====================================================================== Thacker Network Technologies Inc. Satellite Forms MobileApp Designer(R) Software Edition v 6.0.1 * ReadMe * ====================================================================== Copyright (C) 2005 Thacker Network Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved. ====================================================================== This document contains information concerning setup issues, known product anomalies that are still under investigation, and other pertinent issues. Document date: May 3, 2005 ====================================================================== CONTENTS ====================================================================== 1.0 Read me first 2.0 New in the 6.0.1 release 3.0 New in the 6.0.0 release 4.0 New in the 5.2.3 release 5.0 System requirements 6.0 Installation 7.0 Upgrading your application to Pocket PC 2003 8.0 Working with compiler changes in this release 9.0 Additional Sample applications 10.0 Licensing 11.0 Known issues in this release 12.0 How to contact Thacker Network Technologies Inc. ====================================================================== 1.0 Read me first ====================================================================== Thank you for purchasing Satellite Forms. Before you install Satellite Forms, please read this document for important information concerning this release. Important installation instructions can be found in the following sections. ====================================================================== 2.0 New in the 6.0.1 release ====================================================================== Please read this section to discover the features that have been added or changed in this release of Satellite Forms and issues that have been addressed. ====================================================================== 2.1 Satellite Forms is now a Thacker product Effective January 31, 2005, Satellite Forms is now a product of Thacker Network Technologies Inc. and is no longer a product of Intellisync Corp. The new online home of SatForms is http://www.satelliteforms.net While care has been taken to update all of the Satellite Forms components to reflect the new corporate identity, it is possible there may still be some references to Intellisync or PumaTech (the former name of Intellisync Corp.). Please notify us via the Technical Support page at http://www.satelliteforms.net/supportform.htm if you notice a reference that has not yet been updated. ====================================================================== 2.2 PocketPC Date Picker AutoKeyboards An automatic Date Picker popup keyboard has been implemented for the PocketPC platform, functionally similar to the PalmOS platform. If you set the AutoKeyboard property for an edit control to Date, or set it to Auto and the field is linked to a Date field, then the date picker is available in the field. When the date is blank, the word None appears in the field. A droplist trigger in the field signifies that the user should tap it to display the calendar date picker. The user can tap on a date to select it, or can tap on None to close the calendar date picker without selecting a date.[PocketPC] ====================================================================== 2.3 ReturnToPreviousForm default behaviour returned to the "old style" Returned the default ReturnToPreviousForm behaviour to the proper "old style" linear navigation chain mode that was used from SatForms 1.0 - 5.2.2. This ReturnToPreviousForm behaviour was changed in SF 5.2.3 to an "endless loop" mode, causing confusion and much extra work for many developers. In 6.0.0 an option was added so that the developer could specify the old, proper behaviour, by calling SetBTP_OldStyle(true) in the AfterAppStart event script, but the problematic 5.2.3 "new style" behaviour was still the default. Now in SatForms 6.0.1 the default behaviour is back to the proper linear navigation chain mode by default, so you do not need to include the SetBTP_OldStyle(true) call in AfterAppStart. If you preferred the "new style" endless loop ReturnToPreviousForm behaviour, then you'll have to call SetBTP_OldStyle(false) in your AfterAppStart script. [PalmOS/PocketPC/IDE] ====================================================================== 2.4 PocketPC Runtime Installer Improvements The PocketPC runtime installer has been improved so that it does not uninstall by default when you run it a second time on the same PC. Instead, you are given the option to Modify, Repair, or Remove the installer, with Repair as the default choice. Choosing repair will reinstall the runtime engine files. [PocketPC] ====================================================================== 2.5 Minor App Designer IDE Improvements * Corrected the PDF documentation button in toolbar to look for Adobe Acrobat Professional in addition to Adobe Reader, and to recognize newer Acrobat versions than before. [IDE] * Changed the default script editor font to System 10 in the SFscript.ini settings file. This is a monospaced font. [IDE] * Added a hotkey F5 to the Handheld | Download App & Tables menu command. [IDE] ====================================================================== 2.6 Issues resolved in this release * PalmOS Runtime - A text control that is hidden may replace its caption with that from another control on the form. This has been corrected so that the text caption does not change. [BUG # 6-00035] * PocketPC Runtime - If the PDA is reset or battery power is lost before your SatForms application is closed, changes to your data tables (new records, updated records, deleted records) are not saved, and the changed data is lost. This has been corrected so that data is automatically committed to the table CDB file as changes are made, preventing undesired data loss. [BUG # 6-00022] * PocketPC filters do not work properly when multiple filters applied to the same table field. Filters applied to a table field now properly replace existing filters on that field for the PPC platform, as they do on the PalmOS platform. [BUG #6-00046] ====================================================================== 3.0 New in the 6.0.0 release ====================================================================== Please read this section to discover the features that have been added or changed in this release of Satellite Forms and issues that have been addressed. ====================================================================== 3.1 Enterprise Intellisync Server-specific features have been eliminated - AppDesigner Tools\Launch Sync Editor option has been removed. - AppDesigner, Tables dialog, DataSource tab has been removed. - SetSyncStep and GetSyncStep methods are no longer available in script. (This means that an error message must be displayed when compiling a script with those former methods and that the methods are ignored on both Palm and PPC devices). - ICM and CID files are not generated during compilation. ====================================================================== 3.2 New function added for Return to previous form behavior To set previous form behavior (for 5.2.2 forms or older), add the following syntax for SetBTP_OldStyle in the AfterAppStart global script: SetBTP_OldStyle(True) Desktop implementation: SetBTP_OldStyle is called from AppDesigner (can only be called in the AfterAppStart global script), which sets the navigation style. If the parameter StyleParam is set to true, then the style used is from 5.2.2 and if the parameter StyleParam is set to False, the style used is from 5.2.3. Device implementation: The function SetBTP_OldStyle can only be called in the AfterAppstart global script. If the StyleParam parameter is set to true, the old style is used. If the StyleParam is set to false, then the style used is from 5.2.3. The application will use either Old or New style, but not both. ====================================================================== 3.3 Symbol Control extension support Satellite Forms 6.0 Symbol Control extension supports all Symbol devices running Palm OS 3.5 or higher and Pocket PC 2002 OS. ====================================================================== 3.4 For the 6.0 release, Pocket PC developers can show and hide the X/OK Button of a form from scripts, using the CanClose property of the Form object. This feature is ignored for Palm. Sample: 1. Forms().CanClose = False // This will suppress the OK button of the current form 2. Forms("Form1").CanClose = True // This will make the OK\X button of the Form1 form visible 3. If Forms("Form1").CanClose Then // This will execute some code based on the X/OK Button state MsgBox("We Can Close") Else MsgBox ("We Cannot Close The Application") EndIf The CanClose property default is true, to maintain the functionality of previously developed applications. ====================================================================== 3.5 PPC 2003 target This release adds PPC 2003 as one of the application targets defined in your project that you can add, delete, or edit. ====================================================================== 3.6 Issues resolved in this release Application compiled for PPC 2003 crashes on a PPC 2002. [18570] Applications crash on Symbol PocketPC 2002 devices if a form contains a barcode control and Forms().Show method is called in a script. [21188] First item from the drop-down list cannot be selected on PPC for the attached application. [21355] Data from the DBF tables that contain numeric with decimal columns are not properly downloaded to Palm devices. [21818] There is no way to suppress the OK button. [21435] Designer, control name and other object properties are not updated. [21639] Ultraslow database performance. [21657] If you have a lot of items in a list box, you cannot scroll the listbox more than 2 pages using the scrollbar. [21731] Read-Only Paragraph controls cannot be scrolled on the Pocket-PC devices. [21783] Applications that use the "OnTimer event" will crash on Palm devices after a while; OnTimer event is extremely slow. [22141] The form refresh is made too often when calling OnTimer events on Palm OS 5.0 devices. [23714] PDA file is deleted from PPC if you want to download from a PPC2003 target an application already existing on a PPC 2002 device. [23737] Results are not correctly displayed in Advanced Calculator. [23990] Changed behaviour for Return to Previous Form, default style (5.2.3). [24040] Fatal alert is displayed on Palm when calling a method with no parameters from EditEx extension. [24118] POCKETPC - Fields.field1 of Numeric field with size GT 9 return erroneous value. [24277] Applications with droplist controls on a form are crashing on PPC devices. [24549] When a new record is created, the first radio button cannot be checked on a form on PPC devices. [24617] The SatelliteForms Runtime for Palm installer is crashing. [24860] ====================================================================== 4.0 New in the 5.2.3 release ====================================================================== Please read this section to discover the new features that have been added to this release of Satellite Forms and the issues that have been addressed. ====================================================================== 4.1 Pocket PC 2003 Support With the addition of Pocket PC 2003 support, Satellite Forms applications can now be created for handheld devices running the Pocket PC 2003 OS. The complete Satellite Forms API supports Pocket PC 2003. If you will be running your completed Satellite Forms application with a server, verify that the server your application will work with also supports Pocket PC 2003 before creating your application. For details on upgrading an existing application to Pocket PC 2003, see section 9.0 below. ====================================================================== 4.2 Compiler and performance enhancements This release of Satellite Forms includes significant performance enhancements, reducing memory requirements and increasing speed. Performance with larger applications (greater than 5000 lines of script) has been significantly enhanced. Improvements have been made to the compiler and memory usage with Pocket PC runtime. For details on taking advantage of new compiler improvements, see section 9.0 below. ====================================================================== 4.3 Pocket PC color support Pocket PC RDK applications now support icons with greater than 16 colors. ====================================================================== 4.4 Issues resolved in this release ====================================================================== SFChangeLog and SFTables errors Short delays during updates to the log file for additions and deletions of new records will no longer cause errors when a user navigates extremely rapidly through the application during the log file update. [17080] Pocket PC 2002 record synchronization All records synchronized between a server and a Pocket PC 2002 application with a custom database are now copied to the server correctly. [17927] Fatal exception error "Fatal exception" error no longer appears when calling the OnPenDown event. [15693] Pocket PC 2002 InsertionSort method The InsertionSort method now sorts table entries correctly for applications created for the Pocket PC 2002 