PBTV - May 2013

Upcoming webinars on PowerBuilderTV

May, 2013

.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013 at 8:00 AM PST (Los Angeles) - 17h00 CET (Paris) Test Automation for PowerBuilder Applications This presentation will provide details and demonstration of comprehensive test support for the DataWindow and other PB objects. It will also feature the step-based approach to building manual and automated tests to maximize reuse and minimize test maintenance. Automated testing support for PowerBuilder applications has been in demand and Zeenyx Software is happy to announce that support for versions 11.x and 12.x is now available in AscentialTest. Presenter: Brian Le Suer

Appeon Mobile Appeon has announced the GA of Appeon Mobile! We've had a number of Appeon Mobile webinars building up to this announcement, and in case you have missed any of them you can check them out below in our archives: How to Develop Mobile Apps with Appeon Mobile Installing Appeon Mobile in less than 3 minutes Appify Your UI: Designing a Mobile User Experience With PowerBuilder

Check out the archive of past webinars

Regards ... Chris

PB Survey 2013

** Hot News **

PowerBuilder Worldwide Survey 2013

The fusion of Sybase and SAP, and the upcoming release of PB15 are currently raising a number of questions about PowerBuilder.


With this survey you'll learn more about:


The architecture of current & future PB Apps (Client/Server, Web, Mobile...)
The use of PowerBuilder versions: Who’s still using PB9? Who has moved to PB12.5?
The most awaited developments in PB

Have Your Say
Tell us about your PowerBuilder usage and expectations, and help guide the future of PowerBuilder.

Take the 2013 survey

Submit your answer and access the previous results!

Thank you for supporting the PB Community!  

Regards ... Chris

Appeon 2013 European Lauch Tour

** Hot News **

Appeon Mobile European Launch Tour

   Appeon will be formerly launching their first release of Appeon Mobile product (also known as Appeon 2013) in May 2013. As other new versions of Appeon Mobile are released further into 2013 Appeon will be hosting other events throughout North America and Asia.for this revolutionary product.  The European segment will be the first part of the worldwide tour as this is where SAP's headquarters are located. The European tour will see three seminars, one each in Waldorf Germany (SAP headquarters), Paris France and  Bologna Italy. Prepare to be a Web & Mobile PowerBuilder Rock-star by joining Appeon at one of these locations! 

Sign up to attend the events near you ...

Waldorf, Germany
Time: May 7, 2013 at 9:30 – 18:00 CET
Location: Walldorf WDF1, Room Biel, Hasso-Plattner-Ring 7, Walldorf, Germany.

Paris, France
Time: May 14, 2013 at 13:00 – 17:00 CET
Location TBA, Paris, France
Bologna, Italy
Time: May 20, 2013 at 10:00 – 17:30 CET
Location: Excelsior Hotel, Viale Pietramellara, 51, 40121 Bologna, Italy

• Get the high-level details of how Appeon Mobile works
• Find out the latest information of PowerBuilder, SAP HANA and road-map of PowerBuilder and Appeon Mobile.
• Discover how to develop and deploy a mobile application with PowerBuilder.
• Learn how to prepare your application for deployment as a native mobile app and run it on an iPad and/or iPhone.

  For more information on these sessions, detailed agenda and how to register ... please visit the Appeon Europen Tour web page!

Regards ... Chris

PB 12.5.2 - Major Toolbar Problem

** Hot News **

PowerBuilder 12.5.2 Release

Major Problem

Hi Everyone;

   I would not rush to install PB 12.5.2 (build 5006). 

   As soon as you do - all your custom toolbar settings are killed and you can not get the mappings back! This includes both the InfoMaker and PowerBuilder IDE's

For example, when you add a new icon (built-in or custom) - the InfoMaker or PowerBuilder 12.5.2 main power-bar will shrink to just the EXIT door. Try as you may, the toolbar can not be customized any further! It will show the new toolbar setting properly in the customization dialog's preview area - but, never render on the IDE properly when you exit the toolbar customization dialog.

