FEBRUARY 2022
BUILD 26A.01.00
We've posted new versions of HNDCLIENTCL.EXE (CHT Q+A TEXT FORUM) and HNDVIDEOJOURNAL.EXE (CHT VIDEO JOURNAL).
These two pre-compiled applications can only be obtained, until the next CHT update, by using the CHTTPSSETUP.EXE +PRE-CHECKS "CHECK FOR LATEST" menus pertaining to these two applications.
All newer apps are now code signed with a new 2022 CHT Code sign certificate called CLARION_HANDY_TOOLS_22. You can pick this up from CHTTPSSETUP.EXE using the +PRE-CHECKS menu as before using the "INSTALL CHT CODE-SIGN CERTIFICATE" menu.
We've also revised the FORUM server to insert the correct "FROM:" line in the REPLY subject line. The subject line now reads "REPLY TO:" when your message is in reply to another's posting.
We're also working on a way for you to post screen snap-shots to the forum server using the CHT Q+A TEXT FORUM client application. That will come in the next HNDCLIENTCL.EXE update. These screen-shot images will be made displayable to the message reader when any snaps are posted as part of a message. We're also planning on adding an email reply to your CHT Q+A FORUM questions, if only as a reminder to visit the forum daily, especially if you have recently posted a question or concern.
A new VIDEO JOURNAL video will appear later, say by, FEB 14, 2022 having to do with the topic "Let's Build Something New" by showing you how our ApplicationImagesEX template accommodates wholesale app icon and app color scheme changes. We also cover storeable/recallable color changes to browses, screen gradients, new splash screen construction, new window menu color changes and more. Don't miss it.
HNDVERSIONRESOURCE TEMPLATE
We've had some feedback on the CHT FORUM about needing more control over the formatting of BUILD NUMBERS and VERSION NUMBERS using our HNDVERSIONRESOURCE template.
This trial upload of container CHTSETUPCxx_2.HZO contains changes to the HNDVERSIONRESOURCE template. It also addresses further control over storable values in the HND91TPL.INI, HND10TPL.INI, HND11TPL.INI AND HND111TPL.INI template control files from the HNDVERSIONRESOURCE template.
More will be said about this in a VIDEO JOURNAL posting this week.
THIS MINOR UPDATE IS NOW AVAILABLE TO C91, C10, C11 AND C11.1. No CHT Build or Version number change with this minor update.
Get On Board with
CHT Forum and CHT Journal
There are two apps located in /accessory/bin/ that you should get familiar with as soon as possible if you hope to keep up with CHT in 2022.
Keep in touch. The more times the better, for your personal growth as a software developer.
/accessory/bin/HNDCLIENTCL.EXE
/accessory/bin/HNDVIDEOJOURNAL.EXE
NEW VIDEO APPLICATION
This new "CHT Utility Application", is designated as CHT's alternate, user-interactive video player. It streams .MP4 versions of videos from CHT HQ, most of which are likely to be "quick and informal" responses to CHT-developer questions regarding the use of some CHT component, class or template.
We began posting videos to HNDVIDEOJOURNAL.EXE immediately following the 26A.00.00 update was posted.
In upcoming releases of HNDVIDEOJOURNAL.EXE we plan to use it also as a means by which developers needing assistance can upload short videos to outline a problem they may be having.
We'll provide a built-in uploader as part of the app to post your video to the HNDVIDEOJOURNAL.EXE server.
We can discuss before final design whether the uploader portion of this app (yet to finalized) should include a privacy feature to indicate that the user video is intended for general viewing or as a private communication with CHT. We can also help you decide which video-creation tool might be best to produce a quick .MP4 with your questions and screen takes.
CHT Q & A Forum For
Questions and Answers
This application is a text-based CHT web Client application to be used with HNDCLIENTSV.APP, a web client server app, to provide messaging and support services. The apps use a dictionary called HNDCLIENTSV.DCT.
The making and remaking of these two applications will be the subject of one of our first new JOURNAL videos. The HNDCLIENTCL.APP application serves to illustrate how to log in and then make a variety of data requests and data updates from a remote Clarion client application (using the HNDCLNT class) to a CHT Server configured for Client Server Mode.
The HNDCLIENTCL.APP application acts as a text-base replacement of our former, HTML help server which ran for many years. We've got some features to add, such as HTML preview which allows CHT Developer to post images to help illustrate their questions.
HNDCLIENTCL.APP, of course, helps to illustrate that there are at least three kinds of "Web-Apps" possible with Clarion and CHT.
There are "Web-Apps" that deliver HTML + DATA and "Web-Apps" that deliver only DATA which is then merged with a Clarion front end at the client app side.
HNDCLIENTCL.APP is of the latter variety. Our previous forum client app, HNDBRWCL.APP, was of the former variety. See below for more specific details.
Some Points of Clarification
About "Web App" User Interfaces
Let's make it clear at this point that in no case do we waste time and energy embedding a user interface in the server app the way that Clarion's ANYSCREEN add-on extension forces you do, or will force you to do.
Our two-piece app design principles which separate CLIENT (user interface) from SERVER (data deliver server) allows us to change the user-interface without necessarily touching the server.
Clarion Client App
Clarion Client apps are one form of Clarion application communicating with a Clarion Server app across the web. This is a form of "Web-App", of course. It has it's own ABC+CHT template-built user interface(s) which are married up to data coming from the remotely located server. An example of this in our toolkit is our forum Q+A client, HNDCLIENTCL.APP which we ship pre-compiled for your immediate use, as well as in .APP source code format.
Browser Client App
Browser-based apps (web-form pages) are another type of web-application. They are an HTML-based application type which also combines an interface script with data from a Clarion Server app across the web. In this case the user interface is HTML-rendered in the browser. The HTML comes up from the server along with server data. The HTML interface design is not hard-wired into the server however, the way ANYSCREEN apps do it. The HTML interface is just another easily developer controlled web page, readily adapted in an editor of the sort we provide with CHTSNAPEDIT.EXE.
For about 20 years of our 26 year history, we've used a Clarion server written with the current Clarion at the time and the CHT tool kit. For an example of a ready-to-use web page server look at HNDSLFSV.APP.
For a "browser client" app that delivers more than files and web pages, take a look at examples HNDTYPE4UCRSERVERTEMPLATES.APP. This app is in your toolkit as an example. It presents a clickable HTML browse that lists our templates in three user-selectable browse orders.
Browser Client in Clarion App
There is a third form of "Web-App" which consists of a combination of Clarion app and HTML browser. We have serveral examples of this in the CHT Tool Kit. Our installer, is just one example. This type of app does not necessarily need the HTML-page based user interface sent to it by the data server. It can marry up a client-side HTML user-interface script with server-side data. The same client-side Clarion+Browser apps can readily present new user interfaces by simply changing the client-side HTML without any change to the client app or any change to the server app.
We'll talk more about all three types of "Web-App" and how they're built.
Where to Place the "Web Server"
Half of Your "Web App"
Another topic that bears discussion is where and how the server-side app is going to run. What resources do you have now? What do you need to acquire to make the server side app even a practical option?
This topic is pertinent to all "Web-App" implementations. This applies as much to Clarion + ANYSCREEN web app designs as Clarion + CHT web app designs. We'll explore this topic extensively also in some upcoming VIDEOJOURNAL videos.
Contact CHT