Xbase++ and the "Donnay" method of development

[bwolfsohn]

Roger,

I've been reading about 2.0 for quite awhile, and, i'f very familiar with how you've structured your (and my) development environment over the years.

Have you been able to continue using this environment with 2.0, or have you had to make changes due to the way the program installs, etc..

I'm debating whether to upgrade to 2.0 before the conference... everything is running smoothly on 1.9, and i don't think cxp and xb2net are integrated yet, although xb2net has released a 2.0 version..

Looking forward to the conference..

[rdonnay]

Brian -

I do development exactly the same way under 2.0 that I did under 1.9.

I have 2 different batch files I use to set the PATH, LIB and INCLUDE environment before compiling and running.

I use the same editor as always and work the same way I always did.

When you intall 2.0 it will install under Program Files, so your environment will look like this:

Code: Select all

@SET PATH=C:\public
@SET PATH=%path%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Advantage 10.0\ARC
@SET PATH=%path%;c:\WINDOWS;c:\WINDOWS\system32;c:\WINDOWS\command;c:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem
@SET PATH=%path%;c:\expd20\bin20
@SET PATH=%path%;c:\Program Files (x86)\Alaska Software\xpp20\bin
@SET PATH=%path%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Alaska Software\xpp20\lib
@SET PATH=%path%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Alaska Software\common20
@SET PATH=%path%;C:\expd20\util;c:\expd20\bin
@SET PATH=%path%;C:\sqlexpress20\sqlxpp
@SET PATH=%path%;C:\bdms\lib

@SET INCLUDE=C:\Program Files (x86)\Alaska Software\xpp20\include
@SET INCLUDE=%include%;C:\expd20\include
@SET INCLUDE=%include%;C:\sqlexpress20\sqlxpp
@SET INCLUDE=%include%;C:\xb2net20\xb2net
@SET INCLUDE=%include%;c:\alaska\adsw3219\source\samples\adsdbe\console
@SET INCLUDE=%include%;c:\bdms\include

@SET LIB=C:\Program Files (x86)\Alaska Software\xpp20\lib
@SET LIB=%lib%;c:\expd20\lib
@SET LIB=%lib%;C:\sqlexpress20\sqlxpp
@SET LIB=%lib%;C:\xb2net20\xb2net
@SET LIB=%lib%;C:\kl_mle
@SET LIB=%lib%;C:\bdms\lib

@SET XPPRESOURCE=c:\expd20\lib

@SET CODEJOCK_VERSION=13.0.0

You may have to make a change to your project file for 2.0 to tell where the DLLs and EXEs are to be created.

Example for 1.9

Code: Select all

[DCLIPX.XPJ]
    ..\..\bin19\DCLIPX.DLL

[..\..\bin19\DCLIPX.DLL]
..\..\lib\dcdlls.res

Example for 2.0

Code: Select all

[DCLIPX.XPJ]
    DCLIPX.DLL

[DCLIPX.DLL]
    TARGET_DIR=..\..\bin20
    ..\..\lib\dcdlls.res

[rdonnay]

i don't think cxp and xb2net are integrated yet, although xb2net has released a 2.0 version

Xb2net 2.0 version is only a recompile.
It has no CXP capability and I doubt that it ever will.

Instead, that is going to be supported under HttpEndPoint and WebHandler.

We will discuss what this means for Xb2net at the conference.

[bwolfsohn]

so you can no longer install it under c:\alaska...

oh well..

i look forward to seeing everyone...

[rdonnay]

so you can no longer install it under c:\alaska...

I think you can, but it is not recommended.

Xbase++ 2.0 follows conventions that are common to most Windows programs and installations.

The program, including exes, dlls, runtime, help are all in subdirectories under Program Files ..\Alaska Software.

Examples are installed in \users\<user>\documents\xbase++.

Steffen explained that this type of installation makes it possible to do regular updates. I have already installed 3 updates since last October. It's simple. Just start the workbench. If your Xbase++ license has been activated, you will automatically be notified that there is an update and can choose to install it. The process is incredibly smooth. We won't have to wait so long for updates anymore. You can also roll back any previous version if you wish. Also, Steffen explained that they can now do a complete build and certification of the professional system in 2 hours. It used to take 2 weeks.

We all have been frustrated over the slow progress at Alaska for the past 4 years but it looks now that there is a lot happening that will improve our universe. They have a new website too. Now all they have to do is improve their support forum. Steffen says that is in the works.

[bwolfsohn]

Steffen explained that this type of installation makes it possible to do regular updates. I have already installed 3 updates since last October. It's simple. Just start the workbench. If your Xbase++ license has been activated, you will automatically be notified that there is an update and can choose to install it. The process is incredibly smooth. We won't have to wait so long for updates anymore. You can also roll back any previous version if you wish. Also, Steffen explained that they can now do a complete build and certification of the professional system in 2 hours. It used to take 2 weeks.

You can do updates / rollbacks, but you can't have 2 different versions active at the same time (using batch files to switch) ?

when sl1 came out, we could compile the old 1.90 and sl1 just by changing batch files.

[rdonnay]

You can do updates / rollbacks, but you can't have 2 different versions active at the same time (using batch files to switch) ?

That sounds like a good question for Steffen at our conference.
He promised at least 1 hour via video conference on Friday, May 1.

[Cliff Wiernik]

I switched to the Program Files location likely with SL1. Alaska had started to use that methodology for a while and I finally moved from the alaska folder location. I still rename the folder instead of changing the path as Roger does. I am though considering Roger's approach with Xbase++ 2.0.

I just renamed the folder in the Program Files (x86) location from alaska to alaska19336 or alaska19xxx.

[bwolfsohn]

from Boris:

Brian,

First of all the latest version of Xb2.NET is 100% compatible with
Xbase++ 2.0. You should not encounter any issues in upgrading. Your server
applications will continue to function as well as before with the added
benefit of improved SSL encryption using perfect forward secrecy and other
security fixes: http://xb2.net/xb2net/changes.htm

As far as supporting CXP; if you can point me to where I can find
documentation on how to use CXP views within an Xbase++ application, then
I would be happy to add support for it. Until then, I suggest you put some
pressure on Alaska Software to make this information available. I also
suspect that once this information is available, it will be really easy for
you to execute CXP functions on your own with zero involvement from me.

Support for websockets is 99% implemented in the latest version (the code
is all there) but it is currently not documented.

--
Best regards,
Boris Borzic

[rdonnay]

As far as supporting CXP; if you can point me to where I can find
documentation on how to use CXP views within an Xbase++ application, then
I would be happy to add support for it. Until then, I suggest you put some
pressure on Alaska Software to make this information available. I also
suspect that once this information is available, it will be really easy for
you to execute CXP functions on your own with zero involvement from me.

My last conversation with Steffen leads me to believe that Boris will be able to
incorporate CXP into Xb2.Net. It won't happen though until HttpEndPoint is
completed along with the documentation. Boris uses his own socket classes to
handle http communctions whereas HttpEndPoint uses the new Alaska socket
layer. If Boris wants to support CXP, I'm thinking there will be a lot of
reprogramming for him, but I don't see why it can't be done because Xb2.Net
is 100% Xbase++ code and I already wrote an Xbase++ app that supports CXP.

It isn't ready for prime time yet and I wouldn't recommend going down that road
right now but I have been assured that it will be ready probably by next Alaska
devcon.