March 17, 2014TC-14004

    

  
  
  
 
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BASIS International Ltd. releases version 13.13 of BBj®, Barista® Application Framework, and AddonSoftware® by Barista.
  
Key components of this communiqué include: 

The Technical Communiqué published on March 3, 2014, recommends that customers using Web Start should upgrade to today's release, version 13.13, to keep Web Start from blocking applications. This is the optimal solution in response to the urgent situation with Oracle's Java 1.7 time-critical Web Start blocking security changes. Refer to the Knowledge Base article Web Start "Application Blocked" - Solutions for more details.

 

Read on and download and install version 13.13 from the BBj-powered BUI download page today!
IssuesResponse to Java Security Updates

Most organizations that deploy applications via the BBj Jetty Application Server using Oracle's Java 1.7 Web Start must take action by March 25, 2014 to prevent Oracle's security refinements from blocking their applications on the client.

 

Oracle released Java 1.7 in July 2011. BASIS' subsequent versions between BBj 12.00 and BBj 13.02, that support Java 1.7, included self-signed jars. Oracle no longer supports this Web Start security model after Java 1.7u21 and customers who upgrade beyond Java 1.7u21 cannot run Web Start applications without relaxing the clients' Java security settings.

 

BASIS began including an example security certificate in BBj 13.03 in response to Oracle's security changes in Java 1.7u40. Oracle again changed the security model in Java 1.7u51 and Web Start will block applications using this security certificate after it expires March 25, 2014. In response to Oracle's changing security model, BASIS releases BBj 13.13 today to allow customers enough time to test and upgrade their site to keep Web Start from blocking applications.

 

For more information, refer to Knowledge Base article Configuring Web Start During a BBj Installation.

BBjBBj - 14.0 Preview Features
bold items are new in 13.13        
  
LANGUAGE/INTERPRETER
  • Adds new methods for setting tooltip text and foreground and background colors on a BBjTabCtrl.
  • Enhances the CAPTURE mnemonic by adding the ability to copy the content of a specific overlapping character window to the active window, instead of content from all overlapping windows.
  • Adds the ability for a BBj program to access the current SysWindow font name, point size, and style via the FIN() Function.
  • Adds new configuration parameters to control how Jetty uses BBj licenses.
  • Adds new configuration properties to override default Jetty settings.
  • Adds ability to control Web Service ports configuration.
  • Enhances BBjServlets to allow file uploads.
  • Adds a new default BUI CSS theme.
  • Adds an option to style individual BUI msgbox(), fileopen(), and filesave() dialogs using custom CSS.
  • Adds BBjBuiCloseAction objects that provide an interface to query and change the action that will take place when the BUI application terminates.
  • Adds BBjBuiManager object to provide an interface to BUI application runtime settings.
  • Refactors the client/server communication layer that results in a faster CUI experience, particularly as latency increases.
  • Adds new STBL Formats
    • !MNEMONIC_INT_ROUNDING STBL string allows non-integer values in the @(x) and @(x,y) mnemonics.
    • !MSGBOX_SPLIT STBL string breaks long MSGBOX() message text into specified lengths.
    • !UNT_START STBL string specifies the starting channel number for the first unused channel returned by the UNT variable.
  • Adds new capabilities and improves robustness of the XCALL server by including a debug option and, in the case of a lost connection, it will shut down gracefully and reset the listening port.
  • Adds methods to adjust the internal margins on all GUI and BUI text controls.
  • Adds event methods to return details about activate and deactivate events.
  • Adds BBjTemplatedString methods for everything that can be done using the traditional template verbs and functions.
  • Adds methods to the BBjClientFile to set or query the Readable/Writable/Executable status of a file.
  • Adds the TIM option to the INITFILE and ERASE Verbs.
  • Adds the ability to reference a child window by name to BBjWindow::getChildWindow.
  • Adds the ability to specify a server directory or fully-qualified server filename to BBjClientFile::copyFromClient.
  • Adds support for JasperReports version 5.5.0.
     
