Acucorp is pleased to release Version 4.3 of its product development suite, which provides several new features for COBOL developers, along with product corrections. All corrections contained in this release are described in a separate document that explains each change in the form of a brief Engineering Change Notice (ECN). The ECN list is posted on the Acucorp Web site and is available in printed form from Acucorp Technical Support.

If you are an AcuBench user, please be sure to read the section titled Important Changes Affecting Existing AcuBench Projects at the end of this document.

This paper describes the significant enhancements in Version 4.3. Details about any new feature can be found in the on-line help for each individual product.

The Windows 95/98/NT runtime is now encapsulated in a dynamic link library (DLL), so you can call the runtime from other programming languages such as Visual Basic. This process is described in Book 4 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Appendix M, "Host Specific Information," last section.

Windows 95/98/NT sites that call COBOL routines from C with the "cobol" routine need to be aware of a change to the default calling convention, from "_cdecl" (the C calling convention) to "_stdcall" (the Pascal calling convention used by Windows API routines). This change makes integration with Visual Basic and Delphi more straightforward.

Programs that call the "cobol" routine must include "sub.h" (included with ACUCOBOL-GT in the "lib" directory). This file contains a declaration of the "cobol" routine for all platforms. This ensures that you use the correct calling convention when calling the "cobol" routine. Established routines that call "cobol" must be recompiled in order to use the new calling convention.

Starting with Version 4.3, if you access Vision files from a C application, you should use v4_xxx routines rather than i_xxx routines (for example, v4_open rather than i_open). For more information about this change, please contact Acucorp Technical Support.

Note that due to runtime restructuring, support for the Alternate Terminal Manager Runtime for Windows NT is temporarily discontinued. Support for this feature is expected for Version 5.0.

In order to call C subroutines from ACUCOBOL-GT on 32-bit Windows machines, you now need Microsoft Visual C++ version 6.0.

The following sections briefly illustrate the new and enhanced controls supported by Version 4.3 of ACUCOBOL-GT.

Web Browser

A new graphic control called the Web Browser gives your COBOL applications many of the capabilities of the popular Internet browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer. Capabilities range from allowing seamless Web browsing to displaying multimedia files, Windows objects, and HTML pages from your COBOL application. The complete description of this new control, including sample syntax, is contained in Book 2 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Chapter 5, "Control Types Reference," in the section describing the Web Browser control. See Programmer's Guide to the Internet, Appendix B, for detailed suggestions on how to use this control.

In the context of the Web Browser control, we also introduce the concept of "methods," which are implemented as control properties in ACUCOBOL-GT. To invoke a method, you modify the control by setting the values of various properties that represent the method parameters. More information about this topic can be found in Book 2 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Chapter 5, "Control Types Reference," in the section describing the Web Browser control.

Entry Field

The Entry Field control is modified in Version 4.3. A new property called AUTO-DECIMAL enables you to specify a minimum number of digits to the right of the decimal point required for the automatic termination of the Entry Field. For example, with the following property value:

AUTO-DECIMAL 2

the Entry Field auto-terminates when you enter two digits to the right of the decimal point.

In addition, an AUTO-DECIMAL configuration entry applies the number of decimal positions equal to its value (non-zero) to all numeric Entry Fields with specified decimal points. The exception is an Entry Field that is specified with an AUTO-DECIMAL clause. In this case, the coded value is used instead.

Version 4.3 also introduces two other properties for the Entry Field control. CURSOR-ROW and CURSOR-COL report and control the cursor position in a multiline Entry Field. Setting CURSOR-ROW alone has no immediate effect. However, when you set CURSOR-COL, the values of CURSOR-ROW and CURSOR-COL are combined to place the cursor at the specified line and column. Note that you should always set CURSOR-ROW before CURSOR-COL if you want to place the cursor at a particular line and column. In a single-line Entry Field, CURSOR-ROW is ignored when set, and CURSOR-COL behaves identically to the CURSOR property.

The runtime's treatment of the Entry Field control's MULTILINE style is slightly modified. Starting with Version 4.3, an Entry Field created with a LINES setting of 2 or more has the MULTILINE style automatically applied to it, but only if the CELLS phrase is not also present or implied. If the CELLS phrase follows the "LINES value" phrase, the Entry Field is assigned the single-line style by default. You may inhibit this change by using the "-C42" compiler option for compatibility with Version 4.2.

