Saturday, May 12, 2012
SQL and Email Business Rules, Stored Procedures with Output Caching

Code On Time release 6.0.0.27 introduces major new enhancements to the business rules processing and data retrieval.

It is now possible to create SQL Business Rules that can interact  with all tiers of a web application: database engine tier, application server tier, and client web browser tier. All of these are possible in a comfort of a familiar SQL dialect such as T-SQL or PL/SQL. Take a look at a validation example with SQL Business Rules. You can now develop and debug SQL Business Rules in your favorite tool and paste them as-is in the application definition. Use data controller virtualization to define SQL Business Rules at runtime with the node set plugins.

Stored procedure and web services a frequently used to build custom result sets that cannot be produced with a straightforward SELECT statement. Code On Time web applications now offer a powerful output caching model that makes it easy integrating a stored procedure or web service as a data source.

Email Business Rules allow easy implementation of notification in a lifecycle of a web application.

The following features, enhancements, and bug fixes are included in this release:

  • BusinessRules class supports string properties Whitelist and Blacklist that allow to control execution of named business rules of type SQL and Email.
     
  • Debug / End Debug statements can be included in SQL Business Rules and SQL action definition.
     
  • New Search action allows implementation of custom Search Bars and Search Dialogs.
     
  • A data view with action Search defined without a confirmation data controller will broadcast the search command to any other data views on the page that reference it in its own 'Search action confirmation property.
     
  • Data views feature the new property Show Action Buttons that has a default value of Top and Bottom. Other supported values are None, Top, and Bottom.
     
  • Method BusinessRules.Email accepts parameter MailMessage that can be preconfigured with attachments and still take advantage of automatic formatting. Premium edition only.
     
  • "Soft" filtering is now supported with SQL Business Rules.
  • SQL Business Rules support FieldName_Modified property.
     
  • It is possible to tag a data view in SQL Business Rules:
    set @BusinessRules_Tags = 'Tagged'
      
  • View messages are includes in the details of automatic reports.
     
  • SQL Business Rules and "SQL" action now support "@Url_" and "@Session_" parameters. This parameters are processed by application framework and do not require a declaration.
     
  • Filter details have a correct height in DotNetNuke projects.
     
  • DotNetNuke Factory does not publish the portal DLLs if the project has a direct dependency on the DotNetNuke site.
     
  • Improved detection of DotNetNuke system tables. System tables are hidden from the application generator.
     
  • It is now possible to reference any property of the business rules class as @BusinessRules_NameOfProperty in SQL actions and SQL Business Rules.
     
  • Element iframe is assigned a tab index when rendering custom field editors (Rich Text) and file upload.
     
  • Action State Machine performs an iteration on the client while trying to match an action in the group with the same scope as the last action. If the last action has been invoked from the data sheet view then the scope is Grid.
     
  • Class ControllerNodeSet has been enhanced to support business rules.
     
  • Fixed the bug with conversion of null values in data access objects.
     
  • Data format string is correctly applied when a lookup value is selected in edit/new modes.
     
  • Subsequent execution of Result.ShowViewMessage will not "forget" the default view header.
     
  • View-level messages rendered by business rules via Result.ShowViewMessage or @Result_ShowViewMessage will remain permanently displayed in the original data controller view until dismissed by the user or if the page is reloaded.
     
  • Project Explorer now displays the field length, read-only, and null flags in the tree.
     
  • Project Explorer displays '*' next to the name of mandatory fields.
     
  • Parameters @Result_Refresh and @Result_RefreshChildren are now supported in SQL Business Rules.
     
  • Mandatory lookups with Items Style set to Radio Button List will force a user to make a selection.
     
  • SQL Business Rules support New and Edit commands when selecting data on the server.
     
  • Fixed the problem with slight shifting of modal dialogs in Internet Explorer in tabbed form views.
     
  • Subsequent uploading of annotations will not loose the focused tab in the form.
     
  • Fixed the bug with printing of charts in automatically created reports.
     
  • The bug when opening View Details with annotations has been resolved.
     
  • TimeSpan fields are provided with an automatic drop down selector spaced in 15 minutes.
     
  • Multi-field copy now ignores spaces around "=" sign.
     
  • BusinessRules class uses case-insensitive parameter names when processing SQL action and SQL Business Rules.
     
  • SQL Business Rules are correctly working when there is not dedicated handler for the data controller.
     
  • SQL Business Rules will throw an exception if a value is assigned to @Result_Error and send a JavaScript expression to the browser if a value is assigned to @Result_ExecuteOnClient.