Superbase NG Quick Start Guide A Fast Introduction to Devel- opment with Superbase NG Neil Robinson Superbase NG Quick Start Guide: A Fast Introduction to Develop- ment with Superbase NG by Neil Robinson Copyright © 2009-2017 Superbase Software Limited All rights reserved. The programs and documentation in this book are not guaranteed to be without defect, nor are they declared to be fit for any specific purpose other than instruction in the use of the programming language SIMPOL. It is entirely possible (though not probable) that use of any sample program code in this book could reformat your hard disk, disable your computer forever, fry your dog in a microwave oven, and even cause a computer virus to infect you by touching the keyboard, though none of these things is terribly likely (after all, almost anything is possible). It is just that most things are extremely improbable. Table of Contents Important ..................................................................................................................... ix Copyright Information ........................................................................................... ix Disclaimer ........................................................................................................... ix New Versions of this Document .............................................................................. ix Software Used ...................................................................................................... ix 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 Who Should Read This Book .................................................................................. 1 Superbase NG and SIMPOL .................................................................................... 1 Conventions Used in This Book ............................................................................... 1 Why SIMPOL? ..................................................................................................... 1 Running Superbase NG Programs ............................................................................. 2 Deploying Superbase NG Programs .......................................................................... 2 Summary .............................................................................................................. 3 2. What's in the Package? ............................................................................................... 5 Overview of the Product ......................................................................................... 5 The Superbase NG IDE .......................................................................................... 5 Superbase NG Personal .......................................................................................... 5 C-Language Components and Runtime Files .............................................................. 5 SIMPOL Language Libraries and Samples ................................................................. 6 SIMPOL Language Libraries (*.sml) .............................................................. 7 Supplied Superbase NG Projects ..................................................................... 11 Documentation ............................................................................................ 18 Utilities ...................................................................................................... 19 Superbase Conversion Utilities ....................................................................... 19 3. Getting Started ......................................................................................................... 21 The Essentials ..................................................................................................... 21 Preparing Our Environment ................................................................................... 21 Command Line Programs ...................................................................................... 22 Dialog-Style Programs .......................................................................................... 22 Database GUI Applications ................................................................................... 22 Web Server Applications ....................................................................................... 22 Server Applications .............................................................................................. 23 Converting from Superbase ................................................................................... 23 4. Command Line Programs .......................................................................................... 25 Building a Command Line Program ........................................................................ 25 First Steps .......................................................................................................... 25 Understanding the Code ........................................................................................ 28 Running Our Project ............................................................................................. 28 Improving Our Program ........................................................................................ 28 Running the Final Version ..................................................................................... 31 Summary ............................................................................................................ 32 5. Dialog-Style Programs .............................................................................................. 33 What's a Dialog Program? ..................................................................................... 33 The Sample Program ............................................................................................ 33 Creating the Project .............................................................................................. 33 Creating the Design .............................................................................................. 34 Setting the Stage .......................................................................................... 36 Adding the Controls to the Form .................................................................... 36 Cleaning Things Up ..................................................................................... 40 Saving the Form .......................................................................................... 44 Adding the Form Source to the Project .................................................................... 44 Setting Up the Program ........................................................................................ 46 Getting the Basic Form Running ............................................................................ 47 Finishing the Color Lab Program ............................................................................ 49 Summary ............................................................................................................ 52 iii Superbase NG Quick Start Guide 6. GUI-Style Database Programs .................................................................................... 53 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 53 Creating the Project .............................................................................................. 53 Create the Database .............................................................................................. 53 Building the Form ................................................................................................ 57 The Program Code ............................................................................................... 60 The main() Function .................................................................................. 61 The addressbookapplication Type ................................................................... 62 The Remaining Initialization Code .................................................................. 65 Preparing the Form ...................................................................................... 69 The Finished Product ............................................................................................ 70 A Word About Linux ................................................................................... 71 Summary ............................................................................................................ 72 Advanced Topics ................................................................................................. 73 7. SIMPOL Business .................................................................................................... 75 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 75 Special Features ................................................................................................... 75 Working With the dataform1detailblock ................................................................... 76 About the Design of Detail Blocks .................................................................. 76 Adding New Records to Detail Blocks ............................................................ 76 Editing Records in a Detail Block ..................................................................