PxPlus Release

PxPlus 2014 provides a number of major enhancements over prior versions of PxPlus/ProvideX. This release also marks a change in the naming of the product to make it easier to relate the product release dates to other software products.
(click here to view information on the prior Version 11.50)

Major New Features

• Revamped application development designer and toolkit:
• Added toolbars throughout and improved user interface
• Added a project-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
• Added new sidebar folder attribute to folder controls
• Added NOMADS+ toolbar and panel designer
• Added new embedded button capability to multi-line controls
• Added direct access to ZIP files including file creation
• The default location of the System Activation Keys has been changed to facilitate multiple versions and upgrades.
• Enhanced System Bitmaps and Icons to provide a more modern application look
• On Unix/Linux, Pipe IO has been enhanced to support the use of the TIM= option on binary reads.
• Object can now be used as Embedded IO programs to control file access.
• Allowed PREFIX FILES to now have internal keys in the first field thus enabling case insensitivity on the lookup
• Added support for IPv6 to the TCP file interface with the ability to force IPv4 if desired
• Re-enabled older ProvideX code to support Balloons on Buttons in the system taskbar
• Added options to the INI file to control TCP Security by controlling which TLS protocols will be accepted
• Added a new HTML-based Dashboard
• Added native Web Services - Query, Chart, Report that support CSV, JSON, XML, PDF, PNG and HTML
• Added Dynamic File Splitting to help manage large data files
• Enhanced Query+:
• Improved performance and faster load-on-demand
• Added enhanced column sorting
• Added new run-time filter conditions
• Added the ability to add run-time calculated columns
• Added ability to change column order and column persistence
• Added the ability to assign visual attributes to a column such as color, bolding and images
• Added 'Goto' functionality to go to a specific record based on matching a typed-in value to a currently selected column
• Added Data Mirroring to use system journaling

Directives

• Enabled Menu_bar access on concurrent windows
• Added new OPT='x' for button control that inserts 'X" into the button right edge
• Added new 'Encrypt$ property in multi-line controls to encrypt data read from control
• Added a DEFAULT option on STR for numeric formats
• Added numerous internal PROCESS EVENTs (See Process Event Directive for details.)
• The SETDEV (n) SET and 'OPTION' Mnemonic had the following new options added:
• Setting "Window_NoAuto_Focus" to "1" will avoid window frame repaints when changing focus between concurrent windows.
• Setting "DeleteOnClose" to "1" will cause the system to attempt to delete the associated file when closed.
• Setting "AutoConvertUTF8" to "1" will cause the system to provide automatic conversion of UTF8 data to high-order ASCII on text mode input/output.
• The SYSTEM_JRNL Directive and related journalizing has been enhanced to include Data Dictionary updates, Indexed file updates and file creation/deletion.

Functions

• Changed the MSK() Function to support Perl regular expression compatibility
• Added new "RGB" to "ASCII" support to the CVS() Function to provide for the conversion of colors to HTML compatible equivalents
• Increased the internal limit of format masks to 1024 characters

Mnemonics

• Enhanced color rendering options to support the following:
• The system now support HSL color specification providing Hue, Saturation and Level
• Colors can now be blended by specifying multiple colors separated by a "+" sign
• Colors intensity can be adjusted by specifying a factor for the intensity following the color separated by a "*"
• Added support for multiple spellings of the word GREY/GRAY and LIGHT/LITE for color specifications

Properties

• The AutoColSize property has been added both list views and Grids to control the automatic sizing of columns based on the size of the control.
• A new BringToTop property has been added to various controls that will force the control to be on the top of the display order.
• Added a number of new properties to control the rendering of Buttons, Check_boxes and Radio_buttons:
• 'BorderStyle allows the definition of the style of border to use
• 'BorderColor$ defines the color(s) of the border
• 'ActiveTextColor, 'ActiveBackColor, and 'ActiveBorderColor define characteristics of control while pressed
• 'DisableTextColor, 'DisableBackColor, and 'DisableBorderColor define characteristics of control when disabled
• 'FocusTextColor, 'FocusBackColor, and 'FocusBorderColor define characteristics of control when it has focus
• 'HoverTextColor, 'HoverBackColor, and 'HoverBorderColor define characteristics of control when mouse is over the control
• Two new properties, 'TipColno and 'TipRow, have been added to the GRID to provide for dynamic tip generation.