Event Procedures

Prior to this release, if a program was in an event procedure for an active control and it activated and subsequently destroyed another control, the "active" control would be left in an undefined state. Version 4.3 modifies that behavior by re-activating a control whose event procedure has destroyed another active control. See ECN-1097 for more details about this change.

Past versions had no way to return EVENT-ACTION-FAIL to a control and have that event terminate the control. Starting with Version 4.3, you can accomplish this by setting EVENT-ACTION to EVENT-ACTION-FAIL-TERMINATE. The effect is the same as if you set both EVENT-ACTION-FAIL and EVENT-ACTION-TERMINATE. After performing the "fail" operation, the control terminates with an exception status of W-EVENT. This enhancement corrects an undocumented effect that, in certain circumstances, required you to explicitly override a default setting for the ACCEPT-CONTROL field of the SCREEN CONTROL item in order to avoid reactivation of the control as soon as the event procedure terminated.

As part of this same enhancement, Version 4.3 also modifies the way the ACCEPT statement sets the ACCEPT-CONTROL value to make the controlling ACCEPT statement terminate with an exception in an event procedure. You can inhibit this enhancement by compiling with the "-C42" option. A description of this enhancement is contained in Book 3 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Chapter 4, "Environment Division."

The new ACTION phrase allows you to programmatically maximize, minimize, or restore a window. Simply assign it one of the following values (found in "acugui.def"): ACTION-MAXIMIZE, ACTION-MINIMIZE, or ACTION-RESTORE. The syntax is as follows:

ACTION-MAXIMIZE and ACTION-MINIMIZE have the same effect as the user's clicking a window's "maximize" or "minimize" button, respectively, and they are allowed only for windows that have RESIZABLE or AUTO-RESIZE specified or implied for them. ACTION-RESTORE restores the window to its previous size and position, and it is allowed only for windows that can be maximized or minimized. Assigning an invalid ACTION value triggers the ON EXCEPTION phrase of the MODIFY statement (if present).

Note that you can use the ACTION phrase to create a window that is initially maximized or minimized. Information can be found in Book 3 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Chapter 6, "Procedure Division," DISPLAY and MODIFY verbs.

Several new library routines and enhancements to existing routines highlight this new version of ACUCOBOL-GT. Six new routines enhance the support for Windows registry access from COBOL. These routines apply to Windows 32-bit systems only. The following table shows each new ACUCOBOL-GT library routine along with the name of the Windows registry routine to which it provides access:

	ACUCOBOL-GT Library Routine		Windows Registry Routine
	REG_CREATE_KEY_EX			RegCreateKeyEx
	REG_DELETE_KEY_VALUE			RegDeleteKeyValue
	REG_ENUM_VALUE				RegEnumValue
	REG_OPEN_KEY_EX				RegOpenKeyEx
	REG_QUERY_VALUE_EX			RegQueryValueEx
	REG_SET_VALUE_EX			RegSetValueEx

Version 4.3 also includes other new library routines. The C$LOCKPID routine allows UNIX programs to return information about locked files. Two new routines allow the runtime to exchange information with other programming languages. W$GETVARIANT moves variant-type data into COBOL items, and W$SETVARIANT converts COBOL items into variant-type data.

The WIN$PRINTER library routine has several new operation codes that allow you to retrieve and set printer settings using the 32-bit PageSetup dialog box.

These routines are described in detail in Book 4 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Appendix I, "ACUCOBOL-GT Library Routines."

The following compiler options are new to Version 4.3:

• "-C42" causes the compiler to maintain source compatibility with the Version 4.2 compiler.
• "-Fo" replaces the "-Zo" option. Both options produce the same results, but "-Zo" should be considered obsolete.
• "-Z42" creates object code that can be run with a Version 4.2 runtime.

In this version, compiler option "-Rw" suppresses some non-reserved words, such as control names (e.g., "entry-field", "label") or property names (e.g., "max-text", "bitmap-number") in addition to reserved words. Note that if you tell the compiler to suppress a non-reserved word, it displays the following warning:

A new runtime option "-t" can be used to capture the runtime's terminal output to a disk file. When the "-t filename" flag is set, all the output to the terminal goes to the named file, including cursor addressing codes. This option can be used only with the runtime versions that have addressable terminal capabilities; it does not work with any graphical runtimes or with the regular Extended DOS runtime.

