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| Resources for Your Developer Toolbox |
| Theresa W. Carey |
Virtual Web Application Development.gif) netExs LLC is now shipping ASP+, which offers visual Web application development tools with Microsoft® Internet Information Services (IIS) and Microsoft Active Server Pages. ASP+ is based on the Microsoft Windows® DNA 2000 architecture. With four server objects, ASP+ generates commented Web forms with browser-independent client-side JavaScript field validation to reduce server round-tripping, search forms, grids, and downloadable Microsoft Excel snapshot extracts in a DHTML framework with optional DHTML toolbars. Also included is a security layer that is integrated into ASP+'s generated pages and can be added to existing ASP and HTML pages.ASP+ lets you Web-enable any OLE DB or ODBC database supported by ActiveX® Data Objects (ADO), including Microsoft Access 95, Access 97, Access 2000, SQL Serverâ„¢ 6.5 and 7.0, Oracle 7.3 and above, Sybase 11.0 and above, DB2, FoxPro®, and Informix. Developers define reports, appearance, navigation systems, and security in a visual, server-based environment. Server-based enterprise reporting systems with an HTML-only interface typically generate low deployment and maintenance burdens for IT workers. As user needs evolve, ASP+ allows authors to regenerate reports and Web applications with new features and functionality. What is the difference between netExs ASP+ and Microsoft Active Server Pages+ (ASP+)? Microsoft ASP+ is the next generation of Active Server Pages technology and is part of the new Microsoft .NET platform. ASP+ from netExs is a Web-enabling tool that creates data-driven Web applications using Microsoft Active Server Pages. netExs ASP+ will support the new .NET platform and Microsoft Active Server Pages+ when they are officially released by Microsoft. netExs LLC Web Site Monitoring.gif){kind=small} @watch has now released WebShepherd 2.0, a new engine that drives its high-powered Web site monitoring service. The @watch service acts as a normal visitor to your site, except that it takes notes. Clients choose from three different monitoring levels, ranging from checking your site hourly to once every five minutes. At the specified time, @watch monitors several different aspects of the site including page load time, server response time, link veracity, integrity of site graphics, and overall user experience.@watch provides a fail-safe, 24/7 alert system. Clients receive an alert message within five minutes if their site is experiencing problems; the alerts can arrive via e-mail, fax, or pager. Other features include an alert retry system, recovery alerts, support for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and secure sites, IFRAME support, HTML and server redirection, flexible alert notification, and extensive diagnostic alert detail. @watch Web-based Software Update Alerts.gif){kind=small} Zero G Software Inc. recently announced the introduction of PowerUpdate, an Internet-based updating service for software applications and data. The service alerts customers when a product update or newer version of a particular software product becomes available, and then optionally initiates the download and installation of the latest version.Primarily designed for use by independent and enterprise software producers, PowerUpdate utilizes the Internet to streamline the updating and software redeployment process, setting up a single updating solution that is available at any time, for virtually any number of customers. The service is an ideal solution for software vendors who need to update millions of customers, and for information technology professionals who manage large workgroups and need a seamless way to update programs or data on a frequent basis. In addition to software applications, PowerUpdate can revise any other type of data files including HTML, standard word processing, documents, or spreadsheet documents. PowerUpdate has a Web-based interface that takes developers through the process of setting up the PowerUpdate service. Once the setup is complete, developers receive a Check For Update icon that can be added to their application before general distribution, added to a product Web page, or delivered separately to customers who have already installed their software. The Check For Update can be invoked directly by the user or automatically by starting PowerUpdate each time the user runs their application software. Using the Internet, PowerUpdate contacts Zero G's secure server, checking the user's version against the latest release. If an update or new version of software is detected, PowerUpdate can automatically download and install it. PowerUpdate is compatible with all major installation and deployment solutions, including Zero G's InstallAnywhere deployment solution. PowerUpdate is available for all major platforms, including Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Mac OS, Solaris, Linux, and most other operating systems with Java language support. Zero G Software Inc. USB Hardware Control.gif) BSQUARE Corporation has shipped WinRT-USB, a developers' toolkit that gives USB hardware control capability on Windows 2000 and Windows 98 without using the Windows Device Driver Kit (DDK). WinRT-USB enables application-level development of USB hardware control solutions on Windows 2000 and Windows 98.Windows 2000 and Windows 98 natively support classes of devices such as printers, mice, and joysticks. In the past, devices that did not fall into these classes typically required the development of a USB kernel-mode client driver. Using BSQUARE's new WinRT-USB, developers can write application-level Win32®-based hardware control programs for their USB hardware that are portable across Windows 2000 and Windows 98. Other features of WinRT-USB include: Win32-based C/C++ development, support for Visual Basic® and other application-level development environments through an ActiveX control; full support for all USB transfer typesâ€"Control, Interrupt, Bulk, and Isochronous; a wizard for driver framework creation; device recognition; configuration and management; and straightforward redistribution and installation. The WinRT-USB includes both a set of C/C++ functions and an ActiveX control, so developers are not limited to a single development environment. BSQUARE Corporation AS/400 Record-level Access.gif) ASNA Inc. recently announced version 4.7 of its ASNA Database Toolbox (ADBTB) for AS/400. The ADBTB provides AS/400 record-level access for Windows-based development environments including Visual Basic, Visual C++®, and Delphi. ADBTB version 4.7 also includes a set of Java classes to provide AS/400 record-level access for Java-language programmers. New features in ADBTB 4.7 include full support for AS/400 open query files, print files, print preview, and a programmer file editor.Using ADBTB programmers can execute dynamic record selection through AS/400 open query files. Programmers can also create Windows-based reports (including both graphics and text). These reports can