Version 9 will be the next major release of our flagship product Omnis Studio – which will be coming later in the year, but before then we are excited to give supported developers the opportunity to test the BETA version, to preview all the new features and to give us valuable feedback before the official release. The BETA 1 version of Studio 9 is ready and we invite supported developers to sign up for the BETA Program to test it (note that most developers who were on previous beta programs will have already received info about the Beta already).
Applications for the BETA are limited to developers signed up to our support program, the Omnis Developer Partner Program (ODPP), but we would also consider applications from any existing Omnis developers who have a special interest in any of the new features (see below). We take great pride in the fact that Omnis Studio is so closely tailored to developers’ development needs, so the BETA program is an important part of our release cycle – so we urge you to take part, and we look forward to getting some great feedback.
What’s New in Studio 9 BETA 1?
The Omnis Studio 9.0 BETA 1 release will provide several new features that will accelerate your application development, adding to your ability to code web & mobile applications quickly and easily. The BETA 1 release will also provide features to improve accessibility, plus support for hashing and encryption protocols. In addition, there is a new datafile migration tool that could be used to extend the longevity and viability of your applications previously based on the Omnis datafile.
The following is a brief summary of the features we anticipate will be included in Omnis Studio 9.0 and available for you to test in the BETA (more information is provided to Beta testers):
- A new enhanced Code Editor
The Method Editor in Omnis Studio 9 BETA has been significantly enhanced, and now allows you to enter Omnis code directly into each command line in a method, and the Code Assistant will help you enter parameter and variable names; the number of keyboard shortcut keys has been greatly increased, allowing you add code entirely from the keyboard. In addition, a new JavaScript Editor, with syntax color coding, has been integrated into the Code Editor allowing you to add or edit whole blocks of JavaScript code into client executed methods, as well as text for SQL statements - New Accessibility features
a comprehensive set of features has been added to the BETA to support the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) to help to make your applications more accessible, primarily for people with disabilities; most JavaScript controls support ARIA type properties which can be read aloud by screen readers, plus the ability for end users to navigate a form & its controls using the Tab, Arrow and other keys has been improved - Migrate your datafiles to SQL
there is a new tool in the BETA to convert Omnis datafiles to SQLite or PostgreSQL; following conversion the Omnis DML commands in your old library will be retained, but will execute against the selected database, seamlessly and automatically - New JavaScript Controls to enhance your apps
included in the BETA is a new Toolbar control for remote forms, and a new non-visual external component iCalendar for managing calendar events in remote forms (also window classes); several of the other JavaScript components have been enhanced - Remote Objects to streamline your code
the new Remote Object classes are object classes that can be instantiated and executed entirely on the client in a client-executed method in a remote form; this will allow you to make your apps more agile and efficient on web & mobile clients - Web and Email Comms to extend your apps
the BETA includes support for several web & email protocols via an updated OW3 Worker Objects external package, which means you can use these on a background thread; protocols newly supported include POP3 email, CRYPTO (for encryption or decryption), and HASH for hashing (scrambling) data, plus SFTP support has been added to the FTP worker object
Register for the BETA
If you are a supported Omnis developer (on ODPP) and would like to test the new Studio 9 BETA 1, please contact our BETA Program manager by filling out the form on our website.
www.omnis.net/support/odpp/beta.jsp
If you are not a supported developer (on the ODPP), but have a special interest in any of the new features in Studio 9 and would like to test the BETA, then please register giving any reasons for your interest in the Comments section of the form and we would be happy to consider your application.
If you have any questions about the BETA Program, or the features in the new BETA 1 release, please do not hesitate to contact the BETA Program manager: omnis.beta@omnis.net
And if you are signed up to the Omnis Developer portal, and you’re on the Beta program, you can discuss features and issues in the Beta in a special forum dedicated to the Beta. The Dev portal is here:
https://developer.omnis.net