Sorry but just one screen shot in this post , as I've been quite busy today setting up VMware and Vista x64 on my main machine.
The screen shot shows how I like to layout the IDE when working in AppGen from within the Window Designer, of course
you can change the layout to anything that suits you.
In general I still prefer XP sp3 over Vista, but being able to use a couple extra gig of RAM is obviously a pretty tempting proposition.
Note, there was a problem being able to compile under Vista x64 when the option to "Run Build as a separate process.." was turned On,
which is now fixed and will be available in the next release.
I'll get right to the point, in a meeting with the development staff today we concluded that it looks very likely that in 3-4 weeks we'll be ready to release
a build with the Application Generator to 3rd party developers so that they can test their products, this as a last step before making the Application Generator
available to all Clarion 7 users.
We do have quite a few developers out on vacation, or getting ready to leave for vacation this month, so it could slip a bit, but even so, we don't think
it would be more then about a week later.
All of us want to thank you for your good grace and patience, as we wrap up this Major release!
The latest update for Clarion 6.3 was released to 3rd party developers today. There are many fixes and improvements in this release.
We released 9059 to 3rd-party vendors so that any required updates to add-on products can be readied in preparation for the upcoming general release.
You can view the list of the changes here
Tomorrow I'll post a blog about the Application Generator and in general the readiness of the version 7 products. We also have some
really cool new functionality coming for Clarion#, which I'll post about later this week.
We've been working hard finishing up a few items in the Dictionary Editor, as well as adding a few new features. I wanted to mention them to you here so they are not missed or overlooked. Most of the stuff I am mentioning here is also in the QuickStart Guides and online help.
1. In the DCT Explorer, there is a new context menu option for files: "Generate Conversion Program". If you have both Clarion for Windows and Clarion.NET installed in the same IDE, this turns into a menu with 2 submenus "using Clarion for Windows" and "using Clarion#". This menu item will not appear for SQL tables as data conversion is handled by the server and the generated program is not appropriate to run against an SQL database.
The table that you right click on is the target conversion table. After selecting a conversion program and location, the subsequent file that you select is the source table that will be converted.
2. There is a new option located in Tools/Options/Clarion/Dictionary Editor Options/General tab: "Load Conversion Project". After a conversion program is generated you can optionally load the project. You can set this to always load the project, never load the project or ask each time a conversion program is generated. The default is to ask you what you want to do.
3. If you have both Clarion.NET and Clarion for Windows in the same IDE, the "Copy Details" context menu for files and fields now turns into a menu with 2 submenus "using Clarion for Windows" and "using Clarion#".
4. You can now add multiple users to the dictionary. Users have either read-only or read/write access. If a user has read-only access, they cannot see what other users have access to the dictionary. Users cannot be deleted if they have touched anything in a dictionary. If you attempt to delete a user who has touched the dictionary, you will get a list of all items they have touched. See the online help "Users Pad" topic for more details.
5. You can now edit the properties of the dictionary (tool bar button in the DCT Explorer with the binoculars). At present you can add comments and options for the dictionary. You will soon be able to also increment the dictionary version. I will post another blog with details of how this works when it is released.
6. You will notice little things around the Dictionary Editor that will just make your life easier. We have added buttons to several of the dialogs (like the Derived Columns and Users list), and are working to make the IDE more intuitive with the proper disabling of Select buttons when there is nothing active to select.
Thanks for reading! Until next time!
There’s a link to a short (~10 minute) video below, but let me provide an updated status report and sum up what you’ll see if you follow the link.
Our current focus regarding Application Generator testing is on .App conversions.
Our goals for App conversion are simple:
1) Upgrading an App to version 7 should be as simple as opening your old App – that’s it
2) The conversion should include updating your Dictionary to the new version 7 format
3) Conversion should be perfect --- in other words, what you had before is identical to what you have after conversion
Right now we're working through .App conversion bugs, and trying to ensure we meet the goals stated above. When our conversion test suite success rate is 100% we will make an initial release to registered 3rd party developers, so that they can ensure their products are ready for you. And as soon as they sign off we’ll make a release available to all Clarion 7 developers.
The video in the link below shows a quick look at App conversion process, and some of the new features Clarion 7 brings to you (as well as a preview of the Generator UI). You’ll see there are some bumps and wrinkles, but we hope it gives you a good idea of what’s coming, and of course we hope that you like what you see.
Application Generator Preview
Enjoy!
Hi everybody!
Aussie DevCon 2008 is only 14 days away! This will be my first visit to the Land Down Under, and I am excited to get away from my desk for a few days and get a chance to meet the new, and reunite with the seasoned alumni of Clarion Developers. I am confident that you will like what we have planned for you.
