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

by Tom Hebenstreit, Review Editor

Published 1998-03-01    Printer-friendly version

Download the code here

It's been another busy month in Clarionland, so let's get right to it.

Doing the DET/C4 thing

A couple of patches for the Moseley Group's Dictionary Enhancement Templates have been posted lately by and for various users who want to use DET with C4. I have applied them myself to my own copy of DET and they seem to work fine so I'd thought I share them with the rest of you. Note that DET works only with the C4 Clarion template chain. If you use ABC, you will need to wait for their upcoming Dictionary Enhancement Foundation (DEF) product.

Before we start, though, let me make it absolutely clear that these changes have NOT been approved by the Moseley Group, and that you make them at your own risk. As usual, before making any changes to a template set - BACK THEM UP! That way you can always restore the originals if something goes wrong.

Step 1 - Copy the entire DET folder from your CW20 directory to your Clarion4 directory so that you have a DET folder there. You don't want to disturb your existing templates, so we will work with a new copy in the Clarion4 directories.

Step 2 - Start up C4, cancel the 'Pick' dialog, and go to 'Setup->Edit Redirection File'. Look for the line that starts with " *.tp?=%ROOT%\template" (it's near the bottom).
Change it so it reads " *.tp?=%ROOT%\template; %ROOT%\DET
Don't forget the semicolon between the original text and your new bit. Close the file and answer yes to the 'save changes' prompt. This lets C4 know where to find the new \Clarion4\DET templates folder.

Step 3 - Go to 'File->Open', then drop down the 'Files of type' list and choose 'All files (*.*)'. Now navigate your way to your new \Clarion4\DET folder and select the file named 'DETCORE.TPL'. This will load the file into the C4 editor.

Step 4 - Search for the line following line:

#SET(%CWTemplateVersion,'v' & (%CWVersion / 1000))

Change it to this:

#SET(%CWTemplateVersion,'v2.003')

This let's C4 recognize DET as working with the C4 Clarion template chain. Thanks to Mike Hanson for this tip.

Step 5 - Next, do another search for the following line:

#DECLARE(%GlobalRegenerate) #! Flag that controls generation

It will be under a big comment titled " Main Source Code Generation Loop." Once you find it, add the following lines directly underneath it.

#IF (%EditProcedure)
#CREATE(%EditFilename)
#FIND(%ModuleProcedure,%EditProcedure)
#FIX(%Procedure,%ModuleProcedure)
#MESSAGE('Generating Module: ' & %Module,1)
#MESSAGE('Generating Procedure: ' & %Procedure,2)
#GENERATE(%Procedure)
#CLOSE
#ABORT
#ENDIF

This change will let you use the C4 Embeditor with DET. Thanks to Jonathan Flietstra for coming up with this one.

Step 6 - Close the file and save your changes.

Step 7 - Register the templates with C4 (remember, they are in your \Clarion4\DET folder, not the default \Clarion4\Templates directory). The file to register is DETCORE.TPL.

That's it! Follow the usual instructions in the DET documentation to use the templates.

Tornado ISAPI OCX Update

As part of a recent series of articles on Clarion and the Internet, I discussed using an OCX called Tornado to mediate between Clarion web applications and an ISAPI aware server such as Microsoft IIS or PWS, Web Site Pro, or others. It got my enthusiastic endorsement - indeed, I have been using it steadily with great success for over a year now.

Unfortunately, within a few weeks of publication the web site that contained the downloadable Tornado demo, files and information went off to that great big bit-bucket in the sky, leaving me to handle numerous requests for help from interested Clarion Online readers. Well, after a bit of research, here is a classic bad news/good news update on the status of Tornado that I got from the author.

First the bad news: He said he has no further plans to develop the product. Existing registered users like me who paid for the product will continue to get support, but that's it.

Now the good news: First off, the product works great as is. Second, he is now giving a free license to anyone who wants to use Tornado. Yes, that means your only cost it the time it takes you to download the file and learn how to use it. What about support? Well, from my experience the product works great once it is up and running, and I am willing to share my experience (within reason) with any adventurous souls who would like to try it out. So, if you are interested in pursuing the use of Tornado, you can do the following:

- Point your browser at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/gids
When asked to save the file, save it as Tornado5.zip on your local disk. Note that this is not a web page; it is a pointer to the file itself. Your browser may try and save it as 'gids.html', so be sure to check the name before proceeding with the download. Extract the files in the Zip to a temp directory, then run the SETUP.EXE from there. The installation package includes documentation as well as the OCX and its supporting files. The OCX is automatically registered by the install program.

- Drop me a line here at Clarion Online (TomH@ClarionOnline.com) and I'll send you a license to activate the OCX.

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 that you would like to see scheduled for a full review in Clarion Online, let us know!