DATABASE MANAGEMENT 
  • Improves concurrent READ performance in the BASIS DBMS (BBj filesystem) when many users attempt to read the same file at the same time. The equivalent PRO/5® functionality (multi-reader), governed by a SETOPT setting, suffered from a major negative side-effect of starving out WRITEs. The BASIS DBMS, which does not require a SETOPT setting, offers both significantly faster concurrent READ performance and does NOT suffer from this side effect:
  
  • Adds support for ACL (Access Control List) permissions on Linux and other UNIX OSs.
  
DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
  • Resource Bundle Editor
    • Adds the ability to filter translations by locale and value.
  • BBJasperReport
  • Eclipse plug-in enhancements
    • BBj Enterprise Manager
    • BASIS Development Tool (BDT)
      • Adds filters in Navigator.   
      • Adds ability to fold code on recognizable Javadoc block in BBj source.
      • Adds ability to edit the names of installation WICs.
      • Validates installation names when editing.
      • Adds drag and drop capability when adding installations into WICs list.
      • Adds the ability to specify resource filtering to prevent resources in source locations from being copied to output folder locations.
      • Adds detection for new installation of BBj. 
      • Adds a notice to the user that builds and parses can no longer be performed on projects configured to use a BASIS installation.
      • Adds [Update Installation Cache] button to view external BASIS installation events.
      • Implements Eclipse substitution variables. 
      • Improves the performance of project imports and migration.
      • Adds enhancements to the auto indent strategies for REM statements.
      • Adds enhancements to the auto indent strategies for strings.
      • Adds smart colon auto indent for line continuations.
      • Adds session classpath setting to project settings used in run, debug, and compile.
      • Adds symbolic labels to navigator and outline view with ability to jump to them in the source.
      • Adds label decorators to the icons shown in the navigator; the BBj "cup" icon with an overlaid blue "C" for tokenized BBj files, a red "C" for password protected BBj files, and a 'disk drive' for data files.
      • Adds filters to hide or show various elements in the navigator and outline views.
      • Adds smart Javadoc comments that auto-start after typing in REM /** or /**.
      • Adds enhanced toggle comment capability to preserve line numbers by placing the REM statements after the line numbers.
      • Adds support for project-specific settings such as configuration files that may be specified relative to the workspace.
        •
      • Adds a new Build Log view that gives detailed results of the underlying workspace building process.   

  

SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION
  • Adds ability for the Administrator to use the Eclipse/Browser Enterprise Manager to select an existing certificate to be used by BBj JNLP applications or optionally have BBj Services create a certificate for their applications.
  • Adds ability to manage database sequences from the Eclipse/Browser Enterprise Manager.
  • Adds a secondary confirmation dialog when an administrator chooses to remove a replication job, as well as the target files, to help prevent inadvertent deletion.
  • ReplicationReplication
    • Adds the ability to filter translations by locale and value.
    • Tracks the number of times each file copies to the target.
    • Stops replicating a file when replication hits a target error while continuing the balance of the job.
    • Adds support for wildcard and regular expression (Regex) pattern matching on included and excluded file lists.
    • Improved interface for creating and managing replication jobs.
    • Adds the ability to specify wildcard and regular expression pattern matching include and exclude groups of files in replication jobs.
    • Adds the ability to view a list of any problematic files in a replication job and decide to ignore the file or explicitly exclude it from the job.
 
APPLICATION BUILDING BLOCKS
  • BASIS Custom Installer
    • Allows for the creation of desktop shortcuts on Windows and *NIX (not Mac) by using the new $DesktopDir variable and specifying the shortcut name in the custominstal.xml.
    • Adds ability to create Windows shortcuts in the current user profile if creation in the all users profile fails.
  • Enhanced Email Utility
    • EmailDialog
      • Provides a user interface for emailing messages and attachments.
      • Supports contacts and email settings.
    • BBJasperViewer
      • Includes a new email tool button that launches the EmailDialog to email the viewed report as an attachment.
      • Inherits Barista file and email attributes when run from that environment.
    • BBJasperReport includes an email method to email a report.
BaristaBarista - 14.0 Preview Features
bold items are new in 13.13

