----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Amzi! News, Winter 1994 | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents Announcing Cogent Prolog 3.0 for Windows and DOS New Logic Server API for Integrating with C/C++, Visual Basic and More... Cogent Compatibility from 2.0 to 3.0 Cogent Prolog Available on the 64-bit Alpha More 3.0 Enhancements Joint Marketing Opportunities and User-Contributed Software Amzi! in the News Try the New Internet Resources Amzi! Consulting Services Upgrade Instructions and Order Form Announcing Cogent Prolog 3.0 for Windows and DOS ------------------------------------------------ Cogent 3.0 is a portable, core Prolog system that can run under any OS or GUI environment, and can be easily extended to map to the features of that environment. Cogent 3.0 lets Prolog programmers use the power of Visual Basic, OWL, Visual C++ or any other GUI-based tools to implement front-ends on Prolog applications. Conversely, Cogent 3.0 gives C/C++, Visual Basic and other language programmers the ability to enhance their applications with the reasoning power of Prolog. The two major enhancements in the 3.0 release are: - A new Logic Server API for embedding the Prolog engine in C/C++, Visual Basic, Access and other languages. It also lets you add your own predicates to Prolog written in C/C++. - A new Windows (GUI) Interactive Developer's Environment (IDE) for developing Prolog components under Windows. The components will also run, unchanged, under any supported environment. As part of the new architecture, memory mangement was reworked so that Prolog is a well-behaved component of any application. Further, many built-in functions, such as DOS screen manipulation predicates have been removed from the core an re-implemented using the API. Full source is included. For details, see the other articles in this newsletter. Packaging & Pricing Cogent Prolog for Windows and DOS is $298. The Compiler /Interpreter- Only is $149 and the Interpreter-Only is $49. Upgrade Policy See order form inside. "I've been looking for a Prolog with this kind of API for years, so I am having lots of fun." Jonas Beckman, MU Data Cogent 3.0 and Visual Basic User New Logic Server API for Integrating with C/C++, Visual Basic and More... ------------------------------------------------ Featured in the Sep/Oct issue of PC AI and the August issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal, the biggest news of the 3.0 release is the Logic Server API. With over 50 functions this API allows you to embed the Cogent Prolog engine in your C/C++, Visual Basic, Access and other programs as well as to write your own predicates in C/C++. With Cogent 3.0 you will have three royalty-free options for distributing your programs. - The supplied runtime. - A runtime you customize by adding your own predicates written in C/C++. - A supplied or custom runtime that is called and managed directly by your C/ C++, Visual Basic or other program. Both LIB and DLL formats are provided. The last 2 options are built using the Logic Server API. The API is naturally easy to use because it interacts with the runtime in a manner very similar to the way you already interact with the ?- listener. So not only can you call predicates, you can also query and modify the Prolog database, and dynamically add Prolog code and data. A variety of samples written in C, C++, Visual Basic and Access are provided to get you started quickly. There are 50+ functions to: - Load and call Prolog source and object code. - Map Prolog terms to and from C/Basic variables. - Construct and decompose Prolog queries. - Assert/retract predicates. - Capture Prolog stream I/O. - Handle errors. The API supports the following compilers: MS Visual C++ 1.5 Borland C/C++ 4.0 Watcom C/C++ 10 Cogent Compatibility from 2.0 to 3.0 ------------------------------------ In order to make Cogent 3.0 portable across environments and embeddable in other languages and systems, we had to remove the embedded support for DOS text-mode windows and graphics that were included in the 2.0 release. So, the old DOS shell, CPSHL, has been replaced by a new, more powerful Windows-based Interactive Development Environment (IDE). Unfortunately, another effect of removing the text windowing is that HyperBase is not compatible with 3.0 out of the box. However, with the new Logic Server API, appropriate predicates (such as the WinBoss shareware library) could be easily incorporated into your own custom runtime. We also used the API to move a number of DOS-dependent predicates out of the core runtime. These predicates, including new mouse support, are provided as external Prolog and 'C' modules. Incidentally, they also illustrate the API as they are delivered in both source and object form. The Logic Server API supplants the Cogent Connections from release 2.0, although the old calls are still available. Please let us know if you are using them. Cogent Prolog Available on the 64-bit Alpha ------------------------------------------- Further illustration of the new portability of Cogent Prolog are the OSF/1 and OpenVMS editions for DEC's new Alpha. These editions are source and object code compatible with the DOS and Windows editions. The OSF/1 edition supports the full 64-bit addressing for heaps, stacks, programs and data. Both editions include all of Cogent's command-line tools, plus the Logic Server API and full samples. They are priced at $995 for the first seat, with discounts for additional seats. More 3.0 Enhancements --------------------- In addition to the major enhancements described on the front page, some others are worth noting. - The Logic Server API lets you capture and manage Prolog's I/O streams, making it possible to connect the Cogent engine to any GUI or windowing package. For example, we implemented a full interface to Menuet in two weeks for Pacific AI in Canada. - New .INI file parameters help overcome limits when reading