This is the “most important leap in our history”, stated Artech' President. The introductory conference at the XVI GeneXus International Event had to be repeated at the request of users. No wonder, the future of GeneXus is here, and it is called Rocha.
GeneXus Rocha is an entirely new GeneXus version. Starting with a modern, intuitive and flexible IDE (Integrated Development Environment) and using a more powerful and fast reorganization code, among other new developments.
The new CTP of the new version has many new features and lacks others, which have not been put into practice yet. In addition to a new IDE design, it presents increased functionality, a significant enhance in usability and the much sought extensibility.
Gustavo Proto, leader of the GeneXus Development Team, explains that “in general terms, it is a new version in which we have put a lot of work. We are still in an Alpha process, which we call CTP. In this new version we have focused on several aspects: It has been rewritten in C#, creating also an extensible environment where each developer will be able to write their own extensions. The basic idea is that each one extends as much as necessary, but remains integrated to the rest”.
According to Proto, “there are both a technical part and a practical part” that have led to the total rewriting of the new GeneXus version. “The interface development is fairly simpler on .NET and in general we have tried not to reinvent the wheel: everything that existed and could be introduced was put in GeneXus Rocha”.
He also remarked that there is an “increase in power and we have implemented a new object called Data Provider: a way to reuse navigations”. Proto explained that “what we have in CTP version today is only web. The win version will be released as soon as we finish it. But the web interface has been substantially changed. It is full AJAX, all client events are run on the server, there is no screen redrawing, some windows are started on what was already there and a capacity was generated to refresh results as you write.”
The focus of this new version
According to Gustavo Proto, “we think many more people will start using GeneXus. Not only developers, but users in general, such as software vendors, so we have to include them as well".
Community, communication and knowledge are key elements in all Artech’s projects. “These are issues that we consider very important. We must try to maintain the development team in touch with the Community. In this sense, I think we did the right thing when we made this automatic through the main page that opens when you open GeneXus. This page will present the Community news".
Proto explained that the basic process consists in putting up new CTPs. “Until we are ready to launch a Beta. There are many expectations, both internally and externally, because this is undoubtedly the most groundbreaking version made by Artech. It is the most important technological change in the history of the company”. “Unfortunately we couldn’t get in time with the Java generator for the presentation at the Event. We could not get the quality we were looking for. Nothing indicates we cannot do it” explained Proto.
GeneXus Rocha CTP version may be downloaded from this page of the GeneXus Community Wiki www.genexus.com/rocha
To participate in the GeneXus Rocha beta testing process, go to www.gxtechnical.com/betatester