| A Message from the CEO Dear Colleague, Our annual Developers’ Conference has come and gone. I’m pleased to announce that DevCon ’99 was one of our most successful conferences to date. The overwhelmingly positive feedback that we received from the attendees made all of our efforts worthwhile. We have already started fine-tuning next year’s conference in our never-ending quest to make DevCon the most productive, pleasant experience possible. A huge thank you goes out to all of the speakers and attendees who made DevCon ’99 a memorable experience. This year’s conference was, for many, the first glimpse of an exciting new direction for TopSpeed as well as the entire Clarion community. The focus: Web development. The Internet represents a major shift in application development that would be devastating to ignore. It is imperative that we recognize such trends and act quickly on them. So we have. DevCon attendees were pleased to hear our plans to design two new products that are directed toward Web development. Our London development team is currently working vigorously to put together TopSpeed’s newest product that will forever change the way small businesses—and their customers—look at the Internet. There is an enormous "Main Street" business market out there in dire need of Internet direction. Many small businesses have been having problems for years competing with the large retail chains. Now they have to deal with massive price-conscious e-commerce sites that are gobbling up a sizable portion of the retail dollar. TopSpeed is going to show small businesses how to carve their Internet niches to beat the big boys at their own game. The new product, iBuild@topspeed, will be designed to help small enterprises use the Internet to preserve their futures—as well as that treasured part of Americana that was built by "mom and pop" businesses. It’s like Norman Rockwell meets cyberspace. And TopSpeed is going to lead the way. We also used DevCon to touch on another new Web-related member of the TopSpeed family: Clarion 5.5. This new product features improvements designed to increase the productivity of all Clarion developers. One such improvement is the ability to instantly access the properties of Procedures, Windows, Reports and data files through the brand new Property Editor. With this editor, you no longer have to go through multiple dialogs to change a property! Just like the rest of the world, Clarion 5.5 is pointed directly at the Internet. And with Clarion 5.5, Web technology is now integrated in the Professional and Enterprise editions. I urge you to take a closer look at Clarion 5.5. Take a minute to check out our Web link These are exciting times for TopSpeed and its customers. With TopSpeed’s automated technology and new Internet-directed approach, we are all poised for growth and success. Roy D. Rafalco President and CEO TopSpeed Corporation |
Volume 1, Issue 4, November, 1999 In this issue: A Message from the CEO
TopSpeed is elated to announce the release of Clarion 5.5 in Beta 1 version. This new version offers a number of enhancements that are designed to further increase the development of Clarion developers. And, to stay consistent with TopSpeed’s new Internet focus, Clarion 5.5 allows Web develop with the Professional and Enterprise editions. Here’s a few other Clarion 5.5 highlights: Visual Property Editors that give you instant access to properties of Procedures, Windows, Reports, and Data files. You can now change a property without laboring through multiple dialogs. AppGen that now has a split pane view. This feature provides easier access to details on a procedure level. The AppGen also allows you to view the latest edited procedures first. It’s now much easier to find the last the last worked-on procedures. Java-Free Web technology that results in faster performance. Web applications can also be changed without recompiling the EXE. The Clarion 5.5 Enterprise Edition includes a 50-user license of the Application Server that can be freely distributed. The professional edition Application Server now supports ten connections and can also be freely distributed. And there’s more. Clarion 5.5 includes improvements to the Clarion language, templates and class libraries. The C5.5 Enterprise Edition also updates to the Data Modeler and Version Control System. To take a closer look at Clarion 5.5, click here. TopSpeed Adds Some Pep to Professional Edition There’s a new member to the Clarion family. TopSpeed has introduced Clarion 5 Professional Edition Plus (C5 PEP) to add another tool to its product suite. The new product combines all of the features of the Profession Edition with benefits previously reserved for the more advanced Clarion products. C5 PEP gives developers increased benefits that include the ability to easily import the database schema. Clarion 5 Professional Edition Plus is comprised of the following: The Clarion 5 Professional Edition C5 Professional Edition is the foundation of TopSpeed’s product line that anchors the Clarion reputation for fast, efficient database application development. Dictionary Synchronizer The dictionary synchronizer allows developers to import the database schema, which is comprised of the tables, keys, columns and the relations of an SQL database. This feature also can be used to export a Clarion dictionary into an SQL database to synchronize the data dictionary with the database. SQL Drivers C5 PEP includes additional database drivers to go along with the Pervasive SQL driver offered with the C5 Professional Edition. C5 PEP includes database drivers for Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase SQL Anywhere. Developers can utilize the SQL drivers link to the database with more functionality than ODBC. The SQL drivers give developers the luxury of spending less time trying to program different dialects of SQL—and more time developing the application. Additionally, SQL drivers are faster than ODBC. Business Math Library The business math library provides financial and statistical functionality to Clarion applications, including loan amortization, future value, internal rate of return, factorial, range, summation, variance and more. Clarion 5 Professional Edition Plus is sure to put more PEP in your application development. For more information, click here or call TopSpeed Sales at 800-354-5444. Clarion Training CDs Now Available TopSpeed has added a new dimension to an already popular training series. Learn the Foundations of Clarion at home. Learn it at the office. Learn it wherever you feel most comfortable. Interactive Self-Study Training for Clarion 5 offers an alternative to the traditional classroom setting for those who are seeking to learn the basics of Clarion application development. The Windows-based training tool lets students learn the fundamentals at their own pace. Go through it as quickly or slowly as desired. |
