Alpha Software Mobile Development Tools:   Alpha Anywhere    |   Alpha TransForm subscribe to our YouTube Channel  Follow Us on LinkedIn  Follow Us on Twitter  Follow Us on Facebook

Announcement

Collapse

The Alpha Software Forum Participation Guidelines

The Alpha Software Forum is a free forum created for Alpha Software Developer Community to ask for help, exchange ideas, and share solutions. Alpha Software strives to create an environment where all members of the community can feel safe to participate. In order to ensure the Alpha Software Forum is a place where all feel welcome, forum participants are expected to behave as follows:
  • Be professional in your conduct
  • Be kind to others
  • Be constructive when giving feedback
  • Be open to new ideas and suggestions
  • Stay on topic


Be sure all comments and threads you post are respectful. Posts that contain any of the following content will be considered a violation of your agreement as a member of the Alpha Software Forum Community and will be moderated:
  • Spam.
  • Vulgar language.
  • Quotes from private conversations without permission, including pricing and other sales related discussions.
  • Personal attacks, insults, or subtle put-downs.
  • Harassment, bullying, threatening, mocking, shaming, or deriding anyone.
  • Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language.
  • Sexually explicit or violent material, links, or language.
  • Pirated, hacked, or copyright-infringing material.
  • Encouraging of others to engage in the above behaviors.


If a thread or post is found to contain any of the content outlined above, a moderator may choose to take one of the following actions:
  • Remove the Post or Thread - the content is removed from the forum.
  • Place the User in Moderation - all posts and new threads must be approved by a moderator before they are posted.
  • Temporarily Ban the User - user is banned from forum for a period of time.
  • Permanently Ban the User - user is permanently banned from the forum.


Moderators may also rename posts and threads if they are too generic or do not property reflect the content.

Moderators may move threads if they have been posted in the incorrect forum.

Threads/Posts questioning specific moderator decisions or actions (such as "why was a user banned?") are not allowed and will be removed.

The owners of Alpha Software Corporation (Forum Owner) reserve the right to remove, edit, move, or close any thread for any reason; or ban any forum member without notice, reason, or explanation.

Community members are encouraged to click the "Report Post" icon in the lower left of a given post if they feel the post is in violation of the rules. This will alert the Moderators to take a look.

Alpha Software Corporation may amend the guidelines from time to time and may also vary the procedures it sets out where appropriate in a particular case. Your agreement to comply with the guidelines will be deemed agreement to any changes to it.



Bonus TIPS for Successful Posting

Try a Search First
It is highly recommended that a Search be done on your topic before posting, as many questions have been answered in prior posts. As with any search engine, the shorter the search term, the more "hits" will be returned, but the more specific the search term is, the greater the relevance of those "hits". Searching for "table" might well return every message on the board while "tablesum" would greatly restrict the number of messages returned.

When you do post
First, make sure you are posting your question in the correct forum. For example, if you post an issue regarding Desktop applications on the Mobile & Browser Applications board , not only will your question not be seen by the appropriate audience, it may also be removed or relocated.

The more detail you provide about your problem or question, the more likely someone is to understand your request and be able to help. A sample database with a minimum of records (and its support files, zipped together) will make it much easier to diagnose issues with your application. Screen shots of error messages are especially helpful.

When explaining how to reproduce your problem, please be as detailed as possible. Describe every step, click-by-click and keypress-by-keypress. Otherwise when others try to duplicate your problem, they may do something slightly different and end up with different results.

A note about attachments
You may only attach one file to each message. Attachment file size is limited to 2MB. If you need to include several files, you may do so by zipping them into a single archive.

If you forgot to attach your files to your post, please do NOT create a new thread. Instead, reply to your original message and attach the file there.

When attaching screen shots, it is best to attach an image file (.BMP, .JPG, .GIF, .PNG, etc.) or a zip file of several images, as opposed to a Word document containing the screen shots. Because Word documents are prone to viruses, many message board users will not open your Word file, therefore limiting their ability to help you.

