Has Any One used AJAX concept with Progress
- Thread starter mallikasp
- Start date
KnutHandsome
Member
Not me, but a few people have.
I think there are a couple of people touting interfaces, though I can only remember this one, which has code you can download and look into:
http://www.openarchitect.com/pjx/pjax.html
I think there are a couple of people touting interfaces, though I can only remember this one, which has code you can download and look into:
http://www.openarchitect.com/pjx/pjax.html
Hi mallikasp
The fun part is that using AJAX has nothing (directly) to do with using Progress. So if you are using webspeed you can just put the ajax code in your HTML pages. And voila you have an ajax website. (well it's a bit more tedious then that, but hey
AJAX is a technique which works on the HTML site of a webapplication. You only need Javascript (lots of it) and at the progress site you have to make sure you understand what HTML (or tekst or type of response) you have to sent back upon the request.
Key of ajax is the XMLHttpRequest api which can be used by javascript, Jscript and other web scripting languages.
If I have time I'll post some examples here. But that's no promise At the moment I'm more then busy at my work so...
Anyhow look into the XMLHttpRequest api and hopefully that will clear some questions.
Regards,
Casper.
The fun part is that using AJAX has nothing (directly) to do with using Progress. So if you are using webspeed you can just put the ajax code in your HTML pages. And voila you have an ajax website. (well it's a bit more tedious then that, but hey
AJAX is a technique which works on the HTML site of a webapplication. You only need Javascript (lots of it) and at the progress site you have to make sure you understand what HTML (or tekst or type of response) you have to sent back upon the request.
Key of ajax is the XMLHttpRequest api which can be used by javascript, Jscript and other web scripting languages.
If I have time I'll post some examples here. But that's no promise
At the moment I'm more then busy at my work so...Anyhow look into the XMLHttpRequest api and hopefully that will clear some questions.
Regards,
Casper.
Thanks knuthandsome ...............The link was of use to me
hi Casper
Even i thought that AJAX had nothing to do directly with Progress and all of it is done using js.........so i tried it by an eg which implemnted AJAX using servlet instead of the .class i repalced by my .p but then it did not wrk....so i put a query..........
I also got a site which said tat ajax is implemented in progress and is called as projax which also uses some script named ps:eScript..........but thing is no where they have mentioned clearly as to how can we implement it ........when u r less than busy plz find time to post some examples (only if u can).
I think it will be a great help for most of us.
Thank you
hi Casper
Even i thought that AJAX had nothing to do directly with Progress and all of it is done using js.........so i tried it by an eg which implemnted AJAX using servlet instead of the .class i repalced by my .p but then it did not wrk....so i put a query..........
I also got a site which said tat ajax is implemented in progress and is called as projax which also uses some script named ps:eScript..........but thing is no where they have mentioned clearly as to how can we implement it ........when u r less than busy plz find time to post some examples (only if u can).
I think it will be a great help for most of us.
Thank you
KnutHandsome
Member
escript
I can't give you examples of web code myself, but the escript framework was developed by Progress UK.
I had a brief look at it, and it looks like a good attempt to seperate HTML from 4GL, so your web-code is less spaghetti-like. You can download the core objects here, but I don't think the docs are included - you'll have to contact Progress for more.
http://www.psdn.com/library/entry.jspa?externalID=510&categoryID=41
Here's a document by the escript author which talks about Ajax and escript:
http://www.psdn.com/library/entry!default.jspa?categoryID=451&externalID=1762&fromSearchPage=true
And another:
http://www.psdn.com/library/entry!default.jspa?categoryID=249&externalID=627&fromSearchPage=true
Finally, here's the original escript authors plug for their Ajax/webspeed/escript interface, which might be the non-Projax one I couldn't remember earlier:
http://www.proaxima.co.uk/ajax.shtml
You can find an escript summary page on the same site.
HTH
I can't give you examples of web code myself, but the escript framework was developed by Progress UK.
