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WinDev and WebDev AS/400: integration with AS/400 WinDev AS/400 and WebDev AS/400 allows for real-time native access (without ODBC, without OLE DB, without ActiveX) to AS/400 databases, and gives you access to the programs and commands of the AS/400. It's not a mere retooling! With WinDev you can exploit the AS/400 features and its GUI in your developments: the best of both world. You capitalize on your information system, while benefiting from reduced development times, up to 10 times faster. Regardless of the client platform: PC running Windows, Web browser, radio terminal, the development is identical, using the same 5th generation language. Programming is the same old WinDev programming. No AS/400 programming (RPG, Cobol, and so on) is needed to use WinDev AS/400. Programs built using WinDev and WebDev automatically work with AS/400 data, if you need to. Application portability is immediate. From the same application developed using WinDev AS/400, you can access either the native AS/400 files, or databases in WinDev format - Hyper File -, or both, as well as other database - Oracle, XML, and so on - or other OS - Linux, etc.- totally transparently. This allows you to keep your data where best suited and avoid duplication. After installing AS/400 native access, you won't have to perform any operation in AS/400. All the security features of the AS/400 are preserved, for file and program accesses, as well as for managing transactions. Your applications will be able to lock records and files opened in Read/Write mode, using the conflict management rules of AS/400, without interfering with other applications. The application developed using WinDev or WebDev can send AS/400 commands to generate "OVRDBF", or "OPNQRYF" on files for example, before opening them using WinDev commands, or to modify the work environment or allocate objects. Native access: security, speed and performance Client stations running Windows with WinDev benefit from the development power of WinDev as well as the speed of native access to AS/400 data. You can easily: - Communicate with AS/400, without doing any specific development - Get the description of a database (and its keys) located on AS/400 through reverse engineering (DDS import) - Perform read, modify, add, or delete operations on the AS/400 databases, in parallel with existing "5250" applications - Perform read or write operations in optimized mode (using buffers), - Perform searches using simple or composite keys - Create transactional applications - Use DataQueues and Data Area - Send CL commands using parameters - Call RPG, Cobol, C programs using parameters Information System Architecture The machines configuration is very simple. WinDev and WebDev communicate with your AS/400 either through the APPC protocol of your router, or through the TCP/IP protocol. The client station: PC . Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP... . Any APPC router (Client access, NS Router, Netware for SAA, Microsoft SNA Server, PCS, ...) or TCP /IP The server: AS/400 or iSeries . All the OS since version 4R3 included . TCP/IP The connection The connection between the PC and the AS/400 relies on the network architecture: Ethernet, Token Ring, SDLC, Twinax,... If TCP/IP is present, a router is not required. If TCP/IP is not present, a router is required. THE DEVELOPMENT METHOD Let's illustrate the ease-of-use and the development power of WinDev AS/400 using a concrete example: a sales management application. WebDev AS/400 and WinDev mobile rely on the same development method. In the deployment phase, only the run-time platform changes, using the same UI: Windows with WinDev, browser with WebDev, Pocket PC, Smartphone or Terminal with WinDev Mobile. Note: to simplify the text in the rest of this document, we'll just use the term WinDev. In this example, the application will run on a PC, with the data files on the AS/400. The development of this application can be broken down into 5 steps: 1. Create project and "analysis" (DDS import) 2. RAD (optional step) 3. Program 4. Create the executable 5. Deploy the application These steps cover the usual development cycle. Each one of them will involve the standard modules included in the WinDev AS/400 product. STEP 1: THE PROJECT AND THE ANALYSIS Let's create a new project in WinDev (new application): the CRM project. 1st case: Import DDS (reverse engineering) If you already have existing data on your AS/400 (database) or your client's AS/400, simply import the DDS defined on the AS/400 into WinDev to use the data. Then specify the type of files that will be used in the application (you can modify this information later). Simply select the option corresponding to the type of files you want. The data files can have the following type: - WinDev HYPER FILE (Client/Server database engine included with WinDev and WebDev) - xBase (*.dbf) - XML - Native AS/400 - External database (RDBMS such as: Oracle, Sybase, Ingres, Informix, Access, SQL Server,...) The analysis tool requires a connection with AS/400 then. WinDev AS/400 knows how to access physical files and logical files, the
same way an application written in RPG (GAP) or in COBOL would do.
- You've developed an application with WinDev
- You've developed an application with WinDev using
- You don't want to overload your AS/400 during the
- You want to make information available online on your Internet or Intranet site.
