GeneXus is becoming more widely used for developing large,
mission-critical applications that usually have long life cycles and constantly
evolving (changing) requirements. The dynamic reality represented by these
applications becomes more complex as time goes by. In order to help developers
handle this reality, GeneXus 8.0 has greatly improved what it was already good
at: reducing to a minimum the need to write code in order to represent
reality.
One of the aspects strengthened in this version is the
automatic database reorganization, which is actually one of the main
competitive advantages of the tool. This process results from the analysis of
two database structures (a current one and a designed one) for determining the
best way to convert one into the other without data loss. In order to perfect
it, GeneXus has enhanced the Impact Analysis Report (IAR), and added more data
conversion cases and controls for predicting failures.
New subtype features
"The
new scheme for handling subtypes in GeneXus 8.0 has enabled us to model better,
solve complex issues by using subtypes, and consequently write less code later.
They work fine," says Gerardo Abreu, GeneXus 8.0 beta tester, who has developed
a production control system using this version.
Relations between GeneXus attributes are established through their
names. Sometimes it is necessary to give different names to attributes that
respond to the same concept. In those cases, GeneXus provides subtypes for
making it possible for two attributes with a different name to refer to the same
concept.
The changes introduced in GeneXus 8.0
regarding the use of subtypes, benefit referential integrity as well as improve
performance, programming and its general use.
More powerful For Each
GeneXus 8.0 introduces the possibility of conditioning filters
(usually known as filtering conditions or constraints) and orders, specified in
the GeneXus objects or in grid controls by using a new clause called
WHEN.
This improves application performance in
queries with several search criteria because the search order may be coordinated
with the appropriate conditions.
New data type: BLOB
This
version includes a new BLOB data type for storing binary information of any kind
-images, text, video- in the database.
To learn more:
Database reorganization
http://www.gxtechnical.com/main/hgxnews.aspx?2,6,69,6267
New subtype features
http://www.gxtechnical.com/main/hgxnews.aspx?2,6,69,6239
More powerful For Each
http://www.gxtechnical.com/main/Hgxnews.aspx?2,6,69,6284
New BLOB data type
http://www.gxtechnical.com/main/Hgxnews.aspx?2,6,69,6305