Explorer Utility Application - (2026 R3) Released!

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PowerBuilder - MS-Windows O/S Explorer

Updated for PB 2025 R2 (latest release)!

Build 2025.1.0.62

    Software Tool & Die Inc. are please to announce the release of its updated MS-Windows O/S System Explorer utility all written in PowerBuilder 2025 R2 build 6430! This utility demonstrates the power of using the STD Integrated Framework plus MS-Windows SDK calls to locate every running process or service (visible or invisible) in the entire operating system! Plus now introspecting O/S features like drivers, input devices, environment settings, desktop use, etc! The latest release contains the following upgrades ...

• Migrated the code from PowerBuilder 2025 GA build 3683 to PowerBuilder 2025 R2 build 6430
• Updated the STD Integrated framework to the latest release 2026 R3 build 2026.3.0.481
• Updated MS-Window "Notification" support for PB2025 R2 compliance
  
• Improved "Marquee" support via the update to STD Framework 2026R3
• Tested on MS-Windows 11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278
• The PB 2025 R2 Theme HighDPI feature is now supported.
• Can now modify the RibbonBar mode from the App's "Tools" menu
• Can now modify the TabbedView mode from the App's "Tools" menu 
• Can now swap the RibbonBar / Menu mode from the App's "Tools" menu.

Examples ...

 

Ribbon Bar Menu Mode

 

Marquee running when long requests are in progress!

Process Explorer Example!

 

 

WMI Explorer With Tabbed View UI!

     This release includes Project Objects ready for 32 or 64 bit App deployment to Native (P-Code or M-Code), or PowerClient based applications. With the combination of the STD Integrated  Framework the MS-Windows Explorer application will now function in either native or Cloud deployment modes!

 

Explorer updated Help dialogue

  

     Unlock the "Power" in your PowerBuilder and download this free PB2025 R2 utility application. Check out the prowess of the free & open source Integrated framework as well assisting the Windows Explorer application. Click here to download! Then find see how this utility can find every visible and invisible object in all tasks, notifications, processes, background tasks and services running on the MS-Windows O/S machine!

Note: Older versions of the Windows Explorer utility can be found in the "Archive" sub-folder.

Enjoy ... Chris

Send Message Example Applications - (2026 R3) Released!

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Updated Send Message Examples!

    Software Tool & Die Inc. (STD) are please to announce the new release of an STD Integrated Framework example application that utilizes the STD framework to implement O/S messaging! The Send Message feature inside PowerBuilder has been around since PB version 2.0. However, it is not a well documented and known feature of the PB development tool. The STD Send Message example goes even further by allowing applications to communicate across processes. The STD framework allows the PB developer to easily implement messaging. The framework also allows the PB developer to be  exponentially more productive!
  

    The Send Message example application utilizes the latest STD Integrated Framework version 2026.3.0.481 released on 2026-08-19 and the newest Appeon PowerBuilder 2025 R2 release build 6430 to locate external applications. In turn, the framework then facilitates external applications written in PB or almost any development language - to send messages back to  PB applications using a Send() command (PB or Windows API).

 

    The download includes three applications, Sender, Receiver and SendReceive. The SendReceive application demonstrates locating any object class in your PB App and its address (handle). Once an object class handle is found the calling object can use the PB Send() command to send it an O/S message. The messaged control can then send back information (ie: its Class Name) to the caller by using another Send() command. Note the PB Send command is the same as the MS-Windows API Send command. So using the Windows API allows non-PB Apps to send messages to a PB App.

 

SendReceive example using Send() to introspect other objects!

    The Integrated framework also allows you to send messages from one application to another (different processes). The Sender and Receiver applications in the download provide this example between applications (processes). These PB applications can be running as either a Native, System Tray or System Task process. They also demonstrate the use of the "Custom User Event" to be able to receive messages between any App and your PB App.

    

    The 2026 R3 Send Message applications have also been updated to use the new PB 2025 R2 HighDPI  Themes, TabbedView and DisplayMenuAsRibbonBar features of  PB 2025. Then these feature enhancements updated again to the PB 2025 R2's latest GUI.

