Coded in C++ to assure maximum performance, nCode has over 240 API's (Application Program Interfaces) to give you all the power and flexibility you need to do any job.

• As powerful as nCode is, it is also easy to use. Most applications need about two dozen of nCode's over 240 API/s, but it's good to know that all of nCode's power and flexibility is there when you need it.
  
  
• nCode has an open architecture, consisting of .DLLs that you can call from your own systems. nCode comes with working sample programs that show you how to use C++ or Visual Basic to interface with nCode in your environment.
  
  
• Any language which can access a Windows DLL, Unix shared library, MVS DLL, or AS/400 service program can access nCode. This includes popular development tools such as Java, C/C++, Visual Basic, Power Builder, Delphi, Cobol, RPG and others. Also, any tools or applications that support ActiveX and DCOM can access nCode's functionality via an nCode Server.
  
  
• An nCode Server is an ActiveX server that provides the most commonly used nCode features in a multi-user client/server environment. Any technology that supports ActiveX and DCOM can use the nCode Server to provide nCode's functionality to business systems, intranets, and office applications.
  
  
• nCode will run problem-free in a multithreaded environment.
  
  
  

A single code base supports many platforms

• nCode's source code is identical on all platforms. Unlike some other vendors, who provide different products on a few platforms, Nova Marketing provides a single, consistent product across all major platforms.
  
  
• The nCode database has an identical binary image on all platforms. Character sets (ASCII versus EBCDIC) and little versus big endian issues are all resolved at the software level within the nCode engine. This allows databases to simply be copied from one platform to another with no special conversion steps being necessary.
  
  
• The program has been carefully designed and constructed to operate on most popular hardware and software platforms. nCode runs natively on the following platforms:
  

	Unix HP-UX Sun Solaris AIX Linux
	Windows 95, 98, Me NT, 2000, XP, 2003
	AS/400 IBM MVS



• Java applications are supported by using Java Native Interface (JNI). Furthermore, midrange and mainframe applications can be supported via middleware such as MQ-Series.
  
  
• Using a central nCode Server, any technology which supports DCOM can access the most commonly used nCode features. You can even deploy nCode's powerful features over your intranet using ActiveX technology. Find our more about nCode's Web Services
  
  
• Unlike offerings from some of Nova's competitors, nCode's code base and API are consistent across all platforms. While other suppliers offer discrete products on a few different platforms, Nova provides identical functionality on all major platforms. The knowledge you gain using nCode on one platform transfers directly to any other platforms within your organization, making nCode the ideal product on which your organization can standardize.
  
  
  

Our compact code and database assure fast response time and high throughput of data

• At the heart of the system is the nCode address database. The 180MB data file as delivered by Canada Post is compressed and indexed by Nova into a proprietary database format that uses only 10MB of disk space. nCode can operate against this hard drive based database or you can choose to have nCode preload the entire database into high speed RAM memory, thus eliminating file I/O (input/output) and boosting performance significantly. This ensures minimum response times to API calls and maximum throughput of high volumes of calls
  
  
• Furthermore, because the nCode database uses a proprietary format, added investment in third party database management system software is not required.
  
  
  

Configuring the behaviour of nCode

• nCode can be configured to operate in many different ways depending on the needs of your application. It may be configured initially to run in a specific way at all times or it may be configured dynamically using the API interface to respond to changing operational situations.
  
  
• The heart of the architecture is the nCode Application Program Interface (API) engine. The functions in the API control the configuration and operation of the product. Your applications access the nCode API to perform address handling functions, including correction, validation, searching, and transformation. Your applications can also configure nCode at runtime using special configuration APIs. Alternatively, you can use the Windows-based nCode Configuration Utility to create configuration files that can be used with the nCode API on any platform.
  
  
• The nCode Configuration Utility provides a convenient Windows interface to the nCode configuration API functions. Configuration settings can be stored in a pair of files for use at runtime. Like the nCode database, these files are identical at the binary level on all platforms, allowing you to create configuration settings on a Windows workstation, and then simply copy them up to any other platform, including MVS and many others.
  
  
• Alternatively, configuration settings can be made via API calls at runtime from your application. This provides you with the utmost ease of use and flexibility in telling nCode how you want it to work with your address data.

Full technical documentation and extensive working sample code

• nCode is supplied with a full technical description of all of the API's and with a comprehensive set of sample program code to clearly explain how to use it.
  
  
  

Leverage Nova's knowledge and expertise

• Should the need arise, Nova can apply a veteran Professional Services team to your nCode implementation allowing you to get the most out of nCode in your environment. Find out more about Professional Services.