Dev Dawn

Thought I’d just give a brief rundown on what I’ve been doing the last week or so, apart from scribing down news of Clarion 7.

Projman has a new version on the way, soooon. There’s been a couple of cosmetic changes, at least one important functionality change, and the Documentation has begun! It’s a cool little bit of funcitonality in and of itself. Not finished yet, lots of ideas for improvements, but my goal is to get the User Guide scratched together and put the version up for use.

The other major project I’ve been working on is my Freight System (don’t mind the site, it’s also undergoing a lot of upgrading). I’m creating an upgrade system that will be transferable across all my projects, and it’s really quite exciting. Most of the work is done by NetTalk, what a wonderful tool!

In essence, it’s nothing new, developers have been doing this for long time long. The TAFRES Server connects to the FTP Server, and runs some logic to determine what new version installations are on the FTP Server for both the TAFRES Server and the TAFRES Client. These are then downloaded. If there is a TAFRES Server upgrade, all Clients are informed, and closed down, and then the Server is shutdown and a silent installation is run. If there is a Client upgrade (if a Server too, the Server runs first), the Clients are told to shutdown and restart (not sure if this will be automatic or manual). On restarting, the silent installation is run.

The last part of this is still not finished. I’m in the middle of it.

It’s an exciting time. Especially the update/upgrade (not sure which term to use yet) functionality. Once that’s down, then sending out updates will be so much easier than trying to explain to a client where to go to download, and then what to do with running an installation, on each client!

‘Nuff said for now,

Okay.

It’s the UK Clarion UG (User Group) Meeting.

Bob Z is there.

Capesoft is there.

More Clarion Guru’s are there.

And here is the news:

Unorganised List

• No GPF’s in IDE. It will give you exceptions, but you can continue
• Clarion 7 doesn’t need a bin directory in path
• Option to copy redirection to solution directory
• IDE creates bin directory for solution then debug/release directories for the exe/dlls including copying of the needed dll’s from the c6/7 bin directory
• Command line option to make solution
• Win32 compiler is a .Net compiler that compiles win32 programs. It does that by falling back in Win32
• IDE can be setup for multiple users and different logins into windows can customise how they like it
• Clarion 7 redirection files have a new command (include %REDIR%\%REDNAME%), this command will include other redirection files
• Addins (mods) are easy to develop in for the IDE so new opportunities for 3rd Party Developers
• Source control is more difficult for APP files compared to code files, no real solution for the problem, only bridge building
• Inplace activation at design time for ActiveX controls
• PRJ files are now CWPRJ files and are XML
• Multiple versions of Clarion selectable, ie, if you have 9049 and 9053 installed, you can choose which one you want to use going right back to 1.5
• Clarion .NET will support compact framework 2.0 (Not sure what this is, will have to look it up) - The Compact Framework is the .NET version for PocketPCs and the like, thanks Ubaidullah!
• Clarion 7, New toolbox template for xp/office style
• New algorithm for disabled icons
• Powerful grouping features to allow subset views of the tables in the dictionary
• Column view that displays every field from all tables and allows edits
• Cascade any file change throughout the entire dictionary
• Open multiple tables
• Generate reports on history of changes in PDF/XML/HTML
• Opening multiple apps will be in separate IDE’s, unlike the coding solution project which can be all in one
• Code folding
• Built-in class browser c7 and .NET
• Procedure class method navigator
• Search/Replace across projects and solutions
• Access dictionary from within hand coded projects
• Clarion .NET, Winforms will not use a window structure like c7/6, it will use a class definition
• ado.NET supported with TPS files
  

  From Diego:
  This mean that there is an ADO.Net provider for TPS and is included with Clarion.Net, then you can use a DataSet with the ADO.Net data provider or with the old good FILE/VIEW

• the := symbol introduced, ie mydataset := People, or, SELF.components := NEW System.ComponentModel.Container()
  

  From Diego:
  The := does not replace the = or &= and both are still valid. In Clarion we use = for value types and &= for references. In Clarion.Net you can use := for both and the compiler will create the right one for you, but that does not mean that you can not use = or &=, it is just a short cut.

——-

• TPS driver is not managed code, it uses c7 drivers - This is not set in stone, and may change before release
• Clarion .NET only for TPS files, this was bluntly answered - This MEANS .. TPS Files will only work in Clarion.NET, you can’t use them in Visual Studio etc
  

  From Diego:
  You can use any driver on Clarion.Net, maybe the examples showed there where using only TPS because is easier but all the drivers are supported.
  The file access can be done using the old good Clarion Win way or you can use the DataSet and related classes.

• SoftVelocity have a mechanism to parse a c7 window structure to a .NET code
• the Clarion language will support Partial classes

——-

• Extension for Clarion .NET source files is .cln
• Because of how asp.NET works you don’t need a special IP to support it, you just distribute the DLL’s in a bin dir on your page
  

  From Diego:
  Clarion.Net support all ASP.Net deployment strategies.
  eg: aspx page with embeded code, aspx page with code in other cln file (code behind), compiled aspx and code behind files, aspx and compiled clarion dll.
  When source code is deployed the asp.net compiler will compile the clarion code on the fly (same as C# & VB.Net)

  Also Clarion.Net is able to Create and Consume .Net WebService.