• Brian Staff of DataMatrix announced the availability of Xplore Template set for C4. This is a great tool. (Look for a full review in an upcoming issue of Clarion Online.) A new demo should be available soon. For more info contact Brian at: BrianStaff@CompuServe.com.
• ProDomus has released a couple minor updates of the PD Drops and PD Lookups templates during the last month. Get the latest versions at http://www.tiac.net/users/prodomus/.
• Software By Ragazzi announced that their entire line of products is available for C4. Upgrade cost is... zip, zero, zilch! More info, etc. at http://www.Software-By-Ragazzi.com
• Berthume Software announced an upgrade to their PCL Tools electronic forms processing product. It now works with C4 (ABC and Clarion template chains) as well as CW 2.003 (or earlier). It is a paid upgrade and does include new features. For more info on PCL Tools, upgrading and their other products, go to http://members.aol.com/GBerthume/download.htm.
• Steve Olensky announced a new product called Windows Document Imaging (WDI). It is a Clarion For Windows DLL that is designed to allow Clarion Developers to easily add imaging to any application. WDI uses any twain scanner to input documents, and displays multi-page scanned documents complete with thumbnails. Introductory price is $49. For more information and a free trial version visit their web site at: http://www.olis.com/cw/wdi
• Kenny Gardner of GAP Communications let it be known that they will no longer be providing support for CW 1 and 1.5 for their CLACom communications package. Amazing that they still were... To check out CLACom, see www.gapdev.com.
• Lee White of Lodestar Software announced a C4 (Clarion Templates) version of his Automated Fax Engine (AFE) product. This is a free upgrade for current users. An ABC version is in the works. More info is available at http://www.CWaddons.com
• Jeff Slarve of J&S Software announced an open beta of 'In Back', a new product for doing incremental backups. Visit http://www.jssoftware.com and follow the "In Back" signs for more info.
• Tinman Development Corp. announced that they will be taking over all further development of the venerable Programmers Toolkit from the original author, Don Childers. They will be merging the Toolkit's functions, templates, etc. into their own DAS_TOOLS product (to be released as Version 4.1), so it seems the Programmers Toolkit will no longer be available under that name. Check for the latest info at http://www2.southwind.net/~tinman.
• Dan Conklin of Christech Research announced a new web site for information regarding PowerBrowse, the product they are taking over from Toolcraft. The site contains information on plans for the future, pricing, converting to C4 and more. Check it out at http://www.quantumation.com/powerrad
• Finally, for once Dave Harm did not add another volume to his wonderful Unofficial CW OOP site. It is so useful, though, that I still just had to remind you to go there and review the old stuff anyway! http://www.incunabula.com/cwoop/index.htm

Can't beat that price...

One of the really nice things about using Clarion is the overall generosity of the user community. (Go ahead, all of you give yourselves a pat on the back!) Often, this manifests itself in truly useful templates which the authors have made available to the rest of us for that most favorite of prices: FREE! Each month, this column features a handy free template (or collection of templates) which you might want to add to your bag of Clarion tricks.

Note: If you decide to download and try out any free templates mentioned here, please remember that you get what you pay for - don't expect support from the author like you would from a commercial product. While most of them are generous to a fault (as witnessed by their giving away the template), they are NOT obligated in any way, shape or form to you because you want to use the template. Be nice to them!

This month's freebie is 'MultiUp' - a simple Procedure template which makes it easy to call different update procedures from a browse, based on the action you are requesting.

Background: The standard Browse template only lets you enter one procedure for updating the file you are browsing. Before calling the update Form, it sets a global variable called GlobalRequest to one of three values depending on which button you pressed to invoke the update (they are InsertRecord, ChangeRecord and DeleteRecord). The GlobalRequest value tells the Form what kind of action was requested.

Often, though, I want to do different things based on which button was pressed. For example, when the user presses Insert, I want to call a Wizard procedure to walk them through the process of adding a new item. When they press Change, I want to display a standard Form. For a delete, maybe I want to archive the record first and THEN call the standard Form to delete it.

What MultiUp does is to act as a sort of switchbox that sits between the Browse and whatever other procedures you want to call. It does not affect the values of GlobalRequest or GlobalResponse so it is 'invisible' to the Browse and Forms or other update procedures. The properties screen for MultiUp looks like this:

The MultiUp procedure properties

To use MultiUp, enter the name of a new procedure in the Update Procedure prompt of your Browse rather than the name of an update Form. The new procedure will be created as a ToDo when you exit the Browse properties. Double click on the ToDo procedure and choose 'MultiUpdate' as the procedure type. Select your actual update procedures, press OK and you're done!

If you need more control, embeds are provided for procedure setup, procedure exit, and for before and after calling each update procedure. For the most part, though, you normally just pick your procedures and that's it.

Two versions are provided: MultiUp2.TPL (CW 2.x) and MultiUp4.TPL (C4, both ABC and Clarion). Like any template, you will need to register it before it can be used.

Next month: Who knows? You'll just have to come back and find out!

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