing application and document structures into schemas while eXactML generates object-oriented interfaces for reading, writing and manipulating XML content. www.extensibility.com, www.xmlschema.com, www.bristol.com
Infoteria Inc. announced the availability of the iConnector / SQL Server version 1.0. iConnector / SQL Server allows users to both store XML data into Microsoft SQL Server, and query existing information stored in that server as XML data. iConnector / SQL Server is the latest addition to the iConnector family of products, which embraces a wide variety of industry platforms, including Oracle, Lotus Notes/ Domino and Microsoft Access. The series contains Rule Generator, a user friendly GUI based tool, which allows users to easily map XML data structures to database schemes, and visa versa. iConnector also allows for cross database relational joins where incoming XML data can be stored using another database as a reference. The Japanese version of iConnector / SQL Server will be available on February 14th, 2000 for Microsoft Windows NT4.0. The English version will be available April 1st. iConnector / SQL Server pricing starts at $8,000. In addition, an OEM version will be available. www.infoteria.com
Sterling Commerce, Inc. announced its new E-business process integration software and consulting services solution through its participation in RosettaNet. “RosettaNet Server” is designed to improve E-business supply chain management through the implementation of open and common processes by leveraging enabling technologies such as XML. This solution helps companies implement RosettaNet’s methodology for enabling small and large buyers and sellers to do business more efficiently over the Internet. The RosettaNet Server leverages Sterling Commerce’s existing GENTRAN BPI offering providing native XML integration capabilities for business document exchange and acknowledgement, partner authentication, and seamless back-end connectivity into both packaged and legacy application systems. Availability of this solution is scheduled for February 2, 2000, in conjunction with the RosettaNet pilot implementation initiative. www.sterlingcommerce.com
IntraNet Solutions, Inc. announced it has signed an exclusive OEM licensing agreement to port its Xpedio technology to the IBM AS/400 platform for e-Business Intelligence vendor ShowCase Corporation as part of its new Enterprise Information Portal offering. Under the terms of the agreement ShowCase will have exclusive rights to sell the Xpedio product line on the IBM AS/400 platform as well as non-exclusive rights to sell it on UNIX and NT platforms. Showcase also announced today its Enterprise Intelligence Initiative – a Web-based solution that extends the ShowCase data warehousing and business intelligence product line and tightly integrates IntraNet Solutions’ Xpedio Content Management System. ShowCase STRATEGY combined with Xpedio will provide organizations with the ability to seamlessly capture, manage and deliver any type of content through a personalized Web-based gateway on the IBM AS/400 platform. The ShowCase-Xpedio solution will be available by March 31, 2000, with pricing starting at $75,000 USD. www.showcasecorp.com, www.intranetsolutions.com
DocuTouch announced the availability of SIDEX v2.0, the Secure Internet Document Exchange. This secure, end-to-end solution for managing and exchanging confidential, legal or sensitive documents over the Internet is platform-independent and requires no special software. Using a patented process, DocuTouch incorporates digital certificates into legally binding documents, storing the digitally signed original permanently. SIDEX, the Secure Internet Document Exchange, is an online service used to share confidential documents internally and among clients or business partners. Initial applications include legally binding contracts, purchase order agreements, human resource documents, proxy voting, leases, mortgages and insurance claims. The service offers the highest level of bonded, certified secure signatures, storing the online original forever. The service is priced to allow users to feel free to access their documents as often as desired, starting at $1.00 per megabyte stored, $1.00 per signing, and $0.50 per view. www.docutouch.com