In previous versions, when standard output was redirected to a file with the runtime option "-o" or with the shell's ">" operator, the output was block-buffered. In Version 4.3, the output is line-buffered; that is, the buffer is flushed to the file at the end of each line. (This change re-establishes behavior that existed in older versions of the runtime like Version 2.3.)

The size of a configuration variable name is expanded from 30 to 60 characters. If you are dependent on the 30-character limit, you may need to introduce minimal modifications to your programs to counteract this enhancement. Specific recommendations are given in ECN-1163.

The maximum length of a configuration file value is expanded for both 16- and 32-bit systems to 4095 characters.

Version 4.3 introduces several new configuration variables. You can treat the F10 key as a user-defined key in a Windows environment via the F10-IS-MENU configuration variable. IO-READ-LOCK-TEST provides increased compatibility from ICOBOL systems. The THAI configuration variable enables support for the Thai character set. Finally, the V23-GRAPHICS-CHARACTERS configuration variable allows older UNIX applications to display line drawing characters correctly with new runtime versions.

Some existing configuration variables are enhanced. The FILE-PREFIX and CODE-PREFIX variables now allow directory names with embedded spaces. These names must be enclosed in quotation marks, as shown:

CODE-PREFIX C:/"Program Files"

The HOT-KEY configuration variable now allows the exception value TIMEOUT. If TIMEOUT is the first exception value, the runtime executes the named program when ACCEPT BEFORE TIME times out. Subsequent exception values are ignored. This enhancement applies only to the configuration variable, not to the KEYSTROKE HOT_KEY= syntax.

In recent versions, the AUTO-PROMPT variable erased a field whenever the cursor was in column 1 of that field. In versions before 3.2, the field would not erase if the cursor had been moved from the first column, even if it subsequently returned to that column. Version 4.3 re-establishes the pre-Version 3.2 behavior.

You can find detailed explanations of all these variables in Book 4 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Appendix H, "Configuration File Entries."

are both allowed and mean exactly the same thing. When a period is placed in a library name that is a user-defined word used without quotes, it must be preceded and followed by a non-period character normally allowed in an identifier (thus ".MYFILE", "MYFILE." and "MYFILE..CPY" are not allowed).

• In large-model programs, certain REDEFINEs can cause VALUE clauses to be lost. This happens when the VALUEs are set in a data item that is not a large data item, and then that data item is redefined as a large data item. Starting with Version 4.3, when the compiler detects an attempt at such a REDEFINE, it issues the following warning message:

• The restriction that a data item referenced in the REDEFINES phrase could not contain the OCCURS clause is lifted in order to improve compatibility with other COBOL systems. This situation is now reported as a "caution" warning indicating a non-ANSI construct. Note that cautions are shown only when you compile with the "-a" option. When you REDEFINE a data item with an OCCURS clause, the redefining item starts at the same memory location as the first occurrence of the redefined item.
• The FILE-CONTROL phrase in the Environment Division is now optional and treated as commentary. The new syntax options are:

In addition to Windows systems, AcuSQL Version 4.3 is now available for most UNIX systems supported by Acucorp (AcuSQL allows ESQL COBOL applications to access IBM DB2, MSSQL, DBMaker, and other SQL-conversant data sources that can be accessed with an ODBC level 2 driver).

AcuSQL Version 4.3 adds support for direct syntax checking of SQL statements by the database engine during pre-compilation. This mode is enabled with the "-Pc" option and is supported by other options and environment variables that allow you to specify a user name, password, and data source name (see Chapter 3 of the AcuSQL User's Guide). Successful pre-compilation in this mode provides the greatest assurances that the application will not encounter SQL syntax errors at runtime. Note that direct syntax checking is effective only when you use an ODBC driver that supports the return of syntax error messages (not all drivers do). Also note that on UNIX systems support for direct syntax checking requires relinking the pre-compiler executable (acusql) to include the name of the ODBC driver (see the UNIX installation instructions in Chapter 1 of the AcuSQL User's Guide).

On Windows NT servers, the installation program now allows a new AcuServer release to be safely installed while an older version of the acuserve daemon is running. After the new software is loaded and when you are ready to start the new acuserve daemon, you simply reboot the server and restart acuserve.

