Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
91
Your Views and Comments / NT6 Launch Webinar - Wow!
« on: November 18, 2011, 05:50:25 PM »
Well, I attended my first ClarionLive webinar last night to watch the NT6 launch. I don't normally attend these because they run at 02:30am my time, but decided to stay up to catch this one, and I am glad I did.
First thing I can say is "WOW!". NT6 looks fantastic. Congratulations on taking the product to a whole new level Bruce. The BIG winners in my view are:
1. The Wizards. I like NetTalk, but coding up a series of basic Browses and Forms is, lets face it, a tedious pain in the butt. Having the Wizards whip up all of these basic elements and then going through to remove what you don't want will slash my initial ramp up development time significantly. It's kind of like what scaffolding did for Ruby on Rails.
2. Theme support. On a recent NT project, the client asked me to make some minor changes to colour and background graphics, and to be honest, it was a lot of effort to dig through CSS files etc. to make changes to the basic look and feel. With NT6 Themeroller support, AND the ability to change the entire look and feel of your app on the fly - super cool !!
3. Background Process button. I had no idea how many background processes I would be running in my NT apps. Because we do a lot of webapps that link to legacy ERP system, there is usually a lot of table refreshing and duplicating that we need to do in the back end to synchronise data. Previously this was really 'hit or miss' in that we would have to put 'dummy' progress bars and fixed timers on pages to try and achieve this. To have a button that could maintain a connection to the server AND provide user eedback from a progress bar control is HUGE.
4. Mobile support. It seems that nearly all NT projects we do now the user is asking us "Oh, can we have that working on iPhones too?". Granted, what Bruce showed us presently is still very early support that is still in Alpha testing, but at least gives us a glimpse of the future in that we can write just ONE code base to support both Desktop and Mobile devices.
Conclusion - NetTalk 6 is WINNING... Now, if I could only remember the promotional upgrade code, I would be on the Capesoft store buying the upgrade right now...
First thing I can say is "WOW!". NT6 looks fantastic. Congratulations on taking the product to a whole new level Bruce. The BIG winners in my view are:
1. The Wizards. I like NetTalk, but coding up a series of basic Browses and Forms is, lets face it, a tedious pain in the butt. Having the Wizards whip up all of these basic elements and then going through to remove what you don't want will slash my initial ramp up development time significantly. It's kind of like what scaffolding did for Ruby on Rails.
2. Theme support. On a recent NT project, the client asked me to make some minor changes to colour and background graphics, and to be honest, it was a lot of effort to dig through CSS files etc. to make changes to the basic look and feel. With NT6 Themeroller support, AND the ability to change the entire look and feel of your app on the fly - super cool !!
3. Background Process button. I had no idea how many background processes I would be running in my NT apps. Because we do a lot of webapps that link to legacy ERP system, there is usually a lot of table refreshing and duplicating that we need to do in the back end to synchronise data. Previously this was really 'hit or miss' in that we would have to put 'dummy' progress bars and fixed timers on pages to try and achieve this. To have a button that could maintain a connection to the server AND provide user eedback from a progress bar control is HUGE.
4. Mobile support. It seems that nearly all NT projects we do now the user is asking us "Oh, can we have that working on iPhones too?". Granted, what Bruce showed us presently is still very early support that is still in Alpha testing, but at least gives us a glimpse of the future in that we can write just ONE code base to support both Desktop and Mobile devices.
Conclusion - NetTalk 6 is WINNING... Now, if I could only remember the promotional upgrade code, I would be on the Capesoft store buying the upgrade right now...
92
Web Server - Ask For Help / Quick question on NetWebBrowses
« on: November 17, 2011, 03:31:47 AM »
Hi all,
I just got a last minute request from a client to make a change to a web app I created for them in NetTalk. It's getting late here now and I just want to shut the computer down and go to bed rather than experiment and test whether I can do this, so I thought I would pose the question to the NetTalkers here!
There is one browse that looks at a file which has a few short fields in it, and two quite long (4000 character) memo fields. At the moment, the NetWebBrowse only shows the short fields, but they want me to add the two memo fields to the end of that.
They want the memo fields in the browse to only show the first 40 or so characters of the memo, but then when the user hovers the mouse over the memo field, the popup balloon tip to show the entire text of the memo.
Possible to do in NT5?
Cheers,
Devan
I just got a last minute request from a client to make a change to a web app I created for them in NetTalk. It's getting late here now and I just want to shut the computer down and go to bed rather than experiment and test whether I can do this, so I thought I would pose the question to the NetTalkers here!
There is one browse that looks at a file which has a few short fields in it, and two quite long (4000 character) memo fields. At the moment, the NetWebBrowse only shows the short fields, but they want me to add the two memo fields to the end of that.