very large terms. - New keyboard predicates for DOS were added. - DOS mouse support is provided in both source and object form. This is a good example of the new open architecture of 3.0 as the predicates were implemented using the Logic Server API. - The samples now include some object oriented techniques. And the Useful Utilities and Techniques & Examples Tool Boxes have been incorporated into the 3.0 sample code. Joint Marketing Opportunities and User-Contributed Software ----------------------------------------------------------- The new open architecture of 3.0 makes it easy to extend Cogent Prolog, as well as to embed it in other applications. We are interested in pursuing joint marketing arrangements with anyone who builds useful tools or interfaces with Cogent Prolog. Also, starting with the 3.0 release of Cogent Prolog, we will be including user contributed utilities, samples and similar items on the standard distribution disks and on our Internet FTP/Gopher site. The 3.0 disks now include a lint program. Lint flags syntatically correct Prolog code that is probably not what you intended. It was contributed by F.M. Brown. If you have anything you would like us to distribute or market, please contact us. Amzi! in the News ----------------- Articles "Extending C with Prolog", Dr. Dobb's Journal, August 1994 Vendors Forum, Cogent Prolog 3.0, PC AI, Sep/Oct 1994. "Deceptive User Interfaces Impede AI" AI Expert, August 1994 "Exploring Prolog" Feature Article, PC AI, Sep/Oct 1993 APT Reviews PC AI, March/April, 1994 by Hal Berghel Mathematics and Computer Education, Fall 1993 by Charles Ashbacher AI Expert, October 1992 by Bonnie Hinners News AI Expert Digital News & Review Dr. Dobb's Journal logic Programming PC AI Software Development Try the New Internet Resources ------------------------------ Amzi! is now on the Internet with its own public Gopher /FTP site. To access the site from FTP, type: ftp ftp.std.com cd ftp/vendors/amzi ls From Gopher, type: gopher gopher.std.com select "Shops on the World" select "Amzi-Cogent Prolog" To find out what's currently on the site, look at READ.ME which describes the available files. Articles and technical notes (which supplement the main documentation) are in plain ASCII text format. PC executables such as the Rubik's Cube program are compressed using PKZIP. We also created a mailing list for our customers (and prospects) to exchange information. If you want to be on it, send your name, organization, regular mail address and e-mail address to: amzi@world.std.com. We invite you to contribute to our FTP/Gopher site. Please contact us with your contribution. It is our hope this site will become a resource for all our users. Amzi! Consulting Services ------------------------- Amzi! is available for a variety of contract consulting services in the areas of Prolog, C/C++, Visual Basic and Expert Systems. Most of our work to-date has been concentrated in two areas: - First, we can port the Cogent runtime engine, command line tools and Logic Server API to any machine with an ANSI standard 'C' compiler. - Second, we can extend the Cogent engine by building custom routines, or by interfacing to an existing library, operating environment or other API. Our interests extend well beyond these two areas, so please contact us with your project requirements. Upgrade Instructions -------------------- We will be shipping all upgrade orders the first week of January. Domestic orders will ship via U.P.S. or Priority Mail. International orders will ship via Air Mail. In an attempt to make a fair and comprehensible upgrade, we have opted for a scheme which charges the full price for the new versions and then provides you with a credit for products you already own. Also the packaging for version 3.0 has changed. The full Cogent Prolog system ($298) includes what was formerly called the Compiler & Interpreter and Linker & Runtime. Hence, the Linker & Runtime is no longer a separate product. As always you can upgrade from one product to the next. If you have multiple copies of Cogent Prolog, please contact us directly for pricing. Upgrade/Order Form ------------------ Name: Company: Address: City, State: Zip/Postal Code: Country: Phone: Payment Method: __Check __MasterCard __Visa Card #: ___________________________ Exp Date: ____ Signature: _______________________________________ My Serial Numbers are (fill in all that apply): Cogent Prolog Interpreter-Only _______________ Cogent Prolog Compiler/Interpreter _______________ Cogent Prolog Library/Runtime _______________ If you did not purchase from us, and purchased after 5/15/94 please enclose a copy of your dated sales receipt (and your registration cards, if you have not already sent them). To order, call us: 508 / 897 - 7332 Or, mail form to: Amzi! inc. 40 Samuel Prescott Drive Stow, MA 01775 U.S.A. Or, FAX to: 508 / 897 - 2784 Or, E-Mail to: amzi@world.std.com on Internet [1] Check the product you want and enter the price. __ Cogent Prolog, v 3.0 $ 298 _______ __ Interpreter-Only, v 3.0 $ 49 _______ __ Compiler/Interp-Only, v 3.0 $ 149 _______ [2] For each product you already own, you receive a credit. Use the left hand column if you purchased the product before 5/15/94 and the right hand column if purchased on 5/15/94 or later. Before After __ Interpreter-Only $ 30 $ 49 _______ __ Compiler & Interpreter $ 100 $ 149 _______ __ Linker & Runtime $ 65 $ 99 _______ Note: You cannot get credit for both the Interpreter-Only and the Compiler & Interpreter. [3] Subtract line #2 total from line #1 total _______ [4] Also, please send me (enter quantity and total price): __ Expert Systems in Prolog $ 87 _______ __ Active Prolog Tutor $ 75 _______ __ Adventure in Prolog $ 39 _______ __ Programming in Prolog $ 29 _______ __ _________________________________________ _______ [5] Add shipping ($10 US/Canada/Mexico, $20 All Others) _______ [6] Add 3, 4 and 5 (Payable in US$ Please) _______ Thank You!