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STEP 2: RAD (OPTIONAL STEP) This method is facultative. RAD means "Rapid Application Development". This is a technology that allows you to create in a few minutes, using WinDev, a fully usable application. In WinDev, this technology generates all the processes required for managing the analysis files: create windows, pages, menus, addition, modification and deletions processes, printed reports, and so on. To generate the application or the site, simply answer the questions asked by the RAD tool (simple questions). WinDev asks which type of code to generate: SQL, Object, Procedural, etc. In our example we'll choose "Procedural" because it's the type of programming usually used by AS/400 developers. Of course, you could also choose an object method (OOP), or several RAD models optimized for a given situation (remote access, etc.) WinDev generates the code to support concurrent access (lock at the record level). These locks are recognized by programs written on the AS/400. Your AS/400 programs coexist with the programs written using WinDev AS/400 and share the same data in real time. You can define other parameters, such as the window size, the menu background image, etc. You can also defined your own generation models ("Patterns"). You then select the files (from the analysis) that will be part of the application. Reminder: in our example, the data files are located on the AS/400. WinDev creates all the windows and writes the associated code. The RAD tool is done creating the application! To test the application, simply connect to the AS/400 and run the application. Here's one of the screens automatically generated by WinDev. The application can be tested interactively from the WinDev environment, or by creating an executable.  An example of a generated window: a client form All the operations for reading, searching based on defined keys, linking the windows are automatically generated. Imagine the time you would have needed without WinDev! Of course, you can modify and customize everything. the style of the windows, the controls, the buttons, the code, etc. Program execution as seen from the AS/400 What happens on the AS/400 when a WinDev program is running? For each WinDev application running, there is a physical connection to a job on the AS/400: here the EAC_CLIENT job. This job also depends on the profile defined: here "WINDEV"  In Client access,
visualization of the EAC_CLIENT job link to the execution of our application developed
with WinDev.The program running below uses the CLIENT file and 2 keys (or 1 "PHYSICAL" and 2 "LOGICAL"). The "CL01CLUKEY" logical file is the index for the "client numbers", the "CL02CLINAME" logical file is the index for the "client names".  Visualization
of the I/O on the AS/400. The I/O buffercan be set for each file. It will help you optimize performance according to your needs. |
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STEP 3: PROGRAMMING The WinDev RAD (remember that we use the term "WinDev" indifferently for WinDev, WebDev and WinDev Mobile in this document) lets you create an application, but you'll probably want to customize this application, add some management rules... You'll probably also want to develop some applications from the ground up. Everything generated by the RAD tool can be modified. To illustrate the programming side, let's create a window in which we'll read a file. To create a window, you have two possibilities: . create it one control at a time from a blank window . use the window creation wizards. We'll describe the second solution here, as it is the one preferred by most WinDev developers. We choose the "Form with Browse" window model and answer the wizard's questions. Among the many parameters, we choose the items to include in the window. The WinDev code is clear and concise and therefore easy to maintain. The HReadNext(PRODUCT,REFERENCE) command for example reads the next record in the "PRODUCT" file based on the "REFERENCE" logical (key). The "HOut" command lets you find out whether you've reached the end of the "PRODUCT" file (out). If we've reached the end of the file, the "INFO" command opens an information window. Otherwise the record's content is read and displayed. WinDev code is in English by default, but WinDev can also produce code in French. Regardless of the number of controls in the window, one "FileToScreen" command is enough to assign all the screen control/ file item pairs: no more "MOVE" commands! If you add or delete a control associated with a database item in a window, you don't need to change anything in your code! The file management commands are detailed in the WinDev sales brochure. Queries WinDev comes with a query editor. It allows you to easily create queries through a wizard.  You can easily export a query result (text file, Excel file, World file, XML file, etc.) through a context sensitive menu automatically generated by WinDev. It can also be used as a base for a printed form or a table. Printing WinDev comes with a report generator. It lets you easily create printouts from data files located on the AS/400 or the PC. Bar codes as well as images are supported. Background forms are also supported. The result can be: . a print preview . a printout . an HTML document . a PDF document. The printer can be connected with the PC locally or through a network, but can also be defined as a "VIRTUAL PRINTER" of the AS/400. Dialog with the AS/400 WinDev AS/400 lets you very easily use your AS/400 and iSerie legacy: - batch or CL calls with parameters - support for DataQueues and DataAreas - run AS/400 commands (CHGPRF for example),... In WinDev AS/400 some specific AS/400 commands are available:
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STEP 4: CREATE THE EXECUTABLE After you've finalized your application, you need to create the executable. WinDev offers to automatically manage a version number for your application if you wish. WinDev includes a version management module which allows you to restore a previous version of your application: why not take advantage of this feature? When creating the executable, WinDev offers to create a native 32-bit EXE. The same program will work in Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, 2003, XP, etc. Therefore you don't have to worry about your application's target when you write your code. The application created with WinDev will work on all the Windows machine (and on a browser for an application built with WebDev, and on a Pocket PC, or a Smartphone or a Terminal for an application built with WinDev Mobile). Similarly, with WinDev you can easily create .NET assemblies, Web services, trade components: simply click on the relevant menu! STEP 5: DEPLOYMENT 1. The installer WinDev comes with a installation program generator. This module lets you create a custom procedure for installing your application. Everything can be customized. This installer program's features are detailed in the documentation specific to each product. The application can be deployed through floppy disks, CD ROM, a network, or through the Internet. |
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QUESTION/ANSWER in a totally integrated environment Here's a summary of the main features: . Integrated environment (IDE) . Free Technical Support . Free deployment . Create secure .EXE, J2EE Web Services and .NET applications . Teamwork . Real-RAD: Complete application generator . AAA (Automatic Application Architecture): create your own custom RAD for your teams . Free option: Java RAD . Hyper File, integrated Client/Server databases in Windows and Linux (free distribution) . Third-party databases: Oracle, AS/400, SQL Server, DB2, MySQL, Access, xBase... . Native XML . Control center for databases and deployed applications . UML analysis center, Merise; code generated from the analysis, reverse engineer legacy . Analysis and programming documentation through reverse engineering . Trade components . Visual SQL generator . Automatic UI creation, with automatic style guide . 5th generation language (5GL), eliminate 90% of the code . Open to 3GL and 4GL: C++, C#, Java, VB, Cobol... . Import Access and VB applications . Intelligent code editor with instant testing . Refactoring . Debugger . Performance optimization center . Up to 20 different languages per application . Report generator (PDF, pre-printed form, bar codes,...) . CHM help generator . Integrated Internet access (page analysis...) . UMC (User Macro Code): the end users can add their macros to their applications . AAF (Automatic Application Features): automatic export menu for the end user: export to Word, Excel, XML, PDF, 3D graphic... automatic e-mail sending, PDF creation . RS 232 serial link . TAPI telephony . Multimedia (image, sound, video) . Version manager . Installation management center, automatic management of deployed applications . Automatic scenario test center . More than 100 detailed examples . Self train in 1 week (manual provided) |
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