Data Access Worldwide May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Building Great Looking Windows Applications Fast & Easy John Tuohy

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide The Studio Development Plan – First Release Goals Natural code modeling ☼ Source code is the basis for all modeling ☼ No special markups or registrations ☼ Flexible visual modeling of components ☼ All DataFlex can be modeled ☼ Code Explorer shows code outline ☼ All properties are modeled ☼ Unlimited Undo / Redo

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide The Studio Development Plan – First Release Goals New User Interface ☼ New menu and toolbar system ☼ Dockable panels Smart Studio provides coding assistance ☼ Code complete / List members ☼ Parameter info ☼ Quick info ☼ Auto complete ☼ Go to definition

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide The Studio Development Plan – First Release Goals Debugger ☼ Integrated into Studio ☼ Breakpoints set directly in code at any time ☼ Better watch and expression evaluation Improved Workspace Management ☼ Workspaces can be easily selected, added, copied and moved ☼ Class library support ☼ Better cooperation with source control systems ☼ Allow multiple instances of the Studio

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide The Studio Development Plan – First Release Goals Released December 2006

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide The Studio Development Plan – Second Release Goals Visual designer for menus and toolbars Redesign of Database Builder ☼ Integrate data dictionary modeling into the Studio ☼ More Database management functions integrated into the Studio ☼ Better and easier support for other databases All tools to use the new menus and toolbars ☼ Database Explorer ☼ Database Builder ☼ Other tools

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide But then, an unexpected change in plans Our developers requested better looking windows applications ☼ Wanted a facelift for their existing applications ☼ Wanted to be able to do this quickly and easily What they wanted ☼ Extremely important - Better looking menus and toolbars ☼ Very important –Better looking views (skins) ☼ Important - New controls

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide A case study of three developers Emil Stojanov – Quantaris Bj ö rn Thunvik – EXDE Systems Tony MacKay – Anasazi Software They all used Codejock active/x controls

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide And so, a minor change in plans Provide new menu and toolbar classes using the Codejock controls Build a visual menu / toolbar designer into the Studio for these controls Encourage and support developers in their use of other Codejock controls ☼ Skinning controls ☼ Other controls Get this released ASAP!

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide The Codejock control library Who are they? ☼ Just google “codejock” What are they? ☼ Menu / toolbar controls (CommandBars) ☼ Skin Framework ☼ Docking Pane, Report Control, Property Grid, Calendar, etc. Provided as MFC classes & Active/X classes ☼ How we used them in the Studio ☼ How you will use them in your applications

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide What will you get in 12.1 The Codejock menu and toolbar Active/X controls ☼ Xtreme Command Bars A set of menu, toolbar and statusbar classes ☼ Easy to use ☼ Easy to convert existing menus A visual builder in the Studio

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide What will you get in 12.1 Beta: June/July 2007 Let’s take a look

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Menu and Toolbars - The Classes Creates menu, toolbars, statusbar and context menus Visual themes Supports MDI / client-area style applications Can be embedded in other dialogs User configurable: ☼ Menubar and toolbars are dockable and floatable ☼ Menus and toolbars can be edited at runtime ☼ Save and restore layouts

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Menu and Toolbars - The Classes Many style of menu and toolbar items supported ☼ Button - a normal menu/toolbar item ☼ Popup menu -sub-menus ☼ Split Button ☼ Checkbox ☼ Combo ☼ Edit ☼ Label ☼ Radio

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Menu and Toolbars - The Classes Menu and toolbar item support includes ☼ Caption, tooltip, statusbar description, accelerator key ☼ Easy to enable, disable, hide and check items ☼ Updates can be managed via a timer ☼ Simple selection process (OnExecute) Image Support ☼ Bitmaps and Icons ☼ Automatic and manual support for item’s state Normal, disabled, selected, checked, pressed Can display text, images or both ☼ Large, small images supported

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Menu and Toolbars - The Classes Simple class structure Creates easy to visualize and easy to maintain object structures Support for static and dynamic menus and toolbars Powerful sub-class menu item support ☼ Library of standard items provided Many other customization features provided Full Codejock COM interface supported in classes

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Menu and Toolbars - The Studio Full Visual Modeling of: ☼ Menubar and menu items ☼ Toolbars and toolbar items ☼ Context menus ☼ Status Bar (support to be added post 12.1) Menubar and toolbars are dragged from class palette New menu and toolbar items are easily created Items are visually added, moved, copied and deleted Support for all item control types Property Panel is used to maintain bar and item properties

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Menu and Toolbars - The Studio Menu items are created when view and reports are added Easy to manually add existing components to menus and toolbars Easy to select new items from sub-classes Templates provided for standard menu systems ☼ These can be custom configured

May 16 – 18, 2007 Copyright 2007, Data Access Worldwide Thank you