• Demo with a list box showing states with a text box and a couple of buttons
• Tools in Clarion.NET is a C# to Clarion converter
• New .NET Template Change creating layer’d application, ie, presentation layer, business object later, ..
• .NET 3.0 Support
• Generic and Partial Classes
• LINQ No idea at all about this
• 64bit Native Compilers for .NET
• When appgen is implemented you’ll be building .NET applications (Desktop, Web, or Handheld) without knowing any of the .NET
• No hard and fast date for beta release, Bob is of the opinion that people don’t want the hand-coded version. But if enough of the populous want it, he may reconsider - This is interesting ..
• The Clarion .NET IDE looks very stable

That’s all I’ve got for now. This is hot off the press. I’ll be updating this list as more info comes along.

Edit:

Okay, it’s finished. Thanks to MarkS for his streaming updates. Apologies for the confusion caused over the TPS Only item.

This has been a Dev Dawn powered News bulletin. Any issues with erroneous data can be taken up with the Management.

An observant Bill actually read a licence agreement on an update from microsoft the other day.

It’s for the .Net Framework .. and the point of interest is :

3.4 Benchmark Testing. You may not disclose the results of any benchmark test of the .NET Framework component of the Software to any third party without Microsoft’s prior written approval.

What’s going on here?

• Is .NET so bad that they have to put a nda (of sorts) into their licence agreement?
• That’s pretty much screwing with the whole idea of transparent business, because how else is the public going to make informed decisions if the results are filtered by the people who make the product?
• Mostly, what are they doing? Here I was, fervently hoping that the jugganaut was heading into a good direction. Now, I guess it’s such a big jugganaut that some things slip under the radar. But this is a licence agreement. For one of their stud products.

What is doing MS?

One question I have (apart from the others), is can they legally enforce this? Can you make an edict that noone can report on their experiences with your software unless they first pass said experiences through your own propaganda sieve?

This has been another gear grinding session from the makers of Dev Dawn .. come for the drivel, stay for the angry, disenfranchised programming rants.

There’s quite a kerfuffle on the clarion newsgroups (news.softvelocity.com) at the moment. It all began with a question regarding the strength of Clarion in Australia, as the poster is looking to possibly move here. They were (I think) trying to guage just what work prospects exist for a Clarion Developer.

The responses are an interesting read. I guess that’s the way of newsgroups, you get all quarters weighing in with their words.

Now, I put my three cents in, so I won’t reiterate it .. well .. i probably will.

I’m not prepared to take on board the opinions of people who are jaded by their own experiences. Now, that’s not invalidating their experiences, just that it’s not for me to admit that there is nothing at all for Clarion Developers in Australia. That kind of really grinds my gears.

And I’m not even gonna grind on about it, cause there’s nothing there worth it.

Here’s what I think.

All it’s gonna take to raise interest in Clarion is this ::

• Someone starts a blog/website that talks about / shows products done in Clarion - Check many times over
• Said blog/website gets Slashdotted, and BAM, immediately you have millions of potential clients - Not Yet, but I have dreams
• Building on this interest, and generating other interest (seeking out magazines for articles, interviews, building an awesome, professional web presence, possibly shaking hands with members of parliment, you start to raise external-from-the-web interest
• Time Magazine interviews you because you’re making such waves that even they can’t mistake the juggernaut that is the New Clarion Movement

Okay. I got a little carried away there.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a Clarion-Only website. There’s plenty of awesome tools we should be adding/updating in out kit .. but Clarion is one of the best and brightest of them. Screw all the problems that are there, i’m looking at it from a purely means-end point of view. If in a few hours I can get a Project Management application built that has it’s own Web Server .. no naysaying is going to change that awesome ability of Clarion to get that done.

End Rant I think. I’ve gotten lost a little.

Over the next year, Dev Dawn is going to be focussing on building a web presence for Clarion, and other development tools. Finding the best means of development. Biased, no doubt .. but the results will stand up for themselves.

Perhaps it’s all the rain, or that fact that i’m turning 30 in a month (I know, newb-age still), but it seems I’m getting more overtly-opinionated.

Cheers and ‘Nuff Said for the moment,

Wow. Jack Bauer can really whup some assne.

Ahem.

As I sit here, in the cold, early in the morning, I’m excited.

Why?

Because, thanks to the latest updates of NetTalk 4, Projman has reached beta. It’s a loose beta, but there nonetheless.

Projman is a Project Management System, that allows you to access your Todo’s from anywhere you can access the web.

Instructions aren’t really in existance at the moment, so take it as you will.

Everything can be administered (data) from the Webserver Application.

Once you have started the server, the local address (still no option to set the Port Number yourself) is 127.0.0.1:88.

Cheers,

p.s. I’m not sure how good those jaggy edges are .. one of the many exciting features of SnagIt .. but sometimes it’s probably a little too overboard :).

It’s a simple device, with complex possibilities.

Valve have come up with a new piece of food for the gaming world. Ars Technica has a small piece on it, that leads you to this YouTube video of Portal.