be viewed through built-in print preview and printed on any Windows-based printer. ADBTB 4.7 includes a full add/update/delete-capable file editor called ADBFEdit. With ADBFEdit, programmers can work with and manipulate test data. ADBTB provides record-level access to the AS/400, servers running Windows NT® and Windows 2000 Server, and local PCs. For AS/400 data access, ADBTB uses the AS/400 built-in database. For databases in Windows NT, Windows 2000, and local PCs, ADBTB provides its own AS/400-like database management system called Acceler8DB. In addition to AS/400 database access, ADBTB 4.7 also supports AS/400 program calls. Programmers can use ADBTB to call user-created OS/400 program objects or OS/400-provided APIs and commands. ADBTB obeys all OS/400-imposed object authorization. ADBTB is provided as an API set that features a group of files and program call operations (such as READ, READP, OPEN, and CLOSE). For programmers using Visual Basic, ADBTB also includes a Visual Basic Class Wizard that, using a point-and-click user interface, creates file-specific Visual Basic classes. ASNA Inc. Cache Database Content.gif) Post Point Software has released version 1.1 of XCache, a Web development tool that caches database or dynamic content to improve performance for e-commerce sites. The main features added to this new version of XCache include host header support to cache multiple domain names on a single IP, the ability to unload one file from the cache or a whole directory, and increased flexibility in XCache's Active Caching technology.Post Point Software also announced a comprehensive program for all customers. The new program is divided into three tiers: evaluation support, basic support, and enhanced support. Evaluation support provides users with unlimited e-mail and Web form support throughout the lifetime of the evaluation period. Basic support provides users who have purchased the product with 30 days of unlimited support, in addition to testing and installation troubleshooting support. With enhanced support, users receive one year of basic support and the option of purchasing major upgrades (such as from version 1.2 to 2.0) at a discount. Post Point Software Report Generator for Pocket PCs.gif){kind=small} SYWARE Inc. has released Report CE for the Pocket PC, a reporting and printing tool for Windows-powered Pocket PCs. Report CE for the Pocket PC allows users to create and print custom reports from any Pocket PC device. Printing is done via the infrared port of the device or from the desktop.In addition to traditional reports, the software can be used to print invoices, quotes, and customer receipts. Reports are based on data from tables built with Visual CE for the Pocket PC, which is SYWARE's database software for handhelds. Data can also come from applications developed with Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows CE or Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows CE. A single report can draw data from multiple tables. Report design and layout is performed either on a desktop computer or on a Pocket PC device. Reports can include a header, footer, data, and calculated data. Report CE's filtering capabilities allow users to choose only the records they want to view. Columns can be sized, and the data can also be saved to a text file, enabling import to other applications. SYWARE Inc. Quick Takes.gif) techies.com recently launched a new classroom training service being developed through an agreement with IQdestination.com. Under the agreement, techies.com will offer vendor-certified, instructor-led (ILT) classroom technology training via a reverse auction on the techies.com Web site. Using the IQdestination.com-powered auction place on the techies.com site, technology professionals can set the price they are willing to pay for Microsoft, Cisco, Novell, and Lotus technology training classes. Upon receipt of the student's asking price, vendor-certified training centers in the students' geographical area bid against each other to win the students' business. Check it out at https://www.techies.com..gif) Interactive Software Engineering recently released its Eiffel-Sharp development environment, available now for the new Microsoft .NET Framework. Eiffel-Sharp takes advantage of the .NET Framework language interoperability mechanisms and the Active Server Pages+ technology. Eiffel-Sharp features an open environment, with support for integrating elements written in other languages, and interfaces to tools as diverse as C, C++, Java, SQL, COM, and CORBA. Get more information at https://www.eiffel.com..gif){kind=small} ActiveState will also support the .NET Framework with Perl .NET and Python .NET. The benefits of these products include easy interoperability between languages, cross-language inheritance, and the ability to enable programmers to create, extend, and consume .NET components. In addition, both Perl .NET and Python .NET are open source. Learn more at https://www.activestate.com..gif) InDefense Inc. has released the Achilles'Shield family of products. Achilles'Shield and Achilles'Shield for Networks offer supplemental protection software to protect PCs between anti-virus signature updates, when they are completely vulnerable to attacks. Achilles'Shield is designed specifically to prevent viruses, worms, and Trojansâ€"including the hijacking DDoS Trojansâ€"from damaging PCs during the period of vulnerability known as the "Achilles' heel" of traditional anti-virus software.To solve this problem, InDefense applied its patented, Windows-based security technology to create a solution that operates compatibly with popular anti-virus programs. Once installed, Achilles'Shield takes a snapshot of the clean computer system's elements and vaccinates all executable files. From that point on, changes to the system are accurately monitored and registered as either non-viral or viral in nature. When Achilles'Shield does detect a viral change, it stops the process, disables the virus, and restores the system to its clean (snapshot) state. Learn more at https://www.indefense.com. The Bookshelf.gif) O'Reilly & Associates has announced the release of CGI Programming with Perl, Second Edition by Scott Guelich, Shishir Gundavaram, and Gunther Birznieks. New topics covered in the second edition of this book include incorporating JavaScript for form validation, controlling browser caching, making CGI scripts secure in Perl, working with databases, creating simple search engines, maintaining state between multiple sessions, generating graphics dynamically, and improving performance of CGI scripts. Chapter 8, which discusses security, is available online at https://www.oreilly.com/catalog/cgi2/chapter/ch08.html. For more information about the bookâ€"including table of contents, index, author bios, and samplesâ€"see https://www.oreilly.com/catalog/cgi2. |
| Theresa W. Carey is a freelance writer who lives in California. Her byline has appeared in Barron's and PC World. You can send her New Stuff at newstuff@microsoft.com. |
From the October 2000 issue of MSDN Magazine.