They want the memo fields in the browse to only show the first 40 or so characters of the memo, but then when the user hovers the mouse over the memo field, the popup balloon tip to show the entire text of the memo.
Possible to do in NT5?
Cheers,
Devan
93
Web Server - Ask For Help / NT app running as a service, using MySQL
« on: November 14, 2011, 04:55:53 PM »
Hi all,
This may be vaguely related to the other recent thread on using MSSQL with NetTalk, but we have developed a NetTalk app that runs as a service, using MySQL (via MyODBC 3.1).
When testing the app, I ran is as just a normal Win32 program (not as a service) and everything works great. However, as soon as I install and run is as a Service, the app cannot connect to the data via ODBC.
I have set up the MyODBC DSN as a 'System DSN' but that doesn't seem to help. I am guessing it is to do with the logon credentials that the service is using, and whether that logon account can see the DSN?
Cheers,
Devan
This may be vaguely related to the other recent thread on using MSSQL with NetTalk, but we have developed a NetTalk app that runs as a service, using MySQL (via MyODBC 3.1).
When testing the app, I ran is as just a normal Win32 program (not as a service) and everything works great. However, as soon as I install and run is as a Service, the app cannot connect to the data via ODBC.
I have set up the MyODBC DSN as a 'System DSN' but that doesn't seem to help. I am guessing it is to do with the logon credentials that the service is using, and whether that logon account can see the DSN?
Cheers,
Devan
94
Web Server - Ask For Help / Variable scoping in NetTalk
« on: November 09, 2011, 04:57:02 PM »
Hi all,
Ok, I know this isn't STRICTLY a NetTalk programming issue, and is something probably out of 'Programming for Beginners' that I have forgotten about - but I have a question about variable scoping in a threaded app such as NetTalk.
Of, here is the situation: Say I have a NetWebPage or something, that is responsible for manipulating data from several files (e.g. MyFile1 and MyFile2 that contain fields such as F1:FirstField, F1:SecondField, F2:AnotherField etc.)
Ok, my NetWebPage may do something like this:
Ok, the issue here is when I call the DoSomeFunction() function. This function will basically look at the F1:Action parameter, and do some string building based on the action requested.
The thing is, DoSomeFunction() needs to do some manipulation of the contents of fields in MyFile1 and MyFile2, an example snippet within this function might be:
Basically, my question is: Can DoSomeFunction() SEE the variable contents that are passed from the calling threaded procedure? Bear in mind, this function can be called from several different procedures - even the SAME procedure on different threads if there are a lot of users on the site.
If it CAN see the contents of the globally declared files, how safe is this method?
Is there a better way to do this, considering that the function will have to work with the contents of about 20 different files to generate the returned string?
Thanks,
Devan
Ok, I know this isn't STRICTLY a NetTalk programming issue, and is something probably out of 'Programming for Beginners' that I have forgotten about - but I have a question about variable scoping in a threaded app such as NetTalk.
Of, here is the situation: Say I have a NetWebPage or something, that is responsible for manipulating data from several files (e.g. MyFile1 and MyFile2 that contain fields such as F1:FirstField, F1:SecondField, F2:AnotherField etc.)
Ok, my NetWebPage may do something like this:
Code: [Select]
Do OpenFiles
F1:ID = 100
Access:MyFile1.Fetch(F1:PRIMARY)
F2:ID = F1:LinkedID
Access:MyFile2.Fetch(F2:PRIMARY)
... other stuff ...
ReturnString = DoSomeFunction(F1:Action)
packet = packet & ReturnString
Do SendPacket
Do CloseFilesOk, the issue here is when I call the DoSomeFunction() function. This function will basically look at the F1:Action parameter, and do some string building based on the action requested.
The thing is, DoSomeFunction() needs to do some manipulation of the contents of fields in MyFile1 and MyFile2, an example snippet within this function might be:
Code: [Select]
Case PassedAction
Of 1
RetVal = 'Hello ' & F1:FirstName & ' ' & F1:LastName & ' how are you?'
Of 2
RetVal = 'There are ' & Records(MyFile1) & ' records to process'
Of 3
RetVal = F1:FirstName & ', you are responsible for ' & F2:StudentName & ' until ' & Format(F2:EndDate, @D17)
End
Return(RetVal)Basically, my question is: Can DoSomeFunction() SEE the variable contents that are passed from the calling threaded procedure? Bear in mind, this function can be called from several different procedures - even the SAME procedure on different threads if there are a lot of users on the site.
If it CAN see the contents of the globally declared files, how safe is this method?
Is there a better way to do this, considering that the function will have to work with the contents of about 20 different files to generate the returned string?
