APPX Server 4.2.0 Release Notes

APPX 4.2.0 Release Notes

The Release Notes for APPX 4.2.0 are presented in sections. Please click on the section below to view the corresponding release notes.

Installation
O/S Issues
Initial Setup (Operational Phase)
Run-Time Environment
Run-Time Behaviors
System Administration
Application Design
Database Management
FMS Interfaces
APPX GUI Client
Reportwriter (SQL)

Installation

General

Operating System Versions Required
  • Risc Processors:

IBM RS/6000 - AIX 4.3.3 & higher
HP - HPUX 11.0 & higher
SUN (Sparc) - Solaris 8; SunOS 5.8 & higher

  • Intel & Intel Compatible Processors:

Linux - Redhat 7.2 & higher
Linux - Redhat Enterprise Server 2.1 & higher
Windows® - Windows 98®,  Windows NT 4®, Windows 2000®, Windows Server 2003®
NCR SRV4 MP-RAS Version/Release 03.02.00.39
SCO OpenServer Enterprise System (ver 5.0.4p)
DG/UX R4.20

RDBMS/FMS Versions Supported
  • Oracle 9i (9.2.0) - APPX 4.2.0 has been tested with Oracle 9i and has been dynamically linked with the Oracle 9 Client Software. Oracle customers who desire to run Oracle 7 or Oracle 8 with APPX 4.2.0 should check with Oracle regarding compatibility of Oracle 7 and Oracle 8 with the Oracle 9 Client Software.
  • DB2 (7.1)
  • ODBC (3.0)
  • DISAM96 (6.12) - Replaces C-ISAM
  • Sybase - The APPX/Sybase interface may no longer be purchased. However, the existing Sybase interface will be retained in this release so that existing Sybase customers may migrate to our ODBC interface.
  • Vision - The APPX/Vision interface may no longer be purchased. However, the existing Vision interface will be retained in this release so that existing Vision customers may migrate to our ODBC interface.
Registration import utility improved
  • The registration import step that is run as part of "finalizing" a new installation has been modified to be more understandable and intuitive.

Windows

AppxdSvc replaces WinAppxD
  • The "winAppxD" Connection Manager has been replaced by a new "appxdSvc" Connection Manager. The new Connection Manager is a "true" Windows service and is much easier to install, configure, and control. It's also more immune to denial-of-service attacks. The new Connection Manager also supports multiple authentication methods: you can, if you choose, configure appxdSvc to validate passwords against the Appx password file rather than the OS password file. That means that you can control the passwords more easily. It also means that you do not have to create an OS account for every Appx user.

 

O/S Issues

Security on Directories

appx_print can't create log file in /tmp - ECR Number 6679
  • Printing under Appx for Unix no longer fails with "/tmp/appx_print.last: cannot create" messages due to undeleted files, due to the "t" in newer OS's /tmp 'drwxrwxrwt' directory permissions.

Initial Setup (Operational Phase)

Input Processes

Fields should not be modifiable in INQ - ECR Number 6804
  • In Operational Phase INITIAL SETUP when running an Input process in INQUIRE mode, fields with blank "Modifiable?" attributes were unexpectedly modifiable.

Run-Time Environment

C-Asserts

More info on mm_alloc panic out of mem - ECR Number 6832

Display on Screen

Panning now works for client cols > 80 - ECR Number 6806

Help

Boxes now drawn around all sizes of help - ECR Number 6805

License Server

Application Locks not being released - ECR Number 6865

Print Disposition

PDF output can be generated on client or server
Warning on disposition if PDF form type
PDF printing on local and server printers

Run-Time Behaviors

APPXIO

Enable large-file support for Linux - ECR Number 6905
REWRITE of consec record loses position - ECR Number 6883
REWRITE without HOLD could corrupt file - ECR Number 6816
SCRATCH fails if structure file missing - ECR Number 6838

File Level Event Points

SCRATCH followed by DELETE breaks FLEPs - ECR Number 6171

General

All screens should be GUI-fied
Implement '+' mask character for numeric - ECR Number 6904
Toolbar button size selectable at runtim

ILF Statements

CNV TEXT behavior changed - ECR Number 6897
COMPUTE statement results in wrong sign - ECR Number 6829
Inquire mode honors errors and warnings

Input Processes

ADD mode scrolling prob for consec PCF - ECR Number 1825
ENABLE/DISABLE now apply to mult widgets - ECR Number 6899
ERROR stmts are now honored in INQ mode - ECR Number 4126
Mode change for one-record inputs
Mode change retains key on form inputs
Parent PCF record now reread in INQ mode - ECR Number 5772
Pre-Display EP's now execute after child - ECR Number 6308
Pre-PCF Update EP executes in auto child - ECR Number 6284
Pre-PCF Update EP now executes in DELETE - ECR Number 5721
Restore cursor pos after child completes - ECR Number 6854
SCAN now starts at specified value - ECR Number 6098
Scrolling input causes Bad Reg No error - ECR Number 6841
WIDGET attributes changed via ILF now reset - ECR Number 5323