  Selecting the "Reset" option in the toolbar customization dialog does reset the preview area properly - but again,  when you exit the customization dialog main power-bar is still all messed up.

  The only way out of this predicament is to enter the toolbar customization dialog and then select the "Clear" button, then select OK. This wipes out the Power-Bar on the IDE as it then disappears. However, if you close the IM or PB IDE and then restart it - the default Power-Bar comes back! Of course, as soon as you star any toolbar modification again, you are thrust back into the same dilemma (a catch-22 situation).

=> I do not think though that this negative toolbar behaviour will bode well with IM / PB developers or trial users!  

** ERRATA - MS-Windows XP **

PB 12.5.2 will not install what-so-ever on MS-Windows XP SP03 and will always error out as follows ...

Note: tested the above now on 4 PC's (W7 32 & 64 bit + 2 x XP PC's)

Regards ... Chris

ICT Award 2013

** Hot News **

Appeon Mobile wins prestigious award!

    Appeon Mobile has won the Hong Kong Information and Communication Technology Award for 2013. The Hong Kong ICT Awards were established in 2006 under a collaborative effort amongst the industry, the academia and the Government.  It recognizes, promote and commend the excellent achievements to which Hong Kong ICT professionals and organizations contribute. The Awards also encourage local practitioners to develop innovative and creative ICT solutions, which will uplift the image of Hong Kong ICT sectors, both locally and internationally.

“This Hong Kong company has the technical know-how on the conversion processes of PowerBuilder codes and a good connection with other related US development companies for obtaining latest technical and marketing information. To have a solution for obtaining business from over 200,000 PowerBuilder installations in US, the company collaborates with another technical company in Shenzhen for conducting the research and development works. The platform really demonstrates the fast speed and the smooth conversion from legacy systems to mobile and web interfaces. “

 
Well done Appeon!
Regards ... Chris

Sybase Ends PowerBuilder Downloads

** Hot News **

Get PB before April 15, 2013

Here is the actual announcement from PB product manager Sue Dunnell ...

---

April 11, 2013

Dear Valued Sybase Customer:

This letter provides notification of the end of sale for the following versions of Sybase PowerBuilder.

Product	Platform	End of Sale	Migration Path
PowerBuilder 12.x	Windows	04/15/2013	PowerBuilder 12.5.2
PowerBuilder 12.5.x	Windows	04/15/2013	PowerBuilder 12.5.2

Please note that EBFs for PowerBuilder 11.x, 11.5.x, 12.x and 12.5.x (except for PowerBuilder 12.5.2) will no longer be available as of April 15, 2013.

If you have any questions, please call your local Sybase Technical Support Center.  One of our Customer Service representatives will respond to your questions or direct your call to someone who can.  For the number of your closest Technical Support Center, please go to: www.sybase.com/contactus/support.

Thank you for your cooperation in this product transition.  We regret any inconvenience that discontinuing the sale of this product may cause your organization.  Our support staff is available to assist you in any way possible.

Sincerely,

Sue Dunnell

PowerBuilder Product Manager      

Sybase, an SAP Company

---

This does beg a BIG the question of support issues for the enitre PB community I must say. I hope that SAP has a plan to address this in the near future!

Regards ... Chris

Foundation Classes - Remove WPF?

** Pole Question **

   Since Sybase has officially deprecated PocketBuilder and Webforms (in PB 12.5.2) and is basically allowing EAServer to stagnate - I am now busy removing all the dependent code from my STD Foundation Classes that referenced those PB features listed above. This will make the framework more efficient, faster to compile & execute, less prone to functional errors, etc. At the same time though, I am adding more support for Appeon Web and finalizing some new code improvements for Appeon Mobile support.

