Microsoft Windows Server 2019

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Does anyone have any experience running a5v12 runtime on a virtual machine using Windows server 2019. The plan is to use Terminal Server. Will be using an older build, 4269.

Thanks

[Mike Wilson]

Hi Ron,
I have a little experience. Our Server is Win 2019 Server. We have 3 VMs: 1-Win Server 2008 where we run our company information system (URSA) with Alpha v10.5. 2- Shipping VM running FedEx and UPS shipping software on the 2019 Server. 3- Alpha v12 VM running a copy of URSA with Alpha v12 under the Win 2019 Server. I am trying to migrate our company IS from v10 to v12 under Win 2019 Server. I used the v12 trial to see how things ran. What I found was all the forms present larger than with the Win 2008-A5v10 and all forms, browses toolbars and forms were cut off, dialogs that were purposefully positioned at the edge of forms and windows were cut off, and form toolbars were not positioned the same with the navigation button on the far right being off screen and inaccessible in both Dev and RT environments. I was working to rebuild forms and browses and reports, etc, and re-write dialogs -- very big job and I coudn't work on that full time, -- to get to a point I could start to test for any issues with code functionality, URSA has about 1100 UDFs, but the trial ran out long before I was anywhere close to getting to that point. So it has been sitting waiting until I can get back to it. So that's it. I can't say whether the issues simply migrating A5v10 to A5v12 or whether there was a contribution from changing Alpha running in Win 2019 Server, but I have/had this significant problem. I don't know if this helps you, but I thought I'd give my small experience.

[armasoft]

We run V12, V11 and V10.5 apps on all platforms from XP (desktop) and Server 2012R2 up with no problems (compatibility mode from Windows 8 upwards) both as Standalone and using TSPlus (Terminal Services equivalent but much cheaper). To the user just looks like a standard desktop app.

FAO MIke - we looked to convert to V12 (AA) some time ago, but was put off by the changes to the UI making everything (forms, buttons, margins) just too big for our preferred screen resolutions, so don't thinkthis is OS related.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Thank you both for your replies.

I’m a little confused. I don’t understand your reference to the screen resolution.

We will have AA (A5V12, Build 4269 Runtime) installed on a VM running Windows Server 2019. Using Windows 10 work stations, we will be connecting to the server using Windows Terminal Server.

Are you saying that we will have issues with the screen resolution?

[armasoft]

No, we had problems as many of our cusrtomers have small screens. We couldn't fit all we needed on the screen if using AA as it increased the size of various bits of furniture e.g. borders, buttons etc. It would have been too much effort to go through every form and modify to fit for an end of life application.

Running over Terminal Services or TSPlus or (as far as I know) Citrix will not cause any display problems.

[pboomwork]

I have been running Alpha5 Version 10 and 12 on Server 2016 for several years. Here are some notes that may be of help. I also have encountered issues with form sizing when moving to Alpha Anywhere version 12. See part way through these notes. I suspect the information will not be that clear they were written for my use, please ask if you would like further explanation.
I have also deployed a Ver 12 desktop application in TSplus for 6 months now without issues. I still find developing desktop apps much quicker and for some things, the overhead required for web deployment simply is not warranted.
- Temporary folders not being available.

When Alpha five is run by RDP sessions, additional temporary folders are created for the RDP sessions. The OS removes these temporary folders during cleanup operations and other unknown processes. Alpha five will fail to launch if the temporary folder is unavailable. Initially, the only solution I could find to this problem was reinstalling Alpha five. The problem occurs very infrequently. Below are my notes on how to correct the issue.

'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    
'!!! Certian thing will prevent the A5 enviroment from launching properly        !!!
'!!! This things should be verified and corrcted by a launch program             !!!
'!!! They can not be tested for in a A5 script as these will not run            !!!
'!!! Perhaps something written in AutoIT                                        !!!
'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

