Heard it through the Bit-vine - Notes and News about the products you use

by Tom Hebenstreit, Review Editor

Published 1997-12-01    Printer-friendly version

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Got them C4 beta blues

My, what an impatient bunch we Clarion developers are. I'm still seeing messages insisting that third party vendors should be providing betas or upgrades of their own products for each new C4 beta. And we're not just talking compatibility with the 2.00x chain, they want everything to be ABC.

Well, I'll let you in on a little secret, kids - it just AIN'T gonna happen! Beta 3 was released late last month, then a patch to that (3a) and already now you see Beta 4 appearing before your eyes. And guess what... embed handling has changed radically again from B3 to B4 (same as from B2 to B3). Since embeds are the lifeblood of most templates, I, for one, now don't expect to see C4 ABC support in any real way until vendors have some assurance that they aren't wasting their time trying to hit a moving target. At this rate, we're talking final release before they can get started.

In fact, C4 seems to be not just a moving target but a streaking one -- to the point that, according to the B4 readme: "If you have created Beta 2 or Beta 3 applications, you will need to process them through the Application Converter.". Yeow!

*Download Warning*
B4 is large - the four files total over 8 megs. If you just want to check out what's happening, there is an 6k text file called 'readme.c4b' which you can download.

*Patch Warning*
If you have applied the B3a patch, the B4 patch will not complete successfully (two files are not patched). I had to uninstall C4, re-install B2 from disk, patch that to B3 and then patch that version to B4 in order to get an update that didn't complain.

Zapping the Zip

I've been getting annoyed lately at products which use nothing but a standard ZIP file for their installation program. There are just too many ways to screw up an install, such as installing to the wrong directory, not unzipping all files, not telling the Zip extractor to use folder/directory path names and numerous other pitfalls for the unwary.

What brings this up is that I have been working lately with a really nifty new tool -- the Lindersoft LSP SFX-Builder. This is a two part product, with one half being an interactive compression shell/utility similar to WinZip, and the other being a wizard which can create professional looking self-extracting installations with amazingly small overhead.

The basic process is that you add whatever files you need to a compressed archive using the interactive LSP Shell. Once you have them there, you just start up the SFX-Builder wizard and let it walk you through the process of creating the installation program. Options include displaying text, titles and copyrights, defaulting installation locations, creating program groups and even adding an uninstall option. The resulting file is compact, fast and uses the same graduated blue background as the big boys. I was most impressed, and the program only cost $49! More information can be had at www.lindersoftware.com.

Ok, vendors -- no more excuses for using only Zip files! Get SFX-Builder, support one of our own and make yourself look good in the process.

Look for more comprehensive review of the LSP SFX-Builder in an upcoming issue.

Other news

Here are some tidbits and announcements gleaned from the TopSpeed forum and elsewhere over the last couple of weeks. If you see any products here which you would like to see scheduled for a full review in Clarion Online, let us know!

• In case you've been hiding under a rock, Clarion Internet Connect has been officially released.
• TopSpeed seems to have snuck a driver for Pervasive Software's Scalable SQL into the latest beta's of C4. Register the file C4SCA.DLL if it isn't on your list of database drivers yet.
• Stealth software has a free beta available for registered users of their CW 2.x Mail and Fax Templates. They also announced that the C4 version was going to be a paid upgrade. Contact joe@topspeed.co.za for more details.
• The Moseley Group has a fix for possible DET problems with ALIAS files (DET 2.008). If you are having problems with ALIAS files, give them a holler.
• Jeff Slarve of J & S Software has released Version 1.0 of his "Free Functions". Three functions are included in the initial release (credit card number validation, day of the week from a date and Arabic to Roman numeral conversion. Check their web site at http://www.jssoftware.com in the "PRODUCTS" --> "CLARION" --> "FREE STUFF" section. Approx 38k. The install program was created with the Lindersoft LSP_SFX utility that was mentioned above (nice move, Jeff!).
• Lee White of Lodestar Software has finally announced the 'gold' release of his long-awaited Automated Fax Engine (AFE) software is now available. Lee also announced a free bug fix update for his Report Presentation Manager product (moves it from 2000a to 2000b). Details at either www.cwaddons.com or www.lodestarsoftware.com (the two sites are linked).
• Dave Harms has updated his 'Unofficial OOP Page' again. Be sure to tune in for the latest installment at http://www.incunabula.com/cwoop/index.htm.
• Sterling Data announced the release of IMPEX 2.7. These are templates whichtemplates automate importing and exporting data from your applications. Details at www.sterlingdata.com.
  * Watch for a full review of IMPEX soon here on Clarion Online.
• Bruce at CapeSoft reports that they think they have solved the problems with EzHelp and 32-bit applications. Contact him at bruce@capesoft.com for details and updated DLL's.
• Dan Conklin of Christech Research posted an announcement regarding the future of PowerBrowse at www.toolcraft.com. They are taking over development of PowerBrowse - if you use it, you owe it to yourself to make yourself and your needs known to them.

This month's jewel is:

Vince Sorensen's Win API Toolkit

This is a whole collection of gems which provide a lot of functionality that would otherwise require getting down and dirty with the sub-classing windows and the ever popular Windows API. What's included? Here's the list from the readme file:

• A template for CW 2.0 (and 1.5) that will allow your 16- and 32-bit applications to politely close down when Windows closes down, instead of the default CW action of canceling the Windows shut down.
• Use the Win 95 / NT 4.0 icon tray (32-bit).
• Gives access to all windows messages (events).
• Enumerate active windows (32-bit).
• Translate long file names to short, and vice versa.
• Use the standard Windows common file dialog (multiple file selection)
• Run an application as an NT Service (32-bit, NT).
• Use the Windows 95/NT registry.
• Get the Windows 95/NT network user name
• Save control formats (mainly list boxes)
• Add a simple print button that calls procedures based on browse tab
• Set report font at runtime (with user selection).
• Set date format for all date fields at runtime.
• Move sequenced items up/down on a browse.
• "Better" customizing of pop-ups for list boxes

Some of these are a bit esoteric, but believe me, when you need them, you need them bad. Others simply make your applications behave better. I routinely use a number of them and they have always worked out aces for me. All in all, a very nifty collection.

A big round of applause for Vince, please!

About the Bit-vine

Each month, this column will provide you with the latest in Clarion news, tips, rumors, freebies and basically anything else that seems interesting about the going's on in the Clarion world.

So, who determines what's most interesting? YOU DO!!

Are you a vendor? Let me know about new releases, updates, betas, product plans or anything else you think Clarion Online readers might want to know about.

Are you a user (and who isn't)? Drop me a line about any cool nuggets of information you come across, free templates or examples worth sharing, or anything else that other readers might find useful.

What do you get for contributing? Well, you'll see your name up in lights (phosphor, to be accurate) here in the Bit-vine credits. For especially useful bits, you may even win an autographed GIF of an official Clarion Online shirt or other similarly valuable prize. Come on, how can you resist?

Let me hear from you! The magic address is TomH@ClarionOnline.com

The disclaimer

Everything in this column is the sole opinion of me, the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of this magazine, its publisher, or even of myself (hey, I can change my mind, too!). Don't bet the farm on anything you read here: consider it a starting point for your own inquiries and research. The point here is that this column is intended to both enlighten and entertain, and that in the fast-moving world of software development this month's truth (or product release date) is often next month's "oops, did I say that...?".

'Nuff said!

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Clarion Magazine ISSN 1718-9942