platform. [17248] Tungsten device Timer Events Timer events now work correctly for Tungsten T devices running Palm OS 5.0. [16607] Pocket PC MoveRecord method The MoveRecord method now moves records in a table correctly for applications created for the Pocket PC platform. [17949] Droplist display Droplists created with a filter action for a form linked to a table now displays the selected item correctly. Droplist now displays values correctly after records are deleted from the form's table or the form is refreshed. [15358][18026] Tungsten device extensions The Serial and Printer extensions now support Tungsten T devices running the Palm OS. [17574] Pocket PC 2002 QuickSort The QuickSort feature now functions the same as the Palm OS platform for the Pocket PC platform. [18025] Pocket PC 2002 droplist action A Delete Record action from a Droplist for a form linked to a table in a Pocket PC 2002 application will now delete the selected record(s) correctly. [18023] Table editor The table editor in MobileApp Designer now handles the "float" data type correctly. Pocket PC 2002 64-bit numbers 64-bit numbers are now supported on Pocket PC 2002 devices. Numeric fields now support field widths past nine places. Pocket PC 2002 list boxes The leftmost column in list boxes in applications for Pocket PC can now be right- or left-aligned. Pocket PC InitialSortOrder method The InitialSortOrder method for sorting records in applications for the Pocket PC platform now has the same functionality as desktop table record sorting. Pocket PC table sorting The table sorting functionality for Pocket PC applications is now the same as the functionality for the Palm OS platform. Form Designer Boolean fields Boolean fields are now displayed as checkboxes in Form Designer to prevent invalid Boolean entries. Script compiling Issues with script compilation have been resolved and improved. ====================================================================== 5.0 System requirements ====================================================================== Read this section for system requirements for the Satellite Forms development computer and handheld devices ====================================================================== 5.1 Desktop system requirements (development tools) The computer on which you run App Designer must meet the following system requirements: - PC with a Pentium-class processor, 200 MHz - 64 MB RAM Note: More total memory (RAM + Virtual Memory) may be required when working with larger Satellite Forms applications. For example, an application with 5,000 lines of script requires approximately 700 MB total memory. Any ratio of physical memory to virtual memory can be used; for example, either 128MB RAM/570 MB Virtual Memory or 256 MB RAM/440 MB Virtual Memory. If the total memory is insufficient, during compilation of the application the App Designer stops responding and the following error message appears: "AppDesigner: Out of virtual memory". - 50 MB available disk space - Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 98SE - To develop Palm applications: Palm HotSync version 3.0 or later - To develop Pocket PC 2002 or Pocket PC 2003 applications: Microsoft ActiveSync version 3.5 or later ====================================================================== 5.2 Palm OS device system requirements (runtime engines) The Palm OS device on which you run a Satellite Forms application must meet the following system requirements: - Palm OS 3.5 or later - 1 MB available main memory (recommended) - HotSync 3.01 or later must be installed on the desktop computer to which the device connects ====================================================================== 5.3 Pocket PC OS device system requirements (runtime engines) The Pocket PC device on which you run a Satellite Forms application must meet the following system requirements: - Pocket PC OS 2002 or Pocket PC OS 2003 - 5 MB available main memory (recommended) - ActiveSync 3.5 or later must be installed on the desktop computer to which the device connects ====================================================================== 6.0 Installation ====================================================================== Before you install Satellite Forms on your computer, read the following section. Complete details on installing Satellite Forms can be found in the Satellite Forms Developer's Guide. ====================================================================== 6.1 License keys A valid license key is necessary to complete installation of Satellite Forms. If you are upgrading from a previous version of Satellite Forms, use the license key that was sent to you for that version. ====================================================================== 6.2 Compatibility with third-party software Read the following sections for information on using Satellite Forms with third-party software. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.2.2 Microsoft Access Satellite Forms supports both DBF (dBase V) and MDB (Access) database formats to store its transfer tables for Palm OS projects. In your project, use the project properties dialog box to change which Desktop DB Format to use. If you are planning to use Access 97 for your Satellite Forms applications, you must specify DBF as the Desktop DB Format. If you are creating Pocket PC applications you must use the MDB format. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.2.3 MDAC requirements The Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) is software that Satellite Forms uses to interface with transfer tables. Satellite Forms recommends that you use MDAC version 2.6 SP1. Refer to the Satellite Forms Developer's Guide and the Microsoft website for additional details. ====================================================================== 7.0 Upgrading your application to Pocket PC 2003 ====================================================================== Follow the steps below to upgrade an existing application to take advantage of the new Pocket PC 2003 support. System Requirements: - Desktop Operating System: Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP - Device Operating System: Microsoft Windows CE 4.0 - Device Platform: Pocket PC 2003 - ActiveSync 3.7 installed on your Desktop computer - A minimum of 3 MB available memory on the Pocket PC device 1) Installing the ADOCE Runtime: 1. Download the ADOCE runtime from Microsoft's website at the following URL: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/resources/downloads/developer/evb.mspx 2. Copy the file named "msvbppc.armv4.cab" to your Pocket PC 2003 device. 3. On the Pocket PC 2003 device, open File Explorer (typically located at Start