Major upgrade offers many new features including Windows compiler, database engine, and database connectivity
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Apr. 12th, 1999 – REAL Software, Inc. today announced that REALbasic 2.0 for Mac OS is shipping. This new version comes in two editions: Standard and Professional. The Professional edition contains all the features of the Standard edition but also includes the ability to create Windows executable applications, a single-user, relational database engine, and database connectivity. Users who purchased REALbasic version 1 on or after March 5th, 1999 will receive a free update to REALbasic Standard Edition version 2. A fully functional trial version of REALbasic version 2 is available from REAL Software’s web site.
REALbasic 2.0 Standard Edition adds the following new features:
- New Interface Controls. Version 2 adds eight new Appearance Manager savvy controls, including Bevel Button, Disclosure Triangle, Little Arrows, Chasing Arrows, Separator, ImageWell, PopupArrow, and Placard.The Listbox control has been improved to support different fonts, font sizes and facings. It also supports column headers that sort the data when clicked as well as checkbox and in-line editable columns.
- Interface Binding. Add functionality to your interface without any programming! For example, an editfield can be bound to a column of a listbox so that the editfield will automatically display the data from the selected row of the listbox. Users can even add their own custom binding actions.
- Improved Multimedia Support. New commands add access to QuickTime tracks, samples, keyframes, effects, even compression. Using these commands you can edit, analyze and create QuickTime movies programmatically. The new RGBSurface class gives you faster access to pictures and the Color class now provides CMYK values. And REALbasic now supports all of the QuickTime image formats. Version 2 also provides a new, faster and more robust sprite animation engine.
- Improved Internet Support. You can start, monitor and stop dial-up Internet connections using new PPP (point-to-point protocol) methods.
- Language and Platform Localization Support. Using the new constants system, you can easily build applications that display different text for different operating systems without writing any code. For example, the Quit menu item can display “Quit” on the Macintosh but “Exit” when the application is built for Windows. Using this same system, you can enter interface text for most written languages and then build a fully localized version of the application simply by choosing a language when building a stand alone version of the application.
- Improved AppleEvent Support. The new AppleEvent Recorder makes writing code to send and receive AppleEvents even easier. Simply click the Record button, perform the actions manually then use the AppleEvents that were recorded. And your apps can now send AppleEvents to themselves allowing you to create applications that are AppleScript recordable.
- More Object-Oriented Power. C++ and Java programmers won’t have to leave behind Constructors, Destructors, or Virtual Methods in REALbasic v2. It even supports its own form of multiple inheritance.
- Speed Optimization. Version 2 code runs even faster than version 1. New commands have been added that allow you to shut off some of REALbasic’s built-in background tasks making your code run as fast as possible. The performance of string comparison routines has also been dramatically improved.
- Improved On-Line Language Reference. REALbasic commands can now be displayed in alphabetical order or by category (theme) that match those in the printed Language Reference. Themes make it easier to find information when you don’t know what commands to use.
- Double-Byte Character Support. REALbasic editors are double-byte language savvy, allowing direct input and encoding of Japanese, Chinese and Korean. Applications built with REALbasic automatically support this as well, reducing the time to market in places such as Japan, the second single language software market in the world.
More languages supported. REALbasic version 2 will ship in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish (though not all at the same time).
The REALbasic 2.0 Professional edition also includes these new features:
- Windows 95/98/NT Cross Compiler. With one click of the mouse REALbasic creates stand-alone, double-clickable application that run under Windows 95/98/NT. No additional programming required.
- Single-User Relational Database Engine. Many applications require some kind of database. REALbasic’s built-in, relational database engine makes adding database functionality easy. There is no limit to the number of tables, columns or rows and all the standard column types are supported.
- Database Connectivity. REALbasic can connect to 4D Server, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, OpenBase, dtf, PostgreSQL and any ODBC-compatible database engine.
- Database-Independent Programming. REALbasic’s database controls, database commands and SQL implementation work with all of the supported databases. This lets you build database applications that can be easily switched from one database engine to another without changing any programming. The applications you create can also easily support multiple databases simultaneously.
REALbasic is the easy-to-use integrated development environment (IDE) that enables users at all levels to create powerful stand-alone, native 68k, PowerPC and Windows applications quickly and easily, without having to learn a complex programming language such as C++ or the details of the Macintosh or Windows Toolbox. REALbasic lets you create the entire user interface for your applications in minutes without any programming. Its programming language is an object-oriented version of the BASIC programming language and is highly compatible with Microsoft’s Visual Basic.
REALbasic is available for download now from REAL Software’s web site at www.realsoftware.com. REALbasic can be purchased directly from REAL Software for $99.95 (for the Standard Edition) and $299.95 (for the Professional Edition).
REALbasic requires a Macintosh, Power Macintosh, or compatible computer with a 68020 processor or higher; 2.5 MB RAM; System 7.1 or later; and 80 MB of free hard disk space for full installation of the software, documentation, and examples. REALbasic ships in CD-ROM format, requiring a CD-ROM drive and can also be downloaded from REAL Software’s web site. REAL Software offers disk fulfillment for an additional charge.