Sender & Receiver example of inter-process Send Messages

     The STD Send Message PowerBuilder example applications can now be downloaded from the SourceForge website. Please click here to download & enjoy!
  

Enjoy ... Chris

WordSearch Game Application - (2026 R3) Released!

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Updated WordSeach Puzzle Maker App!

    Software Tool & Die Inc. (STD) are please to announce a brand new release of a WordSearch Puzzle Maker application. The original Classic App (non-framework) has now been updated to use the latest STD Framework. The Classic version was migrated version from PB 2021 to PB 2025 with some GUI image tweaks that was remapped to use the STD Integrated Framework classes!

 

    The Classic version was originally written by me in the PB version 5.0 time frame for my children who had to make these up as their homework assignment in public school. I upgraded this in PB 2021 and now into PB 2025 R2 build 6430. Now my grandchildren use the app to create the same Word Searches for their school mates! The framework version is an MDI based App that solely use pure Framework Class objects to add things like RibbonBar TabbedView, HighDPI, Themes etc features, as follows

    

Classic version of the Word Search Puzzle Creator!

 

New Framework version of the Word Search Puzzle Creator!

   The Framework version is a refactored classic version replacing the System Classes with the equivalent ones from the STD Framework! This means that the framework based WordSearch maker now has automatically many new features like for example: Zooming, Print Preview, Tabbed Dialogues, Ribbon Bar UI, Logging, Debugging, Themes, Multiple monitor support, Dialogue centring, MS-Window notifications,  consistent message box displays, etc

 

Key Application features ...  

• Built in PB 5.0 and then migrated to PB 2025 build 3683
• Migrated  from PB 2025 GA build 3683 to PB 2025 R2 build 6430
• Migrated  from STD Framework 2025 R3 to the latest framework version 2026 R3
•  Tested SQL Extract on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278

 

Framework version of the Word Search Puzzle Creator with Zooming!

 

   The Framework Word Search Puzzle Creator application is a good example of refactoring a classic PB App so that it is all driven by the STD framework. This now allows the PB developer to easily build any GUI Application interface that is required / desired with all the "bells & whistles" just by changing object inheritance. The framework based app now also allows the PB developer to be exponentially more productive in the future!

 

Complete the puzzle by auto filling the empty squares!

      

     The Framework version of the Word Search Puzzle Creator example applications can now be downloaded from the SourceForge website. Please click here to download & enjoy the App (and your children as well)!  

 

  

Enjoy ... Chris

TCP/IP Sockets Example Application - (2026 R3) Released!

 ** Hot News **

TCP/IP Programming

Updated Socket Application Example for PowerBuilder 2025 R2!

        Software Tool & Die Inc. today are very pleased to announce a brand new MS-Windowsc TCP/IP Socket (2026 R3) example application built with the latest STD Integrated Framework (version 2026 R3). This latest release of the Socket application is also built using the latest Appeon PowerBuilder 2025 R2 build 6430 of the PB IDE.

  

New GUI Look & Feel for PB 2025!

  

   The updated Socket example application now utilizes the latest STD Integrated Framework (version 2026.3.0.481)!

 

Improvements in this release include:

• Migrated App code from PB 2025 GA build 3683 to PB 2025 R2 build6430
• Migration of the STD Framework from 2025 R1 to 2026 R3
• Now supports HighDPI themes now included in the PB 2025 R2 release!
• Improved support for the new DisplayMenuAsRibbonBar feature of PB 2025
• Can toggle the RibbonBar feature ON or OFF via the App's "Tools" menu.
• Can toggle the TabbedView feature ON or OFF via the App's "Tools" menu.
•  Can toggle the Ribbon / Menu feature ON or OFF via the App's "Tools" menu.
• Tested the Multi-threading code on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278
• Tested both M-Code, P-Code, Native EXE's!
• Both PowerClient and PowerServer deployment ready 

Note: The STD Framework is the only PB framework in existence that is TCP/IP Socket ready! 

