migrating 4gl to genero a case study tom smith fourth generation software waiug/seiug washington...
TRANSCRIPT
Migrating 4GL to Genero
A Case StudyTom Smith
Fourth Generation Software
WAIUG/SEIUG Washington 2006
2
Introduction
Tom SmithSenior Tools Developer
Fourth Generation Software
3
Agenda
Our GoalsOur Goals
The Planning ProcessThe Planning Process
The Conversion ProcessThe Conversion Process
Question & AnswerQuestion & Answer
Differences from Four J’s BDLDifferences from Four J’s BDL
Technical Topics and ExamplesTechnical Topics and Examples
4
Our Starting Point
Software companyTool (RAD/CASE)Accounting PackageSingle code stream
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Our Goals
Goal #1: Standard Windows UI Other goals:
Major Update NOT Rewrite Clean Code Customer Migration Path
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Big Concessions
Not Backward Compatible Drop Text UI
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Key Features Required
Standard Windows Key StrokesWindows Look & FeelTop MenuTool BarsRight Click
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Informix 4GL
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Four J’s BDL
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Four J’s Genero
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The Planning Process
Levels of Conversion
Level 1: Almost no conversion
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The Planning Process
Levels of Conversion
Level 2: Minimum conversion
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The Planning Process
Levels of Conversion
Level 3: Extended conversion
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The Planning Process
Levels of Conversion Level 4: Full conversion
Do Extended conversion plus: Localized strings TEXTEDIT COMBOBOX RADIOGROUP CHECKBOX FOLDER/PAGE ( screen tabs)
GROUP STRING
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The Planning Process
Analysis Scope Programming Consistency Generated Code? Can Code Changes Be Automated. Retain Dual Environments? Convert all-at-one-time?
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The Conversion Process
Low level code (libraries) UI statements: Window/form:
OPEN WINDOW, OPEN FORM... Interactive instructions:
MENU, INPUT, INPUT ARRAY, CONSTRUCT and DISPLAY ARRAY
4gl and 'C' routines. Remove references to 'PROMPT' and 'DISPLAY AT'
statementsHigh level code (applications)TestDeploy
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Differences from Four J’s BDL
What Has NOT changed Language structure Tools:
fgl2p, fglform, fglcomp, fgllink, fglmkrun, fglrun, fglschema (fgldbsch), fglWrt
Environment variables
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Differences from Four J’s BDL
What HAS changed Style Sheets FGLPROFILE
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What you need to now about XML
XML<endangered_species> <animal> <name>Tiger</name> <weight>500</weight> <subspecies> <name>Siberian</name> <region>Russia</region> <population>445</population> </subspecies> <subspecies> <name>Bengal</name> <region>India</region> <population>3159</population> </subspecies> </animal> <animal> <name>Black Rhino</name> <subspecies> <name>Southern Black Rhino</name> <region>Zimbabwe</region> <population>1365</population> </subspecies>
<subspecies> <name>Southwestern Black Rhino</name> <region>Namibia</region> <population>740</population> </subspecies> </animal></endangered_species>
endangered species
animalanimal
subspecies subspecies
name region population
siberian
445russia
name weight
tiger 500
The 'DOM' (Document Object Model) tree.
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Initial considerations
What tools do you need ?Will automating a task save time ?Where to use Style Sheets ?XML based Style Sheets:
Styles: 4st Action defaults: 4ad ToolBar: 4tb TopMenu: 4tm
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Technical Specifics
How to change an application's form filesOPEN WINDOWON ACTIONLocalized strings
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How to change an application's form file
• After
DATABASE standard
SCREEN{:: Ordinary Text, fields and arrays:}
ATTRIBUTES:INSTRUCTIONS:
SCHEMA standardLAYOUTVBOXGRID{:: Ordinary Text and fields:}END -- GRIDTABLE{:: Arrays - Single-line:}END -- TABLESCROLLGRID{:: Arrays - Multi-line:}END -- SCROLLGRIDEND -- VBOXEND -- LAYOUT
ATTRIBUTES:INSTRUCTIONS:
• Before
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DATABASE standard
SCREEN SIZE 20 BY 80{------------ Test Example ----------
Code...:[A0 ] Name...:[A1 ] Address:[A2 ] City-State-Zip:[A3 |A4|A5 ] Date...:[A6 ]
Contact Description[A7 ][A8 ][A7 ][A8 ][A7 ][A8 ][A7 ][A8 ]}
SCHEMA standard
LAYOUTVBOXGRID{ Test Example
Code...:[A0 ] Name...:[A1 ] Address:[A2 ] City-State-Zip:[A3 |A4|A5 ] Date...:[A6 ]}END -- GRIDTABLE{ Contact Description[A7 ][A8 ][A7 ][A8 ][A7 ][A8 ][A7 ][A8 ]}END -- TABLEEND -- VBOXEND -- LAYOUT
How to change an application's form file
SCREEN section
• After• Before
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How to change an application's form file
Tables section: Unchanged.Attributes section:
A0 = tsthead.ccode;A1 = tsthead.cname;A2 = tsthead.caddress;A3 = tsthead.ccity;A4 = tsthead.cstate;A5 = tsthead.czip;A6 = tsthead.cdate;A7 = tstdetl.ctype;A8 = tstdetl.cdescription;
ATTRIBUTESA0 = tsthead.ccode;A1 = tsthead.cname;A2 = tsthead.caddress;A3 = tsthead.ccity;buttonedit A4 = tsthead.cstate, image="gn_arrdn.png", action=ac_zoom;A5 = tsthead.czip";dateedit A6 = tsthead.cdate;A7 = tstdetl.ctype;A8 = tstdetl.cdescription;
Instruction section: Unchanged:Delimiters: Remove
buttonedit field:
dateedit field:
• After• Before
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How to change an application's form file
Problem areas:
What if:
Contact Description[A7 ] [A8 ]
One space
This results in:
The column heading should not be: 'Contact Description'. The rule is that at least two (2) spaces must separate column titles.
