Cache Manager priority control
Starting with 4D v16, 4D 64-bit includes a fully optimized cache manager based on a automatic priority management mechanism for objects in cache memory. With 4D v16 R2, you have now full control over priority handling of the objects in cache memory allowing advanced fine-tuning.
For advanced usage and specific cases, you can customize the cache priorities using two sets of 4D commands:
- Priority definition for the whole session and all processes: SET TABLE CACHE PRIORITY, SET INDEX CACHE PRIORITY, and SET BLOBS CACHE PRIORITY.
- Priority adjustment for the current process: ADJUST TABLE CACHE PRIORITY, ADJUST INDEX CACHE PRIORITY, and ADJUST BLOBS CACHE PRIORITY.
VMWare vSphere (Hypervisor ESXi) and Windows Server 2016 Snapshot Support
4D Server Windows 64-bit is providing a better integration with the Enterprise virtualization strategy as it now supports Virtual Machine snapshots based on Volume Shadow Copy Services, as VMWare ESXi and Windows Server 2016 do. When the administrator starts a snapshot, the virtualizer (for instance VMWare) informs the guest OS, such as Windows Server, which tells the 4D VSS Writer, which in turn informs 4D Server that a snapshot is about to happen. Then 4D Server puts himself in a “stable” state during the snapshot is done.
The 4D Server Windows 64-bit administration window has been modified with an additional “Volume Shadow Copy” label so it is possible to check at anytime whether the VSS writer service is running correctly.
4D Write Pro horizontal ruler
Use the horizontal ruler in a 4D Write Pro area to adjust margins, indents and align horizontally text, graphics, tabs, and other elements in your 4D Write Pro documents.
Control list box selection highlight color
A list box, using many different colors for background and fonts, might not fit with the automatic selection highlighting, which depends on the operating system settings. It is now possible to have detailed control over the highlight color, for every single line or even cell.
A new option has been added to the list box property list: Hide selection highlight. When this option is checked, the developer needs to make list box selections visible using available interface options. Then he can define specific background colors, font colors and/or font styles by programming to customize the appearance of selected rows. This can be done using arrays or expressions, depending on the type of list box being displayed (selection or array).
More control over list box by programming
While there were already many commands to control almost all aspects of a list box by programming, some were only adjustable upfront. From 4D v16 R2, over 20 additional list box properties can be dynamically manipulated by code, allowing dynamic usage of the list box.
All the properties available in the property list can now be get and set using the 2 commands: LISTBOX SET PROPERTY and LISTBOX Get property. Please note that LISTBOX Get information has been renamed to LISTBOX Get property.
Even more flexible development using objects
It is now possible to search in an array inside an object using linked arguments. The command QUERY BY ATTRIBUTE has been updated to allow even more complex queries inside a list of elements in a single object. When searching in array attributes with multiple query arguments joined by the AND operator, you now have the option to choose to get the records where matching arguments are in at least one element or in the same element.
Sort records by object attribute
It is now easier to sort records based on a specific object attribute when displaying a selection for example in a list box thanks to the new command ORDER BY ATTRIBUTE.
Cross table in Quick Report editor
Quick Report 64-bit editor now supports Cross-Table reports in addition to List reports allowing your end-users to appreciate the smooth user experience upon designing reports. Choosing the Cross-table mode allows you to display your report as a Pivot table. Note that reopening an existing report created with the 32-bit 4D products is still possible.
Find in design dialog improvement
In addition to a redesign, the dialog has been empowered with 2 new functionalities related to the result window. A new button has been added to allow interrupting an on-going search. Furthermore, a new filter option is available so that you can select the result items that you want to keep and remove all other items except this selection.
More info in Maintenance and Security Center
New information such as sum of records of all tables, or address table size for each table is now accessible from the Maintenance and Security Center. Also, all information about your database is now available in both Maintenance and standard modes.
In the Tables tab, there is a new Address Table Size column. This new feature helps you check the difference between the size of the Address Table and the number of records per table. If this difference is huge, compacting the Address Table is recommended, as it can considerably increase the application execution speed and lighten your data.
In addition, the footer of the list box in the Tables tab shows the total count of Tables and the sum of Records, Fields, Indexes, and Address Table Sizes for all tables.
For more convenience, the path to log file has also been added in the Program tab of the Information page.
New rendering engine for Web areas
For both a better user experience and improved support of new HTML features, 4D is updating its internal component for embedded Web Area objects in 4D 64-bit to Blink (also used by Google Chrome). Blink is the most up-to-date and well-maintained existing rendering engine.
The switch to the Blink framework requires no code change for your application and has strictly no impact in the Web area usages; all commands and events for embedded Web Areas work the same as before, except few preferences which are not supported and are ignored.
When the Use embedded Web rendering engine option is checked, 4D uses WebKit on 32-bit versions and Blink on 64-bit versions.
New Timestamp command
The new command Timestamp allows to get a precise UTC time stamp including milliseconds. It is making easier precise time stamping for close operations performed in different places over the world. Now you can precisely date your log to know exactly when the events occurred.
4D Developer Edition and 4D Volume Desktop Windows 64-bit
With 4D v16 R2, 4D has reached a major milestone as 4D Developer Edition and the 4D Volume Desktop Windows 64-bit are now released as “Final” and are thus ready for production.
Altura’s Mac2Win is now entirely removed from the 64-bit versions of 4D Developer Edition and 4D Volume Desktop, allowing these products to use modern Windows APIs. 4D 32-bit versions and 4D Server 64-bit are still using Mac2Win essentially to support non 64-bit legacy third party plug-ins.
4D Developer Edition 64-bit embeds the new and modern Label editor, Quick report and Import-Export dialogs, intuitive and easy to use!
It is possible to run multiple instances, or copies, of the same 4D Developer Edition 64-bit on their PC without having to install the application twice.