What's new
DataFlex 2017/19.0
Server Web Properties
The DataFlex framework now includes a new property type called “server web properties”. In contrast to client web properties, server web properties are always stored only on the server; they are never sent to the web client. Server web properties provide persistency and can even be attached to sessions. The new property type provides a secure place to store an application’s state with the same ease of use as DataFlex’s existing client web properties. In addition to security, since server web properties do not consume any bandwidth, they can result in improved application performance compared to the use of client-side web properties.
Swipeable Buttons (in Lists) and Cards
Touch functionality in applications has been extended with a new control called the “swipeable list button”. This control provides a compact, effective method to add extra actions to list rows. The button functionality is highly customizable and easy to implement. Also, the card container now has a new swipe feature that enables users to swipe between cards. Swipeable cards provide a touch-friendly alternative to existing tab containers.
Floating Panel
The cWebFloatingPanel is a versatile container component that can be positioned it several ways. It falls outside the control and regular panel layout flow and "floats" on top of the application. It can be used to develop custom menu systems, provide extra details or show notifications.
Collapsible group
The cWebGroup control has been extended with the option to collapse / expand groups. Controlled by properties and a button on the screen, collapsible groups provide a new resource to use limited, small-device screen real estate more efficiently.
Improved Connectivity
DataFlex’s connectivity to SQL databases for mobile, web and Windows apps has been dramatically improved with new ways to maintain database connections and several other database-related improvements.
- Database connection IDs are now fully integrated into the Studio and applications
- Indexing support for SQL databases has been enhanced
- The workflow for developing SQL-based applications has been improved
- The Studio includes more natural support for typical SQL features such as primary keys, foreign keys, identity columns, clustered indexes, etc.)
- The database login process has been enhanced including support for encrypted credentials
- Easier, faster and more robust database conversion, connection and reconnection processes
64-bit WebApp Server Support
The benefits of DataFlex 2017’s 64-bit WebApp Server support are: simplified server installation and configuration and elimination of the requirement to switch default 64-bit Internet Information Servers (IIS) to 32-bit mode. These benefits are accomplished by providing both 32-bit and 64-bit binaries of parts of the WebApp Server. DataFlex web application processes and the WebAppServer.exe that controls them are still 32-bit.
Accordion Container
The cWebAccordionContainer is an accordion-style web control based on the tab / card container technology. cWebAccordionCards expand or collapse by clicking on the header or they can be controlled from the source code properties. The accordion container can be configured to allow a single expanded item or multiple expanded items.
Highlight Column
The cWebColumnHighlight is a specialized visual component that can be used to highlight hits in search results. It has several configuration options to specify exactly how it should highlight keywords. This component is ideal for enhancing the usability of web applications with search capabilities.
Color Picker
New “color picker” controls are available in popup format (cWebColorForm) and as standalone control (cWebColorPicker). They both work with HEX and RGB color strings and have the ability to display a custom color palette with predefined colors.
Communicate with RESTful services
The new cHttpJsonTransfer class now makes it easy for DataFlex web apps to communicate with the vast array of RESTful JSON services on the web. The new class supports all of the protocol’s necessary HTTP verbs and is closely integrated with the new DataFlex 2017 JSON Parser. Data is passed in and retrieved using cJsonObject handles which simplifies further processing.
JSON Parser
The JSON parser is a single cJsonObject class that contains the entire API for parsing, generating, analyzing and manipulating JSON. The API is a simplified DOM where each object represents a single JSON node. JSON can be generated by creating and configuring these objects or by simply converting a struct or array from memory before calling Stringify to generate the JSON string. DataFlex’s cHttpJsonTransfer class makes it easy to work with modern REST APIs by working closely with the cJsonObject.