         The STD Socket example application demonstrates a significant enhancement to the the PB developer's toolbox! The Socket example showcases the TCP/IP features in the STD Integrated Framework and more importantly returns the power of Distributed PowerBuilder back to the application developer. The TCP/IP socket support in the STD Frameworks is based on the work by Tom Cervenka's Sockets objects (written in pure PB, dating back to the PowerSoft days) that utilizes MS-Windows socket API's for FTP'ing text, binary data, files etc. between Apps and/or peer-to-peer communications between PB Apps (clients / servers).

PB Server Application - Receiving DWO and buffers from sender

 

     In addition, the updated STD Socket example will also now work when deployed as either a PowerClient or PowerServer App as well!

 

Socket App talking to counter-part exchanging DataWindow data!

   

Socket App talking to counter-part exchanging Textual data!

Watch the video!

    You can download the updated STD Socket example application from the STD Framework's website by clicking here to get more productive in peer-to-peer communications with PowerBuilder! Note that an "Archive" sub-folder has also been added to this location as well. This folder contains previous versions of the socket example application for older PB releases!

 
Enjoy!

Regards ... Chris

PS Console Utility Application - (2026 R3) Released!

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Updated PowerServer Console Application!

Built using the STD Framework!

        Software Tool & Die Inc. are very pleased today to announce an updated  version of the PowerServer Console (2026 R3) application for use with the new PowerServer 2025 R2 Web API application server! This latest release of the PowerServer Console application is all written in PowerBuilder 2025 R2 and uses the latest STD Integrated Framework version 2026 R3 as well!

    In the original release, the PS Console App could only monitor and if need be kill a PS App's "Session". Changes in this new release though now include:

• Migrated the App code from PB 2025 GA build 3683 to PB 2025 R2 build 6430
• Updated STD Integrated Framework from version 2025.1.0.436 to 2026.3.0.481
• Incorporated updated PB 2026 R3 MS-Windows notification utility
• Updated the Theme files to PB2025 R2 build 6430 for HighDPI support
• Tested the Console code on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278
• Updated the console support for the new C# Net DataStore server feature in PB 2025!
• Incorporated the newest DisplayMenuAsRibbonBar feature of PB 2025 R2
• Incorporated the newest TabbedView feature of PB 2025 R2 
• Can now switch between Menu / Toolbar mode in the App's "Tools" menu!
• Can now switch between Ribbon Bar mode in the App's "Tools" menu!
• Can now switch between Tabbed View mode in the App's "Tools" menu!

 

New Ribbon Bar look and C# .Net DataStore server support!

Customizable connection settings (DNS / IP Address) + Port

 

PS Console App monitoring PowerServer "Sessions".

 

    One of the new features in this PS Console release now allows you to see all the Web API's within the 2025 R2 PS server itself by using the API tab page. Note that the PS Console's functionality is governed by the built-in exposed "internal" RESTFul web services within the PS 2025 R2's server itself. Check this API documentation feature and also then be able to execute them from inside t2he PS Console application itself, as well as follows:

Console displaying WEB APIs currently available in the PS Server

Example of the Console executing any Web API it sees!

Console showing a called Web API's return JSON data.

   Another new feature in the latest version of the PS Console is the ability to check the PowerServer's actual Heath. You can do this by selecting the new Health Tab in the PS Console application, as follows: 

New PowerServer Health check feature at work!

    Software Tool & Dies have also recently updated the STD Integrated framework to handle PS Server outages without crashing the running PB App when connected to PowerServer. This allows the App User and/or the Support team to see exactly what happened during a PB=>PS App failure. This could be for example: network outage, server not started, killed session, PS processing error, etc) by the type of failure reported and now logged as well! The newer framework also allows PS Apps to perform a PS server Fail Over as well that can now be handled by the PS App when one instance of a PS Server is not available!

 You can download the PS2026 R3 Console and latest OrderEntry Demo App for PB/PS2025 R2, as follows:

PS Console:  Download     OrderEntry:  Download 

   Enjoy ... please let me know what you think & if you have any feature suggestions that you might like for future versions!

Regards ... Chris

Resize Example Application - (2026 R3) Released!