One new configuration variable and three new command line switches provide control over file trace message flushing to the error file. The variable FILE-TRACE-FLUSH and any of the command line switches "-t5", "-t6", and "-t7" cause AcuServer to flush the error trace buffer to disk after every WRITE operation. In the event that the acuserve daemon terminates abnormally, all file trace information, up to the last WRITE operation, is captured in the log file (see FILE-TRACE-FLUSH in Chapter 6 of the AcuServer User's Guide).

The new configuration variable MAX-ERROR-LINES allows you to control the maximum size of the error file. This variable works in the same way as the ACUCOBOL-GT configuration variable of the same name (see Book 4 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Appendix H, "Configuration File Entries").

In previous versions of AcuConnect, Windows NT users had to store the server configuration file "server.cfg" in the c:\etc directory. They did not have a choice about where to store the file or what to name it. Starting with Version 4.3, this restriction is lifted. Windows NT users can name the server configuration file anything they like and place it anywhere they like. To use a name or location other than the default, users must supply the full location and name of the file using the "-c" option when starting AcuConnect.

In previous versions of AcuConnect, Windows 98 users had to use fully qualified host names whenever they referred to items on a remote machine in the client configuration file (for example, when they used remote name notation in the ACUCONNECT-CONFIGURATION-FILE, ACUCONNECT-RUNTIME-FLAGS, or CODE-PREFIX configuration variables or code name aliases). Starting with Version 4.3, this restriction is lifted. The host name itself is sufficient to send all of the configuration file entries to the server.

As with previous versions of AcuConnect, if you intend to use the "acuconnect -info" and "acuconnect -kill" commands in Version 4.3, you must start AcuConnect using your system's default IP address or host name. If you start AcuConnect using an IP address or host name other than the default, then "-info" and "-kill" are not functional. This restriction is scheduled for removal in a future version of AcuConnect. In the meantime, the "-kill" command can be replaced with the UNIX "kill" command or the Windows "End Task" command as a workaround. You should ensure that no AcuConnect processes are active when you use the "kill" or "End Task" command. No workaround exists for the "-info" command.

As long as the object library is loaded, XFD files can now be embedded into COBOL object libraries (through cblutil) and the runtime finds them. This feature is particularly effective when you use the ACUCOBOL-GT Web plug-in and Acu4GL. You can send all the COBOL objects and XFD files in one package. For details on packaging COBOL objects and XFDs for the plug-in, see Programmer's Guide to the Internet, Chapter 5, "Packaging Your Application and Resources."

Note that if an XFD file is located in an object library and on the disk (in the directory pointed to by the XFD-DIRECTORY configuration variable), the XFD file in the object library is loaded before the file on the disk, unless the XFD-DIRECTORY configuration variable uses remote name notation.

With Version 4.3, the 4GL-IGNORED-SUFFIX-LIST configuration variable is implemented for Acu4GL for DBMaker. This variable is a space-delimited list of case-independent suffixes for the program to ignore when it tries to open DBMaker Server tables. Information about this variable can be found in the Acu4GL User's Guide, Appendix F, "Acu4GL for DBMaker Information."

When you set this variable (which must be set in the configuration file, and not via SET ENVIRONMENT), the Acu4GL for DBMaker interface ignores the listed suffixes, up to a maximum of 10. Any listed suffix past the tenth one is not saved internally and is not recognized by the program as a suffix to ignore. The default value for this variable is "dat", for example:

4GL-IGNORED-SUFFIX-LIST dat idx txt

Version 4.3 includes several new configuration variables, which are summarized in the following paragraphs. Detailed information about these configuration variables can be found in the Acu4GL User's Guide, Appendix B, "Acu4GL for Microsoft SQL Server Information."

With past releases of Acu4GL, keeping the AcuLocks modifications inside a transaction occasionally locked other users out of the AcuLocks table during the transaction. If someone used a particular table numerous times within transactions, Microsoft SQL Server itself might escalate that user's lock to an exclusive table lock. This action would lock all other users out of the AcuLocks table for the duration of the original user's connection. In other words, everyone is locked out of the AcuLocks table until the original user's application shuts down.

Similar problems occurred with AcuOpenTables, which tracks which tables are open in which modes. A user who was locked out of AcuOpenTables (due to another user having the table locked inside of a transaction) could not open or close any files without the application hanging.