To kick the conference off we have put together a great training session that will be invaluable to both Clarion 7 and Clarion.NET users. It will start 4 days before the actual conference, and we're calling it "Application Development Techniques with Clarion 7 and Clarion.NET"
We have a 300+ page training manual covering some great material, and all of it on Clarion 7 and Clarion.NET. We'll be working with the new Application Generator and putting it through its paces!
Here is a list of some of the topics that we will be presenting:
From C6 to C7 - Transitioning to the new IDE
APP and DCT Migration to C7
Productivity Features: C7 Dictionary Editor/Application Generator, The new C7 Designers
C7 Expertise: Browse, Forms and Reports
Using the UI features of C7 - Visual Styles/Vista Manifest/Unicode
SQL Application Support - Best Practices
Win32 Deployment, Project Options, multi-DLL applications, Best Practices
We're covering each of the Clarion# target platforms (Winform, Webform, Mobile, Webservices) with sessions like:
Building a Real-World Applications for Winform, Webform, Mobile, and Web Services, amd making them all work together!
Clarion.Net - the Language enhancements - Events, Properties, Delegates and Generics.
.Net Data Access from A to Z in Clarion# Data Binding - FILE, QUEUE and DataSets using SQL
A Crash Course on SQLite - a backend for all supported platforms
Reports in Clarion.Net, porting from Clarion Win32.
Anyway, it's time for me to get back to work, but I hope to see you in a few days at the Aussie DevCon.
Today we pushed out a new beta release, and this one has a lot you can't easily see, plus some new features that you can see.
What you can't see is the new IDE parser. The parser is responsible for everything related to code completion (tooltips, dot code completion, method insight, etc.),
plus input for the Class Browser, Quick Class Browser, and parsing input for Report/Window designers and Forms Designers for Clarion#, all refactoring, bookmarks, and I'm still
probably missing a few more... in short its a key core component.
Here's an idea of the features provided by the new parser:
- Better overall speed and less memory consumption; this affects background parsing, opening of any of the Designers and the Controls tab in Dictionary Editor
- Vastly improved code completion, including the following new features:
- support for Generics
- code completion for delegates (for generated Invoke, BeginInvoke and EndInvoke methods)
- support for aliases declared in a Using directive
- resolving of equates. (Equates are now also included to the Ctrl+Space completion list)
- support of names defined with a PRE attribute, and code completion after the ':' to show accessible members
- special code completion while writing member (i.e. not global) procedure definition. It shows all procedures with missing definitions.
- Alt+RightArrow word completion contains the data from Ctrl+Space completion list plus all reserved language keywords
In addition to that;
- Class Browser now shows all data; including local variables, local classes, Routines and local Procedures
- Class Browser has been reorganized for Clarion 7 projects. All objects are now grouped by the file name they are located within.
- 'Show in Class Browser' command now works for all user defined objects
- Quick Class Browser shows nested and local classes
- Ctrl+Enter in the editor takes you directly to the declaration of the class object under the cursor
- Ctrl+Shift+Enter in the editor to go directly to the definition of the method under the cursor
- resolving and code completion for .Net attributes is implemented
- new support for documentation comments to allow them to be shown in tooltips
- inclusion of all Code Snippets to the Ctrl+Space code completion list (+option to enable/disable this feature)
- resolving and code completion for Implicit variables
- Show in Class Browser command for objects from their references (Clarion# only)
- support for variables defined with LIKE
- tooltips for the generic parameters after the '<' (Clarion# only)
Even with all that, the performance improvements and the reduction in memory usage are tremendous.
Outside of all that we introduced some very nice refinements in the Dictionary Editor, these are usability features based on your feedback, and we also
added the new 'Reports View' drill-down into the Dictionary metadata module to the Data Diagrammer (I posted a blog on this here)
And of course we squashed a large number of bugs.
Overall this release (build 3276) is a big one. The development team worked very hard to get these features implemented and we all hope you enjoy it!
The Data Dictionary holds a wealth of metadata, and its this metadata combined with the Templates that drives the code generation for most Clarion applications. The Data Dictionary is the starting point for development and it stores the Database Schema; your core Business Logic including constraints and validation rules, default User Interface controls, and a host of other information. Getting a good overview of the complex relationships between tables can be a daunting task in any Dictionary and especially in large Dictionaries -- that's why we developed the Data Diagrammer. The Diagrammer provides a very nice graphical representation of the entities defined in your Dictionary. But drilling down into the finer details can still be time consuming, and yet it can be critical to the development and maintenance of your application. Enter the new 'Reports View' module.