Parameters

• Added a new 'BS' system parameter that, when set, will automatically convert any pathnames with a backslash to a forward slash on Unix/Linux
• A new 'DK' system parameter has been added to detect and report errors when writing fields that may inadvertently contain field separator characters.
• In cases where the decimal point may not be a period, a new 'NF' system parameter allows for the automatic recognition of the local decimal point as defined by the 'DP' parameter.

iNomads

• Updated iNomads module to support Apache 2.4
• Enhanced the rendering engine to take better advantage of HTML5
• Added a call to "*plus/inomads/start_up.web" to provide application start_up logic specific to iNomads base applications
• Improved handling of extended ASCII and UTF-8 character sets
• Added option to replace scrolled output with paginated output
• Improved scrolling using more native browsing functionality
• Improved touch screen handling for tablets
• Added new properties to define list view/grid line heights
• Added _var_lst$ functionality

Utilities

• Added the ability to provide a tile password to a myTiles™ app.
• Added *win/move utility to re-order and drag/drop items within a list box
• Added a new XML parser object
• Added oAuth2 functionality for third-party SaaS applications
• Added STARTTLS support in *web/email
• Added a new callable routine to generate a QR code
• Added new internet based mailbox read and dispatch utilities
• Added ZIP file utilities, *tools/zip and *tools/unzip, to help manage ZIP files

Fixes and Minor Changes

• Enhanced MySql to pre-validate the existence of tables during the Open logic
• Improved internal brush and pen allocation to reduce system resources and improve rendering speed
• Corrected problem with MULTI_LINE when setting format AFTER setting control value
• Resolved problem with changed column default type after some cells defined in the grid
• Improved Command Window display while using WindX
• Corrected computation of column width when converting from Pixel to Char columns to avoid rounding problem
• Resolved problems caused when window is maximized yet full screen is not big enough to hold contents (usually due to small monitor or large font)
• Fixed auto increment/decrement when used with HIDE/SHOW directive
• Changed old PDF to use real numbers for line drawing
• Fixed drawing of lower corner for resize to prevent multiple images from displaying
• Corrected logic to avoid non-integral subscripts
• Corrected problem with RNO In *MEMORY* files
• Correction for setting sort options when no format defined for list box
• Forced WindX not to report error 31 when hitting memory limit
• Fixed problem in @X/@Y computation caused by changing text plain font then dropping window
• Corrected problem accessing FIN(nn, "FILELENGTH") on TCP and other emulated files
• Fixed problem with LPTn being a link file that resulted in a Dr Watson failure
• Corrected problem with List view background load range
• Corrected problem when using Julian date formats in data files that were not delimited or the defined length was too small
• Corrected syntax tables for functions using the HIDE option and reserved words for function names
• Corrected potential problem with Unix alarms when sub-millisecond timer specified causing race condition
• Corrected Key generation logic for DB2 and OCI
• Added logic to avoid bell ring during input of Blank when Zero numbers
• Correction for MOD function when using LARGE numbers (>2^32)
• Correction for reading RNO from MySql
• Corrected problem with image placement when changing the text of a button
• Improved image scaling for button controls
• Updated to latest OPENSSL version
• Added new Top/Bottom N values and Suppress zero values options to Auto Chart Wizard
• Added support for hidden object methods that use reserved words as their name
• Added usability enhancements to Data Dictionary Maintenance
• Added file description to the data dictionary listing
• Added a warning message when a duplicate control is shared between a main panel and sub panel
• Improved FindItemText logic in list views and grids
• Added PxServer for Linux
• Fixed IT Editor hanging when editing while using line wrapping with slashes
• Improved program tab styling and added an "X" to facilitate easier program closing
• Improved handling of breakpoint conditions in IT Editor debugging system
• Fixed an issue in the IT editor when entering a CR before a remark
• Corrected an issue in the IT editor when pressing enter at the end of line that contains a program label
• Added standard keyboard shortcuts to panel designer
• Added numeric column options to smartlists
• Added ability to left justify, center, or right justify when used with a bitmap on a button
• Added new button properties to templates and visual classes
• Added visual class assignment to bulk edit utility
• Added 'Export to Spreadsheet' option to listbox popup menu
• Added new 'Non-query Logic' option when assigning queries