As developers, we all appreciate efficiency and simplicity in our coding routines. The fewer keystrokes we need to remember, the better!
With this in mind, we’re revisiting and refining command names while deprecating outdated ones in 4D 20 R7 to make them shorter, more consistent, and aligned with modern development standards.
Why the Change?
Over time, some command names have become unnecessarily long or inconsistent. Our goal with this update is to address these issues by aligning command names with a clear rule:
Use “Get“ only when there is a corresponding “Set” command.
For example, you can “Get” a value if you can also “Set” it.
Consider these examples:
- Random instead of Get random (since you can’t set a random value).
- Current process instead of Get current process (you can’t set the current process).
Additionally, some commands have outlived their usefulness and have been replaced with more powerful alternatives. These outdated commands are being officially deprecated to encourage developers to use the updated versions with enhanced functionality.
Commands Renaming
We’ve identified 22 commands that need to be renamed. These commands currently have a “Get” prefix but don’t necessarily need it because there’s no corresponding “Set” command.
Here’s a list of the current and updated names:
| Current Command |
New Command |
|---|---|
| Get action info | Action info |
| GET ACTIVITY SNAPSHOT | ACTIVITY SNAPSHOT |
| Get application info | Application info |
| GET BACKUP INFORMATION | BACKUP INFO |
| Get call chain | Call chain |
| Get database measures | Database measures |
| Get last field number | Last field number |
| Get last query path | Last query path |
| Get last query plan | Last query plan |
| Get last table number | Last table number |
| Get license info | License info |
| Get license usage | License usage |
| Get localized document path | Localized document path |
| Get localized string | Localized string |
| Get locked records info | Locked records info |
| GET MEMORY STATISTICS | MEMORY STATISTICS |
| Get Monitored Activity | Monitored activity |
| GET MOUSE | MOUSE POSITION |
| GET RESTORE INFORMATION | RESTORE INFO |
| Get system info | System info |
| Get table fragmentation | Table fragmentation |
| Session storage by id | Session storage |
Deprecated Commands
In addition to renaming commands, some outdated ones are being deprecated. These commands are no longer relevant or have been replaced with more robust alternatives, often offering improved functionality and performance.
Here’s a list of the deprecated commands, along with their modern replacements:
|
Deprecated name |
Replacement |
|---|---|
| _O_GET LAST ERROR STACK | Last errors |
| _O_PROCESS PROPERTIES | Process info |
| _O_GET SERIAL INFORMATION | License info |
| _O_SET SCREEN DEPTH | (no longer needed) |
How Will This Impact You?
For those working in binary mode or using the “Include tokens in project source files” option, you don’t need to take any action. The tokenization process automatically handles these changes, ensuring smooth operation without manual intervention.
If you’re not using tokens, you must manually search and replace the deprecated command names in your code. While this may require some upfront effort, it’s essential to maintaining clean and future-proof code.
However, we understand that not all developers use tokens. We recognize that name changes can be a challenge for those who don’t. Manually updating code with search-and-replace tools is not ideal, even if modern text editors simplify the process with “search in files” functionality.
That’s why we don’t change command names often. Instead, we collect updates over time and implement them in larger batches, as we’re doing now, to prepare for 4D 21. Given the many improvements to the 4D language, we believe it’s critical to address confusing or obsolete command names to ensure clarity and consistency in the future.
For more details, visit our documentation center or join the discussion on the 4D Forums. We’re here to help you navigate these changes and ensure a smooth transition.