What's New

19 Apr 2021

Barista 21.0

Feature Improvements -

04 Apr 2020

Barista 20.0

Feature Improvements -

• Adds optimization and report virtualization techniques to the Barista Document Output sub-system, DocOut, when dealing with large PDF reports
  

• Adds the field navigation keys TAB (ENTER) and Back-TAB to the navigation map to remind new GUI users of these industry standards
  

• Changes the BUS Update URL to use HTTPS for added security
  

• The Barista Installation Manager (BIM) has always been able to be used to install multiple Barista instances. To better differentiate between the installations, the instance description entered in BIM now appears in the MDI window's title bar.
  

• The User maintenance form has been reorganized to bring the required data up-front, including an entry grid for the user's role(s), required for log-in
  

• Allows creation of a scheduled task group (in EM) to run the Barista document processing queue as a BBjServices auto-start job at the touch of a button in the Document Processing Queue Monitor configuration
  

• Now handles Mac OSX Command keys for "Ctrl+" key combinations
  

• Improved New System and User Settings table by migrating barista.ini and user settings text files to a Barista Admin Settings table
  

• Implemented soft-locking for Maintenance Grids Record as has been used in the standard maintenance forms
  

• Added a productivity feature to multi-line edit controls through Multi-line edit (BBjCEdit) controls now respecting the use of TAB/ENTER for progressing to the next input field. The web standard, SHIFT-ENTER can be used to insert a new line into the text content.
  

• Added forms sizing and positioning attributes
  

• Enhanced Issue Report email to include issue summary. Information, previously only printed at the top of the zipped attachment, now appears in the error notification email body, including BBj/Barista version, program/line/error, when the error occurs, host/user name, and any user comment.
  

• Enhanced Change Company selection. Implements a custom query called "BAR_CHANGE_COMP" to provide all the functionality of a Barista query for searching, filtering and selecting a company.
  

• Improved system messages. Provides more information, like tcb(10)/tcb(12) values for error 0's in Callpoint code and the errmes(-1) value for form open error messages.
  

• Added support for auto-archival to DocOut. Added support to the Barista DocOut sub-system to force all output to go into the archive.
  

• Added zoom function to SDI forms. Added Zoom item to a form's menu, while running in SDI (standalone) mode. The current zoom factor will also be reflected in message dialogs.
  

• Added option to suppress the standard Barista login dialog. Added new '-h' program argument when launching Barista. Combined with valid -u<user> and -p<pwd> arguments, the login dialog will not appear.
  

• Added the option to skip records during the loading of the standard maintenance grid. Adds 'After Record Read' (AREA) callpoint trigger while data is being loaded into the standard maintenance grid. This provides for custom logic to determine if records should be skipped.
  

• Barista MDI now handles up to four custom events. Up to four programmable custom events can now be integrated into the Barista MDI infrastructure.
  

• Added the option to automatically sort callpoints on save. Adds new +CALLPOINT_SORT global to control the behavior of the Callpoint Save function. 'BACKUP' will first save a backup of the existing Callpoint file, then sort and save the changed content. 'YES' will sort the callpoint file by alias/field name, placing <CUSTOM> at the end.
  

• Grid forms and detail grids can now be set to allow a user to select multiple rows, then click the Delete button to toggle the deletion state of all rows (deleted/undeleted) at once.
  

• Added a popup calendar function to maintenance and detail grids. Adds popup calendar feature to grid cells of type InputD. Utilizes recently added BBjGrid::showCalendarForCell.
  

• Completed the implementation of the 'Use form for editing' option in the standard maintenance grid. The "Use form for editing" option in the standard maintenance grid has been enhanced to handle the edit and modified record state between the grid and the expanded form.
  

• Added option to the Barista query to toggle hyperlinks in the query grid. Adds a new "Enable Drill Downs" checkbox to the query form with the default being checked. The state of the option is saved by user and query or table id.

Date

Description

30 Apr 2019

Barista 19.0

Feature Improvements -

• Document Processing

• • History: Enhancements include being able to view source documents, when available, and improvements in managing the processing queue.

  • Provides additional information to entries in the document processing queue to aid in problem resolution

• Retrieves form attributes in real-time from the Barista tables, thus removing the need for the over 700 form definition files in Barista and AddonSoftware. Consolidates translation and handling of form attributes. Eases attribute information retrieval via SQL for use in other interfaces, like RESTful web services.