Keeping the modifications to these two tables outside of transactions minimizes the locking that SQL Server needs to do, and allows other users to obtain information.

In order to keep modifications to the AcuLocks table out of transactions, you can now use a separate connection. This ability is controlled by the A_MSSQL_EXTRA_PROC configuration variable. If this variable is set to a non-zero value, then an extra connection is used for the following procedures:

Modifying the AcuLocks table
Modifying the AcuOpenTables table
Modifying IMAGE data

Note that in previous versions of the interface, a different variable was used for the IMAGE data connection (A_MSSQL_NEW_PROC_FOR_IMAGE). This variable is no longer part of the interface.

Three new configuration variables allow you to fine-tune the declaration of cursors in the Acu4GL for MSSQL interface: A_MSSQL_CURSOR_OPTION_1, A_MSSQL_CURSOR_OPTION_2, and A_MSSQL_CURSOR_OPTION_3. These cursors are declared with the following syntax:

In other words, different phrases can go in each of the option_X positions. Also, different versions of SQL Server allow different options in each of those places. Because of this, Acu4GL allows customization of the cursor declaration via these three variables. The values of these variables are placed directly into the declare phrase when you build a cursor.

A new A_MSSQL_PACKETSIZE configuration file variable allows you to set the size of network packets when you use Acu4GL for MSSQL Server. The setting of this variable affects performance, because fewer and larger network calls tend to improve performance. When set, the value of this variable is the largest size that the transport layer can use for network packets. The largest value that can be specified is 32767. The default depends on which version of the client libraries is linked into the runtime, though 512 is generally the most common default.

With Version 4.3, the configuration variable 4GL-IGNORED-SUFFIX-LIST is implemented for Acu4GL for ODBC. This variable is a space-delimited list of case-independent suffixes for the program to ignore when it tries to open ODBC tables. Information about this variable can be found in the Acu4GL User's Guide, Appendix D, "Acu4GL for ODBC Information."

When you set this variable (which must be set in the configuration file and not via SET ENVIRONMENT), the Acu4GL for ODBC interface ignores the listed suffixes, up to a maximum of 10. Any listed suffix past the tenth one is not saved internally and is not recognized by the program as a suffix to ignore. The default value for this variable is "dat", for example:

4GL-IGNORED-SUFFIX-LIST dat idx txt

Version 4.3 includes several new configuration variables, which are summarized in the following paragraphs. Detailed information about these configuration variables can be found in the Acu4GL User's Guide, Appendix E, "Acu4GL for Sybase Information."

With past releases of Acu4GL, keeping the AcuLocks modifications inside transactions occasionally locked other users out of the AcuLocks table during the transaction. If someone used a particular table numerous times within transactions, Sybase itself might escalate that user's lock to an exclusive table lock. This action would lock all other users out of the AcuLocks table for the duration of the original user's connection. In other words, everyone is locked out of the AcuLocks table until the original user's application shuts down.

Similar problems occurred with AcuOpenTables, which tracks which tables are open in which modes. A user who was locked out of AcuOpenTables (due to another user having the table locked inside of a transaction) could not open or close any files without the application hanging.

Keeping the modifications to these two tables outside of transactions minimizes the locking that Sybase needs to do, and allows other users to obtain information.

In order to keep modifications to the AcuLocks table out of transactions, you can now use a separate connection. This ability is controlled by the A_SYB_EXTRA_PROC configuration variable. If this variable is set to a non-zero value, then an extra connection is used for all of the following procedures:

Modifying the AcuLocks table
Modifying the AcuOpenTables table
Modifying IMAGE data

Note that in previous versions of the interface, a different variable was used for the IMAGE data connection (A_SYB_NEW_PROC_FOR_IMAGE). This variable is no longer part of the interface.

Three new configuration variables allow you to fine-tune the declaration of cursors in the Acu4GL for Sybase interface: A_SYB_CURSOR_OPTION_1, A_SYB_CURSOR_OPTION_2, and A_SYB_CURSOR_OPTION_3. These cursors are declared with the following syntax:

In other words, different phrases can go in each of the option_X positions. Also, different versions of Sybase allow different options in each of those places. Because of this, Acu4GL allows customization of the cursor declaration via these three variables. The values of these variables are placed directly into the declare phrase when you build a cursor.

