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V5

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    V5

    Will a runtime verssion of v5 be available with the release of v5 or at a later date?

    #2
    RE: V5

    Making a runtime release is a fairly simple process (just throwing a few switches), so we could make one available quickly after version 5.0 ships (the installation procedure is the only thing that needs to be redone).

    However, there is a feature we use in addins in version 5.0 that allows precompiled xbasic scripts, UDF's and bitmaps, which load instantly. We may want to use this same process for the runtime release to make folks runtime apps load instantly as well - If we decide that this is a valuable feature for the runtime release, this will take more time (and testing).

    Comment


      #3
      RE: V5

      Cian,

      Let me assure you that this would be a "valuable feature" for the runtime. By all means go for it!

      Peter
      Peter
      AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

      [email protected]
      https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


      Comment


        #4
        RE: V5

        One advantage to precompiled scripts in a runtime application would be that the precompiled scripts are guarenteed to be 'read-only' since there is no mechinism to edit a precompiled library.

        A potential downside (for the end user) is that they cannot mix and match different alpha five runtimes with a library that was precompiled for a specific runtime - when a new patch to the runtime is made, the precompiled library will
        need to be rebuilt - I don't see this as a big issue since the developer of the app should be tasked with this.

        I would agree that faster loading of runtime programs would make the runtime more attractive. We are also looking at potentially writing different shells for alpha five (i.e. for folks that don't want a MDI interface). John Keklak has already written a middleware shell (for the client server edition) - that still needs work, but has shown that alpha fives component parts are capable of being separated.

        Ideally we would have:

        1) a console mode interface - command line xbasic,
        which would enable xbasic CGI-scripts & batch
        processes.

        2) Single document interface.

        3) Multiple document interface (like we have now).

        Implementing these for the runtime would be easier than implementing these for the full product because in the case of the runtime, we don't have to deal with the 'editors' - script/layout/etc - and we don't need to implement the control panel (especially since most runtime apps do thier
        best to eliminate the control panel entirely).

        Comment


          #5
          RE: V5

          Hello Cian,

          It's great to see you here on the board. What you posted is of great interest of course. Your post has gotten me excited! xbasic cgi scripts.........!!! console mode ..........!! When can I send the money?!!!
          realistically, when could we hope to see some of these things?? Can we help? :-)

          Jim

          Comment


            #6
            RE: V5

            What is...

            ...console mode interface?

            ...single document interface?

            ...multiple document interface?

            Thank you,
            Mike
            Thank you,
            Mike Konoff

            Comment


              #7
              RE: V5

              I couldn't begin to explain the technical distinctions, but to a layman console mode is sort of like a 'terminal'. When you start a DOS session you are using the console mode of Windows. The screen displays text but won't display graphics.

              It's my understanding a single document interface presents a single 'session' to the user, who must navigate through the forms in a series or order dictated by the programmer. Multiple instances of an application, or of a form, would not generally be permitted. To move to a new form, the previous form must be closed.

              A multiple document interface removes these limits. Multiple copies of forms may be opened simultaneously. The user can switch between them in any order, without having to close any along the way.

              -- tom

              Comment


                #8
                RE: V5

                Thanks Tom.
                Thank you,
                Mike Konoff

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: V5

                  Tom - I love your "layman" approach to the explanation - and in that same level - what would an example of a cgi script be?
                  Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
                  972 524 8714
                  [email protected]

                  ____________________
                  "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: V5

                    Hi Martin,

                    cgi stands for 'common gateway interface'. cgi scripts are what run much of the internet's dynamic content. a web server calls a cgi script and information is passed back and forth. What is exciting about this (I can't believe this hasn't generated more interest here, unless every one but me know's about it) is that cian, alpha software developer, seems to be hinting that they may give us the ability to write cgi stripts with xbasic, meaning that we could dynamically tie our A5 database's to a web server using xbasic. This is a big deal to me. Of course this can be done right now using foxpro 2.6 odbc drivers and any number of programming environments, but what we really know and use is xbasic, not C++. If they give us this ability within xbasic, we would be able to use our knowledge of xbasic and access our database 'natively' rather than through odbc. At least that how I'm understanding his comments. I think this would be a huge advantage for us and would open up a much larger market for A5. Filemaker Pro basically has this capability built in also, but I'm not sure if it's implemented via cgi scripts. Seems like I've read that filemaker pro's web services are rather slow.

                    Anyway, IMHO, fire up this could be a big deal.

                    Jim

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: V5

                      well, although i currently don't need web capability, my new and big customer, for whom i have recently undertaken a major upgrade, is a very aggressive and progressive client. they are growing rapidly, and in a year or two will most likely take on a more national flavor. they have already asked me about touch screens, as a future upgrade. and they have asked me if we could enter into an agreement where they would aggressively market the program themselves at conventions. i replied, "Oh ....... i guess that would be okay."

                      they tried with three different "access" programmers - and all three failed miserably. (hurray for alpha). considering my app is 13 years old and i have maybe 13,000 hours in it, i am way ahead of someone starting from scratch.

                      when they saw my alpha program in action at three different dealer locations, they immediately said - let's do it - and i replied,"Oh............okay."

                      anyway, i am excited. i've been looking for them for several years!!!
                      Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
                      972 524 8714
                      [email protected]

                      ____________________
                      "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

                      Comment

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