KEATERM

KEA Term hangs on Select Access Path - ECR Number 6861

Language Translation

Build dictionary util now incl widgets
Modified widget text now translates - ECR Number 6427

Output Processes

Default print directory relocated
Designer has more control over blank lin
GUI title bar not displayed in Key Entry
Panning now works for all report sizes - ECR Number 6806
PDF headings for existing reports
Print? check box now displays correctly - ECR Number 5549

Query Processes

Query audit fields updated in INQ mode
Query on key substring fails - ECR Number 6836
SCAN Type 1 does not work - ECR Number 6872

Subroutines

mm_memset() causes random crashes - ECR Number 6776
RT_WRITE_STREAM returned false negative - ECR Number 6568
STREAM OPEN can now open a pipe - ECR Number 6902

System Administration

Logging

Usage log can now be activated - ECR Number 1830
  • Setting environment variable APPX_USAGE_LOG to a filename now produces an Appx Event log. If the filename ends in ".dat", the log is created as a variable-length consecutive file with 1037-byte records.
  • You can mask APPX_USAGE_LOG with APPX_USAGE_BITS, setting it to any combination of the following hex values:
00000001 (dec 1)   - logs process begin and end (OS process ID, 
                     application ID, version, database, process 
                     type, and process name) 
00000002 (dec 2)   - log CASSERT's 
00000004 (dec 4)   - currently unused 
00000008 (dec 8)   - currently unused 
00000010 (dec 16)  - log CANCEL, ERROR, WARNING, and MESSAGE 
                     statements 
00000020 (dec 32)  - log ERROR, WARNING, and MESSAGE statements 
00000040 (dec 64)  - log WARNING and MESSAGE statements 
00000080 (dec 128) - log MESSAGE statements 
00000100 (dec 256) - log TRACE messages 
80000000           - log date and time of process execution  
  • For example: APPX_USAGE_BITS=0x00000001 would log only processes begin and end. APPX_USAGE_BITS=0x80000103 would log the process begin and end, the date and time execution started and ended, and and CASSERTs (01 + 02 + 100 = 103).
  • These are hex values so 00000040+00000080 is not 00000120, it is 000000c0 (decimal 192).
  • The first record written for each session contains the time, OS process ID, and user name.
  • If APPX_USAGE_BITS is not set, then APPX_USAGE_LOG logs all of the above events.
  • Log file types other than AppxIO are *not* multi-user safe. You should only use .dat files for USAGE logs. When you log to a .dat file, the file will always reside in the 0SA data directory and you should not include a directory (or drive name) in the environment variable.

Other

PDF form type in Disposition
  • Form definition in System Administration now supports selection of text or PDF as a form type. This is a new field. Appx assumed a form type of text in prior releases

Security

Query fails if 0SA USER SYS ID reference - ECR Number 6878
  • 0SA USER SYS ID had a damaged data-lookup definition that threw off the Query processor, when it was used in a Query.

 

Application Design

0LA (---) Application

New subroutine - CLEAR PASS LIST
New subroutine - DELETE MODE BUTTONS
New subroutine - DELETE SCROLL BUTTONS

Data Dictionary

FLEP can now be compiled within design
Phantom DL indicator fixed

Debugging

Restore cursor pos after ILF debugger - ECR Number 6853

General

Default mode in application design changed

GUI Application Design

All design utilities are now GUI - ECR Number 6834
Named Resources available across applications
Override OPTION for optional children

ILF Editor

Additional help documentation
Auto-change appl ID to --- when approp. - ECR Number 6104
Completion of ILF editor field names
SET TAR CUSTOMER N

and you press F5 (Next Record), the ILF editor will change it to:

SET TAR CUSTOMER NAME

press F5 again and it becomes:

SET TAR CUSTOMER NUMBER

just press F5 until you see the value you want. Gone too far? Press F4 (Previous Activity) to go back.

Cursor position corrected after Help - ECR Number 5834
Errors now cause beep
File name now validated for RESTORE stmt - ECR Number 6115
ILF Editor crash fixed - ECR Number 6882
Invalid fields allowed in ILF statements
New Cut, Copy, & Paste capabilities - ECR Number 6747
SCAN ability enhanced in ILF Editor
SCAN in ILF on field and file names
SCAN on ILF commands lists all commands - ECR Number 5318
Statement validation has been improved - ECR Number 6849
XCOPY now works for locked applications - ECR Number 4630

ILF Statements

--- STREAM i/o routines enhanced
CNV PORT - New Statement
CNV TEXT - T/F result flag corrected - ECR Number 6535
IF DIFF - New Statement - ECR Number 6506
----- IF DIFF  --- ---------------------- --- --------
  (1)          (2)          (3)           (4)   (5) 
1 - T/F flags 
2 - Application ID 
3 - Field or Record Name 
4 - Occurrence Number 
5 - Comparison Type (STORE, DEFAULT, or ORIGINAL) 
COMPARE FIELD NAME     X(22) (Primary key) 
COMPARE DESCRIPTION    X(30) 
COMPARE CURRENT VALUE  X(80) 
COMPARE OTHER VALUE    X(80) 
COMPARE OFFSET         9(5) 
COMPARE LENGTH         9(5) 
LOCAL - New Statement - ECR Number 6105
RESTORE - New option: ORIGINAL