I had a brief look at it, and it looks like a good attempt to seperate HTML from 4GL, so your web-code is less spaghetti-like. You can download the core objects here, but I don't think the docs are included - you'll have to contact Progress for more.
http://www.psdn.com/library/entry.jspa?externalID=510&categoryID=41
Here's a document by the escript author which talks about Ajax and escript:
http://www.psdn.com/library/entry!default.jspa?categoryID=451&externalID=1762&fromSearchPage=true
And another:
http://www.psdn.com/library/entry!default.jspa?categoryID=249&externalID=627&fromSearchPage=true
Finally, here's the original escript authors plug for their Ajax/webspeed/escript interface, which might be the non-Projax one I couldn't remember earlier:
http://www.proaxima.co.uk/ajax.shtml
You can find an escript summary page on the same site.
HTH
You're right, but so does Flash It's not too bad, I think, it's around 1 megabyte and there's no need to restart. On windows, if you use IE 7 or have automatic updates turned on it'll probably be added automatically.
And of course WPF/E (Windows Presentation Fundation/Everyhere) is cross browser and cross platform, the beta already supports FireFox and Safari (Mac) and there are plans and it will support Opera and Linux.
I like it, XAML and JavaScript (though it will eventually also have support for C# and VB.NET). XAML is very similar to SVG (which is pretty dead right now and looks like it's going to stay that way) but more powerful and has better performance then other common SVG implementations.
It's probably going to be one of the big show downs between Microsoft and Adobe in the coming years. Maybe the bigger question for Web Developers is choosing between going with Microsoft (WPF, .NET, C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET, Visual Studio etc.) and Adobe (Flash, Flex, ActionScript, DreamWeaver etc.).
And what is happening with Microsoft lately ?? In regards to interoperability and cross platform support, especially concerning their Windows operating system and Office suite (I bet there's tons of conspiracy theories).
Office new default OpenXML format, that is already, I think, fully supported by Corell's Word Perfect, Novell has committed to add support for it in OpenOffice and Microsoft has already sponsored a number of open source conversion tools to ODF (Open Office rival XML format) and other formats. And now WPF/E which could run on Mac, Linux etc.
It's not too bad, I think, it's around 1 megabyte and there's no need to restart. On windows, if you use IE 7 or have automatic updates turned on it'll probably be added automatically.And of course WPF/E (Windows Presentation Fundation/Everyhere) is cross browser and cross platform, the beta already supports FireFox and Safari (Mac) and there are plans and it will support Opera and Linux.
I like it, XAML and JavaScript (though it will eventually also have support for C# and VB.NET). XAML is very similar to SVG (which is pretty dead right now and looks like it's going to stay that way) but more powerful and has better performance then other common SVG implementations.
It's probably going to be one of the big show downs between Microsoft and Adobe in the coming years. Maybe the bigger question for Web Developers is choosing between going with Microsoft (WPF, .NET, C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET, Visual Studio etc.) and Adobe (Flash, Flex, ActionScript, DreamWeaver etc.).
And what is happening with Microsoft lately ?? In regards to interoperability and cross platform support, especially concerning their Windows operating system and Office suite (I bet there's tons of conspiracy theories
).Office new default OpenXML format, that is already, I think, fully supported by Corell's Word Perfect, Novell has committed to add support for it in OpenOffice and Microsoft has already sponsored a number of open source conversion tools to ODF (Open Office rival XML format) and other formats. And now WPF/E which could run on Mac, Linux etc.
TomBascom
Curmudgeon
I don't care for Flash either :awink:
HTML is good.
Javascript is good.
XML is good.
I see a common thread -- no one vendor controls these technologies.
Flash and other assorted plugins should, IMHO, be viewed with extreme jaundice. No matter how pretty they're being dressed up for the moment they smell like vendor lock in to me. If not now, then later. Being locked in to Progress is more than enough for my taste ;p
Having said that I think that there is a lot of truth to what you're saying. But my view is that people aren't going to fall for it. People will mostly stick with the HTML/XML/JS combination and the other things will get limited or no traction unless and until they become truly open standards that are not the fiefdom of a particular vendor.
HTML is good.
Javascript is good.
XML is good.
I see a common thread -- no one vendor controls these technologies.
Flash and other assorted plugins should, IMHO, be viewed with extreme jaundice. No matter how pretty they're being dressed up for the moment they smell like vendor lock in to me. If not now, then later. Being locked in to Progress is more than enough for my taste ;p
Having said that I think that there is a lot of truth to what you're saying. But my view is that people aren't going to fall for it. People will mostly stick with the HTML/XML/JS combination and the other things will get limited or no traction unless and until they become truly open standards that are not the fiefdom of a particular vendor.
