Re: Forms 4.5 "Components"

Hi Jochen,
You're making - as many before you - the error of assuming that Forms 4.5 is a traditional WINDOWS tools. It is not! Forms 4.5 works on many platforms and is not directly related to MSs version of Windows. Among many things that are "jibberish" in Forms is message passing which is the foundation of programs in Windows.

Forms does not directly support Drag and Drop for the same reason. Only using a VBX/OCX or calling a DLL of somekind will it be possible, but as you might notice that requires programming in for instance Visual Basic.

If you want a MS Windows toolset Forms is a bad choise. The power of forms is it's highly integration with Oracle and it's cross platform abilities. But the drawbacks are many too: Interpriation, No messageing, No enabling the programmer to access the Windows message queue etc.

When I tell this to ordinary Windows programmers the usually run away coughing and won't touch Forms at all. And I understand them on that point - if you want to use traditional Windows features Forms is not the right choise. On the other hand, with 1.4W or 1.5 you have a direct interface to HTML forms and much more - and even though I'm not an experienced Java or ActiveX programmer, I am not sure that drag and drop is supported in the HTML environment?

Hopes this "helps" you a bit understanding Forms - and maybe reconsidering what it is you to do compared with the tool you are using.

• Peter H. Larsen

Jochen Doermann wrote:

> I'm used to building drag & drop components in Paradox and Delphi, and
> now I'm trying to do it in "Forms [32 Bit] Version 4.5.7.1.6
> (Production)" in Developer (1.3?). I've run into so many brick walls
> I'm ready to give up programming and take up masonry (masons are paid
> just about as well).
>
> Does any one have hints or a favorite reference to help?
>
> -- Jochen
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Jochen Doermann <x.doermann_at_facstaff.wisc.edu>
> Programmer/Analyst
> Univ of Wisconsin - Div of Information Technology
>
> Jochen Doermann
> Programmer/Analyst <x.doermann_at_facstaff.wisc.edu>
> Univ of Wisconsin - Div of Information Technology HTML Mail
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> Additional Information:
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> First Name Jochen
Received on Tue Nov 04 1997 - 00:00:00 CET