Version 0.30 Last updated 2000-12-13-12:44 -0800 (pst)
The latest version of this information is available on the AIIM DMware ODMA site.

ODMA 1.5 was introduced in 1996.  It is supported by ODMA 1.0-compliant DMS integrations that also implement the ODMA-1.5-defined query option.  Following introduction of ODMA 1.5, ODMA 2.0 was developed and then implemented in May, 1998. 

All new development for ODMA middleware is based on more-recent specifications and software.   Newer work preserves operation of existing ODMA 1.0 and ODMA 1.5 components. 

ODMA 1.5 is not obsolete: Developers of ODMA-aware applications and ODMA-compliant DMS integrations continue to employ ODMA 1.0, optionally-supplemented by the ODMA 1.5 query option.  ODMA 1.5 is downward compatible to ODMA 1.0-compliant components and from ODMA 2.0-compliant components.  ODMA 1.5-compliant components operate with the latest ODMA middleware. 

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Content

1. About ODMA 1.5

1.1 New Functionality
1.2 New Approach

 

2. ODMA 1.5's Place in the ODMA Progression

2.1 Introduction in 1996
2.2 ODMA 2.0 Implementation in 1998
2.3 ODMA 1.5 Support and Development Continues

 

3. ODMA 1.5 Development

 

3. ODMA 1.5 Support

3.1 Reported Problems and Remedies
3.2 ODMA 1.5 Projects

 

4. ODMA 1.5 Specifications

 

5. ODMA 1.5 Connection Manager

 

6. ODMA 1.5 Software Development Kit

 

7. Other ODMA 1.5 Materials and Resources

7.1 MultODMA 1.5 Experimental Application

Contributors

Change History

1. About ODMA 1.5

Colin O'Brien
ActiveDoc
1998 June 2

ODMA 1.5 was proposed by PC DOCS and Documentum in response to the needs of a customer. After demonstration at the 1996 AIIM show, it was approved at the ODMA meeting in August 1996 and the new developer's kit was available in November 1996.

1.1 New Functionality

The focus of the new functionality in ODMA 1.5 is to provide application access to DMS (document management systems) from multiple vendors. It takes two forms:

• Instead of relying on the default DMS entry in the Windows Registry, when starting the application, the user can select a default from the list of registered, ODMA-compliant DMS.
• ODMA 1.5 provides a call to the Connection Manager to specify a search, which it distributes to any or all of the registered DMS. Further calls can then retrieve the name of one or more of the documents that satisfied the search criteria. The search can cover any attribute, including content, that is known to be used in at least one of the DMS. If one of the DMS is unable to execute the search, the other DMS still complete and the Connection Manager returns "Partial Success".

1.2 New Approach

ODMA 1.5 is interesting because it goes beyond one of the tenets of ODMA 1.0, in that it does not rely on the standard screens available from the DMS, with which the user is assumed to be already familiar. After all, which DMS? Instead, the expectation is that the implementer will have to define a new search screen. And the implementer might be a DMS vendor, or an application.

2. ODMA 1.5's Place in the ODMA Progression

see also:

Q000705: Changes Between ODMA Versions
Q001201: Versions to Develop For

2.1 Introduction in 1996

ODMA 1.5 was introduced in 1996.  It is supported by ODMA 1.0-compliant DMS integrations that add the optional ODMA-compliant query capability.  ODMA 1.5 provides two key extensions beyond basic ODMA 1.0 functionality:

1. There are new Connection Manager functions ODMGetDMSList and ODMSetDMS to support multiple DMS integrations being used on the same desktop.  ODMA-1.5-aware applications can use these operations to offer users a selection of DMS's to use.
2. The new ODMQueryExecute operation is available for application-initiated queries across single or multiple ODMA-1.5-compliant DMS integrations.  The ODMA 1.0 ability of a DMS to independently present queries to users during ODMSelect operations is unchanged.

Although few desktop applications are designed to issue ODMA queries of any kind, the ability to manage multiple-DMS configurations is sufficient cause to always install an ODMA 1.5 or later connection manager.

2.2 ODMA 2.0 Implementation in 1998

Following the successful 1996 introduction of ODMA 1.5, ODMA 2.0 was implemented in May, 1998.  All recent development for ODMA middleware is based on the newer specification. Later work preserves operation of existing ODMA 1.0 and ODMA 1.5 components.   This means that ODMA 1.0 and ODMA 1.5 components will continue to operate without alteration.  It is also appropriate to develop new components to any of the ODMA levels, including 1.5.

2.3 ODMA 1.5 Support and Development Continues

Developers of ODMA-aware applications and ODMA-compliant DMS integrations may continue to employ the ODMA 1.5 level of integration.  

ODMA 1.5 is downward compatible from ODMA 2.0-compliant components and the ODMA 2.0 Connection Managers.  Likewise, ODMA 1.5-compliant DMS integrations will operate successfully with ODMA 1.0-aware applications and ODMA 1.0 Connection Managers.

2. ODMA 1.5 Development

see also:

Q000705: Changes Between ODMA Versions
Q001201: Versions to Develop For

ODMA 1.5 is defined in the ODMA 1.5 Specification.

The ODMA 1.5 specification is written as a complete replacement for the ODMA 1.0 specification.  All important changes are through additions, as described in the FAQtip on Changes Between ODMA Versions.

Although there is no active development of the ODMA 1.5 specifications, the ODMA 1.5 level of features is still important.  How and when to take advantage of this level is described in the FAQtip on Versions to Develop For.

