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3-22-2010 - Fremont, CA - .com Solutions Inc. Releases FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition 5.57 with Database To Rev Conversion Feature

The Database to Rev Conversion Service included in FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition generates a full-featured LiveCode front-end application from FileMaker Pro and Microsoft Access database files. This feature quickly and efficiently converts layouts, scripts, relationships, and value lists into a LiveCode application for building Mac OSX, Windows, Linux desktop apps, web browser revLets or revMobile apps (supporting: Maemo, Windows Mobile/Windows 7 Mobile, iPhone and iPad). This feature leverages the automated layout and relationship importing features of FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition, while using FileMaker Pro Advanced, Rev Studio, Rev Enterprise, or revMobile along with SQL Yoga from Blue Mango Learning.

FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition generates a full-featured database application within a few seconds, including hundreds of lines of LiveCode code within each card of the generated stack file. Individual objects including Tab Panels, radio button groups, checkbox button groups and Data Grid objects also include the LiveCode code required for an easy to use database front-end application.

Rev stack files generated by FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition incorporate the following commonly used database application features:

Display Records - When the stack is opened and a connection is made to the converted SQL database, the records associated with the converted Layout/Form are displayed in a form viewing mode. The fields, text labels, embedded graphics and images are displayed in the same manner as the original database file. Record navigation is implmented using 4 controls:
Next Button, Previous Button, Scrollbar and Record Number field entry. SQL database BLOB column fields containing images are automatically displayed.
Related records are automatically displayed within individual fields and portals/subforms are converted into Rev Data Grids. The related records displayed within Data Grids are automatically updated when advancing to another record in the parent table.

Update Records - Clicking into any field provides the user with the ability to update the contents of the field. Date fields are configured with a Date Picker control. Custom Value Lists from the original database are displayed as drop down menus, pop-up menus, radio button group or checkbox group depending upon the original field definition.
Related records displayed within Data Grids can be updated just as easily as records in the main form.

Insert Records - Individual records can be inserted as a new record in either Browse or Find operating modes. Clicking the Insert Portal Row button to the top right of any Data Grid object will add a new record to the related database table. As with the original database implementation, the primary key for the parent table will be automatically inserted into the foreign key column of the related record.

Delete Records - Individual records can be deleted in either Browse or Find modes. If a Delete Row button or image object was embedded in the original FileMaker Portal, then this same functionality will also be implemented to delete the selected Data Grid row.

Query Records - Query by example record searching is automatically implemented for each card in the stack file. Once a set of records has been found as a result of the query, the navigation buttons can be used to navigate thru the found set of records. Individual records can be inserted or deleted in found set mode as well as within the standard Browse mode.

The DBToRev conversion features include:
• Useful as a Learning Tool - It could take weeks of work reading hundreds of pages of documentation to learn how to develop a full featured database application by yourself. Or, you could let FmPro Migrator do all of this work for you within a few seconds. FmPro Migrator builds a sophisticated database application having many of the features users have come to expect from a database application. The generated application stack file utilizes the latest Rev IDE platform features including the Data Grid and the highly acclaimed SQL Yoga database framework.

• Query By Example Find Mode - When searching the database in Find mode, a symbols menu is made available for entering commonly used search symbols. In addition to the standard AND search mode implemented within FileMaker Pro, an OR search mode feature is also available via a pop-up menu. Once the Find button has been clicked, a SQL Yoga search query is created based upon reading the contents of each of the fields (including search symbols) along with the selected AND/OR search type.

• Portal and SubForm to Data Grid Conversion - FileMaker Portals and Microsoft Access SubForms are converted into Rev Data Grid objects. Each Data Grid includes fields, menus, checkboxes, radio button groups, image objects and button objects. The alternate row color info from the original Portal is also configured within the Data Grid. Related records are gathered based upon a conversion of the original database relationships in order to automatically fill the Data Grid with related records. Each field of data is drawn to utilizes the TruncateTail Data Grid function. Image fields, drop down menus, pop-up menus, checkbox groups, radio button groups, oval, rectangle, rounded rectangle, button and image objects are drawn in the same positions within the Data Grid as they were originally located within the portal object.

