ASNA Visual RPG^® 9.0 for Microsoft^® Visual Studio^® 2008

Please note that Visual RPG 8.1 (Visual Studio 2005) and Visual RPG 9.0 (Visual Studio 2008) CANNOT run concurrently on the same machine. If you try to install AVR 9.0 on a machine currently running 8.0/8.1; the 9.0 installation will display a message stating that it is only compatible with 8.2. Likewise, if you attempt to install AVR 8.0/8.1 on a machine in which AVR 9.0 exists; the installation will stop.

Resolution:

If you are currently running AVR 8.0 or AVR 8.1 for Visual Studio 2005 and would like to install Visual Studio 2008 and run AVR 9.0; you must first upgrade your system to AVR 8.2 first; then install Visual Studio 2008 and AVR 9.0.

Please note that you can still ‘Target’ VS 2005 with AVR 8.2; or VS 2008 with AVR 9.0 on the same machine.

Web Project Conversion from Visual Studio 2008

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 manages Web site projects and files differently than Visual Studio 2005. As a result, when you want to use Visual Studio 2008 to work with a project that was created in Visual Studio .NET, the project must be converted to the new Visual Studio format. The process happens automatically when you open a Visual Studio .NET project in Visual Studio 2008; the conversion wizard will convert your Web application and minimize the amount of manual editing that is needed to finish the conversion.

File System Web Sites

Visual Web Developer allows you to keep the files for your Web site in a folder on your local hard disk or in a shared location on your local area network. This is called a file system Web site. Using such a file system Web site means that you do not need to create your site as an Internet Information Services (IIS) application to develop or test it. You will typically find File System Web Sites much easier to work with than http Web Sites.

Fixes in this Release

Please refer to the list of fixes in this release in the Release Notes on the Downloads page at http://devnet.asna.com/downloads.

New Features in this Release

The following is a list of the major features in this release. Please refer to the Help Files for the latest Features, or can view the web page at http://devnet.asna.com/documentation/Help_Files/AVR90/avr2008_web/avrtourWhatsNewinVisualRPG.htm.

· RPG Cycle (Monarch migrated applications).

§ Primary and Secondary disk files.

§ Level Breaks and Matching fields.

§ Overflow indicators

§ *StartCycle, *DetailCalc, *TotalCalc, *FetchOverflow methods.

§ Printer O-Spec cycle related op codes: BegCyclePrintAttr, EndCyclePrintAttr, DclFmtCycleAttr, HeadingSpec, DetailSpec and TotalSpec.

§ Force command.

· Added *ALLU and *ALL.

· Added assignment operator ":=".

IDE

· Support for Multi-targeting (select the .NET Framework to target - in Project Settings).

· Improved Intellisense and support of nested classes (parent).

· Technology Preview support of WPF/WCF/WF applications in the .NET Framework.

· Support consuming Generics.

· Support for Code Analysis settings for the Project.

· Specify Target platform (32 bit, 64 bit, itanium, any platform).

· Change event handler in Property window.

· F1 support to AVR/Monarch members from the Object Browser.

DataGate Studio

· New DataGate Studio - DataGate Database Manager functionality integrated into Visual Studio 2008. Access the DataGate menu from Visual Studio. Please read the DataGate Studio Readme for important information.

CHANGES

· Better compiler errors.

· Examples updated for Visual Studio 2008.

· XLATE - added *String to list of valid types.

· Forms designer (Form1.Designer.Vr). replaces Form1.vr when creating a new form.

· Support for accessing static methods of AVR-style types, eg. *string.Compare, etc.

· Literal *On, *Off are of type *Ind.

· Leading and trailing zeros, eg: 01234.56000, is a 10,5 zoned decimal number.

· When evaluating a reference to an element of an array, the avr-custom attributes adorning the array are passed on to the element of the array. For example, ind[3] evaluates to an indicator if ind is an array on indicators.

· The compiler no longer supports "natural" integers
- to get a literal *Integer4, an integer constant is followed by the letter "i".
- what was a literal integer4 is now a *zoned. Previous to 8.1 a constant without decimal separator was taken as an integral type, now it’s a fixed decimal. Example. 345 used to be *integer2, now it’s zoned 3,0.

Getting Started

What Components You Will Need on Your System

To run Visual RPG 9.0 for Visual Studio 2008, you will need the following components on your system:

1. Visual Studio 2008 (Microsoft .NET 3.5 Framework)

Visual Studio 2008 uses the .NET 3.5 Framework.

2. Visual RPG 9.0 for Visual Studio 2008

ASNA Visual RPG 9.0 for Visual Studio 2008 is an RPG compiler that “snaps” into Microsoft’s Visual Studio 2008.

3. ASNA DataGate® for System i

If you are going to access the data on your AS/400 (System i), ASNA DataGate for IBM System i will need to be installed and running on your system. You will need to be sure that your OS/400 is at V5r1 or greater to install DataGate for System i.

4. IIS

All necessary components are automatically part of the operating system. However, you may still need to "Add" the components.

To verify if you have IIS installed on your system, select Start - Settings - Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Internet Information Services.

· If Internet Information Services is there, IIS has been installed and added.

· If Internet Information Services is not there, you will need to install IIS. (basic instructions)

1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove Programs.

2. Select Add/Remove Windows Components (last icon on the left). The following screen will display.

3. Scroll down just a little, and select the Internet Information Services (IIS) option.

5. Aministrative Privileges

When installing Visual RPG on Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you should be signed on with Administrative Privileges to start the DataGate Service.

If you are not signed on with Administrative Privileges, a Warning will display – stating that you need to have Administrative privileges to start the DataGate Service.

Therefore, you may want to check with your Network Administrator prior to installing to ensure you have Administrative privileges. Note that even if you do not, you can still install Visual RPG 9.0 for Visual Studio 2008; you just cannot start the DataGate Service until you do.

6. Licensing Requirements

A new installation of Visual RPG 9.0 for Visual Studio 2008 comes with the following trial licenses, allowing you to receive all the licenses you need to develop windows or web applications (for 30 days).

§ Visual RPG 9.0 for Visual Studio 2008 – 30-day temporary license. This allows you to access the IDE and create your AVR for .NET applications.

§ DataGate for Windows Servers and Desktops – a 5 user, 30-day trial license. This allows you to create databases that run on Windows NT, 2000 and XP operating systems.

§ DataGate 8.x WebPak – a 1 processor, 30-day temporary license. This allows you to develop and deploy web applications.

Once your 30-day trial license is expired, you will need a new trial or permanent license from ASNA to continue using the product.
Uninstalling and reinstalling the product will not generate a new trial license.

ASNA Visual RPG® 9.0 for Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2008