EASY ACCESS - HIGH SECURITY

VIEWpoint provides your users with access to selected data in a controlled user-friendly way. Information is available, day or night, without any operator intervention being required and strict security ensures that only properly authorised users are able to see sensitive data.

Access is possible for local users connected directly and, through the interfaces provided, for remote users connecting via modems or via the internet.

Software packages are available to enable PC users to emulate the required 'viewdata' standard and even terminals of another standard could be accomodated by writing 'input/output filters' in software to mimic the correct keyboard and display characteristics. Filters for the DEC VT220 terminal and the French MINITEL terminal are already provided.

Different language versions of display screens means that your valuable data can be presented easily for the benefit of a worldwide audience.

The use of unique identification codes and associated passwords enables VIEWpoint to vet attempted connections and to prevent any unauthorised entry to the system.

Having gained access, users are restricted to those parts of the database that are open to members of their 'Closed User Groups' (CUGs). There are up to 99,999 possible CUGs and any screen belongs to just one of these. A user, in turn, may be designated as a member of up to ten CUGs and have access to all screens belonging to these groups.

All standard Prestel commands are recognised whereby, for example, entering '#' will cause the next sequential frame to be displayed and '*#' will allow the user to 'step-back' up to 15 frames.

In addition to the frame number, a frame may have one or more seperate 'keywords' associated with it which can be used to describe the subject material of the frame. If the user enters a subject keyword then (if the CUG rules permit) the frame with the matching keyword is displayed.

During display of any menu frame the user may, subject to context, interrupt the display by entering the required menu option early - thereby speeding database routing for more experienced users.

VIEWpoint enables two special types of frame to be created that allow the running of local utilities and both local and remote applications.

A 'Gateway' frame invokes an external procedure which connects the user to another application which may be on the same computer or, via networking, a neighbouring computer or one on the other side of the world.

VIEWpoint communicates with the application through a standard Applications Interface. An application may, for example, instruct that a specified frame be displayed to the user, request the user's terminal input or ask for other system-held information (such as the user's name) to be displayed or forwarded to it. VIEWpoint also includes a unique Reference Store which an application may use to keep information to be used later. For example, an enquiry application may store the number of a part selected by the user that may then be referred to by an ordering application invoked later.

Local utilities provide the system administrator with the ability to add information providers, to add system users and to monitor database usage - both by on-line enquiry and off-line audit trail reports.

Information providers may add, change, delete or price data frames using the Frame Manager and amend screen displays by using the powerful Interactive Editor. The display editor is fully WYSIWYG and incorporates a block-move facility which enables frame to frame copying, within-frame copying and input/output to external files.

Authorised VIEWpoint users may communicate with the administrator or with other users by means of a useful 'Electronic Mail' facility. Mail recipients can be notified of all unread messages they have received when they enter the system and mail - once read - may be deleted, forwarded or retained for future reference.