•  Preface
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Organization
  •  Using this manual
    • References to ABL compiler and run-time features
    • References to ABL data types
  •  Examples of syntax descriptions
    • Long syntax descriptions split across lines
    • Complex syntax descriptions with both required and optional elements
  •  Example procedures
    • Compiling and running the sample classes and procedures
  •  OpenEdge messages
    • Obtaining more information about OpenEdge messages
•  Overview
  •  General capabilities and limitations
    • Capabilities
    • Limitations
  •  Object model and architecture
    •  Incorporation of the .NET object model
      • .NET objects on the session object chain
      • Compile-time access to .NET objects
    • GUI for .NET run-time architecture
    • Performance note
  • Simple example
•  Accessing and Managing .NET Classes from ABL
  •  Supported features and limitations
    • Support for .NET classes
    • Limitations of support for .NET classes
  •  Referencing and instantiating .NET classes
    • How .NET organizes types for reference
    • Identifying .NET assemblies to ABL
    •  Referencing .NET class and interface types
      • Referencing inner classes and interfaces
      • Referencing arrays of objects
      • Referencing .NET generic types
    • Using case sensitivity with .NET objects
    • Using unqualified .NET type names
    •  Instantiating and managing .NET class instances
      • Instantiating and obtaining instances of .NET classes
      • Casting .NET class and interface types
      • .NET class instances and garbage collection
  •  Accessing .NET class members
    • Accessing members of .NET interfaces
    • Accessing static members of a .NET class
    • Specifying .NET constructor and method parameters
    •  Accessing .NET indexed properties and collections
      • Accessing .NET indexed properties dynamically
      • Default indexed properties
      • Indexed property overloading
      • Indexed properties in chained references
      • Working with collections
  •  Handling .NET events
    • Managing .NET events in ABL
    • Identifying the events published by a .NET object
    •  Defining handlers for .NET events in ABL
      • Identifying the signature for an event handler on a third-party .NET object
      • Identifying the signature for an event handler on an OpenEdge .NET object
    • Specifying handler subscriptions for .NET events
    • Managing .NET events from ABL-extended .NET classes
    • Event handling example
  •  Handling .NET exceptions
    • Using the ABL error trapping constructs
    • Using properties and methods on .NET Exception objects
    •  Unique scenarios when handling errors with .NET objects
      • Raising errors from ABL handlers for .NET events
      • Handling .NET exceptions raised during display of a .NET form
      • Raising errors from overridden .NET methods or implemented .NET interface members
  •  Defining ABL-extended .NET objects
    • Features of ABL-derived .NET classes
    •  Deriving .NET classes in ABL
      • Accessing inherited members of a .NET base class
      • Defining new ABL members in a class that inherits from a .NET class
      • Overriding .NET methods
      • Overriding .NET abstract properties
      • Overriding .NET abstract events
      • Getting type information (reflection)
    •  Managing events for ABL-derived .NET classes
      • Publishing inherited .NET events
      • Publishing inherited .NET abstract events
      • Handling events on controls contained by ABL-derived .NET classes
    • Features of ABL classes that implement .NET interfaces
    • Implementing .NET interfaces in ABL
    • Error handling for ABL-extended .NET classes
•  Creating and Using Forms and Controls
  •  OpenEdge .NET form and control objects
    •  Commonly-used .NET public form methods, properties, and events
      • Common .NET public form methods
      • Common .NET public form properties
      • Common .NET public form events
    •  Commonly-used .NET public control methods, properties, and events
      • Common .NET public control methods
      • Common .NET public control properties
      • Common .NET public control events
  •  ABL support for managing .NET forms and controls
    •  Initializing and blocking on .NET forms
      • Preparing to block on .NET forms
      • Blocking on and processing events for .NET forms
    • Blocking on non-modal forms
    • Blocking on modal dialog boxes
    • Accessing .NET forms using the SESSION system handle
    • Accessing resource files for .NET forms
  •  Creating custom .NET forms and controls
    • Sample ABL-derived .NET non-modal form
    • Sample ABL-derived .NET modal dialog box
    • Sample ABL-derived .NET MDI form
    • Sample ABL-derived .NET user control
•  Binding ABL Data to .NET Controls
  •  ABL and .NET data binding models
    • ABL data binding
    • .NET data binding
  •  ABL data binding model for .NET
    • Extent of integration with .NET controls
    • Supported .NET controls
    • Supported ABL data sources
  •  Understanding the ProBindingSource
    •  Constructors
      • Field lists
      • Binding to queries
      • Binding to buffers
      • Binding to ProDataSets
      • Special case: unbound class instance
    •  Properties
      • AutoUpdate and rapid prototyping
    • Methods
    • Events
    •  Data binding examples
      • Query binding example
      • Buffer binding example
      • ProDataSet binding example
    •  Programming considerations
      • 1-based or 0-based indexes
      • Row transactions
      • Using the Dispose( ) method
      • Support for Visual Designer
      • Binding .NET controls to BLOB fields
      • Binding .NET controls to CLOB fields
      • Working with the NoLOBs property
      • Using the .NET DataMember property
  •  Managing data updates
    • Enabling and disabling updates
    •  Sorting
      • Using the UltraGrid's BeforeSortChange and AfterSortChange events
      • Sorting child tables for a recursive data-relation
      • Using the SortRequest event
    • Maintaining currency with the Position property
    •  Synchronizing data
      • Reopening queries
      • Manipulating result list entries
      • Using the Refresh methods
    •  Handling user interface events
      • Checking for updates
      • Writing screen values to the data source object
      • Finding the proper child query in a ProDataSet
      • Using the CreateRow event
      • Using the CancelCreateRow event
      • Using the OffEnd event
      • Using the PositionChanged event
  •  Example of an updatable grid
    • Definitions
    • Main block
    • Internal procedures and functions
•  Using .NET Forms with ABL Windows
  • Features for using forms and windows together
  •  ABL session architecture for forms and windows
    • Shadow windows
    • FormProxy objects
    • