Powerbuilder 9.0 preview
introduction
As a five-year old user who uses PowerBuilder, I have used Powerbuilder 5.0, PowerBuilder6.0, Powerbuilder6.5, Powerbuilder7.0, PowerBuilder 8.0, and every version has little improvements, but PowerBuilder9. 0 The advancement is revolutionary, it is absolutely shocking to me. It brings many of the features needed to develop, with the meaning of the epoch. Before PowerBuilder9.0 is officially released in China, I will make a simple introduction to the latest developments of PowerBuilder9.0 and the technologies, I hope to have a surprise for domestic PB enthusiasts.
1 latest developments
1.1 PowerBuilder 9 US display
On March 24, 2003, in the thick war in the Iraq war, in the Radi-awkward of the Oscar Awards, Sybase's new generation development tool PowerBuilder 9.0 is not inferior. On California San Diego Gartner Exhibition / ITXPO 2003, Sybase shows the revolutionary development tools - PowerBuilder 9.0, announced by the end of March. PowerBuilder® 9.0. Sybase is really a bovine, actually grab the limelight with the war and Oscar! However, in mind, Sybase does have such strength. In fact, shortly after the Iraq war began, the US government announced that Microsoft and Sybase were key protection companies. To know, the US Department of Defense's network system uses Sybase Enterprise Portal 5.0, which is a network security solution. It can be seen that how much the US information system is for SYBASE.
Sybase shows how to quickly develop and configure a JSP web application using PowerBuilder9.0 in California, March 27, March 23, March 27, March 23, how to build a web application through Microsoft .NET and other frameworks. Services, how to access EJBs running on third-party servers such as BEA's WebLogic®, how to export and import XML data through a data window. Sybase® PowerBuilder 9.0 enables developers to develop fertilizer client applications to meet increasingly complex business needs, and it supports J2EETM and Microsoft® .NET environments. It also laid the foundation of "4GLPlus) programming language, which greatly improves the productivity of developers through design, modeling, development, configuration and management.
1.2 PowerBuilder 9 Europe Road
Sybase first chooses Europe as the first battle of Powerbuilder 9, and its roadshow schedule in Europe is as follows:
· Scandinavian Peninsula (Nordic), April 9th - April 11th
· April 29th - April 30, UK
· May 12 - May 15th, Germany and Switzerland
· June 3, France
· June 4 Netherlands
· June 5 Belgium
1.3 PowerBuilder 9 is released in China
Sybase Chinese company did not give PowerBuilder 9.0 in China's clear release time, just to be released this year. Support for XML, JSP, .NET, and Web Services is implemented in PowerBuilder 9.0, which can not only meet the needs of enterprise applications, but also enable application development of handheld devices. PowerBuilder9.0 will make this ancient product to new vitality, making it a new generation of development platform with high integration. The ready-to-release product also has an application design modeling tool PowerDesigner version 9.5. Since PowerBuilder has a wide range of application in our country, PowerBuilder 9.0 issues will give the majority of new people using PowerBuilder database application developers a great surprise. 2 highlights
2.1 new technology
(1) RAD JAVASERVER page (JSP)
JSP web applications can be developed and configured by wizards and other RAD tools.
(2) Web Services
I don't need too much SOAP and WSDL knowledge to establish Web Services for Microsoft .NET and other frameworks.
(3) XML data window
Import data directly from the XML document, save the data from the data source as an XML document, or as a document or string using XSL format object (XSL-fo) or PDF
(4) PowerBuilder local interface
Pack a C class as a PowerBuilder extension, call it in your application. With the Java Local Interface (JNI: Java Native Interface), Java applications can also communicate with the PB virtual machine (PBVM: PowerBuilder Virtual Machine).
(5) Third-party application server
In addition to supporting Sybase Easerver, Powerbuilder also supports BEA WebLogic ServerTM, IBM WebSphere®, and other J2EE Applications - Generates an agent of enterprise Java Beans EJBS through the wizard, and calls the J2EE server in the PowerBuilder through the agency.
(6) PowerBuilder document object model
PowerBuilder Document Object Model (PBDOM) defines how to access and operate XML documents
(7) PDF document generation
Provides two ways to save data window objects as PDF documents
(8) Improvement of source code control
Help developers manage large PowerBuilder projects more effectively, establish a more closely integrated relationship with Rational® ClearCase® and Merant PVCs.
