4th Quarter 2003 (Volume 7 Number 3)
BBj 4.0 Preview
Summarized TOC in PDF Format
Throughout the last year, BASIS provided many new language features, an enhanced development environment, and introduced more
streamlined sales policies. Each of these improvements empowers customers to modify, develop, and sell their applications
quicker and easier than ever before. This edition of the Advantage includes articles about upcoming features and enhancements
available in BBj 4.0.
Previewing the Future
By Dr. Kevin King
PDF Format
This issue of the BASIS Advantage delivers a compilation of articles that preview the future of our products and recaps the
myriad of enhancements made in 2003.
FEATURES
BBj Databound Controls
By Brian Hipple
PDF Format
Data is the driving force for today's applications. Creating data presentation forms is the key task in the design of modern
applications. Debugging and maintenance of this code becomes a major effort as the data changes and the complexity of data
increases. BASIS addresses these issues by supporting the concept of databound controls in BBj 4.0®.
BBj Form Printing
By Jason Foutz
PDF Format
The new BBjPrinter system provides developers with a powerful new API for creating forms. This unified system makes it easy to
add images to forms and simplifies the implementation of letterheads and logos. The BBjPrinter object provides methods for
laying out text, lines, and images on a page.
Using the BBjRecordSet
By Chris Hardekopf
PDF Format
The new BBjRecordSet object enables developers to attach GUI controls to underlying data fields that exist in both BBj® files
and SQL query result sets. These attached fields make modifying records easy and have the added benefit of automatically
changing their contents to reflect the current record changes. This article provides a preview of the functionality available
in the BBjRecordSet object with the upcoming BBj 4.0 release.
Viewing Data Files in the BASIS IDE
By Mike Phelps
PDF Format
This article describes the new functionality available in the popup menu of BASIS data files. The Data Viewer provides a
convenient way to view the contents of data files. Direct integration with the IDE provides an intuitive graphical user
interface to a directory of data files and instant availability of the Data Viewer.
Managing Databases/Data Dictionaries with the BASIS IDE
By Jeff Ash
PDF Format
The BASIS IDE offers a powerful new tool called the Data Dictionary module that provides a central location for programmers to
work on BASIS development projects. This article focuses on the enhancements that give developers the ability to manage
databases and data dictionaries using the BASIS IDE.
GUI Date Input With the BBj INPUTD Control
By Jim Douglas
PDF Format
For many years, BBx® and BBj® provided many language constructs necessary to control the output format of dates. The DATE()
function formats a date based on any preferred output mask. The STBL("!DATE") global string defines the default date mask and
the localized text for month and day names. The JUL() function converts a year, month, and day to a unique integer that
corresponds to a particular date. This article explains how BBj simplifies internationalization even more with the new INPUTD
control, enhanced JUL() functionality, and automatic update of the STBL("!DATE") global string when the developer changes the
locale.
b'Using b-commerce
By Laurence Guiney
PDF Format
Just over three years ago, BASIS launched its b-commerce Web site. Originally written in Visual PRO/5®, the b-commerce
application now runs purely in BBj®. This article describes how customers can order new licenses, upgrade licenses, add users
to an existing license, or obtain information about a specific license - such as revision, user count, or authorization number
via the b-commerce Web site.
Maharam: BASIS Customer Profile
By Laura Walters and Nick Decker
PDF Format
Maharam's fourth generation family business is America's premier source for commercial interior textiles. Today, the New
York-based company generates annual sales revenues in excess of $90 million. In order to maintain revenue growth and
technological leadership in its industry, Maharam needed the ability to provide remote access to sales and inventory data.
BASIS provided Maharam with this remote access capability through BBj® and its thin client architecture.
NEWS
BASIS Introduces Online Tutorials
By Greg Grisham
PDF Format
BASIS added a new area on its Web site that contains a growing library of topical presentations describing the use of tools
and products such as ResBuilder® and ODBC. The tutorial topics address specific scenarios, or a subset of the features and
functionality of the featured product. BASIS groups the training modules to reflect a logical progression of events.
BASIS Offers Context Sensitive Help on the World Wide Web
By Nick Decker
PDF Format
Today's help systems contain exhaustive reference lists, descriptive overviews, sample training and usage guidelines, answers
to frequently asked questions, and even task-oriented help. The help industry refers to this type of help as Context Sensitive
Help (CSH) because it offers information specific to the task. CSH can be an extremely powerful function, as it bypasses all
of the typical searches and instead provides a direct line into the help system resulting in an instant and topical answer.
Technical Resources on the BASIS Web Site
By Greg Smith
PDF Format
BASIS created a place on the Web site where customers can go and learn about exciting new product features, see them in
action, and even get code to implement the functionality into their applications. Formerly entitled "Cool Stuff," this site
contains useful demos and downloads.
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