WebSmart 6.7: New Feature Preview
The preview release of WebSmart 6.7 is now available by request, and includes several useful new features:
- SmartSnippets
- Individual Repositories for each System i you work with
- A new edit work field short cut
- A Copy Template Family option from the New Programs window
Below is an overview of the first three features; the last is described in the next article below, the latest installment in our series on editing templates.
SmartSnippets: Wizards to Walk you Through Adding PML and PHP Code
WebSmart snippets are small (or large) chunks of HTML, PML and PHP code you can add to your programs. WebSmart ships with a number of useful snippets that you can use as shortcuts for adding common features to your web pages and programs, and you can also create your own entries.
SmartSnippets are next-generation snippets: when you insert them they trigger wizards that walk you through prompts to help you add custom values to your PML and PHP functions. For example, coding PHP to call an RPG program requires a few dozen lines of code. To help you insert program calls we have created a snippet that not only includes all the required code, it prompts you to enter the program name and library, and gives you the option to also add parameters:
Using a SmartSnippet to define a PHP call to an RPG program.
The resulting code (some 60 lines of it, including copious comments) now includes a detailed framework for your call, including these lines:
/********** Step 2: prepare the program for calling **************/
$pgm = i5_program_prepare("XL_WEBDEMO/CALCDUE", $description);
// Check if any errors occurred.
if (!$pgm)
die("i5_program_prepare");
/********** Step 3: assign the parameter values to send **********/
/* Create an array with the input names and the */
/* corresponding values. You need to supply the */
/* actual parm values. */
$parameter = array(
"VALUE1"=>"",
"VALUE2"=>"",
);
You can see where the wizard values have been inserted in your snippet.
SmartSnippets will save you time and provide helpful text for some of those parameters you may not be familiar with. The first series of SmartSnippets include:
- Dynamic Drop Down Box
- Call RPG program from PHP
- Generate Smurf ID
- Posrcd
You can also edit and copy the SmartSnippets shipped with the product to use as starting points for creating your own. The syntax for building these is identical to what is used to control the WebSmart template wizards.
Separate Repository for each System i
As of release 6.7 WebSmart now creates a separate repository for each System i on which you have WebSmart installed. In the WebSmart IDE repository window you can easily move between repositories using the system dropdown list, as shown at right.
Edit Work Field Short Cut
In WebSmart ILE you can create work fields by either right-clicking in the fields window, or coding a crtfld function. In either case, the end result in your code is a crtfld. As of version 6.7 you can now also make changes to your work field attributes from the fields window.This means that you no longer have to track through the PML code to find where the IDE put your crtfld statement and make the changes there.
For further information about the WebSmart 6.7 new features please visit mybcdsoftware.com.
Customizing WebSmart Templates: New Features in WebSmart 6.7
Over the last few months we have been discussing various topics in the process of creating and customizing your own template families. Coincidentally, the development team has been working on some features for the upcoming release 6.7 that make this process even easier. In this month's article we'll discuss the new features, before returning next month to weightier fare, and a few of the more advanced areas of this topic.
In previous articles we have discussed the various components related to your templates, but one topic we didn't discuss is how to populate the New Program window with your new templates and families, to make them easy to select and use. This, and several of the other requirements we have discussed, is handled by the new feature in WebSmart 6.7.
New Program Window 'Copy Family' Option
In WebSmart 6.7 and higher, the New Program window now includes a 'Copy Family...' right click option, shown here:
Right-clicking a template family in the New Program window.
When you select this option, WebSmart pops up a window prompting you for the new template family name:
Type a new name, and click the 'Copy' button. If you haven't yet established an iSeries connection, WebSmart prompts you to sign in so it can access the IFS and copy the files.
The most immediate, visible result of this operation is a new node in your New Program window, at the same level as the template family you copied. So in this example, Yoyo has been added immediately after MacLeod in the WebSmart ILE DB2 template families. Within Yoyo you'll find a complete set of templates referencing new style sheets and images on your iSeries IFS. To then update the look and functionality of the new templates, you can just tweak those components.
For further information on working with the different components of your WebSmart templates, you can start reading back in the first article of this series.
New WebSmart Example Programs
We have added several new WebSmart PHP and ILE example programs over the last few weeks. You'll find the latest additions at the top of the list at our website. The new examples are:
- Example 141 - This program demonstrates how to display and access the contents of an IFS folder, using the PHP opendir and readdir functions.
- Example 140 - Use this WebSmart PHP example as a template for adding email address validation to your program. The example uses regular expressions to perform the validation.
- Example 139 - This WebSmart PHP example illustrates how you can build an Amazon.com web service using SOAP.
Using SOAP to include an Amazon.com Web Service in your Program.
- Example 138 - Exporting data to Excel (WebSmart ILE).
If you have any questions about any of these programs, please drop a note to Technical Support. Remember that we're always on the lookout for ideas for new examples, so if there's something you need to add to your website that you're finding a little challenging, and which you think others might also want to use, drop us a note and we'll take a crack at building it for you!
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WebSmart Fundamentals Training in Atlanta, GA
We have scheduled a 4-day WebSmart Fundamentals public training class the week of January 28-31 in Atlanta, Georgia. To sign up for this class or request further information, please fill out our online training request form.
January is the perfect time to take advantage of training opportunities on fresh budgets, and a great time to take some time out from the cold.