Thanks,
Devan
95
Web Server - Ask For Help / Mobile detection and redirecting
« on: November 09, 2011, 12:03:03 AM »
Hey all,
Just wondering if there was an elegant way to detect whether someone is accessing the site via an iOS device and redirecting them to a separate series of pages that have been designed in jQuery Mobile at all?
I know that there is a .mobile property now that is accessible, but where is the best place to detect this, and should I be putting code in the WebHandler procedure to direct the user to the appropriate pages?
I am thinking along the lines of having, say 'IndexPage' as the home page for the desktop, and 'IndexPage_mobile' as the corresponding home page for the iOS device and automatically serving either page up depending on the .mobile parameter.
Could we get even trickier and support THREE sets of pages, i.e. desktop, iPhone and iPad?
Or am I jumping the gun here, and will NT6 solve all these issues for me??
Thanks!
Devan
Just wondering if there was an elegant way to detect whether someone is accessing the site via an iOS device and redirecting them to a separate series of pages that have been designed in jQuery Mobile at all?
I know that there is a .mobile property now that is accessible, but where is the best place to detect this, and should I be putting code in the WebHandler procedure to direct the user to the appropriate pages?
I am thinking along the lines of having, say 'IndexPage' as the home page for the desktop, and 'IndexPage_mobile' as the corresponding home page for the iOS device and automatically serving either page up depending on the .mobile parameter.
Could we get even trickier and support THREE sets of pages, i.e. desktop, iPhone and iPad?
Or am I jumping the gun here, and will NT6 solve all these issues for me??
Thanks!
Devan
96
Web Server - Ask For Help / Calling a NetWebForm to EDIT a particular record
« on: November 02, 2011, 10:41:37 PM »
Hi all,
I think I have asked before, but I have forgotten the answer now (!)
I have a webapp I am building with NetTalk, and in a heavilly customised dashboard page, I would like to give the user the option to EDIT only, a particular record.
I was thinking I could use the <!-- MyEditForm --> tag within my page to force the edit window to appear on a particular spot (div) on my dashboard, and I want the user to be able to ONLY edit the record where the Primary Key has already been set with p_web.SSV('PRI:KEY', '12345').
Is there a neat and simple way to do this, or do I have to pass parameters or similar?
Cheers,
Devan
I think I have asked before, but I have forgotten the answer now (!)
I have a webapp I am building with NetTalk, and in a heavilly customised dashboard page, I would like to give the user the option to EDIT only, a particular record.
I was thinking I could use the <!-- MyEditForm --> tag within my page to force the edit window to appear on a particular spot (div) on my dashboard, and I want the user to be able to ONLY edit the record where the Primary Key has already been set with p_web.SSV('PRI:KEY', '12345').
Is there a neat and simple way to do this, or do I have to pass parameters or similar?
Cheers,
Devan
97
Web Server - Ask For Help / Form Drop field - setting a memory variable from another field
« on: October 27, 2011, 06:11:05 AM »
Powering along with some NT development lately...You can tell by the number of questions I am suddenly posting!
Ok, a frustrating problem at the moment:
I have a file with two fields, FIL:Field1 and FIL:Field2.
I also have a WebForm with a couple of local variables LOC:MyVar1 and LOC:MyVar2
In the form, I have a drop down which pulls the value of FIL:Field1 and populates LOC:MyVar1 with it - works a treat.
Now, I whenever the user changes the drop down, I also want it to pull down the value of FIL:Field2 and populate LOC:MyVar2 with it. Cannot make it work.
I have gone to the ValidateValue::LOC:MyVar1 and entered the following code:
I have tried setting FIL:Field2 as a Hot Field, removed it. Tried p_web.GV() and SV() instead of GSV() and SSV() and nothing.
LOC:MyVar1 always works, LOC:MyVar2 is always blank...
Ok, a frustrating problem at the moment:
I have a file with two fields, FIL:Field1 and FIL:Field2.
I also have a WebForm with a couple of local variables LOC:MyVar1 and LOC:MyVar2
In the form, I have a drop down which pulls the value of FIL:Field1 and populates LOC:MyVar1 with it - works a treat.
Now, I whenever the user changes the drop down, I also want it to pull down the value of FIL:Field2 and populate LOC:MyVar2 with it. Cannot make it work.
I have gone to the ValidateValue::LOC:MyVar1 and entered the following code:
Code: [Select]
LOC:MyVar2 = p_web.GSV('FIL:Field2')
p_web.SSV('LOC:MyVar2') = p_web.GSV('FIL:Field2')I have tried setting FIL:Field2 as a Hot Field, removed it. Tried p_web.GV() and SV() instead of GSV() and SSV() and nothing.