The new Reports View module provides an instant "drill-down view" of some of the most interesting details of your Dictionary metabase. There are views for Fields, Keys, Tables, Relations and Triggers. Each of the different views provide for multi-column sorting, so that you can sort to any order desired to quickly identify characteristics of your Dictionary.
Here are some images of the new views, they should give you a good idea on what you'll be able to do. We are looking for input from the community on anything else you'd like to see added. After you've had time to provide further requirements we'll refine the new views and then add the functionality for printed Reports.
This is a quick note on the development status of the Application Generator (AppGen). The Application Generator is now well along in the internal test cycle. Converting an existing .App into C7 is as easy as pointing to an existing C6 app and choosing to open it. In the conversion process both the .App and its associated .DCT are converted to the new C7 formats -- while creating a backup of the old files. At this point a good percentage of App files convert as smoothly as clicking Open File, and have you up and running in Clarion 7 in under a minute (as it should be). But at present some converted .App files have problems for the reasons that I mention below, and that's why we haven't yet released the Application Generator into the beta program. But be assured that the Application Generator is steadily edging closer to public release status.
Conversion of the metadata within an APP file into the new format used in version 7 has a medium-level of complexity, partially because there are dependent conversions of Dictionary data, local data and Windows/Reports, and as of today conversions of .APP files still present a few bugs. We have a team focused on debugging code generation problems, and tracking down the root cause of code generation related errors. The teams' assignment is to isolate the problems and determine if the issues are;
- problem in the template and code generation engine
- problem caused by an incorrect App conversion
- problem with incorrect information in the converted DCT (such as incorrect column or key attributes and so on)
- or some combination of the above
Integrated support for the specialized behaviors required from the Window and Report designers for Appgen are also in test phase, as well as the Embed editor mode of the Source Editor. There are other supporting components (for AppGen) being integrated at the same time and the process of integration and bug fixing are progressing.
And what's happening outside of of AppGen? We are close to completing specialized components like the File Schema pad, and its integration into the Designers. You may be wondering what this File Schema pad is? In Clarion 6, when you open the Procedure Properties dialog and press the 'Tables' button a new dialog was presented with a title caption of 'Table Schematic Definition', that dialog is now transformed into the new 'File Schema' pad. Other components like the Dictionary Synchronizer and the Dictionary Editor are essentially code complete, and we are just working down the list of open bugs. Other areas in the IDE are either code complete and essentially debugged, or cannot be fully tested until either the Dictionary related issues are wrapped up, or until the final pieces of AppGen are completely integrated. I won't put a date on when we'll release AppGen into the Beta cycle, other then to say that it will be as soon as we think its reached the level of stability and reliability that we (and you) expect.
Clarion now has an official technology evangelist; Stu Andrews. Many of you are familiar with Stu's blog site at www.pimpmyclarion.com. He'll be helping to spread the word about Clarion to the development community and providing contact and communication back to the Clarion community. Stu will be promoting the use of Clarion through articles, blogging, user demonstrations, and anything else he comes up with.
Stu has an inside pipeline to us along with access to the latest and greatest, and his role is to let people know how our software can make their jobs easier, and to help convince potential new developers to change from older methods to better ones.
Thanks Stu!
2007 has been a big year for Clarion! We released Beta versions of Clarion 7 and Clarion.Net, and the new Clarion# By Example course, as well as maintaining and keeping Clarion 6 up-to-date. We are steadily moving toward the release of the new Application Generator, which we know is what you really want to get your hands on.
Will we take a breather in 2008? No way! There's more good stuff coming...keep an eye on the blog site and your inbox.
Thanks again for buying and recommending Clarion products, for helping to make them better, and for all your support!
We wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
The latest release of Clarion 6.3 is now shipping.
You can view the list of changes here
We released 9058 to Third-party vendors on 12/10 so any required updates to your add-ons should be ready. If you haven't already received the email with download instructions please check your spam filter or contact sales.
This message is to just let you know that we have a lot of updates staged for release next week. Clarion 6.3 9058 will be released to 3rd party vendors. Clarion 7 and Clarion.Net beta refreshes will go out, with lots of great new features and fixes. We also have updates and new lessons for the Clarion# by Example Course. We are excited at what we see and we hope that you will too. Thanks again for your patience.
We had many calls and emails asking us to extend the Charter Subscription promotion on Clarion.Net. And we realize that with the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, and many people traveling that the cutoff date was presenting a problem for many. Add to that the fact that we are closing down today, and won't resume full operations until Monday the 26th. So we've decided to extend the Clarion.Net Charter Subscription promotion until December 15th.
There's a lot of buzz about Clarion.Net, as the
developers who already have it start to see just what they can accomplish now. So now you have a little extra time to join them and take advantage of this special offer.
For those here in the U.S., have a great Thanksgiving holiday!
