Discover how object notation can simplify your developer’s life!
With the object notation, available as a preview in 4D v16 R4, your code is simpler to write, easier to read and more natural to think. That is true. But did you really see the full potential of the object notation?
Before 4D v16 R4, when you wanted to create a detail form to enter contact information from an object field, you had no choice but to write an expression like OB GET ([CONTACT]Info; “City”) in the variable data source. You could retrieve the attribute value, but it was not possible to change it. Moreover, you had to write a loadRecord method with the OB GET command for each attribute and a saveRecord method with the OB SET command for each attribute.
What does object notation change in this scenario? From 4D v16 R4, you just write [CONTACT]Info.City in the variable data source! This variable is available in Read/Write mode. OB GET and OB SET commands are no longer necessary. That’s it! Now you see the full potential.
4D Write Pro supports tables!
Your wish has finally come true, you can now insert and fill tables by programming in your 4D Write Pro documents. We are not talking about bar tabs mimicking tables here, this is all about “real” tables! Tables where the text will automatically wrap to fit into the column size you defined, that will not “break” when your data changes.
This feature is the first major improvement exceeding the old 4D Write set of functionalities. You will now be able to generate invoices containing tables, fully by programming and style them exactly as you want with a few line of codes! Another scenario is that you can now provide your users with a button in your application UI that will insert a table with a predefined number of lines and rows, a predefined size for each column then you can let the user edit and style the content by itself.
Another way of coding: Object notation
Objects are great, everyone says so. Beside their wonderful flexibility, they are unbelievably fast. You can search through millions of records in just a fraction of a second. 4D v16 even allows to order by object attributes, and to do calculations such as Sum or Average.
With 4D v16 R4, the 4D language has been drastically enhanced to make the usage of objects much more comfortable – with the support of the object notation. Fast, flexible, efficient and now elegant!
Get ready for Object Notation
You are looking forward to start coding with Object Notation? For sure, Object Notation will make your life easier as a developer. But before activating it in your existing application, you should make sure that your code is ready.
The new Object Notation syntax introduces some restraints as 4D language now considers the three following characters as reserved symbols: “ . ”, “ [ ” and “ ] ” (i.e. dot, opening and closing brackets).
As a consequence, once you have activated the Object Notation in your database, it is no longer allowed to use these symbols in variable names, method names, table names, or field names. And of course it is the same for your existing code!
So it is important to check that your application does not contain these symbols before activating this feature. But don’t worry the MSC can do it for you!
4D v16 R4 Beta starts today!
I am pleased to announce that the beta testing of 4D v16 R4 starts today! 4D v16 R4 is one of the feature-richest R-release ever delivered! There is so much to tell, I don’t know what to start with…
4D v16 R4 beta introduces 4 major product features, among others:
- A major 4D language enhancement with the object notation, making the developer’s life easier!
- Real tables in 4D Write Pro, answering the most-asked feature request for the old 4D Write.
- The Single Document Interface (SDI) mode making your Windows 64-bit application entering a new world where application windows are all independent!
- The first step of the 4D View Pro spreadsheet as a Preview, lifting the veil on a powerful spreadsheet solution for your 64-bit applications.
4D v16 R3 is available!
Upgrade now and benefit from the power of 4D v16 R3, available today for download!
Take advantage of our new features to optimize your programming productivity and easily design your custom 4D Write Pro interfaces in just a few clicks.
Security and Data Protection
Security is an important and fundamental topic for a database or business solution system. This article proposes an overview of how 4D protects your data. In fact, security is about data protection. And data protection is a huge area. Data needs to be protected for unwanted access, but also for loss.
Keisuke Miyako presents 4D Tags at 4D Summit 2016
Keisuke Miyako, Technical Service Manager from 4D Japan, presents at 4D Summit Paris 2016 how the 4D transformation tag feature has been highly empowered with 4D v16. If you are not using 4D tags yet – be sure you’ll be thrilled to start using it asap after watching that video!
Besides the introduction of the enhancements done in 4D v16 making 4D tags now so powerful, Keisuke presents here 2 concrete examples of 4D tags use cases: export data to an Excel spreadsheet and create nice charts using a JavaScript library from data served in a JSON format.
Source code sharing of internal 4D components with 4D Partners
4D has initiated a new program to share the source code of internal 4D key components such as the 64-bit Quick Report, the date/time pickers, or even the 4D Write Pro user interface.
Sounds already interesting, but what exactly does it concretely mean for you? You always wanted to use the Time picker widget, but with a different look and feel. The 4D Write Pro user interface is great, but can’t fit exactly in your application, that is requiring a more ‘Microsoft Office like’ ribbon bar approach.
Create your own contextual menu for 4D Write Pro
4D gives you new possibilities to customize your 4D Write Pro user interface to make it perfectly fit your business application. Instead of using the default 4D Write Pro contextual menu, which is so detailed that it could become unpleasant to use, the 4D developer can create its own contextual menu, with the exact list of actions that he wants to provide.
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