Similarly, if you are uploading a zipped archive, you should simply create a .ZIP file and not a self-extracting .EXE as many users will not run your EXE file.
See more
See less

v12 Release Notes

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Re: v12 Release Notes

    Hi Robert,

    "I'd sell my business before I'd agree with you. I need both guaranteed uninterrupted up-time and efficient and fast transactions for my POS."

    That is pretty strong.... LOL!

    Couple of points to argue here:
    Up-time to cloud - I have had to provide SLA's with 99.9% availability. This can be done even for small businesses.
    Speed - Again - this can be worked out with careful planning of internet data connections, hardware both in the cloud and at the retail site.
    Nothing to fear here.

    On the other hand:
    I get what you are saying. However what I feel keeps getting lost from the conversation is that deploying the AlphaFive App Server means running in "the cloud". This is not true. But unlike the unlimited desktop runtime there is obviously a service seat license.

    Cheers...

    Comment


      Re: v12 Release Notes

      Raymond,

      Originally posted by Raymond Lyons View Post
      Suggest robots and eliminate workers altogether. But, if you keep workers, don't give em health insurance cuz reduced walking around will increase health problems over long haul.

      Raymond Lyons
      Well I am no Luddite. Cannot wait to automate more and more of my operations. Frees up my staff to do cool stuff like program, design, invent.

      Good companies need good well trained people. This also means that they need to be taken care of too.

      Cheers

      Comment


        Re: v12 Release Notes

        Originally posted by SNusa View Post
        I disagree, and here's why: Caring would mean that they would have set aside / made time to fix several of the basic desktop GUI bugs to take care of existing and long-time desktop customers. (Something they have always done in the past.)
        In the past, up to v.10.5, they always resolved issues & bugs.
        No! Not always. While I don't remember the specific issues, I do remember chatter about unresolved bugs in several of the past versions.

        (Also, during subscription renewal, Alpha's sales department specifically stated Alpha was still committed to continued desktop support during the v.11 cycle.) ~ Being a subscriber, I certainly expected as such.
        The problem is that there is no definition of what Alpha means by support. I think you and I would agree that support includes fixing the bugs. However, Alpha has not always done that. I instead the bugs were fixed by releasing the next version which left many folks upset. So, what will it be, Fixing bugs in v11 or fixing the bugs with the release of v12? Probably a little of both. To be fair to Alpha, I looked at the list of bug fixes so far this month and 9 bugs were fixed after Build 3341- 4088 was released on 9 Mar-2013 along with 5 features added. with the 9 March release, there were many features added and bugs fixed. So, it appears Alpha is providing customer support. Whether it included any bugs you identified, I don't know but perhaps you might want to look at the list. They can be found here: http://downloads.alphasoftware.com/A...easenotes.html

        I hope it is of some help to you.
        TYVM :) kenn

        Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

        Comment


          Re: v12 Release Notes

          round_down() in v7 was never resolved and that is only one of many bugs. Just so people know there were unresolved bugs in every version that I can remember. Then windows had them too, and so did every app development platform out there.
          Dave Mason
          [email protected]
          Skype is dave.mason46

          Comment


            Re: v12 Release Notes

            Sorry about the Orwell jibe Mike, I'd had a bad day and my first degree is in Industrial Engineering and Business Process design which I see is not going a People Centric way. I'm a people person really.
            One can skew and/or abuse anything. Statistics as well.
            I will use this in my next lecture on Stats and Operational Research. I will quote you in my new book.
            See our Hybrid Option here;
            https://hybridapps.example-software.com/


            Apologies to anyone I haven't managed to upset yet.
            You are held in a queue and I will get to you soon.

            Comment


              Re: v12 Release Notes

              Originally posted by Ted Giles View Post
              I will quote you in my new book.
              So Ted, mind to share with us how you connected your typewriter to the computer-screen and how that all fits into your library with classic globe? I suppose you are not writing your book on your wrist-attached I-Pad whilst jogging from your office to the tax-office...

