Developer Product Briefs
DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET, List & Label 14, and MobileForms Toolkit 2009
The latest products for .NET developers.
DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET
DataDirect Technologies has released DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET data providers. With DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET, developers can write and deploy .NET enterprise applications that connect to multiple databases including Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase. The latest product release includes new provider features for each major database, new performance-tuning options, and introduces DataDirect Bulk Load, a standards-based implementation of bulk-load functionality that provides a method for moving volume-intense data across Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase databases, without having to deploy and load client libraries.
The suite of ADO.NET data providers uses a 100 percent managed code architecture, therefore DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET eliminates the need for database client libraries. Because managed code runs in the Common Language Runtime (CLR) environment it reduces risks and closes holes that unmanaged code leaves exposed, providing developers with versatile deployment options available in both application and client-server environments. With DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET developers get full support for .NET Framework.
The latest release of DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET additionally offers performance enhancements including additional tuning options that support a variety of application performance scenarios and statement caching, a connection option that requires no changes to the application and can increase the efficiency of applications connecting to Oracle, DB2, and Sybase.
DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET now supports Oracle 11g R2, SQL Server 2008, and DB2 iSeries V6R1. A complete list of database provider features is available online.
DataDirect Connect for ADO.NET
DataDirect Technologies
Price: Contact vendor for pricing
Web: www.datadirect.com
Phone: U.S.: 800-876-3101;
World: 44 (0) 1753 218 930
List & Label 14
Combit has released version 14 of its report-generating software List & Label. Among the new features is the inclusion of a real-data-preview, so changes can now be seen with real data, without having to leave the Designer. Within the preview there's also an integrated index to ease navigation through the report. Additionally, it's now possible to mix different formats within the same document. Now multiple formats are possible as well as the choice of printer type. Using a single record from the database, the user can define real rows that can be represented in a line diagram with respect to time.
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Also new for Professional and Enterprise Edition 14 is the generation of DOM code. DOM code is now automatically provided by the List & Label object model directly from the project file. The DOM viewer has been completely reworked, and now includes a search utility for objects and properties. Besides functions and objects, the user can now create their own designer actions with DOM and Designer. New with version 14 is support for Delphi 2009. Additionally, the project parameter interface has been extended with a method and allows the storage of SQL queries or even complete data sets within a project.
Other additions in version 14 include an extended formula assistant, better overview of property values, magnetized help lines in the Designer, and your own Designer actions.
With List & Label software, developers can equip their own applications with functions to assist in the generation of reports, statistics, forms, lists, and labels. Only a few lines of code are required to integrate the report generator into existing applications. The Designer, which can be passed on to end users without having to pay additional license fees, is available in 15 languages. The development tool for reporting functions as well as Web reporting is available in German or English and can process almost all character sets. All three editions of List & Label can be integrated into a large variety of programming languages.
List & Label 14
Combit GmbH
Price: Standard Edition is available for 370 euro; Subscription Editions Professional starts at 1,380 euro; and Enterprise at 2,094 euro.
Web: www.combit.net/en
Phone: +49 (0) 7531 90 60 10
MobileForms Toolkit 2009
Resco has released an updated suite of controls and libraries for .NET Compact Framework (CF) developers targeting Pocket PCs, smartphones, and Windows CE .NET devices. The new suite, MobileForms Toolkit 2009, is optimized for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and Microsoft .NET CF 3.5. Major enhancements to the suite include adding Touch functionality to all controls and a new graphical user interface. Adding Touch functionality to mobile applications is a simple matter of setting up a single property in Microsoft Visual Studio.
MobileForms Toolkit 2009 includes many controls and libraries that tackle most of the common problems that developers encounter developing for the mobile environment. Tools include SmartGrid -- a grid control with built-in auto edit capabilities, Touch scroll support, and the ability to save different SmartGrid layouts to XML files; AdvancedList -- a professional list control suitable for small displays of mobile devices and includes DelayLoad functionality that loads only visible data for fast previews while additional data is loaded on demand; CompactChart -- a charting control with five chart types including Pie, Bar, Line, Doughnut, and Area charts; OutlookWeekCalendar and OutlookMonthCalendar -- day/week and month/year appointment scheduling controls; OutlookDateTimePicker -- a modern version of a common control providing advanced styles; DetailView -- for creating mobile user input forms where input controls are collected in a compact environment giving the form standard Windows Mobile look and feel; InkBox -- an ink control suitable for quick notes or signatures; ImageBox -- an image control supporting various graphic formats; CustomKeyboard -- a flexible control supporting custom keyboard layouts; OutlookShortcutBar -- a popular shortcut control common for all modern applications; a library for playing and recording audio; and more.
For more information about the Resco MobileForms Toolkit 2009 and a complete list of controls and libraries, visit http://tinyurl.com/9wukrz.
MobileForms Toolkit 2009
Resco
Price: Standard Edition $499.95, Professional Edition $999.95,
Enterprise Edition $1,999.95
Web: www.resco.net
Fax: +421 2 090 2010
Editor's Note: Please send product information to New Products Editor, c/o Visual Studio Magazine, 230 California St., San Francisco, CA 94111; Phone: 415-814-0950, fax: 415-814-0961; e-mail [email protected].