• Tab Control to Rev Tab Panel Group Conversion - FmPro Migrator converts each individual tab of a Tab Control into a Tab Panel object within a group having the same name as the Tab Panel. Each object within the particular Tab is created within this group.

LiveCode menuPick code is placed into each group to automatically hide the current Tab Panel group and show the next group when a different Tab Panel tab has been clicked. Hiding or showing the enclosing group automatically hides or shows each of the objects created within the group, thus simulating the graphical interface of the original database. Tab controls can contain most other types of objects including fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, graphics and images.

• Relationship Conversion - Each FileMaker Pro relationship imported by FmPro Migrator is converted into two SQL Yoga relationships. Both forward and reverse relationships are created within the SQL Yoga _CreateRelationships handler, to operate in the same manner as the original relationship.

Though SQL Yoga does not require two sets of relationships to be created in this manner, it streamlines the code generation process for FmPro Migrator to work with both relationships separately. It also improves the readability of the generated LiveCode code within each individual card script.

• Insert Picture Processing for Image Fields - Microsoft Access OLE Object and FileMaker Container fields are converted into BLOB columns within SQL database tables. A pop-up menu is created over top of the Rev image object for each one of these fields.

Clicking the field brings up the Insert Picture dialog box for selection of a file from the local disk. Cancelling this dialog clears the image data from the field, selecting a file saves the file into the database column and displays the new image. Non-image data could also be handled with additional application-specific code.

The Insert Picture dialog also works for image fields displayed within the rows of a Data Grid.

• Embedded Layout Images and Vector Graphic Objects - Rectangle, rounded rectangle, and oval graphics objects are converted into their equivalent Rev vector graphic objects and placed onto the new card in the same location. Embedded images like the drag & drop icon, New, Delete and Find icons are imported as paint objects and placed onto the card.

• Layout Objects Group and Geometry Manager - Each object within the newly created Rev card is created within group named Layout_Objects_Group. Resizing this group and setting the Geometry Manager settings enables the objects to be scrolled in the same manner as in the original database application.

This feature is also used to implement the Hide/Show Status Area feature. Hiding the Status Area hides the Status Area group and moves the Layout_Objects_Group and its contents left to take its place. The opposite is done when enabling the Status Area.

• XML Preferences File - FmPro Migrator utilizes an optional XML preferences file which can be used to customize the Database to Rev conversion process. This XML template file is placed into the FmPro Migrator directory within the Documents directory to customize the generated stack file. These customizations can include the automated addition of License Keys for SQL Yoga and Valentina database libraries so that it isn't necessary to manually enter these keys within each generated stack file.

The StackTemplate option enables the experienced Rev developer to extract and customize the standard template stack embedded within FmPro Migrator. The custom version of the template stack file will be copied into the output directory, renamed as Application.rev and used as the destination stack where all of the converted layout objects will be created.

The SQLYogaFilename option provides a place to specify the location of the SQL Yoga library to FmPro Migrator so that SQL Yoga can be added to the generated stack automatically.

FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition processes Database to Rev migration projects in demo mode without a license key. In Demo mode, FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition will process 5 layouts and 5 scripts.

Using the demo mode at no charge, enables Rev developers to become familiar with the conversion process and see the completed layouts in the converted stack file.

For more info about the Database to Rev conversion feature, please see:
http://www.fmpromigrator.com/services/dbtorev_service.html

FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition is priced at ($600) per developer and includes a copy of FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition for both MacOS X (Universal Binary) and Windows platforms. Existing FmPro Migrator Developer Edition customers may upgrade to FmPro Migrator Platinum Edition for $400.

A functional demo version of FmPro Migrator may be downloaded from http://www.fmpromigrator.com/downloads/demo_software/index.html

.com Solutions Inc. develops multi-platform graphical applications supporting FileMaker Pro, Bento, SQLite, Oracle, MySQL, Access, SQL Server, Sybase, DB2, OpenBase, PostgreSQL, FrontBase, Valentina, Revolution and Servoy developers. FmPro Script Diff, compares and edits FileMaker Pro scripts. FmPro Migrator ( www.fmpromigrator.com ) converts FileMaker Pro databases to and from FileMaker Pro, SQLite Diff compares SQLite database schema and data.

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