   The question I have for the PowerBuilder community at this moment though concerns PB.Net and in particular the WPF feature support. I am considering dropping WPF support all together from the framework as I see that WPF in general is basically being ignored by Microsoft and no longer in its key technology directions. Plus, the adoption of PB.net seems extremely low and not a direction for most PB sites. => http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/Is-Build-just-for-Web-or-is-WPF-just-that-dead


  Q: Is anyone using my framework with PB.Net? Let me know! 

Regards ... Chris

Webforms EOL?

** Interesting News **

Webforms Deprecated?

 Sybase seems to have just released the online documentation update that corresponds with PB release 12.5.2 (which is not currently officially released). However, its not uncommon to have Sybase (now SAP) release product documentation on the eve of a new product release / update.

  This new documentation begs a few interesting questions though ...

1) When will PB 12.5.2 be released?
2) Will SAP correct the current lock-out of the MR/EBF download area?
3) Is the Webform feature actually deprecated?

  In answering the last question, the answer seems to be in the "Changed Functionality" section listed in the PB 12.5.2 release bulletin section .... "Web Forms Target Removed". You can actually see this for yourself ... http://infocenter.sybase.com/help/index.jsp?docset=/com.sybase.infocenter.help.pb.12.5.2/title.htm&docSetID=1955


Interesting ... n'est pas?

Regards ... Chris

Appeon Mobile Beta3

** Hot News **

Appeon Corporation releases Appeon Mobile Beta #3

   Appeon Mobile Beta 3.0 is available now!  This is another much in a series of anticipated Release Candidate versions! Beta 3.0 also represents that Appeon Mobile is practically ready to go to market! This is your last chance to give Appeon feedback that we will be incorporated into the final release, which is scheduled for April 30. Appeon Corporation is also now accepting pre-orders for Appeon Mobile sp that you will receive a special early-adopter 30% discount for a limited time! 

• Highlights of What’s New in Beta 3:
  1. 2X faster performance and memory improvement
  2. Supports more iOS APIs, e.g. camera, barcode reader, etc.
  3. Encrypts data communication using SSL
  4. Can create standalone IPA files
  5. Deploys to either Java or .NET servers
  6. And more…

New PB Features

• Upper and Lower String functions are supported.
• DragAuto property for all controls is supported.
• KeyDown event will be triggered when Done is tapped in the iOS virtual keyboard.
• Appeon FileService object is supported.

New Appeon Developer Features

• Native mobile app package tool: allows users to package the mobile application as a standalone application that can be built into an IPA file using the Apple Xcode
• tool
• PBT/PBL list auto check: automatically detects if new PBLs have been added to the PBT and updates the PBL list.
• Config Wizard/Configure tool enhancements: adds new options such as device type, app display name, and new PBT display style.
• Appeon Developer supports Windows XP , Vista, 7, and 8

New Appeon WorkSpace Features

• SSL verify & SSL verify host: supports SSL peer verification and host verification to ensure data safety.
• Close All Apps: supports closing all applications that are running in the foreground and background in Appeon Workspace.
• Redesigned icons to be more intuitive.
• Other usability improvements to Appeon Workspace.

 New Mobile API's

• New functionality for Media, Camera, Notification, Barcode, and Device

For more information ... visit Appeon's website!

 Regards ... Chris

PowerBuilder Education

** Hot News **

Free PowerBuilder Education

   Yes, you read that correctly ... free PowerBuilder online education classes along with various testing mechanisms to make sure that you understand the materials. While the materials are based on older PB versions, the principles are 100% applicable to today's latest PowerBuilder versions - including PB.Net!

   So stop fretting about trying to attend an over-priced SAP/Sybase education class or paying significant dollars to 3rd party training companies that are just going to give you the same information. Instead, have a look at this comprehensive list of subject materials that you can explore that cover an extensive array of the IDE's features. These PowerBuilder courses are available from Hyerabad Colleges on the web - for more information - click here!

Regards ... Chris