Genero 2.20 – ALPHA Early Access Program now open

Irving, Texas – December 4, 2008 — Four Js Development Tools is pleased to announce the Genero 2.20 Early Access Program (EAP) today December 4, 2008. See “How to subscribe” section. This important release brings significant improvements to the Graphical User Interface, the application server and provides a seamless in-line access to Java class librarires.

Genero 2.20

New features

  • The Java Interface
    Enables the instantiation of Java classes ‘in line’ with BDL (FGL).
  • The traditional ASCII Text User Interface Mode
    To simplify migration from Informix 4GL or Four Js BDS text based applications, you can now run applications in ‘traditional’ mode to render windows as simple boxes, as in the WTK front-end.
  • Multi-row selection in lists
    DISPLAY ARRAY can now handle multi-row selections.
  • Built-in sort works in INPUT ARRAY
    Until now, sorting was only possible in DISPLAY ARRAYs. Now rows can be sorted during an INPUT ARRAY too.
  • New database drivers
    The following database drivers are supported by Genero version 2.20:

    • dbmmys60x for a MySQL 6.0.x client.
    • dbmads380 for a Genero DB Server 3.80 client.
    • dbmsqt3xx for an SQLite 3 library.
  • New contextMenu action default attribute
    A new Action Defaults attribute named “contextMenu” has been added to allow you to specify whether the menu option is visible in the default context menu. The default value is “yes” – the option is visible whenever the action is visible.
  • Automatic source documentation generator
    The fglcomp compiler has been extended with a new -Td option for generating BDL source documentation.
  • MAN pages for BDL commands
    On UNIX platforms, you can now use man pages for BDL tools like fglcomp and fglform:

     $ man fglcomp

    Note that on some platforms, you must set the MANPATH environment variable to $FGLDIR/man.

  • New presentation styles
    Presentation Styles have been extended:

    • TEXTEDIT fields can use the style attribute “integratedSearch” to enable a search facility.
    • FOLDER controls can now get a “position” style attribute to define the position (top, left, right, bottom) of folder tabs.
    • BUTTON form items get a new “buttonType” attribute to define the rendering of the button.
      MENUs created with the popup option can be placed with the “position” attribute.
      TABLEs can use the new “tableType” attribute to render data in different ways (picture flow).
  • New front-end calls
    Frond-End Functions have been extended:

    • New “getwindowid” function in the standard module to get the system window manager id of a window.
    • The “feinfo” function in the standard module has been extended to query the workstation system version, number of screens, and screen resolution.
    • New “launchurl” function in the standard module to open a given url (http, mailto…) with the default installed url handler (e.g. your default browser for http, default mailer for mailto…).
  • MySQL driver supports TEXT/BYTE
    It is now possible to use TEXT/BYTE data with MySQL with the dbmmys drivers.
  • Writing a timestamp to 42m modules
    fglcomp has a new option (fglcomp –timestamp) to write the compilation timestamp to the generated 42m p-code module. If present, the timestamp will be printed when using fglrun -b. Use compilation timestamps only if really needed; every new compiled .42m module will be different, even if the source code has not changed.
  • Disabling Front-End protocol compression
    Front-End protocol compression can now be disabled with a new FGLPROFILE entry. This is especially useful in fast networks to save processor time.
  • New environment variable for program resource files
    To workaround conflicts with Informix database path specification in DBPATH, you can now use the FGLRESOURCEPATH environment variable to specify search path for program resource files like forms.
  • New built-in functions to handle text selection
    New built-in functions are now available to control the part of the text that is selected in the current field:

    • FGL_DIALOG_GETSELECTIONEND()
    • FGL_DIALOG_SETSELECTION()
  • New IMAGE attribute in form LAYOUT element
    The LAYOUT element of a form definition can now use the IMAGE attribute to define the icon to be used for the parent Window. This is especially useful in a Container-based application, to distinguish child programs inside the container.
  • INFIELD clause for ON ACTION interaction blocks
    The ON ACTION interactive block has been extended with a new INFIELD field-name clause, to automatically enable/disable the action when entering/leaving the specified field.
  • New high-precision math functions for DECIMALs
    Following built-in functions have been added for precision math computing with DECIMALs:

    • FGL_DECIMAL_TRUNCATE()
    • FGL_DECIMAL_SQRT()
    • FGL_DECIMAL_EXP()
    • FGL_DECIMAL_LOGN()
    • FGL_DECIMAL_POWER()
  • And some other new features may be added during the period of this EAP program …

Genero Web Services 2.20

  • XML-Signature and XML-Encryption
    The Genero Web Services xml library has been improved to support the XML-Signature and XML-Encryption specifications defined by the W3C (a.k.a XML-Security). The library enables 4GL applications to handle public,private,symmetric or hmac keys and X509 certificates in order to sign XML documents or document fragments, verify a XML signature against a certificate or a key. It enables also to encrypt XML nodes using symmetric keys, and decrypt them back using DOM manipulation.
    Combined with the COM library, any 4GL application can now exchange any XML documents over the Internet in a complete secured manner.
    The library provides classes for:

    • Manipulating cryptography keys
    • Handling X509 certificates for indentification
    • Encrypting and decrypting XML documents or keys
    • Signing XML documents and validating them against XML signatures

Genero Desktop Client 2.20

Major Improvements

  • The internal library now uses Nokia’s ‘Qt4’
    Using the latest version of the toolkit provided by Nokia/Qt Software opens the door to lots of exciting new features (see below GUI Improvements).
  • SVG image format is supported
    Scalable Vector Graphics images are now managed by GDC: no need to worry about image resizing anymore !
  • Local image cache for icons
    Speed up your application: all icons are automatically cached locally and no more downloaded again the next time you start your application.