3. ODMA 1.5 Support

3.1 Reported Problems and Remedies

see also:

X000903: ODMQueryExecute Fails to Provide Partial Results
Incident Reports: Active Incident Log
Incident Reports: Complete Incident Log (including Pending Reports)
ODMA 2.0 Specification Errata

The ODMA Support area of the AIIM DMware site  provides the latest information on support of all versions of the ODMA specification, ODMA middleware (Connection Managers), and other components and tools.

Formal problem reporting, tracking, and resolution is not done separately for ODMA 1.5.  AIIM DMware support for ODMA middleware, initiated in April, 2000, uses the ODMA 2.0 Connection Manager as the stable, supported version.  This is the only level for which complete source code is available for further open-source development.

New problems and workarounds can apply to ODMA 1.5 components and middleware, although no repairs are available directly for ODMA 1.5.  It is recommended that ODMA 2.0 middleware, which is under active maintenance, be used with ODMA components at all levels of ODMA-compliance.

The ODMA 1.5 Specification is also impacted by errata developed for later specifications.  Only the latest specification is updated.

3.2 ODMA 1.5 Projects

Proposals for projects and questions about any projects can be posted to the ODMA Tech list.

ODMA Project activities of AIIM DMware are defined and tracked in the ODMA Projects section of the ODMA site.  Some projects benefit ODMA 1.5 as part of overall support for ODMA.  There are no current projects specific to ODMA 1.5.

4. ODMA 1.5 Specifications

5. ODMA 1.5 Connection Manager

The ODMA 1.5 Connection Manager is distributed as part of the ODMA 1.5 SDK.  

For 32-bit Windows applications, it is recommended that the ODMA 1.5 Connection Manager not be used. 

It is recommended that the latest stable release of ODMA Connection Manager always be used instead, so that 

• Any repairs to defects that impact ODMA 1.5 operability are applied.
• The latest trouble-shooting and configuration support is available for use with the ODMA 1.5 components.
• Any applications able to use more-recent ODMA features can operate with full functionality along with the ODMA 1.5 components.

For 16-bit Windows applications, it may be necessary to employ the 16-bit ODMA 1.5 Connection Manager implementation, depending on how binding to the connection manager is implemented.

see also:

Q000703: ODMA-Aware Application and Connection-Manager Version Compatibility

Q001201: Versions to Develop For
X000700: Win16 Down-Level Interoperability Problems

6. ODMA 1.5 Software Development Kit

The ODMA 1.5 SDK provides materials needed by three groups of people:

• Developers and integrators of document management systems who want to provide ODMA 1.5 integrations and develop DMS drivers for integration under ODMA 1.5
• Developers and installers of desktop applications that want to provide or configure ODMA-1.5-compliant operation as an added-value of the application
• Users and support personnel who want to confirm installation and test operation of ODMA 1.5 elements in their ODMA configurations

The ODMA 1.5 SDK includes the following software:

1. ODMA Connection Manager: The ODMA 1.5 16-bit connection manager, Odma.dll and the ODMA 1.5 32-bit connection manager, ODMA32.dll
2. Sample ODMA 1.5 DMS Implementation: A Sample DMS, ODMASAMP, with source code, that can be installed and used (16-bit and 32-bit versions).  This sample confirms simple operations using text-format documents, and it implements the ODMA 1.5 IODMQuery interface for optional query operations.  The source code for the Sample DMS is included for use as a model by developers of ODMA 1.5 DMS integrations.
3. ODMA 1.5 Specification: The pre-1.0a edition of the ODMA 1.0 specification is included.
4. ODMA Libraries: The ODMA libraries and header files needed to build ODMA 1.0 DMS drivers and ODMA-1.0-aware desktop applications are included.

see also:

Q000705: Changes Between ODMA Versions

Q000706: ODMA Version-Interoperability Configuration
ODMA 2.0 Library Files Collection

The ODMA 1.5 SDK does not include a sample application.  The ODMA 1.0 MultODMA Application operates with ODMA 1.5.  There is also an experimental MultODMA 1.5 application that can be investigated for application-investigation ideas.

7. Other ODMA 1.5 Resources and Materials

7.1 MultODMA 1.5 Experimental Application

MultODMA 1.5 is a Windows application based on the MultODMA 1.0 sample application included with the ODMA 1.0 Development Kit.  It extends MultODMA 1.0 to provide application-originated use of the ODMA 1.5 Query facility.

Experimentation with this source code requires an ODMA SDK, version 1.5 or later.  A Windows development system with appropriate header files, libraries, and a C/C++ compiler are also required.

For testing and confirmation of MultODMA 1.5 off-spring, it is useful to first investigate operation of MultODMA 1.0 and demonstrate ability to recreate MultODMA 1.0 using a current Windows Development setup.

see also:

Q000706: ODMA Version-Interoperability Configuration

Q001201: Versions to Develop For
ODMA 2.0 Library Files Collection

Version 0.30: Completed consolidation of available material (orcmid)

Added the MultODMA 1.5 material and tidied up the documentation.

Version 0.25: Expanded materials (orcmid)

Created structure similar to that for ODMA 1.0, providing links to all available materials.  

Version 0.10: Initial draft (orcmid)

The ODMA 1.5 article by Colin O'Brien is replicated from the ActiveDoc web site.

created 2000-09-29-17:35 -0700 (pdt) by orcmid
$$Author: Orcmid $
$$Date: 00-12-13 12:51 $
$$Revision: 7 $