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How to change an application's form file
Fix 1: Two spaces
Contact Description [A7 ] [A8 ]
This results in the correct:
Fix 2: TABLE (WIDTH=46){ [A7 ][A8 ] [A7 ][A8 ] [A7 ][A8 ] [A7 ][A8 ]}:::A7 = tstdetl.ctype, TITLE="Contact";A8 = tstdetl.cdescription,TITLE="Description";
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How to change an application's form file
BUTTON Standard push button with a label or a picture.Replaces WIDGET="BMP"
BUTTONEDIT Line edit box with a button on the right side.Replaces WIDGET="FIELD_BMP"
CANVAS Area reserved for drawing.Replaces WIDGET="CANVAS"
CHECKBOX Boolean entry with a box and a text label.Replaces WIDGET="CHECK"
COMBOBOX Text edit box with a button that opens a list of values.Replaces WIDGET="COMBO"
DATEEDIT Line edit box with a button that opens a calendar window.EDIT Simple line edit box for data input or display.GROUP Attributes of a GROUP container specified with a layout tag.IMAGE Area where a picture file can be displayed.
Replaces WIDGET="IMAGE"LABEL Area reserved to display a value.PROGRESSBAR Progress bar widget to display an integer value.RADIOGROUP Field presented with a set of radio buttons.
Replaces WIDGET="RADIO"SCROLLGRID Attributes of a SCROLLGRID container specified with a layout tag.TABLE Attributes of a TABLE container specified with a layout tag.TEXTEDIT Multi-line edit box for data input or display.
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How to change an application's form file
sh =FORMONLY.shipto, widget="BMP", config="shipto.bmp Control-P";
BUTTON sh : ac_shipto, image="shipto.bmp";
• After
• Before
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OPEN WINDOW
open window w_shiptod at y_pos, x_pos with form "ship_oe" attribute (blue, border)
OPEN WINDOW w_shiptod AT y_pos, x_pos WITH FORM "ship_oe" ATTRIBUTES(TEXT="OE Shipto",STYLE="gn_main")
• After
• Before
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OPEN WINDOW
Previously the system-wide 'Style' 'Style sheet' was loaded with: CALL ui.Interface.loadStyles("gn_default") [gn_default.4st]
<Style name="Window.gn_main"> <StyleAttribute name="windowType" value="normal" /> <StyleAttribute name="startMenuPosition" value="menu" /> <StyleAttribute name="ringMenuPosition" value="bottom" /> <StyleAttribute name="ringMenuButtonSize" value="shrink" /> <StyleAttribute name="ringMenuButtonSpace" value="tiny" /> <StyleAttribute name="sizable" value="yes" /> <StyleAttribute name="hideToolBar" value="0" /> <StyleAttribute name="hideStatusBar" value="0" /> <StyleAttribute name="actionPanelPosition" value="bottom" /> <StyleAttribute name="position" value="center" /> <StyleAttribute name="statusBarType" value="lines2" /> </Style>
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ON ACTION
ON ACTION replaces ON KEY" and "ON COMMAND"
on key (control-p) CALL zmShipto()
ON ACTION ac_shiptoCALL zmShipto()
• After
• Before
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ON ACTION
A program-wide 'ToolBar' 'Style sheet' was loaded with: CALL fmMain.loadToolBar("gn_shipto") [gn_shipto.4tb]
<ToolBar name="custom" buttonTextHidden="1"> <ToolBarItem name="ac_shipto" image="gn_shipto.png" text="Ship To"/></ToolBar>
A program-wide 'TopMenu' 'Style sheet' was loaded with: CALL fmMain.loadTopMenu("gn_shipto") [gn_shipto.4tm]
<TopMenuGroup text="Custom"> <TopMenuCommand name="ac_shipto" text="Ship To" /></TopMenuGroup>
A program-wide 'Action Defaults' style sheet was loaded with: CALL fmMain.loadActionDefaults("gn_shipto") [gn_shipto.4ad]
<ActionDefaultList name="custom"> <ActionDefault name="ac_shipto" acceleratorName="Control-p"/></ActionDefaultList>
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Localized strings
Localized strings.
Form File[lb01]: [nm ]:LABEL lb01 : TEXT=%"lb_cust_name";
$ fglform -m test.per > test.str
CodeATTRIBUTES(TEXT=%"cust_maint",ERROR %"no_record"$ fglcomp -m test.4gl >> test.str
$ vi test.str"lb_cust_name"="Customer name""cust_maint"="Customer Maintenance Screen""no_record"="No record satisfies query"
$ fglmkstr test.str test.42s