GUI Improvements

  • Multi Selection in Table (DISPLAY ARRAY)
    Select multiple rows using the usual key and  mouse combination to enhance your Display Array.

  • Sort in Input Array
    Sorting in Input Array is now possible
  • Hyperlinks in Label / TextEdit support
    Add a tag in your LABEL or TextEdit and your application will be “link aware” ; the default handler (browser, mailer…) will be automatically called by your 4GL program
  • Integrated Search, Spell Checker in TextEdit
    Press Control+F to search text in your TextEdit… difficult to do ? No, just add integratedSearch StyleAttribute and that’s it.

  • Button Type « link »
    A classic 4GL button, but displayed as a hyperlink.
  • Picture Flow design
    Need a fancy “Cover Flow” widget like in iTunes or your iPod ? Just transform your table in Picture Flow !
  • Tabbed MDI
    Transform your old looking MDI application to a modern Tabbed MDI as can be found in modern browers such as Firefox or Internet Explorer.
  • Folder Position
    Move your folders to the left of your application using position StyleAttribute.
  • Lots of other itels too!

Monitor / Shortcuts Improvements

  • Create your customized login box to replace GDC default login box, with your own logo and design
  • Shortcuts can be exported as and imported from a .gdc file.
  • Some command lines have been added
  • Stored Settings can be read-only

Experimental Features

  • Look’n’Feel
    Change the look of your 4GL application.. On Windows, your application can now exploit Microsoft Office 2007 colors.

  • Integrated Browser
    Integrate a browser to your 4GL application…

And lots more…

Genero Application Server 2.20

Application Server

  • Multi-threaded engine
    Multi-threaded capabilities – adapt the Genero Application Server daemon (gasd) capabilities to the Application Server request. One gasd process will be able to adapt itself to the the number of pending requests, providing better efficiency.
  • Deployment improvements
    The following improvements have been made in GAS 2.20:

    • New plugable components (GAS Isapi and GAS FastCGI), are available for each targeted application server, providing a new connection architecture that adapts the external world model to the GAS model.
    • A new generic resourceURL() function associated to the new PATH element definition allows you to specify on an application-level basis multiple resource locations accessible from the browser.
  • GAS Monitor
    Gas gives access to server and applications details through “/monitor” URL. The monitor page exposes details about DVMs, web applications, web services, GDC applications and gas activity.

GDC/AX management

  • GDC communication
    The protocol between GDC and the application server is no longer character oriented but binary, thus the connection is more efficient. They now communicate on a unique URL which improves the authenticated and secured connections.

Web Application management (aka GWC)

  • XUL snippet set
    The new XUL snippet set offers a desktop like rendering. This snippet set will be activate if you use a Prism user agent. You can also activated XUL snippet sets in any Firefox browser using the DUA_XUL output map.

  • The frontCall function (Front End Call framework)
    A new GAS 2.20 framework allows Javascript functions to handle the BDL frontCall function on the browser. BDL 2.20 also introduces two new frontall (launchUrl and feinfo/screenres) which are fully supported by the GWC.
  • Table pre-fetching
    Using the 4ST style tablePageHeightThreshold, you will be able to prefetch entire table rows from the DVM so that scrolling operations will no longer need interaction between the browser, the application server and the DVM.
  • SVG and SWF support
    Modern browsers fully support SVG and SWF. Image widget snippets will drop correct HTML code so the browser will render images with the extension .svg or .swf.
  • Multi Selection in Table (DISPLAY ARRAY)
    Select multiple rows using the usual key and mouse combination to enhance your Display Array.
  • Sort in Input Array
    Sorting in Input Array is now possible.
  • Hyperlinks in Label / TextEdit support
    Add a tag in your LABEL or TextEdit and your application will be “link aware” ; the default handler (browser, mailer…) will be automatically called by your 4GL program.
  • Button Type « link »
    A classic 4GL button, but displayed as an hyperlink.

How to subscribe

If you want to subscribe to the Early Access Program  you must have a Four Js web site account (“My Account”) that enables access to privileged technical information.

* Go on our website https://www.4js.com/
* Log in to ‘my account’
* In the bottom right corner of the home page you have a link named “Support Services”
* Click on the “Early Access Programs” icon
* Choose the Genero 2.20 EAP and click on “Subscribe”
* Four Js will send you an acknowledgment of your subscription in 24 hours (Monday -> Friday).
* Upon approval, you will get access to the download section and the associated mailing list.

If you need a valid license for using this version, you can ask for a demo license by filling out the Demo Software Request Form and sending it to the fax number mentioned on it. Add the “EAP 2.20” comment on the form.

We appreciate your interest in pre-release access to our products, and value your feedback. Thank you for your participation in this important phase of our product development.

Best Regards,

The Four Js Development Team