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TopSpeed Education Coordinator Tracey Toth
reports an overwhelmingly positive response to the CD since the concept was introduced in
September. "Once word was out about our new Interactive Self-Study CD, the phones started going crazy. We had lots of questions and a lot of ‘How soon can I get my hands on a copy?’" she said. The CD was one of the hottest sellers at DevCon ’99 and the early reviews have been positive. "I’ve tried a lot of interactive training systems and always found them to be a major yawn," said Patrick O’Brien, a partner at Orbtech in St. Louis, Missouri. "The CD is an extremely powerful tool for the beginner. I am recommending it to all my peers," said Lonnie C. Lee of Oil & gas Data Processing in Midland, Texas. The nine-lesson CD has a number of benefits to make the learning process a pleasurable experience. A navigable lesson outline allows students the benefit of easily moving to the topics the are of the greatest need and interest. Interactive lesson plans systematically guide students through the entire application development process. And to ensure complete understanding of the material, tests are located at the end of each chapter. The program spots missed test questions and automatically returns to the lesson that explains that particular material. For more information about Interactive Self-Study Training for Clarion 5, click here. To purchase the CD, call TopSpeed Sales at 800-354-5444.
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TopSpeed Introduces New Third Party Program TopSpeed has taken a close look at their Third Party Program and concluded that it has gradually become obsolete. A sparkling new plan designed to standardize the program kicked off October 1, 1999. How it works: Third Party Partners receive one full-page advertisement (per enrolled product) in the annual catalog, which includes description, pricing, partners company logo and contact information. The catalogue will be produced by TopSpeed Corporation and will be shipped out with Clarion for Windows. Partners receive one Web page description (per enrolled product) with a link to their home page where interested parties can purchase their products. During TopSpeed’s annual Developers’ Conference, Partners receive one complimentary exhibitor’s table. Partners now have access to alpha builds. Partners have a private newsgroup for communicating with other members of the program. Partners have direct access to TopSpeed authorized international distributors to negotiate their own Agreements with distributors. Third party partners receive this entire package for just $2,000 annually per enrolled product. For further details, please contact Susie Buchler at (954) 785-4555, ext. 280, or by e-mail at sbuchler@topspeed.com.
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What's New @ TopSpeed.com! TopSpeed.com, the official Web site of TopSpeed, continues to grow and change. We are constantly trying to upgrade our site to increase its value to the entire Clarion community. These are a few of the latest additions or changes to TopSpeed.com.
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| TO TOP | Configuring IIS 4 When using the ISAPI version of the Clarion Application Broker to run applications on the Internet, many customers have run into difficulties configuring Microsoft's Internet Information. Server 4 (IIS 4); IIS 4 has been much more troublesome than IIS 3 in this regard. The following configuration settings have proven to be very successful. From within the Internet Service Manager: 1. Configure your virtual directories under the Default
Web Page Your Authentication Methods should be set as follows: a. Allow Anonymous &
Challenge and Response checked (ON) After you press OK, you will be on the Default Web Site Properties dialog; press Apply and then OK and this will cascade all the settings to your virtual directories. 3. For the CWS virtual directory: a. Allow Anonymous checked (ON) Good Luck! Hope this helps. |
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The QBE Button with a result string . . . …shows the result of a query in a browse, along with the Clarion filter expression. This is a great tool for the developer. It’s all wizarded with the latest build of c5ee. Here’s how: Choose the Browse you want to use, and go to the window formatter. Click on the Control Templates icon in the toolbox. Select Browse QBE from the Select Control Dialog and populate the button. Right-click the button and choose Actions from the drop down. Press the QBE Options button, and select List from the QBE Interface form. Check Auto-populate, and OK back to the Window Formatter. Next, you want to populate a string on the window someplace near the Query Button. Right-click on it, and highlight Properties. Type ResultString in the Use entry form, uncheck Variable String, and say OK. Now, right-click on the button and select Actions from the Dropdown menu. Press the QBE Options button and click on ResultString in the Result Control Form. Compile the app and press the Query Button in the browse. Enter your parameters in their respective fields. After saying OK, you’re back at the preceding browse, but it is showing the results of the filter. The Clarion filter statement is in the string next to the button.