I agree, although it's much smaller then lets say java applets, it's still a plugin and the only language to program against the wpf/e control is J-script.
In Internet explorer it uses active-X to run and in the other browsers it uses the NetsCape plugin mechanism. At the moment there is no (easy) way to make an interface with wpf/e. it's just a way to make very cool 2D graphical representations on the canvas object. No language like C# to manage it and no controls like drop downlists, treeview or events on those objects are presently there.
Since i heard from XAML a few years ago I liked the idea of XAML in general, especially when it comes to controlling .NET interfaces. But on the other hand if in 10.1Bsomething the .NET interfaces become directly accessible through Progress I think that's even a better option for me.... (But ok, that's a bit off-topic).
Casper
In Internet explorer it uses active-X to run and in the other browsers it uses the NetsCape plugin mechanism. At the moment there is no (easy) way to make an interface with wpf/e. it's just a way to make very cool 2D graphical representations on the canvas object. No language like C# to manage it and no controls like drop downlists, treeview or events on those objects are presently there.
Since i heard from XAML a few years ago I liked the idea of XAML in general, especially when it comes to controlling .NET interfaces. But on the other hand if in 10.1Bsomething the .NET interfaces become directly accessible through Progress I think that's even a better option for me.... (But ok, that's a bit off-topic).
Casper
Very long post ...
I agree in that, I think, the whole point is to get you over to one side or the other. If you're using XAML you'll most likely be using Visual Studio to create and design the Markup. And you'll already be using some .NET technology and tools, and they would hope it will lead you to continue in that way. Kind of like a gateway drug
I think, it will get traction because every dime a dozen .NET developer is already familiar with XAML that will bring it to their web applications and would naturally prefer using it over other similar technologies like Flash. In a sense it gained traction before it was even released.
Last year I started experimenting with SVG (and SMIL animations), it's a W3C standard, Adobe was strongly backing it, FireFox and Mozilla have pretty complete implementation of the standard. It's a well known standard, cross browser, cross platform, several implementations, sounded great. And then one day, out of the blue, Adobe pulled out of SVG after they figured it would get in the way of people using their newly acquired MacroMedia Flash products.
Their ASV plugin (which is the richest, and most popular SVG implementation and the only way to get SVG on IE) support will be dropped in a few short month (they even went further saying some features are known not to work on Vista) and a year later the plugin will not be available for download and they would go after anyone distributing their plugin. Oh, but they did say we could go over to Flex for similar and even better functionality
So, I feel, standards isn't the only thing to consider. XAML is very powerful, cross browser, cross platform, I'm pretty confident it will hang around for a long time and have very strong support and a big community. And, hey, I wouldn't mind going into .NET someday. I think, WPF/E should certainly be considered as a UI and RIA option.
In regards to OpenXML in short I'll just say that I think it's going to be the new PDF. Because besides everything else it's not only easy to generate documents but it's also easy to consume them. That invoice document doesn't only look great but it's also easy to get the data out of it. One day companies and government are going to require it. And then again maybe not
Another well known and related standard to OpenXML is XSL-FO for creating document, which lacks support.
I agree in that, I think, the whole point is to get you over to one side or the other. If you're using XAML you'll most likely be using Visual Studio to create and design the Markup. And you'll already be using some .NET technology and tools, and they would hope it will lead you to continue in that way. Kind of like a gateway drug
I think, it will get traction because every dime a dozen .NET developer is already familiar with XAML that will bring it to their web applications and would naturally prefer using it over other similar technologies like Flash. In a sense it gained traction before it was even released.
Last year I started experimenting with SVG (and SMIL animations), it's a W3C standard, Adobe was strongly backing it, FireFox and Mozilla have pretty complete implementation of the standard. It's a well known standard, cross browser, cross platform, several implementations, sounded great. And then one day, out of the blue, Adobe pulled out of SVG after they figured it would get in the way of people using their newly acquired MacroMedia Flash products.