A new A_SYB_PACKETSIZE configuration file variable allows you to set the size of network packets when you use Acu4GL for Sybase. The setting of this variable affects performance, since fewer and larger network calls tend to improve performance. When set, the value of this variable is the largest size that the transport layer can use for network packets. The largest value that can be specified is 32767. The default depends on which version of the client libraries is linked into the runtime, though 512 is generally the most common default.

Starting with Version 4.3, AcuODBC provides access to ACUCOBOL-GT relative files as well as to the Vision indexed file system. To access relative files, you must create XFDs using the
"-Fxa" option rather than the "-Fx" or "-Zx" option used in earlier versions (AcuODBC User's Guide, Chapter 7, "XFD Files"). To access Vision files, you can use either the "-Fx" or "-Fxa" option when creating XFDs.

Starting with Version 4.3, the File Prefix setting of the Advanced Options screen defaults to the directory you specify in the Data Dictionary Directory field (AcuODBC User's Guide, Chapter 3, "Advanced Options"). If you store your data files in a different directory from the data dictionaries, you must change the value of File Prefix.

AcuODBC Version 4.3 includes improved error reporting (AcuODBC User's Guide, Chapter 8, "Overview of Errors"). Error messages now indicate an error code, the source of the error, and a solution where appropriate. You may also receive information such as the version of AcuODBC in use and the desktop tool in use.

AcuODBC Version 4.3 has a higher level of ODBC SQL and API conformance (AcuODBC User's Guide, Appendix B, "ODBC Conformance Levels"). It now supports all minimum SQL grammar expressions as well as the SQLCancel and SQLTransact functions of the Core API conformance level.

The procedure for installing the plug-in runtime from CD-ROM has not changed in Version 4.3. The ACUCOBOL-GT installation script automatically makes a file type association for ACUCOBOL-GT object files (i.e., the ".acu" extension) with the runtime.

However, the procedure for manually installing the plug-in has changed (Programmer's Guide to the Internet, Chapter 5, "Installing the Plug-in"). To install the plug-in manually, users should:

1. Copy "NPacu32.dll", "NPacu32.alc", "vic32.dll", and "wrun32.dll" to their browser's "plugins" directory.
2. Copy "mfc42.dll" and "msvcrt.dll" to their Windows DLL search path (typically, the c:\windows\system directory on Windows 95/98 or c:\winnt\system32 on Windows NT).

These files can be found in the AcuGT\bin directory on the ACUCOBOL-GT distribution media. Be careful not to overwrite newer versions of these files.

If installing the AcuServer Client version of the plug-in, users should also:

3. Copy "RPC4W32.DLL" into their browser's "plugins" directory or into another directory in their Windows DLL search path (typically c:\windows\system for Windows 95/98 or c:\winnt\system32 for Windows NT). This file can be found in the AcuGT\bin directory on the ACUCOBOL-GT distribution media.

Starting with Version 4.3, Acu4GL customers who use the ACUCOBOL-GT Web browser plug-in can include their data dictionary files (XFDs) in a single library file along with the application object files, resources, and configuration file (Programmer's Guide to the Internet, Chapter 5, "Packaging Your Application and Resources"). To do this, use the cblutil routine as follows:

If your application interfaces with external C routines, you can now relink the plug-in runtime with these routines (Programmer's Guide to the Internet, Chapter 5, "Linking C Routines Into the Plug-in Runtime"). To execute the link, you must have the Microsoft Visual C++ compiler, version 6.0. You must also have "wsock32.lib" available on your system. This library should come with your C compiler.

Note: Before relinking, modify "direct.c" (direct method) or "sub.c" and "sub85.c" (interface method) to include your C routines. Refer to Book 4 of the ACUCOBOL-GT manual set, Appendix C, "C Subroutines," for more information.

To create a new plug-in runtime with your C routines included, change your working directory to the AcuGT\lib directory and enter the following at the prompt:

The AcuBench Project Manager now provides access to all Acucorp product online documentation via the Project Manager's Help menu. When you install a Version 4.3 product from the Acucorp Development Suite CD-ROM, the installation procedure updates the AcuBench "HELP.ini" file to include the location of the product's on-line documentation. When you start the AcuBench workbench, the Project Manager reads the "HELP.ini" file and builds a list of selections that are included on the Help drop-down menu.