Processing ASCII File to View Starting from the dictionary, add a file select field/keys, add a field with the datatype String. Select ASCII from the file driver drop list. Specify the number of characters ie. 255 with a screen picture @S255. Also specify the Full Path Name. Close dictionary and save.
Asc:Field1 = Clip(Y2K:Company)&','&Clip(Y2K:Contact)| &','&Clip(Y2K:Address)&','&Clip(Y2K:City)&','&Clip(Y2K:State)&','&Clip(Y2K:Zipcode)| &','&Clip(Y2K:Telephone)&','&Clip(Y2K:Email)&','&Clip(Y2K:Serialno)&','&Clip(Y2K:Website) Add(Ascfile) If ERRORCODE() THEN STOP (ERROR()). close(Ascfile) Note: File must be opened in Exclusive mode; Exclusive mode is granted by setting the access mode to 18 The above steps are to copy multiple records to an Ascii file. Note: To copy one record from a file add the above source code to CONTROL EVENT HANDLING, AFTER GENERATED CODE on the accepted of a button.
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| TO TOP | DevCon ‘99—Gone, but not Forgotten DevCon ’99 has come and gone. But the information shared during the three-day conference will linger on indefinitely. A global mix of 358 people who represented more than 20 countries attended this year’s developers’ conference, which was held September 27-29 at Fort Lauderdale’s luxurious Hyatt Pier 66 hotel. The attendance figure was a 22 percent increase over last year as a number of new faces took advantage of TopSpeed’s information fest. The primary theme of the conference: The world is going electronic—quickly. E-commerce. E-marketing. Complete electronic communication. And TopSpeed is going to show small businesses how to take full advantage of this runaway trend. TopSpeed representatives unveiled the first glimpse of a new product designed to make Web-enabling applications a snap. The strategy will focus on helping small "Main Street" businesses use the Internet to their full advantage to better compete with the big guys. The tremendous response, "Kudos TopSpeed. We can’t wait to get our hands on it." Many DevCon veterans reported this year’s track sessions were among the best ever. Andy Stapleton, President of Cowboy Computing Solutions, wowed a standing room-only crowd with his two-part series entitled Conversion from TopSpeed to SQL. Bruce Johnson, part owner of CapeSoft, left his packed-house audience gasping for more after his presentation, Embedding in ABC. Scott Ferrett of the TopSpeed Development Centre also had them standing in the aisles during his session, SQL for Those Who do not Want to Know SQL. Nearly two dozen other speakers shared their expertise to help all Clarion developers become more efficient—and more profitable. TopSpeed’s continual effort to make DevCon more effective and worthwhile led to a few changes in this year’s format. One of the previous year’s post-conference seminars was moved to the Sunday before the conference to give more people the opportunity to take advantage of the informative seminars. DevCon ’99 was also the testing ground for a new lunchtime question and answer session. Each lunchroom table was assigned a Clarion expert who monitored a discussion about a particular application development topic. An impressive panel of Clarion talent addressed the most pressing concerns at Wednesday’s Wrap-up Session. The overall opinion of the attendees: "Great idea. Let’s see it again next year." Although the constant array of informative general and track sessions kept most attendees on the run, there was still plenty of time to relax and catch up with old friends and colleagues. The tone of DevCon’s social value was set at Sunday evening’s Welcome Reception. A.R. Barrington emceed a series of entertaining events designed to lighten the mood and bring Clarion developers closer together. The plan obviously worked as a good time was had by all with the help of the games, great food and a few beverages. Hank Asher, founder and CEO of eData.com, hosted a Monday evening happy hour that was an sanctuary of relaxation for many who worked through the first day of sessions. And Tuesday evening’s Key West Fest was also a smash as hundreds took advantage of the Hyatt’s tropical setting along Fort Lauderdale’s Intracoastal Waterway to enjoy a delicious meal combined with killer margaritas. Many attendees considered this, the ninth annual Developers’ Conference, to be the most successful yet. But we are already tweaking the format to make next year’s event even more memorable. DevCon 2000 is scheduled for September 18-20 at the Hyatt regency Pier 66, which is the same location as DevCon ’99. We hope to see you there. |
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