  

  • Adds two new optional definitions available in the Form Designer for grid query-driven form maintenance
    • "Query Based Maintenance Form" displays the query grid with record add, edit, and delete functions.
      • Performing any of these functions opens the corresponding record maintenance form.
      • Record changes are reflected in the query for the row affected; additions and deletions trigger a refresh of the query grid.
      • The maintenance form closes after each operation and the focus returns to the query grid.
      • Record navigation is available within the query grid.
    • "Query Synched Maintenance Form" displays the query grid and maintenance form and keeps them in synch.
      • As a row is selected in the query grid, the corresponding record is retrieved and displayed in the maintenance form.
      • Record additions, edits, and deletions are made in the maintenance form, which stays open after each operation.

      • Modifies SDI form toolbar and menu actions to match those in the MDI.

      • Improves BUI applications written and powered by Barista.

      • Enhances multi-monitor application handling.

      • Adds a "Search all columns" checkbox to the Barista Query so users can look for specified text across all displayed columns:

      • Adds ability for system administrators and/or developers to control whether or not workspace memory dumps can be included with Barista error reports.
        • Configuration options are YES, NO, ALWAYS, NEVER, or AUTHORIZED.
        • If AUTHORIZED, the user must provide a password in order to send the dump.
      • A new Barista public (bac_faxemail_jasper.bbj) makes it possible for Barista application developers to invoke the Fax/Email form; provides the interface for adding a JasperReports output to the Barista Document Processing Queue by intercepting the Button Push Event for the new BBJasper email button.
       
AddonAddonSoftware - 14.0 Preview Features
bold items are new in 13.13        

 

ADDONHELP

  • Adds Year End Checklists in each module
  • Adds documentation for Accounts Receivable reports; Graphic Sales Report by Salesperson, Sales Digital Dashboard, Drill Down Sales Report by Customer Type 

 

SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION 

  • Adds "Quick Copy" option in the AddonSoftware Installation Update Wizard (AIUW) to copy both the Barista Application Framework and AddonSoftware from bbj_home to a different parent directory.  

 

DISTRIBUTION

  • Adds new "Export format" option to all Sales Analysis reports that formats the documents for exporting to Excel.

 

MANUFACTURING

  • Enhanced Work Order flow 

    • Adds new Work Order Materials reference number that appears in Materials Commitments and Issues.

    • Adds Operations Reference field (Op Ref)

      • Improves the ability to cross-reference operations to associated materials and subcontracts and provides an efficient means to record operations for timesheet entry with enhancements to:

        • Work Order Requirements: Operations, Materials, and Subcontracts

        • Batch and on-demand Work Order Detail reports

        • Traveler

        • Time Sheet Entry

    • Detail and Traveler reports enhanced

      • Moves the Setup column out of the totals section toward the beginning of the line for consistency and ease of reading.

      • Provides VARs with test pattern printing to streamline Jasper modification in the Operations, Materials, and Subcontracts standards SPROCs.

      • Adds "green bar" effect.

      • Produces more compact output while maintaining readability.

  • Shop Floor Materials and Subcontracts

    • Adds a new alphanumeric reference number field that gives the user more control and flexibility when correlating materials and subcontracts to drawings.

    • Adds a new "auto-number" function when processing materials that lets the user specify the beginning and ending row to auto-number, the first alphanumeric number to use, and an increment, making it possible to quickly and easily auto-number (or re-number) an entire list of materials, or subsets of the list.      

 

REPORTING

  • AddonSoftware JasperReports offers one-click saving in .pdf format, as well as an email button to launch the Barista fax/email form to allow adding Jasper-based .pdf documents to the Document Processing Queue.

  • Jasper documents saved as .pdf are also recorded in the Barista document archive for retrieval from Document Inquiry.

More Information
Refer to 13.13 readme, relnotes, and fixes release files.
 
Download this new release today. See Barista in action by including AddonSoftware with your download and see an example of an ERP powered completely by Barista.
 
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