• Adds resolution of global variables (STBLs) and other columns in the Drill-Down Filter Definition

• Installation Manager: Initializes the Firm 01 record to its originally deployed state and removes any other firms when creating a new Barista instance

• Configuration: Adds the basis\plugins directory to the PREFIX. Adds the standard Y2KWINDOW=30 global. Adds a +SKIP_EXPORT_REVERSE_XREF=NO global to steer whether reverse cross-references (foreign keys from other tables) should be built when exporting tables to the BASIS DD. Consolidates the 'Callpoint Method Additions' files pointed to by the +FILE_ADD global from their language-specific locations to just one under 'sys/config/barista.cpt'.

• A picture really is worth 1,000 words. This new capability captures and emails screen images for improved troubleshooting. It is particularly useful with its integration into the error reporting system. IT administrators will love it!

• • Image Viewer: Adds the ability to quickly view images, such as screen captures

• Callpoints: Adds callpoint!.getEventOptionStr() method to retrieve the affected table alias, thus allowing alias-based differentiation in callpoints such as Before/After Detail Window (BDTW/ADTW)

• Adds ability to select and copy the Barista Navigation Map details to the clipboard, for example, to create a keyboard reference card

• Adds pre-filling of the element assignment frame for duplicate columns during the import to the Barista DD

• Allows "Before Input" (BINP) callpoint code to set the input prompt string, field help and other column attributes dynamically

• Import To Barista: Builds a list of duplicate column names with different types or lengths automatically. Set the validation table and description column, if possible. Makes a "best guess" at building foreign keys when importing an entire BASIS legacy data dictionary.

• Maintenance and detail grids:

• • Adds "Before Maint. Table Open" (BTBL) callpoint

  • Allows for more dynamic column attribute control in the maintenance grid "Before Form Creation" (BFMC) and "Before Detail Grid Creation" (BDGC) callpoints

  • Sequence Counter: Adds complete handling of sequence counter columns in maintenance and detail grids, and the option for zero-based numbering. Allows starting a linked form with a specific sequence counter.

• Data Dictionary: Adds settings for OEM Date types, including Timestamp and Calendar Week, Y2K_WINDOW value and 'Character As Binary' flag to Element Types. Adds the 'Ordered Numeric' flag to the key segment definition.

• Adds a new public called "bac_choose_slider.bbj" that calls up a dialog with a slider control and returns the user's slider value choice

• Reporting: Improves report formatting capabilities, including left-aligned masked numericals with decimal alignment

• Role Permissions:

• • What users can view, edit, or delete is critical to any system. A new selectable permissions feature for administrators eases the complexity of managing a user’s permissions.

  • User and Roles: Honors effective and expiration dates on users and roles during log-in

• Enhances color support and grid striping, including a 'System Display Colors' dialog to view and maintain default color settings

Date

Description

17 Apr 2018

Barista 18.0

Feature Improvements -

• Adds substantial enhancements and corrections to the Document Output (DocOut) sub-system including:

• • column justification is now reflected in the column adjustments grid

  • column adjustments and print settings can now be used on Query exports to document output

  • the globals +DOC_FONT_PROP and +DOC_FONT_FIXED are used as the report fonts and fonts used in the column adjustment grid, if possible

  • the report column width in report pixels and characters are shown in the column header tooltips in the column adjustment grid, e.g. ""pp (c)""

  • all conversions and positioning are based dynamically on print settings and the report font attributes

  • changes in the print settings via the tool button in the BBJasper viewer or via the button in the column adjustments dialog, incl. changes in the column settings records, now trigger the removal of any user specific settings for the report and cause an automatic refreshing of the report in the report previewer

  • the <SAVE> action in the column adjustments dialog now causes an automatic refreshing of the report in the report previewer

  • any combination in the print settings as to page format, font size, and whether fixed or proportional font are handled

  • report headings on the left may extend across the page or up to any headings on the right of the page

  • dynamic page orientation between portrait and landscape are carried over as a property in the printer dialog

• Adds the Additional Options menu as a context menu to the grid programs
  

• Adds the Detail Window Table functionality for related sub-tables to the detail grid
  

• Adds disabling of Detail Window Table menu items based on user security
  

• Adds new functionality to the "Use checkbox entry" option in the maintenance and detail grids. This option adds a dynamic context menu to each checkbox column with Select/Deselect All and Select/Deselect Highlighted rows.
  

