Your applications evolve continuously. Now you can explore and change them at runtime, leaving it to Rex to update your source code... safely and automatically!
Move/resize controls, change properties/object scripts/DW SQL state-ments... and see the effects immediately at runtime. After appropriate review, just confirm and, like magic, the relevant source code will be changed for you. You can even add new code in the same way. No more frustrating iterations between designtime and runtime. Get it right first time!
Standard plug-ins to explore and fix problems in the development cycle: activate ObjectX, PropertyX, Layout.
Other plug-ins to trace bugs, even without access to the source code, by analyzing the content of DataWindows and DataStores: use BufferX, DWExport, DWSnapShot.
Reporting plug-ins (Put a Note, Img Capture) to identify the exact library, control/ DWO, for precisely commenting on specific PB objects.
Need more? New Rex plug-ins are being released all the time, but you can also write your own and benefit directly from Enable's new automatic source change technology.
Looking beyond development work, Runtime Explorer can be licensed for distribution royalty-free together with your live applications (subject to access controls), in order to expedite technical support activities.
More about Rex
Enable Runtime Explorer (or simply Rex) is a runtime component that helps developers with their development, debugging and technical support work. The introduction of our new Automatic Source Change technology means that those frustrating iterations between runtime and designtime are now ancient history! Read the article in PBDJ!
Enable Source Change
Security and accuracy are a priority for automatic source changes. Each code change is a documented ESC transaction, so it can be undone and repeated. Before each modification, the relevant libraries are automatically backed up by ESC. SCC systems are also supported, with automatic check-out if desired.
ESC’s sophisticated parser easily identifies the code to be changed, checking the consistency of old values to avoid possible conflicts with concurrent developers. In addition, ESC overcomes tolerance issues to ensure the accuracy of move/resize coordinate changes.
New Development Cycle
Working in runtime, you often find problems with the business logic, properties, SQL statements, the user interface etc. Before now, this marked the start of the trial-and-error cycle:
- observe the unsatisfactory result
- exit, abandoning the current state
- make best-effort code changes
- run the application, log in and re-open the necessary windows (thus restoring the state of the application)
- repeat until happy (…or exhausted!)
Rex eliminates this trial-and-error effort, improving productivity and accuracy. Now you see the problem, fix it with Rex, review your changes and then let ESC apply them automatically to your source code. It really is that simple! Click here to see the rolling demo.
An example using BufferX
You’re working on your application and, inevitably, you find something that doesn’t ring true. Is it a bug? Maybe the data? Wouldn’t it be good to find out what is going on immediately, without having to exit and return to design mode? Now you can!
Take this example: your graph looks odd and you want to understand the data behind it. You need BufferX…
Graph with Rex already activated
Here is the data held in the primary buffer:
BufferX takes a look inside the primary buffer
Now it’s clear! Philip Chin has transferred from Sales to Marketing (with a raise), but the database hasn’t been updated. We can fix this easily… by updating the primary buffer in runtime!
The changes made to the primary buffer are highlighted
Updated graph and summary of BufferX activity
That’s better! But just imagine the process you would have gone through to make and check this simple change without using BufferX… Rex offers many opportunities of this kind to save you time and effort.
Users
Who uses Enable Runtime Explorer?
Developers: understand the nature and structure of windows; eliminate the trial-and-error cycle, simulating the effects before automatically changing the source code; find and deal with bugs faster
Trainers: demonstrate the behavior of properties; show how status/buffers work; show the architecture of windows and methods, before going into detail
Test Engineers: understand the nature of problems; document issues more effectively and precisely
Technical Support: gather information about issues directly when they arise; deal with critical situations and accurately document them for further analysis by the development team.
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