Their ASV plugin (which is the richest, and most popular SVG implementation and the only way to get SVG on IE) support will be dropped in a few short month (they even went further saying some features are known not to work on Vista) and a year later the plugin will not be available for download and they would go after anyone distributing their plugin. Oh, but they did say we could go over to Flex for similar and even better functionality
So, I feel, standards isn't the only thing to consider. XAML is very powerful, cross browser, cross platform, I'm pretty confident it will hang around for a long time and have very strong support and a big community. And, hey, I wouldn't mind going into .NET someday. I think, WPF/E should certainly be considered as a UI and RIA option.
In regards to OpenXML in short I'll just say that I think it's going to be the new PDF. Because besides everything else it's not only easy to generate documents but it's also easy to consume them. That invoice document doesn't only look great but it's also easy to get the data out of it. One day companies and government are going to require it. And then again maybe not
Another well known and related standard to OpenXML is XSL-FO for creating document, which lacks support.
TomBascom
Curmudgeon
I'm in favor of defacto standards that are not controlled by a particular vendor.
Thus I do not particularly like PDF and never have. Adobe's motives have always seemed shady and their behavior with SVG and Flex does nothing to reassure me.
XAML is problematic for many of the same reasons but may, perhaps, turn out to be open enough in the end if enough outsiders support it independently sort of like how XMLHttpRequest has been moved from an IE only ActiveX to a cross browser core feature. I've got to admit that there is some appeal to the idea.
Thus I do not particularly like PDF and never have. Adobe's motives have always seemed shady and their behavior with SVG and Flex does nothing to reassure me.
XAML is problematic for many of the same reasons but may, perhaps, turn out to be open enough in the end if enough outsiders support it independently sort of like how XMLHttpRequest has been moved from an IE only ActiveX to a cross browser core feature. I've got to admit that there is some appeal to the idea.
We created a prototype of an Ajax application that renders screens from our Progress repository that you can see on www.netsetup.nl/ajax.
It is pure JavaScript (no toolkits used) and we simply added a Web Service interface to our Progress AppServer that we call directly from JavaScript using the XMLHTTPRequest object. So you don't even need WebSpeed and the Progress AppServer basically is not aware that this is an Ajax client and not a regular Progress client. Then we parse the resulting XML in JavaScript to render the screens and data.
You add a little CSS to make it look prettier but that is irrelevant to the architecture.
-peter
It is pure JavaScript (no toolkits used) and we simply added a Web Service interface to our Progress AppServer that we call directly from JavaScript using the XMLHTTPRequest object. So you don't even need WebSpeed and the Progress AppServer basically is not aware that this is an Ajax client and not a regular Progress client. Then we parse the resulting XML in JavaScript to render the screens and data.
You add a little CSS to make it look prettier but that is irrelevant to the architecture.
-peter
You dont really need anything Progress specific to use xmlhttprequest object. Many developers have been utilizing some of the great javascript libraries to implement Ajax request etc within their web applications. Some of these include prototype and the very cool jquery.
Seriously as a web developer or shall I say a Progress programmer learning web development I highly recommend checking out jquery. For example, if you want to implement client side javascript to handle an Ajax request in your webspeed applications during a POST or GET its so very simple to do
Jquery URL:
http://jquery.com/
and the specific tutorial using ajax with jquery.
http://www.malsup.com/jquery/form/#getting-started
Get into the tech thats out there beyond Progress. The jquery info is "extremely well documented" with clear full informative descriptions and examples.
Seriously as a web developer or shall I say a Progress programmer learning web development I highly recommend checking out jquery. For example, if you want to implement client side javascript to handle an Ajax request in your webspeed applications during a POST or GET its so very simple to do
Jquery URL:
http://jquery.com/
and the specific tutorial using ajax with jquery.
http://www.malsup.com/jquery/form/#getting-started
Get into the tech thats out there beyond Progress. The jquery info is "extremely well documented" with clear full informative descriptions and examples.
Hello Peter,
DWP has been raised in quite a few occasions here in the forum.
I'm a consultant, is there any way I and others can tryout and get to know DWP ?
There were a number of occasions where I could have used DWP with major clients but one of my main considerations for going with or recommending a product is that I am familiar and comfortable with.
Similar threads
- Locked
- Steve Biondi
- Progress Blog
- Locked
- Locked
- Frank Sandbeans
- Stackoverflow tagged OpenEdge or Progress-4GL/DB
- Locked
- Doug Dunn
- Progress Blog