LOC:MyVar1 always works, LOC:MyVar2 is always blank...
98
Web Server - Ask For Help / Calling a FOMIN Run Time Report to generate a PDF?
« on: October 26, 2011, 03:40:43 PM »
Hello again Bruce & the gang,
I am in the process of implementing a reporting library in a NT5 webapp... For ease of modifications to the report sets, I've decided to do them in Fomin Report Builder - that way I can just upload the RPT files and add a row to a database table to add reports to the existing set etc.
I have added the FRM -> PDF templates too, and set up FRB to print directly to PDF without any previews etc.
I have a NetTalk WebForm that takes some details from the end user, along with the report name to print, then when they hit the 'Submit' (renamed to 'Print') button, it calls the procedure 'Student_Report', which is a FRB Run Time Report.
If have put in the '(<NetWebServerWorker p_web>)' in Prototype AND Parameters in the procedure, but everytime I hit the 'Submit' button and the browser goes to 'http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/Student_Report', it comes up with a 'Page Cannot Be Found' message.
What have I missed?
I am in the process of implementing a reporting library in a NT5 webapp... For ease of modifications to the report sets, I've decided to do them in Fomin Report Builder - that way I can just upload the RPT files and add a row to a database table to add reports to the existing set etc.
I have added the FRM -> PDF templates too, and set up FRB to print directly to PDF without any previews etc.
I have a NetTalk WebForm that takes some details from the end user, along with the report name to print, then when they hit the 'Submit' (renamed to 'Print') button, it calls the procedure 'Student_Report', which is a FRB Run Time Report.
If have put in the '(<NetWebServerWorker p_web>)' in Prototype AND Parameters in the procedure, but everytime I hit the 'Submit' button and the browser goes to 'http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/Student_Report', it comes up with a 'Page Cannot Be Found' message.
What have I missed?
99
Web Server - Ask For Help / Drop downs - defaulting to LAST item on list?
« on: October 25, 2011, 08:42:10 PM »
Hi all,
I was wondering, on a NetWebForm, when you have a 'drop down' field that is populated from an external file, is there an easy way to get the display to default show the LAST item in the file, not the first?
Reason being is that I am using some drop downs to gather information for a report filter, so I am wanting to do 'first/last' drop down selectors, with the 'first' selector showing the first item in the file and the 'last' selector showing the last item in the file.
Thanks!
Devan
I was wondering, on a NetWebForm, when you have a 'drop down' field that is populated from an external file, is there an easy way to get the display to default show the LAST item in the file, not the first?
Reason being is that I am using some drop downs to gather information for a report filter, so I am wanting to do 'first/last' drop down selectors, with the 'first' selector showing the first item in the file and the 'last' selector showing the last item in the file.
Thanks!
Devan
100
Web Server - Ask For Help / Warning the user of session timeout
« on: October 25, 2011, 03:35:41 PM »
Hi all,
I have just completed yet another web app using NetTalk 5, which my client loves , but they have come back to me with a request that has got me stumped.
Basically, they love the way the session times out after a while of inactivity, but they have asked whether it is possible to pop up a notification box that the session has timed out, or automatically navigate to the logon screen along with a message to the effect that the session has timed out?
I use Xero online for our accounting system and I note that they do this, and I think it is a good idea, especially as my web app will pretty much be left running constantly in the background at this particular organisation.
Thanks!
Devan
I have just completed yet another web app using NetTalk 5, which my client loves
, but they have come back to me with a request that has got me stumped.Basically, they love the way the session times out after a while of inactivity, but they have asked whether it is possible to pop up a notification box that the session has timed out, or automatically navigate to the logon screen along with a message to the effect that the session has timed out?
I use Xero online for our accounting system and I note that they do this, and I think it is a good idea, especially as my web app will pretty much be left running constantly in the background at this particular organisation.
Thanks!
Devan
101
Web Server - Ask For Help / NetWebBrowse - Percentage widths?
« on: October 20, 2011, 04:22:35 PM »
Hi all,
I've noticed in the NetWebBrowse templates,that we can set a fixed pixel width for the actual Browse that is displayed - but I was wondering if there was an easy way to set a percentage width for it, if I wanted to make the browse take up, say 90% of the page width, or 75% - is there an easy way to do this, or do I need to start dabbling in the CSS files?
Cheers,
Devan
I've noticed in the NetWebBrowse templates,that we can set a fixed pixel width for the actual Browse that is displayed - but I was wondering if there was an easy way to set a percentage width for it, if I wanted to make the browse take up, say 90% of the page width, or 75% - is there an easy way to do this, or do I need to start dabbling in the CSS files?
Cheers,
Devan