A Few Highlights from Day Two Post-Conference Super Advanced R:BASE v9 eXtreme Class:

• New system variables: You could previously get this information using code but now there are system variables to instantly provide record number, record count, record number and count, record number and count with description, R:BASE version and Build and more.
• New Link Label: You can make easy hyperlinks in forms - a URL Link which includes a tab for HTML language
• New Auto Hint feature which shows the hint within the Status Bar position instead of a balloon.
• 51 Snazzy New Themes
• New Advanced Rich Text Control object - built in advanced RTF word processing software which can be used for mail merge or reports.
• New Enhanced Table Designer with help visible on every click.
• Cross Tab Report Features: You can add custom titles in cross tab reports by right clicking. You can also draw horizontal and vertical lines and add color.

Razzak also demonstrated a solution to provide rotated variable text on labels using the caption property command. Very slick!

Thank you Razzak and John for all your hard work to provide a great post-conference super advanced R:BASE extreme v9 class. All the cool new features and tricks we learned will make our databases shine.

A Few Highlights of Day One Post-Conference Super Advanced R:BASE v9 eXtreme Class:

• Best way to upgrade a database to version 9 is to unload the database using the old version software (after verifying no issues) then reload with version 9 software.
• Component IDs on forms are automatically assigned to each new form object. You can edit the component ID if you prefer a different name.
• Renaming forms/reports three ways: Use two slow clicks like Windows, press F2 key or right click to rename
• Highlight all forms in forms window (Control-A) and compress or assign THEMENAME to all forms at once.
• Hover mouse over custom form action to see code in a hint window
• In 64 bit version of version 9 R:BASE you can sort forms by form edited date which makes it easy to find a form you just edited.
• New form object - DB slider to adjust numeric values
• Object Inspector is now integrated into regular R:BASE (don't need Enterprise Edition any more)
• New drop down box on Object properties is a short cut to get to later tabs that you would normally have to scroll to see.
• Reports now have 2D and matrix (PDF417) bar codes included at no additional cost. (Razzak tried to take that one back after he saw how popular it was but we held him to it!)
• Background color mapping in Enhanced DBGRID highlights rows based on column values (ie - red background needs attention). You can use multiple colors to indicate multiple conditions including null. The color can be placed in a different column - not just the column with the specified value.
• Undocumented Feature in Enhanced DBGRID - PROPERTY TABLE tablename 'CLOSE' or 'OPEN' is just like SAVE ROW used with PROPERTY TABLE 'REFRESH'. However this will also cause the grid to re-open maintaining any sort or conditions that were set when it was opened.

Cascading List Views in Forms

Razzak showed a technique using a series of Variable List View controls in a single variable form. Each did a lookup, and the second and third each had a variable in its WHERE clause that refered to the variable set by a click in the earlier list view.

It created a drill-down interface, with a performance advantage over using DB Grids or other DB controls: None of the three tables involved was ever locked by a user (unless and until a double-click brought up an edit form).

That technique can be used in 7.6 or 8.0, also. But Razzak went on to show many new features of eXtreme 9.0. For example, more EEPs are possible, and it is easier to get to the EEP you want to edit. You can make the form "scroll up" like a window shade to gain screen real estate, or to hide private information when somebody walks up behind you.

2009 Project Bundle Up

For the first time ever we had a live auction. Much to the chagrin of Jan Johansen, he became the auctioneer. Many even followed his suggestion of bringing alcohol to be auctioned. The list of items included a suncatcher, vodka, many bottles of wine, power supply, and others. Over $360 for Project Bundle Up at the auction.

Curently as this moment we have collected approximately $1450 for Project Bundle Up. For many of you who couldn't make it to the conference, you can send a check to Donna Memon at R:BASE Technologies. Please write the check in order of "Project Bundle Up" or "Salvation Army".

Bill Downall receives the "Life Time Achievement Award"

Bill, to much of his surprise and delight, last night was awarded the RBTI “ Life Time Achievement Award”.

Bill received this awarded and is so busy “Blogging” that he has left himself out of this announcement. To be honest between his takings of notes, being one of two MCs’ and keeping us all up to date on this Blog it is an award WELL deserved, among all the other day by day items.

You can view these awards and other activities by following this link as well as viewing them on one of Bill’s earlier posts today.

http://picasaweb.google.com/RBASE10thYear


Thank you,
RBang

Custom Images on Form

The artistic John Minyo showed how to design (or find) custom bitmap images, and use them on radio buttons, checkboxes, speedbutton, or other controls. The custom images are files that store multiple images, all the same size, which represent the different states of a control: enabled, disabled, checked, selected, etc. Each image within the custom image file is a glyph.

He also showed how, in 9.0, to use these custom images in the Glyph/layout settings for the controls, to set which image goes with each state of the control. The halloween themed skeleton heads and pumpkins on speed buttons were a special highlight.

Documenting the Undocumented

Razzak showed what he described as 12 percent of the undocumented features of R:BASE eXtreme 9.0.

• Magnifying glass to zoom in on small, hard to read things (Ctrl-Alt-M)
• PROPERTY REPORT CANCEL 'TRUE'
• Report | Breaks | DESC order
• Form Designer | Assign color: click on the title "Background Color" or "Font Color" on the toolbar
• In Enhanced DB Grid, set filter type to (None) for fast load, to "Column Values" for drop-down list
• Enhanced DB Grid, Hot Keys: Ctrl-F/F3 for Find, Ctrl-L for enhanced Filter dialog, Ctrl-S for show/hide DB Grid Columns 
• Data Browser | Table | Open | Select Column | right-click, calculate, options include all output options (Printer, text file, PDF, clipboard)
• Working with old code w/ PLUGIN commands, *.rbl, *80.rbl, eXtreme 9.0 will recognize and run correct 9.0 version
• Migrate your Custom Color defined in 7.6 or V-8 into eXtreme 9.0 (in old version: Settings/Custom Colors/Save to File. In new version, Settings/Custom Colors/Load from File)