These two parts work together to create distributed, portable applications. Command-line-level scripts are used for testing, development, compiling of programs, interactive management and maintenance tools, and background batch processing (usually from the Unix cron facility). The CGI interface is used to allow remote browser clients (your web users) access to applications.

Both components allow your choice of compile-on-the-fly execution or pre-compilation to an optimized binary format, allowing easy development at the same time as secure, speed-optimized implementation. And both components understand the same, easy-to-learn AEscript Program Language, a high-level, BASIC-like structured programming language with the power to build the applications you need.

Data access is a snap, with Embedded SQL. Integrate SQL statements directly into your code, with interfaces optimized for popular SQL engines including miniSQL from Hughes Technologies and the popular MySQL from MySQL AB.

Program Language

The AEscript Program Language is a BASIC-like, high-level structured programming language common to all AEGIS family products. Major language features include:

• structured programming constructs including IF-ELSE-ENDIF, LOOP-WHILE, FOR-NEXT and REPEAT-UNTIL
• familiar control constructs including GOTO and GOSUB-RETURN
• support for in-line user-defined functions and external loadable function modules
• variable scoping: variables are local to the function in which they were created, and the variable name space is isolated between functions
• ability to globalize variables at any level
• standard arithmetic operators, plus matrix operations
• a rich Input/Output library including automatic HTML output generation and string formatting
• an integrated system library with date, formatting, numeric/arithmetic, string and system parameter functions
• embedded SQL: SQL language statements can be coded directly in your AEGIS scripts
• a File Library allowing easy manipulation of text or regular-record data files
• TCP function library allows access to socket services anywhere on the Internet

Once compiled, the language is optimized for speed of execution. No additional libraries or components are required to execute the language, other than the compiled binary file and the aegis or aecgi execution tool.

Application Portability

All AEGIS scripts are both fully portable and upwards compatible. Every component of the AEGIS system supports exactly the same AEscript Program Language, and new releases never modify the sense, semantics or availability of any language element. Even binary compatibility is guaranteed - binary files created with version 1 still run today, without modification!