              Comment


                Re: v12 Release Notes

                Originally posted by DaveM View Post
                round_down() in v7 was never resolved and that is only one of many bugs. Just so people know there were unresolved bugs in every version that I can remember. Then windows had them too, and so did every app development platform out there.
                Here's a bunch more (v.11) that I uncovered which don't look like they'll ever be "fixed." ~ Sure am glad I bough a subscription to use Alpha desktop!

                Xbasic is fun to code. It's a shame that the desktop GUI reminds me of a "sinking ship." ~ When you have developed a technology (a5) to ~90% of it's potential, but only have ~85% of it working, you've only achieved a score of 76%. (In school, that used to be the equivalence of a "C", now it's probably an "A" though. I guess that's how they justify their "abandonment" of desktop users.)

                http://msgboard.alphasoftware.com/al...ight=v.11+bugs

                I gave up reporting them... Even the "promises to address them" (as time permitted) never materialized.
                (None since the first of this year anyways.) ~ Bye-bye subscription!

                The most recent one is relative to a button embedded in a browse. (not listed there)
                The "Enable Expression" settings are not respected when the browse is run. (The preview works as expected as the button is disabled, but even if you set the expression to .T. = .F." the button remains enabled once the browse goes "live."
                Last edited by SNusa; 03-19-2013, 05:05 PM.
                Robert T. ~ "I enjoy manipulating data... just not my data."
                It's all about the "framework." (I suppose an "a5-induced" hard drive crash is now in order?)
                RELOADED: My current posting activity here merely represents a "Momentary Lapse Of Reason."

                Comment


                  Re: v12 Release Notes

                  On a side note: You know what Apha's largest threat is? I believe that do!

                  They have their head stuck way too far up Microsoft's "butt"..... ~ No doubt there are some sound arguments for this.

                  In the past, "doing things the Alpha way" left Alphasoftware with a lot more control. ~ Now these dependencies subject them to the wrath of numerous (ruthless) corporations who are "holding all the cards." (You have to figure in the "smart-phone" & tablet OS manufacturer(s) here, which greatly "compounds" this problem.)

                  The way I see it: Living within the bars (cell walls) of the registry based Windows OS is bad enough......
                  (Although SQL support via ODBC etc. for MS SQL & others was GOOD!/GREAT!)

                  Even so, the following "dependencies" carry serious consequences:
                  .Net required. (OMG, this sure adds risk!) ~ Due to it's high dependencies upon "the EVIL registry."
                  And shortly we'll be adding IIS dependencies! (eventually, maybe?.... so I'm told...)

                  Sure, there are benefits. But isn't this why many a5 developers/users were originally drawn to this path/platform instead? (To avoid going the MS way?)
                  (But now it's OK, except of course for Xbasic which reins supreme?)


                  PS: I had the pleasure of experiencing my 3'rd ever "windows-7 blue-screen" today. (It's been almost 3 years, since I installed Windows 7 pro (64bit) on this computer. Hope it isn't "a sign." ~ "Presumably", the NVIDEA video driver was "the culprit."
                  Last edited by SNusa; 03-19-2013, 06:33 PM.
                  Robert T. ~ "I enjoy manipulating data... just not my data."
                  It's all about the "framework." (I suppose an "a5-induced" hard drive crash is now in order?)
                  RELOADED: My current posting activity here merely represents a "Momentary Lapse Of Reason."

                  Comment


                    Re: v12 Release Notes

                    So Ted, mind to share with us how you connected your typewriter to the computer-screen and how that all fits into your library with classic globe? I suppose you are not writing your book on your wrist-attached I-Pad whilst jogging from your office to the tax-office...
                    Much easier. I dictate it to my hard drive when I'm travelling in the car via the voice recognition. Then I send it to my PC via Bluetooth when I get home.
                    Keep up at the back!
                    See our Hybrid Option here;
                    https://hybridapps.example-software.com/


                    Apologies to anyone I haven't managed to upset yet.
                    You are held in a queue and I will get to you soon.