 ** Hot News Item **

Updated Resizing Example!

    Software Tool & Die Inc. (STD) are please to announce an new updated release of an STD Integrated Framework Resizing example (version application that utilizes the STD framework version 2026R3 to implement both Window and DataWindow object resizing! The resizing feature inside this application is all driven by the Window and DataWindow classes from the STD framework.All you need to do is create any Window or DataWindow control by inheriting them from the STD framework and 99% of the coding will already be done for you!   

 

   The Resizing application is a PB 2025 demonstration application that showcases the built-in STD Framework's new Window and DataWindow resizing feature (framework version 2025 R2 - now in Beta). You can now accomplish this resizing task with just a few lines of code! The implementation is very similar to the PFC resizing so if you know that framework, then the STD resizing feature will be very easy to assimilate!

 

Key Application features ...  

• Upgraded from PB 2025 build 3683 (beta) to PB 2025 R2 build 6430
• Upgraded from the STD Framework from 2025 R2 (beta) to 2026 R3
• Tested SQL Extract on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278 

 

Window and DataWindow resizing demo dialogue!

 

   The Resizing demo application is all driven by the STD framework which allows the PB developer to easily build any GUI Application interface that is required / desired. The framework also allows the PB developer to be exponentially more productive!

 

Actual code to start automatic Window resizing!

    

     The STD Resizing example application can now be downloaded from the SourceForge website. Please click here to download & enjoy the APP! The code behind this Resize Example demonstrates that with PB & the STD Framework, you can easily build any type of GUI App & has the functionality that you & your users need! 

 

Enjoy ... Chris

Multi-thread Example Application - (2026 R3) Released!

 ** Hot News Item **

PowerBuilder 2026 R2 - Multi-threading Example!

    Software Tool & Die Inc. (STD) are pleased to announce the release of an updated STD Integrated Framework MultiThread example application version 2026R3 that utilizes the STD framework to implement Application multi-threading! The multi-threading feature inside PowerBuilder has been around since PB version 5.0 when the Distributed PB feature was first introduced. However, it is not a well documented and known feature of the development tool. The STD Multi-threading example goes even further by allowing applications to utilize the vast resources of Integrated framework while taking multi-threading to a much higher functional level. The framework allows the PB developer to easily implement multi-threading and be a lot more productive at the same time!

 

    The updated Multi-threading example application now utilizes the latest STD Integrated Framework (version 2026.3.0.481) and that supports the new Appeon PowerBuilder 2025 R2 release (build 6430).

 

Improvements in this release include:

• Migration App code from PB 2025 GA build 3683 to PB 2025 R2 build 6430
• Migration of the STD Framework from 2025 R1 to 2026 R3
• Now supports the HighDPI themes feature now included in the PB 2025 R2 release!
• Updated support for the enhanced DisplayMenuAsRibbonBar feature of PB 2025 R2
• Can now toggle the RibbonView feature ON or OFF via the App's Tools menu.
• Can now toggle the TabbedView feature ON or OFF via the App's Tools menu.
• Tested the Multi-threading code on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278
• Now PowerClient deployment ready!  
• Tested both M-Code, P-Code, Native & PowerClient deployments with both 32 & 64 bit EXE's!

Note: The STD Framework is the only PB framework in existence that is both thread aware and multi-thread safe!

  

MultiThread App's new Look & Feel in PB 2025

MultiThread example using frameworks resource tracking!

    The Integrated framework allows each thread to be monitored by the frameworks performance dialogue, write to the O/S Console, log a message in the main thread's application log, share DBMS access, send messages back & forth between threads or between the main thread and its sub-threads, introspect the O/S, etc - just to name a few interesting aspects. Messages may also now be written to the MS-Windows Event Log and MS-Windows Debug logs as well from each sub-thread!

MultiThread example writing to the App's log file

  The latest STD multi-threaded PowerBuilder example application can now be downloaded from the SourceForge website. Please click here to download!

    For a complete PowerPoint presentation on how Multi-Threading in Appeon PowerBuilder works, please click here to download this PPT presentation.