• Adds handling of descending keys
  

• Changes the way Barista administrative data such as masks, messages, sequence numbers, etc., is handled. Data is now backed up in real time to the application's data/admin_backup/ directory, and all administrative records carry a user_modified flag to indicate if the record was Added, Modified, or Deleted. Obviates the need for a Sync File Backup before deploying or upgrading a Barista application
  .

• Adds a new menu item "Reset Form" (Ctrl-F5) that acts upon the standard maintenance and query forms by closing the form and removing any form-related user settings, thus reverting it back to its originally designed state the next time it is run
  

• Adds TLS encryption to Barista through use of the standard email.bbj::Email utility class
  

• Adds new global flag "+REBUILD_FULLTEXT_FILES" that can be set to "NO" before exporting a table from Barista to the BASIS DD to suppress the immediate rebuilding of any related full-text (Lucene) indexes
  

• Adds new Callpoint::setGridRowModifyStatus to allow setting the modified status for one or more grid row
  

• Allows contents of a multi-line (CEdit) control to exceed the designated data length if the associated data field is variable length as signified by a field delimiter

Date

Description

26 Apr 2017

Barista 17.0

Feature Improvements -

• Adds "Detail Grid on Tab" support to Form Designer and the standard maintenance form
  

• Enhances the query design tool to work with certain callpoints to allow programmatic control of (for example) query window title, filter and search definitions, and right-click menu options
  

• Integrates the full capabilities of the Barista query subsystem, including Custom queries, into Expresso Search
  

• Enhanced Barista queries (including Expresso) to allow toggling to a different query via the Query Menu/Inquiry Program process, rather than only being able to launch a separate form or task
  

• Adds Lucene Query Builder form option to the Barista query
  

• Barista custom queries can now launch a new query via the Query Menu/Inquiry Program
  

• New "Filter Unlocked" checkbox in custom query definition facilitates launching a query with a filter that the user can change
  

• New "SQL Derived" query column type that allows using SQL syntax for computing values
  

• Enhanced the query filter tool to allow a globally-saved filter to be designated as the default filter when users launch the query for the first time
  

• Enhanced Firms table to include the name of an MDI background image, and its display location. Builds upon a BBj enhancement to allow changing the MDI background image
  

• New button in Barista's MDI toolbar makes it faster to switch to a different company. Also appears as new item on the File menu, and can also be done via a keyboard combination (Ctrl-Shift-C for Windows)
  

• New menu button in Barista's MDI toolbar allows for easy zooming the Barista MDI. Also appears as a new item on the View menu
  

• Implements an optional extended license check per application feature id
  

• Reports presented through the Jasperviewer are automatically zoomed for better readability
  

• New utility to manually export table definitions with Full-Text Indexes for use during upgrades
  

• Using the BASIS Update Service now requires an active valid SoftwareAssetManagement (SAM) licence feature
  

• Adds developer debug and tracing functions to the query and tracing through the maintenance and detail grids
  

• Implements field-level help
  

• Adds ability to launch application programs via the Barista menu in the browser (BUI)
  

• New globals provided to enable/disable the MDI menu and toolbars, hide/show the MDI tool bar, and query if the application menu is visible in the MDI, for example, for use in callpoint code

02 May 2016

Barista 16.0

Performance Improvements -

• Form and query optimizations

• • Improves overall performance by moving the path for the translations directory to the front of the PREFIX list, and also by storing the Translator! object in a namespace for faster retrieval when launching/running forms
    

• Shortens the time to dismiss queries by exploiting the new grid function getColumnWidths(), reducing the number of round trips needed to retrieve and save user settings from one round trip per column to one round trip per grid

Install Application Wizard -

• Improves accuracy when installing applications tied to a Parent System ("mods" projects) by creating and using a "delta" .xml file reflecting just the developer customizations to the base product

Feature Improvements -

• QuickView Grid query enhancements

• • Barista-built queries and custom queries created with Barista's Query Definitions tool profit from new "QuickView Grid" technology. The QuickView Grid loads and processes only the number of visible grid rows at any one time, significantly reducing the amount of data being transferred to the client. Grid data is displayed much more quickly, on an as-needed basis for the initial display or re-display when sorting/searching. Users now also have direct control over when grid data is refreshed based on text entered in the Search box.
    