The Launch toolbar containing push buttons for all your frequently used applications can now appear in the Code Editor in addition to the Project Manager. You can toggle the display of the toolbar by choosing the Launch Toolbar command from the View menu. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the toolbar displays (default behavior is "unchecked"). You can also hide the appearance of the toolbar by right-clicking in the toolbar and selecting Hide. When the Code Editor is active, its push button on the toolbar is disabled. You still customize the Launch toolbar only in the Project Manager.

The Help drop-down menu in AcuBench is now dynamically generated on product installation. When AcuBench is started, the Help menu lists the help files for all installed Acucorp products, starting with the workbench help files.

Screen Painter

Controls

New and enhanced controls are among the changes to the AcuBench Screen Painter. In Version 4.3, if a control is locked on the Screen Painter canvas, the Alignment Toolbar is disabled.

Beginning with ACUCOBOL-GT 4.3, the runtime gives users the capabilities of browsing the Web, invoking e-mail, and using telnet and FTP services, as well as displaying multimedia and other file types. It also allows users to view Windows folders and files. It is used just like any other ACUCOBOL-GT control.

In order to use the Web Browser control, you need to install Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later. It allows the user to view the main window of the Microsoft Internet Explorer on a Screen Painter-created screen. It provides the functionality for displaying Web pages containing HTML, scripting, and ActiveX control and Java applet content. For more information about the Web Browser control, refer to the AcuBench Screen Painter User's Guide, Chapter 5, "Controls, Properties, and Events."

The following properties are added to the Property Sheet for all controls, except for the Menu Bar Designer and the Screen Form. These properties facilitate the resizing or relocation of controls. Please note that the "Lines-variable" property applies only to the Toolbar Designer.

Column-variable (default blank)
Line-variable (default blank)
Size-variable (default blank)
Lines-variable (default blank)

Another new property is the Flat property, which applies to a bitmap push button, check box, or radio button. The visual change is the difference between the bitmap button having a raised appearance and its having a "flat" appearance. For example, toolbars in Microsoft Word use "flat" bitmap buttons. The difference is not apparent if the pushbutton is not a bitmap button.

Property information can be found in the AcuBench Screen Painter User's Guide, Chapter 5, "Controls, Properties, and Events."

The Load Bitmap dialog box, which is located on the Property Sheet for all controls that support Bitmaps, now supports "*.JPG", "*.JPE", and "*.JPEG" files along with the current "*.BMP" file.

The Screen Painter user interface does not change. However, when users click in the Bitmap entry field and then select the Load button in the subsequent dialog box, they see new file types in the "Files of type" entry field.

When a .JPG/.JPE/.JPEG file is double-clicked, it loads in the same manner as a .BMP file currently loads. Information about .JPG files can be found in the AcuBench Screen Painter User's Guide, Chapter 5, "Controls, Properties, and Events."

Launch Toolbar

Launch bar icons can now be displayed by the Screen Painter. Launch bar icons are found on the same bar as the Control Toolbox, above the icons for all of the controls. You can display Launch bar icons in the Screen Painter by selecting "Launch Toolbar" from the Screen Painter's View menu. The Launch toolbar cannot be customized from within the Screen Painter, only the Project Manager. The Screen Painter icon is disabled when the user is working in the Screen Painter.

The default value for Launch Toolbar on the Screen Painter is "unchecked." Information about the Launch toolbar can be found in the AcuBench Screen Painter User's Guide, Chapter 6, "Menu Bar, Icon, and Pop-up Commands."

Help Menu

The Help drop-down menu in AcuBench is now dynamically generated on product installation. When AcuBench is started, the Help menu lists the help files for all installed Acucorp products, starting with the workbench help files.

• All AcuBench 4.x versions set different Windows registry values and thus should not be executed on the same machine.

For more details about the new features in Version 4.3, please contact Acucorp Technical Support. For information about any of the Acucorp family of products, please contact your Acucorp Customer Service Representative.

Acucorp, Acucobol, AcuServer, AcuConnect, Acu4GL, AcuSQL, and AcuBench are trademarks of Acucorp, Inc. AcuODBC is a registered trademark of Acucorp, Inc. Acu4GL is protected by U.S. patent no. 5,640,550.
Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their holders.

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