 

Enjoy!

Regards ... Chris

Crypto Class Example Application - (2026 R3) Released!

** Hot News **

STD Foundation Classes

New CRYPTO Class Example Application released!

Version 2026 R3

          Software Tool & Die Inc. are very pleased today to announce the release of a new CRYPTO Class Encoding / Decoding example application for PowerBuilder, PowerClient and PowerServer 2022. This latest release of the CRYPTO application is are all written in the latest PowerBuilder 2022 R3 version and is also using the latest STD Integrated Framework (2026 R3 ) using the new "nc_crypto_api_master" object STD framework class.

 

Crypto Class object examples

 

   The latest release of the Crypto example has had some major updates, as follows:

• Crypto class example using PB2025 R2 build 6430
  
• Built using STD Integrated Framework version 2026.3.0.481
• Incorporated the HighDPI Theme feature of PB 2025 R2
• Incorporates the latest PB notification & Marquee App utilities
• Deployment examples in 32/64bit and M-Code / P-Code
  
• Tested the Encrypt code on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278
• Ready for PowerClient or PowerServer 2021 deployment as well!

HEX Encryption also supported

 

     Click here to download the example application source code!

 

Enjoy!

Regards ... Chris

Crypto API Example Application - 2026 R3 Released!

 ** Hot News **

STD Foundation Classes

Updated CRYPTO API Example Application released!

Version 2026 R3

           Software Tool & Die Inc. are very pleased today to announce the release of an updated CRYPTO API Encoding / Decoding example application for PowerBuilder, PowerClient and PowerServer 2025. This latest release of the CRYPTO application is are all written in the latest PowerBuilder 2025 R2 version and is also using the latest STD Integrated Framework (2025 R3 ) that utilizes the MS-Windows Crypto API's.

 

 

   The latest release of the Crypto example has had some major updates, as follows:

• Updated the example App built from PB2022 R3 build 3487 to PB 2025 R2 build 6430
• Updated STD Integrated Framework from version 2024.2.0.395 to 2026.3.0.481
• Updated the Theme feature from PB 2022 R3 to PB 2025 R2 for HighDPI themes
• Incorporated the latest PB notification & Marquee App utilities
• Deployment examples in 32 / 64bit and M-Code / P-Code based EXE's.
• Tested the Encrypt code on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278
• Ready for PowerClient or PowerServer 2025 deployment as well!

     Click here to download the example application source code!

 

Enjoy!

Regards ... Chris

Colours Utility Application - 2026 R3 Released!

 ** Hot News Item **

NEW Colour Generator App!

    Software Tool & Die Inc. (STD) are please to announce an updated Colour Generator Utility application. This application allows the PowerBuilder developer to select a colour and then it generates both the Colour Code, RGB and HEX (web, ribbon builder, Web DW) colour values for use in PB, C#, Web, Delphi and other Development tools!

 

   The STD Framework was used for building this application. So features like for example: Zooming, Print Preview, Tabbed Dialogues, Ribbon Bar UI, Logging, Debugging, Themes, Multiple monitor support, automatic Dialogue centering, MS-Window notifications,  consistent message box displays, etc are already in the application by default just through inheritance!

 

Key Application features ...  

• Migrated from PB 2025 build 3726 to PB 2026 R2 build 6430
•  Migrated from the STD Framework from version 2025 R3 to version 2026 R3
• Tested the Colour Generator on W11 version 25H2 build 26200.9278

  

   The Colour Generator application is a good example of a PB App that it is all driven by the STD framework. This now allows the PB developer to easily build modern GUI Application interfaces that are  required / desired with all the "bells & whistles" just by changing object inheritance. The framework based app also allows the PB developer to be exponentially more productive!

 

    To use the Colour Generator Utility application, just click on a colour in either category. A hand icon will appear next to your selection and then the resulting colour values will be generated, as follows.

 

Colour Selection Generator in action!

 

       

     The Colour Generator Utility application can now be downloaded from the SourceForge website. 

 

Please click here to download & enjoy the APP!   

 

  

Enjoy ... Chris