• BBJasper Viewer replaces DocOut Viewer

• • Creates PDF report object using BBJasperDesign techniques and passes this on to the BBJasperViewer for viewing in GUI and BUI. Extends the BBJasperViewer with DocOut viewer functionality, like column adjustment and output settings, while keeping the interface for creating DocOut reports the same
    

• Build Delta .xml Utility

• • New one-time utility to create the deltas for developers wanting to upgrade mods projects created in prior versions
    

• Auxiliary Labels on Forms

• • Now supports group headers and tab definitions
    

• Enhancements to Application Replication

• • Added rules governing the installation and/or removal of a child application, as well as manual sync of table aliases in a child application. Enhanced Form Manager and Table Maintenance to warn about turning on/off application replication mode as needed
    

• Introduction of a "Report User" for Business Intelligence

• • Barista now facilitates the addition of a single report user with an encrypted password for use in Jasper Reports and the Digital Dashboard, improving security for SQL-based processes. Application developers can call methods in a new Barista custom object to create the required connection URL and instantiate Jasper Reports and Dashboard Widgets without having to expose any usernames or passwords in application code.

13 Apr 2015

Barista 15.0

Feature Improvements -

• References multiple Email Accounts when adding documents to the Document Queue, rather than being limited to the settings in barista.cfg

• • Email Accounts are by firm, and are defined with an ID, host, port, authentication and SSL indicators, from and reply-­to addresses, username and encrypted password

  • If no Email Account is specified, the default settings are used
    

• Enhances DocOut to check the value of a new "+AUTO_SEND" global; if not empty, it updates the global with the document ID for the just­created document, enabling developers to retrieve the document ID in their application code to automate the process of adding the document to the Document Queue
  

• New View/Edit Modes in Standard Maintenance Form

• • Shows existing records in view mode within standard maintenance and header/detail forms

  • Allows changes after triggering the 'Edit' function using the toolbutton, [F2] or menu item, to lock the record, if possible, or remain in 'view' mode
    

• Enhanced Task Manager ­ Shows all available columns in the Admin API and the Menu Option ID (task name) from System Tasks table to make it easier to see which tasks are active and/or terminate a task without having to go into Enterprise Manager.
  

• File open and error routines incorporate new BBj methods to report the user and host associated with a file or record lock
  

• Updated User Permissions in Enterprise Manager ­- Sets permissions for users created in Barista to 'BBj Processes' and 'View Open File' to facilitate using the new error handling and task manager
  

• New Barista MDI customizing "hook" ­ Adds the ability to build the MDI with just the BBjMDI object variable, allowing the MDI customizing program to add background images or color, etc
  

• • Translation enhancements - Moves translations for user authentication prompts and FROM/TO labels to resource bundles
    

  • Callpoint improvements -  Allows start edit mode in a standard maintenance form
    

Security enhancements -

• User credential arguments removed from BUI app configuration when launching in browser

• "Save Password" login option replaced with "Remember User"

• User ID and password now encrypted in the URL

• Adds support for independent group namespaces, allowing the running of multiple instances of Barista from the Barista Installation Manager without overlapping namespaces
  

Drilldown enhancements -

• Adds Before/After Column Drilldown (BDRL/ADRL) callpoints

• Drilldown definitions now include fields for a custom program and a Query ID to be invoked in lieu of the standard drilldown

• New field in the custom Query Column allows for stipulating a drilldown ID; query columns with a drilldown display as an italicized hyperlink in the query grid

• Drilldown functionality added to the standard and detail grids in which the drilldown menu item and tool button become active, like in the standard maintenance form
  

• Child aliases (conceptually similar to views) are now exported to the BASIS DD like regular tables for use in Barista and SQL (external) queries, the "Display Master Record" function from the query shows the form for the child alias
  

Menu system enhancements -

• Ability to launch programs to run in the browser user interface (BUI)

• Menu option to disallow running an item in BUI

• Command line arguments separated from program (target)

• Company and product ID list edit buttons in menu maintenance

• Optional path to configuration file for BASIC programs

• Open file dialog for target and other fields in menu maintenance

• New fields for working directory and CSS file path
  

Help system enhancements -

• Ability to access help in single document and BUI modes

• Enabled help for topics dependent on whether a help tag has been assigned to the menu item, form, or control

• Header and detail in the header/detail forms can have their own help tags