(9) Orcascript tool
New source code control integration allows PowerBuilder to rebuild applications directly from source code control
(10) PowerDesigner / PowerBuilder integration
Fast results quickly generate all code. Reconstructing the N-layer architecture by dragging and dropping component programming, these components are integrated in the PB IDE integrated development environment.
2.2 advantages
(1) Integration and openness
• Web Services provides integration with J2EETM and .NET .TM.
• The PowerBuilder local interface extends the support of the PB for C applications.
• EJB client extends the scope of application of PowerBuilder applications for J2EE compatible servers
(2) Timely sex
• RAD fourth-generation language provides the greatest productivity for client / server, web and n layer system development
(3) Web and N layer system development
• XML Data Window makes it better with other applications • The RAD JAVASERVER page makes it easier to create a web application.
• PowerBuilder Document Object Model Allows the operation of an XML document
• Support for application servers compatible with J2EE
(4) Lifecycle management
• Strict version control makes projects more easy to manage
• Improve the entire development process with the integration of Sybase PowerDesigner
3 new technology overview
(1) Open fast application development The foundation of the fourth generation language is based on the original fourth-generation language rapid application development capabilities, and PowerBuilder 9.0 continues to build a new foundation to create a client / server, Web, and N layer architecture applications. Powerbuilder 9.0 makes this process more easily, faster, more efficient, and more costly. As a leading fourth-generation development language, PowerBuilder 9.0 is integrated from powerful PowerBuilder document object model to third-party application servers, providing a first-class programming environment for developers. (2) XML Data Window Powerbuilder Patent Technology - Data Window Technology Fuses XML technology so that the data window drawing can visualize the XML template. These templates allow for import data and export data in XML format, logical structure of data - how to evolve within the XML document within XML documents can also be defined.
Figure 1 XML Data Window (3) PowerBuilder Document Object Model (PBDOM) PowerBuilder Document Object Model (PBDOM) is a complete application interface (API) that is used to create, read and write and operate XML documents. The PowerBuilder Document Object Model (PBDOM) also enables the XML document to easily access and operate through the standard PowerScript statement. PBDOM is based on a series of non-visualized sets, created using PowerBuilder local interface technology (PBNI: PowerBuilder Native Interface). (4) The RAD JavaServer page The PowerBuilder 9.0 development environment provides an easy-to-use development environment to establish JSP web applications. It automates many development tasks, allows configuration web applications that are compatible with JSP 1.2 servers. The JSP Web Object Wizard automatically creates JSP objects - J2EE web applications, even in this, also includes configuration parameters. JSP web objects can be configured directly from PowerBuilder to Easerver or Tomcat, where the command line options can also be configured in other popular JSP containers.
Figure 2 Creating a JSP Web object (5) High-speed open integrated development environment PowerBuilder 9.0 Fast application development (RAD) has achieved great breakthroughs. The fourth-generation integrated development environment provides a mechanism for establishing different applications to configure different architectures, such as Microsoft®.NET frameworks and J2EE. PowerBuilder 9.0 can develop first-class client / server applications, as well as Web Services, Rad JavaServer PagesTM, providing support for third-party application servers, so that the original application is developed smoothly to distributed applications and web applications. (6) Web Services PowerBuilder can provide web services as clients on intranet or Internet. By using SOAP and WSDL, PowerBuilder can remotely publish a range of functions as an entity and become part of the PowerBuilder application. By using the Easerver toolbox, the PowerBuilder custom class user object can be easily configured as Web Services. The Web Services wizard in the PowerBuilder integrated development environment creates a proxy object or custom label library that contains the necessary information to call Web Services from the PowerBuilder application or JSP page.
