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 WebSmart 5 Upcoming Training Seminars
We have scheduled the first Public Training Seminar for WebSmart Version 5 on February 21, 2005. This will be the first WebSmart 5 public training seminar, which will address all the (new features), so this is one you won't want to miss.
We are also beginning to put together a two-part course for late February or March, which would include the basic WebSmart 5 training, plus an advanced section. This course would spend 2 days on the new WebSmart 5 features, and another 2 days on advanced programming techniques.
If you are interested in attending either of these classes, and would like additional information, please fill out our Training Request form. You can also contact Marcel Sarrasin, our training coordinator.
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City of Sitka Online
Gary McCarty, IS Director for the City of Sitka, wanted to move forward with interactive browser applications designed to service the residents and businesses of Sitka. Sitka's IS department did not have the in-house resources necessary to build the application. With approval from City Council, Gary contracted the services of the BCD Consulting Group to assist with the development of a utility billing system and sales tax remittance system.
"I came to ExcelSystems (BCD Consulting Group) with some ideas and a mandate from our City council to start moving toward e-gov for the citizens of our town. ExcelSystems helped me take my ideas and move them through the design, programming and implementation phases of the project. They provided expertise in everything from page design to secure internet transaction processing. Their programming staff is very efficient and provided great value for our consulting dollars.
Once the site is up and running, I will use WebSmart and the skills I learnt from their training and development staff to maintain and modify the site as needed.
We were able to create these two e-gov applications with very few modifications to our backend utility billing and tax collection system. When a user accesses information from their account, they are looking at the actual iSeries data in our system, completely safe and secure."
For a full overview of the site, including screen shots, please visit the BCD Consulting Site.
For further information about how this application was developed, or details on our consulting services, please contact Kevin Cronin.
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RPG and Beyond Webcast Recording Available
The iSeries Network webcast entitled 'The Challenges of Web Development in the 21st Century on the iSeries' is now available for you to view. Doug Fulmer of IBM, Chuck Ackerman from Lamps Plus, and ESDI President Duncan Kenzie discuss the options available for keeping up with developments on the iSeries. This Webcast revisits the iSeries Developer's Road Map as explained by IBM's Doug Fulmer and briefly discusses the options an iSeries developer has, as well as how BCD's WebSmart product fits into the Road Map.
To read the 70+ Questions and Answers that were asked during the webcast, or view the webcast, please visit BCD Software's web site.
The webcast is 57 minutes long, and addresses the following questions:
- How can I transition my existing RPG skills to easily develop new iSeries Web Applications?
- How can I make use of my existing RPG code base and business logic to modernize and extend my existing applications?
- How can I ramp up quickly for both the short- and long-term with a strategic and rapid development approach?
The session also includes a demonstration of BCD's WebSmart development tool, showing you a fully working application that converts and incorporates business rules from legacy RPG code.
There is also a WebEx presentation that is 25 minutes long, providing an overview and product walk through for both Nexus and Websmart. This is presented by our development manager Kevin Cronin.
To view it you will need to download the WebEx player. You can download the presentation here. It is 5 meg.
WebSmart 5 Beta Now Shipping
The WebSmart 5.01 beta is now available (and has been installed successfully at several locations) for clients who want the earliest possible access to the new features, including the RPG to PML conversion tool. Many of the new features in WebSmart 5 have been highlighted in previous technical updates, and with the first versions of the beta already out there, we're starting to get some great feedback.
In addition to all the features already profiled, this version includes a number of changes to streamline the install, including:
- On web installs, you are no longer prompted for the device to install from.
- Clearer error messages are issued when libraries are locked (tsk, tsk).
- You are no longer prompted to enter a security code if a valid one is already installed.
- The EXODUS configuratoin screen has been updated/clarified.
- The install automatically retrieves the most likely IP address for your EXODUS configuration.
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WebSmart: Creating a Customized PML Drop Down
We have recently added an important new Knowledge Base Article (Task 4954) describing how to create a customized PML dropdown box function.
The KB entry walks you through creating a new PML function in UPARSER which will create a drop down box with an event handler.
If you have any questions on how this works, please email tech support.
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If you participate in the beta, you'll be able to work closely with the lead developers on any problems you encounter, as well as suggest changes and new features at a stage where the product is still malleable and we can more quickly respond to feedback.
If you use ProGen WebSmart regularly, and would be interested in working with us on the beta test of the upcoming new release, we encourage you to visit the WebSmart 5 Beta Request page at our web site. WebSmart has an excellent track record with regards to the quality of its betas, so there is very little risk involved in participating.
If you have any questions about the beta, you can contact Technical Support. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have on the upgrade process or any of the new features.
WebSmart 5 Directions: DDS to HTML Conversion
In addition to the WebSmart 5 RPG to PML conversion tool profiled in the (September Tech Update), the upcoming version of WebSmart also includes a DDS to HTML conversion utility. This tool allows you to convert DDS from existing programs into HTML. Here is an illustration of the process:
In WebSmart 5, you'll select the new Convert DDS... option from the Tools menu, which presents this window:
The next step is to select a format from the list presented (the list format is similar to the image above). When you select the format, you also have the option of choosing whether or not to use absolute positioning for the HTML elements. Choosing the "Absolute Positioning" checkbox will retain the layout of your green screen display, while leaving the checkbox blank will result in HTML's default page layout (ie left-aligned). After selecting the format, you can click the Finish button to perform the conversion.