On behalf of the entire SoftVelocity staff, it is my privilege to wish all of you a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday weekend from our families to yours. We have a lot to be thankful for this year. At the top of the list is our family and health, but also up there to be thankful for is the faithful and dedicated customers like all of you. We are also very happy about the release of the Clarion.NET Charter Subscription program, and everyone in the office here is working hard to support you. We have a lot of good things coming up next week. In the mean time, we hope that all of you have a safe and happy holiday weekend.
Clarion developers have been patiently, and some not so patiently, awaiting the Clarion.Net release. We have received so many requests for early access that we have put together a special Clarion.Net Charter Subscription, available just for early adopters.
But the Charter Subscription program we've put together is a lot more then just delivering early access to Clarion.Net. This subscription is a complete package of training, mentoring, and support. Our commitment is to provide the tools, hands-on training, and expert support to take a core group of developers and turn them into Clarion.Net experts.
Those who join the program now will receive the Beta release of Clarion.Net (the exact same version that we use to develop the new Clarion IDE). And with it you'll immediately be producing .Net programs using your favorite language. But just delivering early access to the software is not what this program is about.
We want to see you succeed with developing for .NET, and succeed quickly. And we have a plan to make that a reality. With the early adopters Charter Subscription you'll get two vital components for success; thorough .Net training, and twelve months support from experts in Clarion.Net.
Our new Clarion# by Example training course is an in-depth, hands-on training solution which teaches you everything that you must know to succeed with developing for .NET. The course will show you how to take advantage of the new extensions to the Clarion# language, how to develop applications for the Desktop using WinForms, applications for the Web using ASP.Net, and applications for Mobile Devices using Compact Forms. The course goes deep inside the .Net Framework teaching you the techniques to unleash the power of the Framework library.
The training course is comprised of a combination of videos and tightly focused, highly-commented example apps, accompanied by documentation that pinpoints the essential knowledge you need. The movie content is presented by our developers and educators, and each movie will explain in detail the corresponding example application. Each application teaches you essential knowledge for understanding and succeeding with Clarion.Net and the .Net Framework.
On Monday you'll be able to go to the updated web site and see all the topics packed into this course, and you'll see just how valuable this course is for your success with .NET. Charter subscribers will receive it for free. We made the training course part of this Charter subscription because our goal is to see you succeed. And this course will deliver just what you need to do that.
But the course by itself, as comprehensive as it is, isn't enough for what we have in mind. We can't be sure that you're getting the knowledge you need, if we're not there to support you. So we've created something unique so that we can be right there with you. As part of the early adopters program you'll also receive exclusive access to our new .NET Mentor Community Forums.
These new support forums are staffed by our .NET developers and support staff. There are three dedicated discussion forums, one each for the 3 platforms supported by Clarion.Net; WinForms, Web Forms, and Compact Forms. The .NET Mentor Community Forums are a place where you can ask any question about .NET; from further explanation of a course topic, clarification on advanced .NET concepts, to requests for code snippets, and general How-To's, and you'll get an answer from a member of our .NET team.
In other words, you'll be able to tap into the minds of experienced .NET developers who use the same language and development tool as you do.
Developers who join the Charter Subscription will get these advantages:
- Extended Subscription
Your subscription is automatically restarted when Clarion.Net goes Gold. That means you can join the program now, and reap all the benefits of Early Adoption, and when Clarion.Net Gold is released we'll restart your subscription, and you'll receive an additional 12 months of updates.
- The "Clarion# By Example" training course
- The .Net Mentor Community Groups
- And most importantly you'll get early access to Clarion.Net
Everyone of our developers, educators and support staff will work hard to make sure that
you become a successful .NET developer. We are all dedicated to your success, and we'll be doing this together.
So for those who want to get a headstart on developing in Clarion.NET, and who want to leverage their Clarion experience and learn how take full advantage of .NET, and have the benefit of free in-depth training and support, along with the ability to tap into the minds of experienced Clarion.Net developers, then this is the program for you. We are committed to building a core group of Clarion developers into Clarion.Net experts.
The initial Clarion.Net Beta release will ship with a .NET Template Wizard designed to teach you essential .Net concepts, and it generates a complete and fully-featured Browse-Form-Report Application, using either the .Net DataGridView, or our new Clarion.Net List control (or both so you can compare the functionality). Initially you'll be using the Application Generator in Clarion6 to generate that code. The first release won't ship with a Template for Web or Compact Forms, those will be released later. But don't be put off by that, if you ever intend to step into the .NET world, then this program is the best thing you could find to immediately get up-to-speed and start developing in .NET.
On Monday the website will be updated and the emails will go out, and this Charter subscription program will be available for two weeks.
SoftVelocity Inc.