Mind Bending stuff. I’m not an fps fan, but this makes me want to get some of that action. It might be a simple concept, probably attempted before, but Valve have shown they can polish as good or better than Blizzard.

Microsoft have been the beaten pinata for many years now, with increasing frequency. However, I think in the last year or so, with the rise of Google slowed with various amounts of bad press, they are no longer just the big bad wolf. They still might be that, but there’s a couple of youngsters joining them. And the wolf is showing some cunning.

Acquiring Winternals (and SysInternals) might be seen as a loss for the community, but I’m of a mind to think it’s a pretty smart move. Mark (on his blog) seems to truly believe in making Windows a better product. I hope this happens.

The one object of issue in my mind is the massive inertia of Microsoft. Sure, acquiring Mark and Bryce (although the blog doesn’t say Bryce is joining the move) is a great strategic decision. They have developed some great, even awesome :), tools.

But can they actually make a change?

Well, I think so. There is a shift, possibly small, but it’s happening. If Microsoft continue to acquire agressively, then perhaps they are changing the way they work. Maybe with the passing of Bill it’s no longer a totalitarian government. Maybe they see the mistakes made and are actually changing (not just wanting to change).

Here’s to Microsoft becoming more agile and making Windows a better product with each passing day.

Wow.

If you’ve never looked into Blender, then you should do so. At first glance, it’s an open-source alternative for 3d Studio Max. A very good one.

But then, what lies beneath is far more than that.

I haven’t used Blender that much, just for the odd tutorial and some small-time blobs of goo. But every time, it’s become apparent that Blender is mostly about community. That kind of high-idealogy that some think only exists in the mind. You know, the essence of the open-source movement, if it can be called that.

Ain’t sure just how true that last paragraph is, I could be totally wrong about it. But that’s my keyhole view, my perception, of what Blender is about.

That’s side-effect anyway. The real purpose of this post is to point you to an innovation. Creation of something special.

Elephant’s Dream is a movie made out of open-source development tools, mostly Blender.

It’s amazing. They ported in a team of people from around the world (two from Australia .. whooot!) to create this piece of history/art/..

Now. I haven’t watched the film yet .. so I guess all of the above is my own hype. I get excited when seeing people putting their own imaginations to work.

There’s a fair bit of traffic at the moment. I found the blog from Slashdot this morning, so obviously they have been slash-dotted. When I can actually download the movie, I’ll watch and post up thoughts.

Edit
It wasn’t just one time with the slashdotting .. at least once more, for the specific reason of the new Blender update.

Interestingly enough, the slashdot article has nothing to do with elephant’s dream (the movie). It’s some bad (or almost bad) press on Wikipedia. I noticed another bad piece last week. Seems that the curve has finally swung on another of the big success stories of the Naughties (the other being Google, not that there were only two success stories, but that those two have now swung into the non-going-upwards-on-some-kind-of-graph phase).

I guess we’ll see what happens.

One last point. Blender, the development tool, has benefited hugely from the making of this film. I know myself, that the little projects i’ve made have always grown when I started using them more and more. It’s good to see this happening outside of my own experience. So kudo’s to the Blender team.

Cheers,

I had a couple of minutes with a Sony PSP yesterday.

Following are my thoughts, random and stupendously innane ::

• I’d have to be travelling a LOT to use one, because with a laptop in front of me, what can it offer above? .. in my mind, nothing.
• If I were travelling, I’d probably go for a Nintendo DS as the adventures of Mario and Link, and some Dogs, are far more preferable to anything the PSP has to offer .. except perhaps ..
• Movies. This is about the only thing that puts the PSP into another category. Possibly.

In the end, the controls aren’t as nice as the DS. It looks good, but doesn’t offer me much in terms of application. If I want to game, then I really want to GAME .. and Nintendo gives me that in spades.

However, I have neither machines, and love my laptop to bits, the big huge beast. It, and my larger, older, beast at home, give me everything I need at this point in time.

Come the day I travel the world searching for lost treasures, or fighting evil vampires, perhaps I’ll take a closer look.

This isn’t exactly a development post. Not at all.

Since I could read, certain characters have really been emblazoned on my memory. Certain aspects, or characteristics, of characters moreso. I was trying to think through why on the drive home from holidays.

And it struck me simply .. it is a sense of Infinity.

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. .. :).

Take the Hulk. He is my primary example, but there are others.

Throughout the comics, there are mentions of the fact that .. the madder Hulk gets the stronger he gets.

This statement has never been broken in the comics, as far as I am aware. It still stands as truth.

And this statement is my point.

The Hulk has a sense of infinity to him. He has a characteristic that cannot be measured by any known terms. This is what I grasped.

There aren’t many characters that spring to mind straight away .. but if you think through your favourite ones, it might be that you will find something similar. Granted, the Hulk is not my favourite fictional character .. this Infinity complex is not the only factor in determining how much I rate them. But it’s a big part.

Haven’t really sorted it out yet in my mind, as the post’s lack of conciseness testifies .. but it was some well-spent moments in the car while the kids weren’t fighting :).