Here is an illustration of the initial results of the conversion:
This sample includes the fields displayed on a data screen. In addition to the fields displayed on the new web page, there are also comments below instructing you which fields need to exist in your PML in order for the new panel to work. This is just one of the many features of the conversion utility.
Note that this tool is not intended to immediately transform a green screen program into a completely functioning web program. Rather, it's designed to provide an easy way to transfer the basic screens in an old application to new WebSmart programs. Using the generated HTML as a starting point, you can then easily tie the HTML to the similarly generated PML, to facilitate the migration of your programs to the web.
Having said that, here is an illustration of a fairly straightforward panel as seen from a green screen and then as viewed on the web after being converted:
Pre-RDW conversion
Post-RDW conversion
From this point you can fine-tune the code and appearance of the page to complete the migration of your program. Note that if you are using style sheets effectively, you can very quickly transform the appearance of these generated screens.
If you have any questions about the upcoming WebSmart 5, please contact Technical Support.
New WebSmart Example Programs: SQL Multiple Field Search, etc.
There have been two new WebSmart example programs published this month:
- Example 80 - Filter on a list field using JavaScript OnClick. This program demonstrates how you can filter records using radio buttons and Javascript OnClick event handlers. It also demonstrates the use of in line PML to dynamically update the currently selected filter value inside the HTML segment.
- Example 79 - SQL Multiple Field Search. This example describes how to create a multiple field search using SQL.
For further details on any of the WebSmart examples, or if you have any questions on how to implement the techniques they demonstrate, please contact Technical Support.
Catapult and Spool Explorer Communications Survey: SOCKS Proxy Usage
We are currently updating the communications middleware component used by Catapult and
Spool-Explorer and evaluating the usefulness of the SOCKS Proxy connection support. If you are using SOCKS Proxy at your site, please email us ASAP to let us know.
If there is no demand for this feature, it will be removed.
If you are not sure whether you are using Socks Proxy for either Catapult or Spool Explorer, you can verify this by launching the Communications Configuration and double-clicking on each of your connections. When you do this, a window is presented similar to the one at right. Check whether the Use SOCKS Proxy option is selected, and if it, please let us know.
Nexus 2.50 User's Guides Now Available
If you have been waiting for the Nexus 2.5 User's Guides, these are now available in PDF format at the Nexus Home Page.
There are two guides; the Reference Guide is intended for the programmers and site administrators responsible for installing and configuring Nexus, designing the overall appearance of the site, and establishing the site's security. The second guide, the User's Guide, is intended for distribution to people who are using the site on a regular basis, and need a basic outline of how to use a web portal or instructions on how to configure the portlets to which they have been authorized.
If you have any questions about either of these guides, please contact Technical Support.
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Dagessa Sp. z o.o.
Katowice, Poland www.dagessa.pl
Dagessa specialises in AS/400 services, support and consulting in Poland. We offer comprehensive services related to designing, realization and implementation of IT projects. We also provide a technical staff, putting our AS/400 programers, administrators and consultants at the disposal of our customers.
Dagessa is a completely new company created this year, however we have already earned the trust of large internationals like Adler, Boart Longyear and a raft of local companies.
Dagessa has recently started our cooperation with BCD Software International, Inc. and are working on plans to meet our Polish customers' needs with advanced possibilites of its products. Dagessa currently has about 10 companies performing free Catapult evaluations. Our participation in COMMON Conference in Poland has borne fruit in interest of new clients in WebSmart.
For further information on Dagessa, please contact Piotr Nowak.
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Spool-Explorer IV Beta and Upcoming Release
We are in the final stages of the Spool-Explorer IV beta, but if you are interested in participating, there is still time to sign up. Spool-Explorer IV includes an improved UI as well as several important and frequently requested features that have been available in Catapult.
By participating in the Spool-Explorer IV beta you will get immediate access to the latest version, and also have the opportunity to provide our developers with valuable feedback at a time when changes are still easy to make.
If you are a regular Spool-Explorer user who is familiar with many of the features in the existing version, and are interested in participating in the beta, please contact us at (250) 655-1766, or by email.
Summary List of Recent Updates
ProGen Plus 8.02
- PG8A002 - December 9, 2004 - Accum 2, for release 8.01. (Note: You must upgrade to 8.01 first before you upgrade to this release). Upgrade 8.02 includes updates PG8R007-17 (1.44 Mb).
- PG8R017 - 2004/11/23 - Requires OS/400
V5R1 or later. Support for *MODULES containing SQL.
- PG8R016 - 2004/11/17 - Requires OS/400
V5R1 or later. Conditional attributes are now supported for fields defined in ZDSNPNLD (your panel defaults).
- PG8R015 - 2004/11/17 - Requires OS/400
V5R1 or later. Corrected a Change Management issue where QRPGLESRC was being created with a record length of 92 instead of 112.
Please visit the ProGen Plus Updates page for further information on the available updates.
File-Flash Plus 4.02
- FFP40007 - 2004/11/17 - Requires OS/400
V5R1 or later. Problems using FILDSP over multiple record format logical files have been resolved. A problem adding new files to the repository using the FILRPS command has been resolved.
- FFP40006 - 2004/10/21 - Requires OS/400
V5R1 or later. Addresses an issue with positioning when the key field is a type O, DBCS field.
- FFP40005 - 2004/10/05 - Requires OS/400
V5R1 or later. Added support for type O, DBCS fields for FILDSP and FILMNT commands.
Please visit the File-Flash Plus Updates page for further information on the available updates.
© 2004 ExcelSystems Software Development, Inc.
ProGen Plus and ProGen WebSmart are Trademarks in the US and Canada.
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