Re: Good User Guides for Informix Online DS 7.23 and NewEra

Hi Mike (Segel), I must not have a clear picture of what you mean when you say objects in one window cannot control objects in another. I've written, over the last 4 yrs. or so, many applications where I have code in one window doing something and, from that window, perform retrieves, disables, enables, etc., for objects in the other window. As long as you have a handle or pointer to the object that's in another window, you can manipulate it. One application I wrote had a window open and shown that was retrieving data every 30 seconds from a table while other windows in the same application where coming and going at the user's discretion. All code was NewEra. I have written applications where, if the user inserted a row in a table and another window was opened that also showed data from that table, maybe in a different fashion, then I would "update" the data in the other window that was being displayed. Maybe I just don't understand what you mean. Happy New Year, At 09:26 AM 12/31/97 -0600, you wrote: } } }Billy Wheeler screamed as he came crashing out of the jungle like a }wounded wildabeast: } }> On 31 Dec 97 at 0:53, Mike Segel wrote: }> }> } Here's a tip. }> } Don't use New Era. (Damn I'm gonna catch flack for that one. :-) }> }> Nothing wrong with NewEra. }> } }Ahh, but I disagree. Here's a simple acid test. Try writing a multiple }window application where objectsin one window can control objects in }another. Here's an example. }Write a stock broker application/ trading application, which has a *real }time* feed of stock trades in one }window and a clients portfolio in another. Simple so far, since the }*real time* feed can be done }using Tibco's push technology (Publish / Subscribe) independant of the }database transactions in the }other window. }But let us have the stock symbol appear blue/black for normal quotes, }however have them flash red }indicating that they are stocks that are in the current portfolio, or }green if there is an open }or unfilled position on that stock. (Client has placed a limit trade.) } }Simply put, you cannot delegate/control objects outside the window }hiearchy. New Era doesn't }allow for object delegation. (See ask the experts .... :-) } }Can you write an application which does the same task? }Sort of. As long as you use a single window and show the realtime feeds }in the same window }that you pull up the client's portfolio. But now have multiple clients }on the screen at the same time. }(Or if you don't have multiple clients, consider multiple baskets....) } } }> } BUT, if this is not an option, }> } do the following: }> } }> } 1) Place all of your business logic in C functions. (It makes them }> } portable.) }> }> No disrespect, Mike, but it also makes it damn hard to maintain. }> Business is not as static as it used to be, if it ever was. :-) }> } }Even if it is not *static*, C code is extremely simple. Heck, they even }teach it in some high schoolsthese days. :-) Keep in mind that one }should not have to have obfuscated code or pointers to arrays }of pointers to structures in one's business code. } }As far as being static, even if you write it in any language, you will }still have to maintain it. }However if you write it in C, the odds are you will only have to }maintain one copy of code. }Both 4GL and New Era can access the C code. So you have multiple }platform support, which }New Era no longer provides. You can even access the code from other }languages/environments as well. } }Of course, if and when 7.X and 9.X merge and Informix offers C, C++ and }JAVA as stored }proceedure languages, you now have server side code. (CSPL, JSPL ? Ne }C'est Pas? :-) } }> } You should be creating functional layers as much as possible. }> } 2) Do not rely on the Class Libraries provided with New Era. }> } (Can we say garbage?) }> }> I think he means the AFCL here. Have a look at NEWT, from }> http://www.dchsoftware.co.uk -- it's downloadable. }> } }Perhaps. Of course, its a third party product and blows away the *one* }vendor theory. :-)Delegation can exist within the AFCL versus the }*language* level. The problem is that }New Era apps, don't really have an application class which handles }interfacing with the }OS windows manager, hence the window is the lowest level of control. }(I'm not 100% sure of this since I don't use NE.) } } }> } 3) Make sure you understand OO design and techniques. This is }> } independant of }> } what ever OO language you use. }> }> ABSOLUTELY!!! }> }> } 4) Since this is your *first* experience with New Era, double or }> } tripple the time requirements for }> } your project. (You are gonna have to learn a lot and will most }> } likely }> } rewrite earlier sections of code) }> }> And this applies equally to any language, even C... :-) } }Who said it didn't? But then again, you can get C programmers fresh from }school where as you }can't get New Era programmers as easily. } }-Just my thoughts on the issue. So take them with a grain of salt. }Mikey } } } } Paige Miller Consulting Project Leader Voice: (770) 206-5340, FAX: (770) 395-2337 Enterprise Consulting Services Informix Software, Inc. -- Atlanta, GA USA