Figure 3 Creating a Wizard Creating a Web Services Agent (7) Microsoft .NETTM Support PowerBuilder 9.0 Start support. Net Framework is supported by Web Services, so that .NET is integrated with PowerBuilder. (8) Client EJB Server Support You can use PowerBuilder to access Java server business logic. This does not require the use of Java to create an application through the year, and PowerBuilder can quickly create a suitable application to access EJB running on the application server that is compatible with the J2EE, such as Sybase Ease Ease Easerver, IBM WebSphereTM Application Server, BEA WebLogicTM Server, and Other application servers. (9) PowerBuilder Local Interface PowerBuilder Local Interface (PBNI) is a powerful feature of PowerBuilder, allowing developers to add their own functions to PowerBuilder. This is an API that makes PowerBuilder with the outside world in two ways. In the first way, you can create a DLLS to provide one or more classes for local custom class user objects in PowerBuilder. This allows developers to write extension libraries and access them in the PowerBuilder in PowerBuilder IDE to create visual or non-visualized user objects. Second, PowerBuilder Virtual Machine (PBVM: PowerBuilder Virtual Machine) can embed C or Java applications, or other applications that can call C to call the commercial logic written in PowerScript. (10) Sourcecodes Control For Source Code Control (SCC: Source Code Control) interface significantly, PowerBuilder 9 introduces execution threads in initialization workspace, which eliminates latency latency of large applications. At the same time, the introduction of the amendment provides a huge improvement - can determine the synchronous state, support new integrated extensions. In addition, ORCAScript features can be used to create application PBLs directly from the SCC repository. (11) ORCAScript Orcascript allows you to write batch statements to process PowerBuilder applications and files outside the PowerBuilder development environment. ORCAScript can get the latest PowerScript object from source code control, create a PBL object, configure components to the Easerver, compile PowerBuilder executable, all of which do not require operator interference. (12) PDF Support PowerBuilder provides two ways to save data window objects as a state of PDF format. The default is the extraction method, which can save all types of data window objects. At the same time, data window data and representation can also be saved as document or string, using XSL format object (XSL-fo) or PDF format. 4 Minimal requirements for installation requirements • 400 MHz compatible with Pentium compatible CPU • CD ROM CD-ROM • Color Display • 64MB memory (recommended 128MB) • 210MB hard disk space * • Microsoft® Windows NT® SP6A, Windows® 2000 SP2, Windows XP * 210MB hard disk space refers to only PowerBuilder 9.0 installed and is a typical installation. In fact, the hard disk space required is based on the number of installed products. In addition, some temporary spaces are also required to store unzipped installation files. 5 version comparison
(1) PowerBuilder Enterprise Edition provides a complete development environment to developers to develop and configure distributed applications, web applications, and client / server applications. Applications can be upgraded according to multi-developers and multi-user environments. (2) PowerBuilder Professional Edition provides a small development environment that can develop an application based on an ODBC database. (3) The PowerBuilder desktop version is a development tool provided for personal development, which can develop a desktop database. Table 1 PowerBuilder Different versions of 6 Sybase companies expand PowerBuilder open efforts
As early as Sybase, Sybase announced the initial strategy of interoperability between Powerbuilder and Microsoft Net architecture. Sybase uses a four-stage solution to implement the PowerBuilder components and applications with applications in the Microsoft.NET architecture. The first phase of the PowerBuilder.Net Strategy will adopt the form of supporting Web services, including XML business enhancements to PowerBuilder 9.0. The second phase will include DataWindow.Net and DataStore.Net features. Using PowerBuilder's exclusive patents in data access, DataWindow.net, and DataStore.Net can support access from non-PowerBuilder applications and can be used by any .NET language. Experienced PowerBuilder developers If you use .NET, you don't need to learn new lengthy, complex methods to integrate with DataWindow and DataStore. In the third phase, the Unconventional Objects (NVO) of the package business logic will be migrated to the .NET structure, enabling the PowerBuilder developer to reasonably utilize the current code and move it to the .NET environment. Developers can also achieve high productivity in a similar PowerBuilder integrated development environment (IDE). They can also continue to create applications, develop components in PowerBuilder, and to deploy these applications and components into the business platform and environment. The final phase of PowerBuilder's .NET support includes bringing components in the .NET architecture into the PowerBuilder IDE. This stage will change the appearance of the PowerBuilder itself so that it looks like the user interface created in .NET. It also allows developers to call .NET system components to create .NET-based objects in PowerBuilder. With PowerBuilder, app developers can choose the development platform and environment they need, including Windows DNA, .NET architecture, web, and J2EE platforms. It continues to simplify software development structures, protocols, and standard complexity, enabling developers to focus on writing software applications to solve complex business needs. For new standards and development trends, PowerBuilder developers can make a response according to the direction of the company's choice, add value to existing products. Sybase has expanded PowerBuilder open efforts to have perfect performance in Powerbuilder9.0. 7 Conclusion
