Universal Rendering as standard

All front-ends (GDC, GAS, GMA, GMI) use now the GBC as rendering engine.

GBC as unique rendering engine

Genero version 3.20 introduced the Universal Rendering concept, which could be used as an option to display application forms on the GDC, GMA and GMI front-ends, using the GBC front-end as rendering engine.

Starting with version 4.00, the GBC front-end becomes the only available AUI tree rendering engine, to get an identical user interface on all type of front-ends (GDC, GMA, GMI, GAS).
Note:

The main new GUI feature of Genero 4.00 is Responsive Layout, implemented by the new V4 GBC. This feature available for all type of front-ends.

Feature changes

List of feature still supported, with slight change in behavior:
  • On desktop (GDC), program WINDOWs display now in the same window container. See Containers for program windows.
  • On a LAYOUT element (form/window), the MINWIDTH/MINHEIGHT attributes apply only to windows using the windowType="modal" style attribute.
  • With GDC 3.20 native mode, ERROR and MESSAGE notifications were displayed in the status bar. These are now rendered by default in a floating window by GBC.
  • When a TEXT (label) of an action view (BUTTON elements, TOPMENU commands, TOOLBAR buttons, and so on) contains an & ampersand character, it will be hidden by the GBC. In GDC native rendering mode, the & ampersand could be used to underline the next character and get an automatic ALT-letter accelerator; this behavior is not implemented with GBC. However, to simplify migration from GDC native rendering, single & characters are not displayed in labels by GBC. To display a single ampersand, you must double it (&&).

Deprecated UI features

List of deprecated features:

Desupported UI features

List of desupported features:
  • gui.rendering FGLPROFILE parameter. This parameter could be used to enable Universal Rendering with older front-ends. It is not longer required with Genero V4 front-ends, since Universal Rendering is the only option.
  • The STACK-based layout. Replacement is Responsive Layout.
  • Mobile platforms (GMA/GMI):
    • Mobile native rendering of listviews (AKA "full listviews", with two-column display and "embedded listviews"). As replacement, consider using a TABLE with the FLIPPED attribute. However, if the rendering of flipped tables is not satisfying, keep using tableType/listView style attribute until flipped tables get more rendering configuration options.
    • Splitviews controlled with parallel dialogs, parallel dialogs. Replacement: Use HBOX with SPLIT attribute. For more details, see Removal of parallel dialogs / splitviews.
    • iOS specific row configuration attributes ACCESSORYTYPE, DETAILACTION.
    • The iOS specific DISCLOSUREINDICATOR attribute.
  • The Window Container Interface (WCI) as MDI-style. See Removal of Windows Container Interface (WCI). Replacement for WCI are new style attributes for application windows containers.
  • The SPACING attribute for LAYOUT section in form definition files.
  • BDS legacy "RIP Widgets" defined in form definition files with the WIDGET="type" attribute.
  • Toolbar BUTTONTEXTHIDDEN attribute: Use Toolbar/"aspect" style attribute instead.
  • There is no more status bar displayed as in GDC 3.20 native mode: The statusBarType style attribute is desupported.
  • Desupported presentation style attributes are listed in Presentation styles changes.
  • Desupported front calls are listed in Front calls changes.
  • GDC native rendering specific "local actions" (with no VM-side action handler): editcut, editcopy, editpaste, nextfield, prevfield, nextpage, prevpage, nexttab, prevtab. Note that the locale actions are marked as deprecated since Genero 3.10.