Informix 4GL Conversion
Informix 4GL applications are still in production at companies that have modernised almost everything around them. An Informix 4GL migration with Ispirer works from the source code you already have: CodeWays, the application conversion tool within Ispirer Toolkit, analyses your modules, screen forms, reports and embedded SQL and translates them into the target language, while the behaviour your users depend on stays the same. Select a target technology above to open the details of that direction, or read on to see how these projects are scoped, run and delivered.
Why companies move off Informix 4GL
An Informix conversion is rarely driven by a single reason. In most projects several of the following apply at once.
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Shortage of specialists
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Developers who can safely modify 4GL code are retiring, and hiring replacements takes longer and costs more each year.
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High maintenance cost
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Legacy runtime licences, ageing hardware and specialist support absorb budget that could fund new functionality.
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Limited integration
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Character-based 4GL applications do not expose REST APIs and do not connect easily to BI tools or SaaS platforms.
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Outdated interface
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Terminal screens cannot provide the web and mobile access that customers and field staff expect.
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Compliance and security requirements
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Unsupported platforms make audits, encryption and modern authentication harder to satisfy.
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A change of database strategy
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When Informix is replaced by PostgreSQL, Oracle or SQL Server, the 4GL layer remains on top of a database it was never written for.
A full rewrite addresses the same problems, but it takes years and requires a complete specification that most companies no longer have. Automated conversion works from the code already running in production, so project timelines are usually measured in months.
Target technologies for Informix 4GL applications
Other targets are available on request. CodeWays also converts the embedded SQL inside your 4GL modules and standalone files containing SQL, so if you convert Informix databases to PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, Aurora, Azure SQL or Amazon Redshift with SQLWays, the application and the statements it sends to the database are migrated as one project.
Ispirer Ecosystem ideally matches your application conversion project
The process is as much predictable, understandable and efficient as possible
More than 2K users use this way to
successfully convert their application code
Start
Assessment
- Collecting info about an application
- Analyzing the application and its components
- Making migration plan
Automated APP conversion
- Entire APP conversion
- APP changes (API, ESQL)
- Tool configuration and customization for specific APP
Manual APP conversion
- Manual code review and debugging
- Replacing custom controls, libraries, methods, etc. with analogues
- Developing remaining solutions using target technology
Functional testing
- APP analysis and test documentation creation
- Testing the application against test documentation
- Fixing issues
Acceptance testing
- Testing the APP against business requirements
- Fixing issues
Cutover
- Switching APP
- System startup assisstance
What CodeWays does with Informix 4GL code
CodeWays reads the files containing your source code and converts them through a proprietary analysis core. The core examines data types, relationships between objects, reserved words and code structures that have no equivalent in the target technology, then produces source code in the language you selected.
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Conversion speed
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Manual conversion runs at roughly 300 to 400 lines of code per developer per day. With CodeWays that rises to 3,000 to 5,000 lines per developer per day.
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Adapted to your project
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Our team extends the tool for your requirements by adding or changing conversion rules, or by modifying the tool's logic, so the output follows your coding conventions.
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Readable result
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For directions where source and target differ substantially, we supply supporting frameworks that simplify the generated code. They are included at no additional charge.
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Architecture change
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Desktop applications can be converted into web applications, which is the practical route out of terminal-based Informix 4GL interfaces.
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Data security
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CodeWays works with read-only privileges, does not modify the original system and does not transfer data to third parties. Projects are covered by an NDA and run within an information security management system certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022.
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Operation
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The tool has a GUI for selecting the files to convert, and conversion can also be started from the command line for larger or scripted runs.
Licensing depends on the size and duration of the project, so pricing is confirmed after your application has been analysed. You can try CodeWays on your own code: book a demo and we will prepare a version configured for your migration direction and scope.
They chose Ispirer to revamp their application
Epicor, University of Maryland, NedGraphics and more have adopted CodeWays to boost their innovation life-cycle accelerate and manage their end-to-end innovation lifecycle
Progress ABL to C#
Migration project
50%
Migration time reduction
2 MLN
Lines of code
75%
Аutomation achieved
Enterprise software
"We have found the Ispirer team to be knowledgeable and responsive, and we have found the tooling to be flexible enough to be easily adapted to our coding conventions."
COBOL to Java
Migration project
6-month
Migration time reduction
100K+
Lines of code
200+
COBOL programs
Education
"Ispirer Toolkit enabled us to efficiently convert 200 COBOL programs with over 100,000 lines of code to Java. The tool produced high-quality, maintainable code, allowing our team to focus on infrastructure rather than conversion. Ispirer’s support was exceptional, often resolving issues within one business day."
Informix 4GL to Oracle PL/SQL
Migration project
95%
Аutomation achieved
200K+
Lines of code
75%
Migration time reduction
IT Services
"Ispirer provided a full-cycle migration service, converting over 200,000 lines of Informix 4GL to Oracle PL/SQL with 95% automation. Their expertise, customizations, and commitment to quality ensured a seamless transition. We highly recommend Ispirer for complex migration projects."
C/C++, AutoLISP to C#.NET
Migration project
70%
Аutomation achieved
250K+
Lines of code
50%
Migration cost reduction
Civil engineering and infrastructure
"We were impressed with the knowledge, professionalism, hard work, and enthusiasm of the Ispirer team. Through this Migration Project, we have a solid base for further expanding our application."
Borland Delphi 7.0 modernization
Migration project
75%
Аutomation achieved
20K
Lines of code
50%
Migration time reduction
Automation Equipment
"We had an old Borland Delphi 7.0 project, which was brought back to life. Ispirer had offered us a timely and financially attractive conversion of the application. The work was performed promptly."
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Get an estimate for your codebase
Send us a representative sample of your source code. We will come back with an automation forecast, a recommended target technology and a timeline, at no cost. A 30-minute call is usually enough to define the scope of the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want more details?
Request a consultation with our expert
Is the conversion fully automated?
Automation on completed projects usually falls between 70% and 95%, depending on how much of the codebase relies on custom controls, third-party libraries and constructs without a target equivalent. Our engineers implement the remainder manually. The assessment gives you the expected figure for your code before the project starts.
What happens to screen forms and reports?
Form and report definitions are converted together with the program logic. You can keep the original architecture for an equivalent result, or convert the desktop application into a web application during the same project.
How are dates and data types handled?
Date logic is mapped explicitly, because errors of this kind are easy to miss during testing. An Informix 4GL convert date to string operation built on a USING mask becomes the native formatting call of the target language, and an Informix 4GL convert string to date operation based on DATE(), MDY() or EXTEND() becomes its parsing equivalent. DECIMAL, MONEY, DATETIME and INTERVAL are mapped to types that preserve precision.
Do we have to replace the Informix database as well?
No. Many customers keep Informix and modernise only the application layer. CodeWays converts the embedded SQL either way, so if the database does change, the converted statements target the new engine from the start.
How is the project scoped before we commit?
Start with the free Metrics tool, which collects the data needed to estimate complexity, timeline and cost. A proof of concept on a representative part of your code follows, so you see output produced from your own codebase and the actual automation rate before agreeing to the full scope.