Image Editor

GUI Windows properties accessible from Image Editor toolbar and pull-down
WIDGET cut, copy, paste loses micro adj - ECR Number 6846

Input Process Design

Add, Delete, Change widgets at runtime - ECR Number 5442
Display Only flag unexpectedly changes - ECR Number 6871
Generate Column Headings
New --- PDF – CURSOR AT FIELD
Toolbar now defined in hookable process - ECR Number 6246
Widget state is now context sensitive - ECR Number 6252
Widgets erroneously deleted - ECR Number 6759

Menu Process Design

Menu image editor mode problem fixed

New 0-App for runtime routines

0LA Runtime processes can now be copied - ECR Number 6778

Output Process Design

GUI Output can now be designed - ECR Number 6819
GUI Output can now be printed (PDF) - ECR Number 6819
Opt 6 on Output Image Editor fixed

Query Process Design

Wrong event points loaded for editing

Tech Doc

Can now be printed within Process Design
Printed Tech Doc for widgets & Resources - ECR Number 6431

Utilities

Added new Design Compare Utility - ECR Number 6449
Added new Export/Import util for Design - ECR Number 6450
Change All References will process data - ECR Number 6318
Gen rpt: Date fields no longer autototal - ECR Number 5646
New utility to locate misplaced widgets
Xcopy and Design Transfer on locked appl - ECR Number 4630

 

Database Management

Recover Utility

Recover fails on files larger than 2GB - ECR Number 6890
  • The Recover utility no longer fails on files greater than 2 Gigabytes. The Recover utility has been incorporated into the Appx engine on all platforms. It can be invoked by executing appx -recover. The format of the command is the same, appx -recover old_filename new_filename deleted_filename.

Restructure Utility

Can't restructure 2,000 byte records - ECR Number 6749
  • Prior to 4.2, restructuring a file containing records with an original length an even multiple of 1000 bytes, would fail with an "Invalid Prototype Record Length" error.
Failed restructure causes other problems - ECR Number 4570
  • When Restructures failed for some reason, subsequent Restructures could fail with errors like "Element file write - error already on file". Failed Restructures now cleanup after themselves more thoroughly.

FMS Interfaces

Oracle

Oracle 9i is now supported
  • APPX 4.2.0 has been successfully tested with Oracle 9i (9.2.0).
  • The APPX 4.2 engine (appx.oracle) has been dynamically linked with the Oracle 9i client software. The Oracle 9i client library (libclntsh.so.9.0) must be installed and accessible on the APPX server.

C-ISAM/DISAM

DISAM96 Version 6.12 is now supported
  • The APPX C-ISAM interface has been replaced with a new D-ISAM interface. D-ISAM should be fully compatible with existing C-ISAM files.

My SQL

Various issues - ECR Number 6898
  • Various issues relating to storing APPX data in a MySQL data source have been corrected.
  • The MySQL ODBC driver, called MyODBC, comes in two versions. You must use MyODNC 3.51 or later. Earlier verison had serious bugs.
  • The MyODBC driver erroneously reports some non-numeric data tyeps as being "unsigned" - Appx won't use unsigned data types when it creates a tablein an ODBC database. We have fixed this so that Appx ignores the signedness of non-numeric types.
  • MySQL supports the following temporal data types: TIMESTAMP, DATE, TIME, DATETIME, and YEAR. The DATE type will hold CC through DD (century through day). The TIME type will hold hh through ss (hours through seconds). The DATATIME type will holdCC through ss (century through seconds). The YEAR type will hold YY values.
  • TIMESTAMP colums can hold a variety of date component ranges: TIMSTAMP and TIMSTAMP(14) columns can hold CC-th (century through hundredths of a second). TIMSTAMP(12) will hold YY-ss, but appears to hold CC-ss because the MyODBC driver will synthesize the century component. TIMESTAMP(8) will hold CC.

Other

Error reporting in RDBMS improved
  • We've improved the handling of error messages in our database interfaces (Oracle, ODBC, DB2) so that, if something goes wrong, you should see a meaningful message.
Native FMS interfaces consolidated
  • With release 4.2, we're consolidating some of our FMS interfaces. We will be dropping direct support for Sybase and Vision, but we will continue to support those databases through ODBC (you'll need to acquire an appropriate ODBC driver). The old interfaces for Sybase and Vision will still be available for a while but are no longer "officially" supported.

APPX GUI Client

APPX Client Login Dialog Window

New startup sequence
Options tab - "Advanced" button added - ECR Number 6817
Options tab - New "GUI Looks" available

Client Preferences/Command Line Options

Command line overrides saved properties
New Client Properties Window
User Client Preferences Now Saved

Runtime Environment

Desktop Client now uses Sun Java 1.4 VM

 

Reportwriter (SQL)

Report Design

Appx Report Writer revamped
  • All reported bugs in the Appx Report Writer have been fixed as of release 4.2

 

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