And if you fly in a couple of days early, you can catch the 2008 NHL All Star game. Or if you prefer natural wonders, you won't want to miss Stone Mountain and the new Georgia Aquarium, currently the world's largest.
Course Content
The WebSmart Fundamentals class is a comprehensive course that will give you a working knowledge of all the areas you need to be familiar with in order to begin developing applications with WebSmart. The course begins with an introduction to HTML (page structure elements, tables, images and links), then continues on to creating simple WebSmart programs. As you familiarize yourself with the tool, you'll add more features to your application: passing parameters between programs, customizing file access, and then prompting users for input and validating what they enter.
The class concludes with some exercises in securing applications, SQL, WebSmart’s Change Management interface and the new interactive debugger integrated into the WebSmart IDE.
Free Webinar: Getting Started with Catapult
Sign up now for this free, 1-hour BCD Webinar designed to help train new Catapult users, so you can succeed as quickly as possible. It is for both trials and new customers. In this Webinar you will learn:
- What Catapult is.
- Where to find tutorials, support and other steps to success.
- How to distribute a report as a PDF via email, print and network archiving.
- How to include an overlay.
- How to split a report into multiple segments.
- How to distribute reports or report segments to multiple users.
- The steps to create an Excel Spreadsheet using EZ-Pickin's.
- The steps to web archiving reports with Nexus Portal.
Catapult automatically distributes System i spool files to one or more users via email, print, fax, archive to network or to the Nexus Web portal and converts the reports to PDF, RTF, TXT, HTML and more.
If you have any questions about Catapult or this webinar, please contact Technical Support. Our first few webinars have been both highly attended and highly rated by those who participated. You will find these sessions very helpful in getting you started on the right track with our software applications,
New WebSmart Site Gallery Entry: Co-op Bookstore
BCD customer Systems Services, Inc. in Baton Rouge, LA recently developed a new e-commerce application for Co-op Bookstore. Co-op Bookstore, established in 1933, provides LSU textbooks, art and engineering supplies, school and office supplies, gifts, and apparel. In addition to the programs for the public website, Systems Services, Inc. also included in the application book inquiry, course info, and merchandise info programs for use with wireless handhelds.
We fully expect that the new e-commerce site will give Co-op Bookstore a home field advantage akin to the LSU Tiger's notorious stadium (a.k.a. "Death Valley").
If you have any questions about this site and how it was developed, please contact Systems Services, Inc.
Liping joined ESDI's WebSmart development team over a year ago, as part of our push to produce WebSmart PHP. From that start, Liping has also been working on various and sundry other projects, primarily one that we're holding close to our chest until it's near beta, in a couple of months... watch this space for details!
Liping grew up in Tianjin, China where she earned a Computer Science degree from Nankai University. After graduating she worked in Beijing, including a stint at the China Sports Lottery corporation as a developer, trainer and critical-bug fixer. She then moved to Victoria (with the encouragement of two of her husband's classmates, who had come here previously), where she joined our company.
Outside work, Liping enjoys cooking for her family - like developing, cooking requires her to exercise her creativity! She also spends time teaching her daughter poems, as a way to improve her language skills. Here is a translation of two poems she has recently learned:
Mounting the Stork Tower
Written by Wangzhihuan
The white sun sets behind mountains,
The Yellow River flows into the sea.
Go further up one flight of stairs,
And you'll widen your view a thousand li.
A Night Mooring By Maple Bridge
Written by Zhang Ji
Moon's down, crows cry and frost fills all the sky;
By maples and boat lights, I sleepless lie.
Outside Suzhou Hanshan Temple is in sight;
Its ringing bells reach my boat at midnight.
These are ancient Chinese poems, written during a time in their history when writing was the only skill required for a government position, these poems express the essence of the time. Unfortunately, in more recent times the preoccupation with science and technology has led to the virtual disappearance of this art form.
Current
BCD Software Release Levels
These are the current release levels for all our products:
If you have any questions about how to get to the latest versions, please contact
Technical Support.
Summary
List of Recent Updates
WebSmart 6.64
You can download the latest version of WebSmart from our website. If you downloaded version 6.64 before November 7, then there are also a couple of updates you should apply; these are listed on our website at the WebSmart Updates page.
File-Flash Plus 4.21
File-Flash Plus release 4.21 includes all 4.20 updates, and also addresses an installation issue encountered on systems where the iSeries had a CCSID other than 37 or 65535.
Please visit the File-Flash Plus Updates page for further information.
Organizations
that Recently Purchased BCD Software
Bell County Information Systems •
Bristol Hospital •
Certainteed North America •
Clayton County Board of Commissioners •
Coresource, Inc. •
Data House •
Fiserv Health - Kansas •
Forefront •
Great Southern National Bank •
Grecian Delight Foods •
Hope Health •
Human Service Agency •
ICICI Prudential Life •
Isoclima •
J. Polep Distribution Services •
JAS Worldwide Management •
Kent Europe •
King Koil Mid Atlantic •
Malcolm Niles •
NASBA •
Orion South, Inc. •
Professional Management, Inc. •
RCL Systems •
Rimadesio •
Rosedale Products, Inc. •
The Wensum Corporate Company •
TRI Corporation •
UAIG •
Veolia ES Technical Solutions •
Volkswagen Group •
White Knight Engineered Products
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