Project database: Deploying your application
So your application has been developed and you’re ready for the next step. 4D lets you:
- generate a compiled database that no longer contains any interpreted code,
- generate a standalone application that can be double-clicked, (i.e., merged with 4D Volume Desktop, 4D’s database engine),
- generate client/server applications with automatic updates of client and server parts.
With a project database, you can also build your final applications for both platforms. A project database uses the same configuration file as a binary database.
Project Databases: Post conversion
In this blog post, we showed you how to convert a binary database into a project database. Once everything is ready and the conversion has successfully completed, you can start working with your project database. However, some questions may arise: are all the files in the database useful? It’s obvious that the”.4DB” structure file is no longer needed. Can I delete other files?
Here’s everything you need to know after the conversion.
Project databases: Architecture
Project databases, the headliner of the 4D v18 release, allow distributed teams to work collaboratively by storing an application’s code in a source control system, in text files containing everything from the database structure to the user interface, including forms, menus, user settings, or any required resources. And since a project database is made of text-based files, you’ll have several folders and files, stored within a single parent database folder. In this blog post, we’ll go through the architecture of a project database to give you a better understanding of this new type of database.
How to notarize your merged 4D application
With Catalina (macOS 10.15), it’s highly recommended that you notarize applications distributed over a public network. A significant number of developers transfer their applications using a connected storage device or via file sharing, notarization isn’t required in these cases where the user already trusts the developer. The purpose of notarization is to assure users that the application isn’t malicious and is only required for applications downloaded from a website.
If you use our built-in signature feature when building your applications with 4D v18, your application is ready to be notarized. This process is conducted outside of 4D. It involves adding an electronic signature to your application and submitting your signed application to an automated inspection service. Here’s everything you need to know:
Customize the admin dialog with 4D code
There have been requests to modify the 4D Server administration dialog, with some customers wanting to remove information and others wanting to add customized information. This AdminWindow component shows you how to do just that. You can use it “as is” or modify it to fit your needs.
Build a web-based monitoring dialog, step by step
Want to recreate the 4D Server Administration Window with a web interface? Want to conveniently check what’s happening in the 4D Server without needing to go to the server room, to use a remote desktop, or to consume a 4D Client license? It’s now possible to view all of 4D Server’s main parameters(e.g., memory usage, drive space, users, processes, and even the real-time monitor) via the web.
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through a set of commands that 4D delivered over various R-releases to build your own web-based server administration dialog. Additionally, the regional technical manager of 4D Hispano (Angelo Caroprese) has provided a complete component to be used right in your applications.
Power of objects and dot notation
With 4D v17 R5, we showed you how easy it is to manipulate an object to retrieve the attributes of a file or folder. Things have gotten even easier thanks to object notation! In this blog post, we’re providing you an HDI with a user interface to manage files and folders. This isn’t new in 4D since you could do it with classic 4D commands, but now you can do it easier and with fewer lines of code!
Write generic code with the latest ORDA features
ORDA has its share of features with 4D v17 R5, including various ways to write generic code.
Writing generic code allows you to centralize your code to facilitate updating it. Not only does it enable you to write reusable code that can be used in different use cases, freeing you from having to reinvent the wheel again and again, it also lets you add extra functionalities on top of what you’ve already done.
4D Write Pro: Save the view properties
View settings are used to define how a document should be displayed. Until 4D v17 R5, these settings could only be modified using the contextual menu or standard actions. Now they can also be set and get within an object using new commands, as we explained in this blog post. But you can do even more, because these settings can be saved and re-applied afterward! You’ll definitely appreciate having your settings saved!
New formula: More power behind simplicity
The New formula command is available since 4D v17 R3. So far you might have thought of assigning a formula as a method to an object or building smart objects that can calculate values or do anything you need. That’s really great, and there’s more than meets the eye!
I had a great demonstration from Vincent de Lachaux – Developer and expert 4D – on how he uses this command. For this blog post, I compiled different scenarios from that demo to give you insight on a different dimension of this command.
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