ORACLE CARD 2.0 Beta/Just Got it

I got last night the beta test stuff for OC 2.0. I am impressed by the product. Where OC 1.1 was basically a 'get it fast to the market' product, it appears that 2.0 is much better. Now that said, it is 9 months late but better late than never.

Anyway the wait seems to have been worth it.

Among the new functionalities (not exhaustive) are:

• Native Menu support. (Windows style)
• Better printing, script print available.
• Better graphic support/sound, movie stuff.
• Much nicer scripting tool with what looks like a fairly good debugger.
• What O calls 'database extensions' which are a whole new way to interact with the DB. This is a lot more complete than the stack builder which is abondonned.
• Custom properties can be created for an object. This also allows custom code to be stored and executed natively by an object. Programming becomes a lot cleaner.
• Possiblilities to work with multiple rows of data in one card with native query management functionalities. Master/slave relationship on the same card is also there.
• New functionalities for better windows (card) management. Custom and compounded dialog boxes are now standard. Though we still can't have multiple card (more than 2) displayed at the same time (coming in OC 3.0 suposedly).
• New object types. The chart type is clearly the best and appears to be fairly complete. (Could there be no need or MS excel DDE suff anymore ?) Most 1.1 existing object types have been enhanced.
• And more...

I am feeling quite good about the tak of Objective C functionalities that one find in the product along with the convergence toward object orientation. While not being really OOriented, the product marries well with the hypercard message system. The combination of LISP like ADTs and Objective C like message control makes it an elegant product. (Yes i am a NextStep lover too)

Of course if you still prefer the regular FORMS programming no one forces one. But if you give it a chance I think one will like it.

Well, if you have followed my posting before, you know that I have now more work to modify my program generator freeware to take 2.0 into consideration. Will do.

Anyway congratulation to the OC team !

	JM
	debaud_at_cc.gatech.edu