                    Comment


                      Re: v12 Release Notes

                      Much easier. I dictate it to my hard drive when I'm travelling in the car via the voice recognition. Then I send it to my PC via Bluetooth when I get home.
                      Keep up at the back!
                      Ted - you are beginning to scare me! :)
                      Regards,

                      John W.
                      www.CustomReportWriters.net

                      Comment


                        Re: v12 Release Notes

                        I've read most but not all posts on this thread. There are many good points from all sides of the issue. In some cases they've caused me to change my viewpoint but I'd still like to throw in my 2 cents:

                        RE: The desktop is dead:

                        I still believe it will be a loooong time before the desktop goes away - change, yes; go away; no. I see the portable computers (any type) more as "providing additional functionality" rather than as a replacement for all desktop computers.

                        There are just too many places where it makes more sense to have a powerful desktop with a good keyboard and easy to read screen. I do, however, see where even many desktop users would benefit from a more portable solution when not at their desk. Sometimes the more portable solution might be used for "real work" but many times it would be more for displaying the results of the "real work" or collecting information that might be used later when back at the desktop.

                        This makes me think of the time back in the 80's at Ford when we had a networked unix system and shared one computer with 4-5 engineers. I tried to tell my supervisor at Ford that some day every engineer would have his own computer and he said there was no way it would ever happen. So my current prediction - for engineers and most other office employees - is that we will soon have a situation where there will be a "main desktop" (either for every engineer or, maybe, shared by multiple) and every engineer will carry some form of portable computer that is linked to (a) certain data on the main computer for display to, or use at, customer locations and/or (b) all data for use within the company or for working at home. (Actually, I expect they are pretty close to that right now and that's why building apps for portable systems is becoming so important.)

                        RE: The cloud/desktop is more reliable:

                        In my opinion, both can be considered "more reliable"; it just depends on what kind of reliability you are looking at. It seems that something designed for the cloud is often more "reliable" as long as you have access to the cloud. However, my internet access disappears about 3 times a year. Sometimes only for a few hours and sometimes for more than a day. If it's mostly because of a power outage (the most common, but not only, reason), I usually start up my generator after a couple hours and sometimes get internet access again but sometimes not. HOWEVER, every time I start the generator I DO have full access to everything on my computer and can continue my development work. Consequently, I have absolutely no desire to move all my data to the cloud or to totally abandon the desktop.

                        RE: Alpha fixing existing bugs:

                        I'm one of those who would really, really like to see Alpha fix the bugs in the existing desktop code even if they don't add any new features. In fact, I'd prefer they fixed the existing bugs rather than adding new features. However, I've resigned myself to the fact that Hell will freeze over before this will happen. (Sorry, I had to say it that way just so I could point out that Hell - the file opens in Google Earth - actually does freeze over every winter. But I don't think that will help get the old bugs fixed.)

                        But, I haven't found a bug that I want to report to Alpha in many years. That's not because I haven't found any bugs. It's because I got tired of reporting bugs and getting (1) no response (not frequent but it happens), or (2) a response that indicates to me that they haven't really read and/or understood the issue (and trying to explain these further is often not productive), or (3) being told they don't have the time to look at it, or (4) being told that I need to create a smaller example to send them so they don't have to waste time downloading/checking a large app EVEN if I've given them a detailed step-by-step description of how to create the problem in just a few steps. It's worse yet when they complain about how much time it takes them but they don't seem to consider the fact that I (their customer and someone who has some influence over other peoples' purchases) have usually already spent well over an hour and sometimes multiple days on a problem before even submitting a bug. And now it bothers me even more - no, makes me angry - if they tell me to recreate it in a smaller app. The last time I did that it took something like 6 hours to recreate all the factors that related to the problem - and then, although I don't remember the details, they still wouldn't fix it or, as best I can recall, even study it in any detail. (Disclaimer: There was one issue that they did study in detail but were never able to find a solution to. I can't fault them on that one - at least they tried.) So that's the reason it was "the last time" - not because other bugs haven't occurred but because I refuse to waste any more of my time to save their time and get nothing in return. I've discovered it's usually faster to just find a work-around than it is to figure out where the bug is, create a routine or app to demonstrate it, create a description and step-by-step 'how to', and send it in then wait for a (non)solution.