'Full access required to Shared database path, Verify read write etc.
'
'Temporary folder is referenced in keys found under
'HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1229272821-343818398-839522115-7601\Software\Alpha Software\Alpha Five 10.0\INDX
'For example;
'HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1229272821-343818398-839522115-7601\Software\Alpha Software\Alpha Five 10.0\INDX\FFFFECB5-A-TITLES.DBF;1
'Of Type 6 that contain data  such as
'FILE=~C:\Users\verboopa2\AppData\Local\Temp\2\$$140302.MPX~ DESC=~Record-number;CODE = "Dest"~
'The folder referenced in this key must exist or Alpa5 will not open
'Removing all the entries in the INDX key does not fix the problem
'
'A second A5 temporary folder may be required
'C:\Users\VERBOO~1\AppData\Local\Temp\4\
'If it does not exist the following error is displayed during
'
'Failed to open document.
'OR
'Script:a5_database_startup_qd2 line:394
'The system cannot find the path specified.
' C:\Users\VERBOO~1\AppData\Local\Temp\4\a5NoNews.html
'
'It can be created and empty and that will fix the issue
'This folder is only indicated in following Registry entries.
'Editing the entries appears to have no effect.
'HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1229272821-343818398-839522115-7601\Volatile Environment\4
'TEMP
'C:\Users\VERBOO~1\AppData\Local\Temp\4
'TMP
'C:\Users\VERBOO~1\AppData\Local\Temp\4
'
'On a stand alone installation the \TEMP folder is the only one references.
'On a RDP session \TEMP\X where is a number are created and referenced.
'This \X subfolders can be removed by clean up operations and cause A5 not to run.​

- Improperly sized forms.
I have observed that version 12 incorrectly sizes the windows used by the desktop forms when the Window size in the form definition is set to form size.
As a result, scroll bars appear in all your version 10 and 11 forms. Initially, I feared I would have to manually resize all my forms, I needed version 12 for newer SQL Server compatibility. I then determined if I resized the window a few pixels after it was opened, the scrollbars will go away. I added a function call to my script that opens forms that did this resize. As a result, have to rework all of my forms.

'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
'!!! When devolpment is moved to Alpha Anywhere V12 !!!
'!!! The following must be done on new copy         !!!
'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    
'
'Additional Files under network Optimization must be defined again
'Copy file list from Ver 10 devolpment and and update folder in text  editor
'Alpa Anywhere will incorrectly size form windows when their size is set to Form Width & Height
'
'USE FOLLOWING CODE ON WINDOW AFTER OPENING (Part of zFormOpen)
'IF version() = 12                                                'in Alpha Anywhere add 6 pixels to width to prevent scroll bars.
'    WinPtr.Width = WinPtr.Width + V12width                        'When Width is set to use Form Width
'end if                                                            'and Height is set to use Form Height
'OR ON FORM EVENT ONACTIVATE USE CODE                            'See Global definbation of V12width below
'IF Resize                                                        'In Version 12 add 6 pixels to form width to remove scroll bars
'    Resize = .F.                                                'must be done after form is drawn so on OnActivate event
'    IF version() = 12                                            'But only do it once or form keeps growing
'        topparent.Width = topparent.Width + V12width            'Add variable Resize = .T. to Layout Variables
'    end if
'end if    
'AND DEFINE IN LAYOUT VARIABLES
'Resize = .T.

'ON FORMS WITH ONLY A BROWSE RESIZED THE FORM
'Enlarge edit window
'Drag bottom left outside edge of the edit window so it is just outside  bottom corner of defined form
'Form -> Form Properties
'Window Tab
'Current Size & Position
'Form -> Form View
'Forms will be larger but scroll bars will be removed.


'All forms with embedded browse must have TAB stop turned off on properties for embedded browse
'Otherwise top left corner of form will be set to first cell in browse causing scroll bars to added to form
'BUT form must have other field that has TAB STOP (see AD Job Titles)

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

I'm curious to know which build of alpha anywhere you are using. I'm using build 4269 and so far have not experienced any issues running under Microsoft Windows Server 2019 using terminal server.

It's my understanding that after build 4269, AA updated to a newer version of dotnet to take advantage of newer features available for the WEB side. This required rewrites to the desktop side.
My initial testing of later builds were full of bugs when using my apps developed from previous versions of Alpha. I submitted a number of bug reports but decided it was easier to just use build 4269.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

So far, this is what we are experiencing with Microsoft server 2019.

We moved from Alpha version 11, build 3788 directly to AA12 runtime, build 4269.
No screen size issues at all. No compatibility issues at all.

We are using Microsoft’s RDP. We are experiencing some slowness when connecting through RDP. Most noticeable at the first login. Once logged in and after a report or a filtered form is loaded, the speed does pick up.

We are using a “Work Resource, remoteapp and desktop connection” login to run the shortcut connecting to the Alpha application.

Not sure if it matters. This stuff is all new to me and I have no control over this part of the system.