Re: Forms V3 to V4 Learning Curve

lnatzke_at_newsit.mtt.it.uswc.uswest.com (Larry Natzke) writes:

>Can a developer, who has a strong background in Forms V2 thru V3, become
>proficient quickly in V4. How different is V4 from V3?

The differences I noticed while using at least three different beta versions:

1. 'fields' are now 'text items', along with other kinds of 'items' such as radio button groups, check boxes, etc. Just a change in terminology.
2. You spend some extra time setting scope a little more explicitly.
3. master-detail relationships are explicit objects (of type 'relationship' as I recall) and hence more easily modified.
4. the alpha release of v4 I first used was a lot buggier than production v3 ;-).
5. you have to explicitly ask for ASCII (portable) form definitions; the default form def is stored on disk in a binary format.
6. ReportWriter is actually integrated (it shares the same screen painter as Forms, apparently), as is Graphics. 'Bout bloody time.

I've got _my_ update request in the queue.

>Larry Natzke Email: lnatzke_at_lookout.mtt.it.uswc.uswest.com
>U S WEST Communications Phone: (303) 595-2983

Cheers.

 -Tom

-- 
Thomas Cox      DoD #1776   '91 CB 750 Nighthawk   tcox_at_qiclab.scn.rain.com
    Worldcon:  Arkham in '98.