                        I will admit that bugs that are simple, easy to figure out, and are in a new version are usually fixed quickly - often even on a Sunday! But most of those are found, reported, and fixed rather quickly. (I say "most" because there are some that just never seem to get fixed for some reason. For example, I defy anyone to get ui_get_path() to return "C:\" without any subfolder. It is impossible to use the current version of this function to select the root folder of any drive that has any subfolders. If you have a memory stick (or floppy drive if anyone still has one) with even one subfolder in it, you cannot use ui_get_path() to select the root folder of the memory stick. (It worked fine in v5 but was broken in some version after that.)

                        In case you can't tell, yes, this issue with fixing bugs really bugs me. [rant off]

                        RE: Subscription only for v12:

                        This could be the end of Alpha for me. I have too many customers that want a copy of the development version on their system (sometimes just for my use) but have absolutely no need for a copy of the web server or any of the other stuff included in the subscription. Unless the price is really good or I find something really amazing in the new version, any current customer (most of mine are primarily desktop users) that asks me will be told not to update to v12 unless they feel comfortable paying for a lot of things they don't need. (Besides, I have enough money to retire now and, more and more every day, I think about how I'd like more time to pursue things I want to do rather than what my customers want me to do.)

                        Comment


                          Re: v12 Release Notes

                          Uh Uh
                          Cal?

                          I have never heard you speak so stongly. You have held that in a long time. It shows.

                          All Great Points!

                          By the way, I have the retirement done and it took 3 months to get bored out of my mind. I just have to have more stress , so I opened up alpha again.
                          Dave Mason
                          [email protected]
                          Skype is dave.mason46

                          Comment


                            Re: v12 Release Notes

                            Originally posted by CALocklin View Post
                            ....
                            RE: Subscription only for v12:

                            This could be the end of Alpha for me. I have too many customers that want a copy of the development version on their system (sometimes just for my use) but have absolutely no need for a copy of the web server or any of the other stuff included in the subscription.....
                            I have said basically the same thing elsewhere, but at that time I had only one client left, so it was not too much of an issue (except for that one client!). However, now as many as 5 other branches of the same corporate business are interested in using my app on their LANs (for reasons I won't go into, each would have to be set up as an entity separate from all the others, not just different record ID numbers in one set of corporate home office tables). For lots of reasons, I (and they, probably) insist on having a copy of the developer version on their LAN, usually just for my use remotely. Well, I am virtually positive that if they had to have a subscription as it exists now, they would tell me, "Nice, app, but it is optional and we can't (won't) do the subscription thing." Ala carte at some reasonable price they might have to pay once every few years, yes, costly (to them!) annual subscription, no. Call them cheap, dumb, short-sighted, whatever...they won't do it, and I wouldn't blame them.

                            Raymond Lyons

                            Comment


                              Re: v12 Release Notes

                              A few points to help answer questions

                              1) V11 will remain on the market after v12 ships

                              2) V12 is NOT just about mobile - the Desktop web and mobile is the focus -- check out this blog article we wrote in January to see why

                              3) Desktop users will benefit by v12 because of improvements in xbasic, reporting, richer/more powerful components that can be embedded on a windows desktop
                              (http://alphasoftware.net/using-web-c...n-development/)

                              4) The desktop runtime will continue to be offered in v12 and if for some reason you dont renew your subscription your customers will still be able to run your windows desktop apps even if you have not renewed

                              5) Browser based desktop apps built in Alpha Five are now very powerful and very fast - ask Chad Brown - who is the IT director of a 13 retail store Bell Canada franchise.
                              He has a desktop app built in a browser that is super fast and very powerful
                              Richard Rabins
                              Co Chairman
                              Alpha Software

                              Comment


                                Re: v12 Release Notes

                                Thank you Richard, but(I hate but's) it sure took a lot to open you up. Now if you can please go back to work and get this danged subscription thing fixed.


                                I hope the report writer will go past 18.75 inches on dot matrix printer that is properly set up.
                                Dave Mason
                                [email protected]
                                Skype is dave.mason46

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X