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 4D Write Pro 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!
Formula: More power behind simplicity
The 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.
Bootstrap and 4D transformation tags
Do you need to access your 4D data from a web page but don’t have a designer in your team? Are you uncomfortable designing the pages yourself because deep down you believe that it’s full of complicated and unwritten rules? Well, have you ever thought about Bootstrap?
In this blog post, we’ll look at how to take advantage of Bootstrap’s framework to design web pages in no time! We’ll also provide you with a database example to see how it can be combined with 4D transformation tags.
4D Write Pro and the UI widgets
4D Write Pro has no default interface because it’s meant to be embedded in your application. Therefore, it needs to fit your user interface design and provide just the right amount of features for your use case(s). We decided to provide you an easy way to create your own interface with Standard Actions. Since starting from scratch is not always easy, we’ve made widgets available that you can use directly. Better yet, if you’re a partner, you can even customize them (i.e., remove features, change the order/organization of tabs, buttons, etc.)!
In this blog post, we’ll go through the interface possibilities offered by 4D Write Pro.
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