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APRIL 8, 1999
Greetings Fellow WinBatch Users!
We're happy to report that we're finally drying out after La Nina delivered a few months of record rainfall here in Seattle... something like 90 rainy days between November and February 1999. You can imagine our exhilaration when we finally get a sunny day. Doesn't matter if it's 40 degrees outside. We're out in our shorts and sunglasses, and we're not in the mood to write WinBatch code. So thanks in part to the weather, we've hunkered down in our dark cubicles and have lots of new WinBatch 99 goodies to tell you about.
For those of you who have not heard the news, WinBatch 98 was released almost a year ago, in June 1998. We are now well into the 99 versions of WinBatch, adding more tricks than you can shake a stick at. (see feature list and links below)
To those of you who still have Versions 97 and older, this is a major upgrade and is (regrettably) NOT a free update. Because Microsoft changed a number of core APIs, we were forced to rewrite WinBatch to work under Windows 98/NT5.
To order an update, you may use our Update Store at:
http://commerce.windowware.com/webcgi/webbatch.exe?updates/update.webThe update to WinBatch 99 is $30+S/H
The Update to WinBatch+Compiler 99 is $200+S/H
Anyone with WinBatch 98 or 99 can get a free update to the latest version from our website at:
http://www.windowware.com/download.htmlSee the link below for a chart of the new features and fixes for WB99:
http://www.windowware.com/winware/newwinbatch99.html
Most notably, the new WinBatch 99 features include:
If you're convinced that you need the new WinBatch, you can upgrade in one of three ways:
- A customized editor for WinBatch, WinBatch Studio, is now included with WinBatch. This integrated development environment provides a seamless interface for editing and debugging your WinBatch scripts. One of the nice features in Studio is a Variable Watch Window, where you can see the values of your variables as you step through your code. You can also set break- points so that you can run through your script and stop at a problem spot, peering into the watch window to scrutinize your code more closely. WB Studio also allows for WIL key word lookup in the help files.
- The ability to add graphics to dialogs is a feature that many of you have requested over time. Included in this version is the HTML Dialog extender that allows you to create HTML dialogs that contain bitmaps, animated GIFs, JPEGs, forms, tables... whatever you can create in HTML, you can do in WIL HTML Dialogs.
- We know you're all concerned about Year 2000 compliance. As of version 96E, WinBatch has been Y2K compliant. To read more about this issue and to run a sample test script, go to the following link:
http://techsupt.windowware.com/webcgi/webbatch.exe?techsupt/tsleft.web+WinBatch+The~Year~2000~Problem.txt
- We've made several changes to WB Compiler. Programmers who prefer a structured approach will appreciate our new "#include" directive for attaching WIL code at compile time. You can also embed auxilliary files into the EXE at compile time by first copying the desired files into the WINBATCH\SYSTEM subdirectory. Then start up Compiler, and click on the "Other Files" button. You'll be presented with a list of all the files in the WINBATCH\SYSTEM sub- directory. Select your file(s), click on "Add Highlighted file above to list on right", then click on "Done". Now when you compile your EXE, these files will be embedded, and at runtime, they will be written out into the directory where the compiled EXE resides. Included with the Compiler is our WIL SDK kit with examples for developing your own custom WinBatch DLLs in the C language.
- We continue to add new networking functionality. 60+ new networking functions: http://techsupt.windowware.com/webcgi/webbatch.exe?techsupt/tsleft.web+WinBatch+!New~WinBatch~98-99D~Networking~Functions.txt
- And while we're at it, here is a list of 40+ new WIL Functions: http://techsupt.windowware.com/webcgi/webbatch.exe?techsupt/tsleft.web+WinBatch+!New~WinBatch~98~-~99D~WIL~Functions.txt
- We improved ActiveX (OLE, COM) handling: Now up to 20 parameters can be included in one OLE function, commas can now delimit placeholders, named parameters are supported, integers can take different integer types.
- The 99 version supports almost 1000 variables and nearly infinite string space. Now memory limitation problems for string space should be gone for ever for any normal script. Memory allocation for strings is now dynamic. This means that you should no longer receive an error 3096 ("Out of memory for strings"), unless Windows itself is completely out of memory (unlikely). WinBatch can now run scripts larger than 64K, and Compiler can now compile scripts larger than 64K.
- And a number of new special-purpose WIL Extenders have been created to extend the usability and friendliness of WinBatch. You can download these from the download area of our website if you'd like to take a look at the help files in more detail. These are free add-ons to WinBatch 98/99:
· HTML Dialog Extender (htmldlg.zip) The ultimate in WinBatch dialogs. Images, sounds, fonts colors and even animated GIF's are supported. Make your dialogs look like web pages. Requires Windows 98 (or at least MSIE 4.0). · WinInet Extender (wininet.zip) Use Windows built-in services to grab web pages (SSL too!) FTP and Dial-up networking. Requires Windows 98/NT 5.0 or at least MSIE 4.0 installed. · ODBC Extender (odbc.zip) Our ODBC extender. Perform SQL queries and read/write database cells. Familiarity with ODBC/SQL required. · Printer Control Extender (printer.zip) Assists in working with printer drivers. Accomplish tasks such as adding a printer, get info on and set the default printer, change printer attributes. · Zipper Extender (zipper.zip) ZIP and UNZIP files.
- Go to:
http://commerce.windowware.com/webcgi/webbatch.exe?updates/update.web
and order online.
- Call 1-800-762-8383, and our sales people can help you out.
- Fax your PO with your current license numbers, and a telephone # to call if we have any questions, to 206-935-7129.
For the absolute latest news, check the following link at our website, where we periodically post newsworthy events.
http://techsupt.windowware.com/webcgi/webbatch.exe?techsupt/tsleft.web+WinBatch+!!NEWS~FLASH!!.txt
Happy Spring and we hope you enjoy using the new WinBatch+Compiler and WinBatch Studio.
Kind regards,
Technical Support
Wilson WindowWare Inc.
Detailed technical articles can be found on our Tech Support Database at:
http://techsupt.windowware.comQuestions or want to discuss Winbatch? Visit our Webboard BBS at:
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Article ID: W12350Filename: WindowWare News - April 1999.txt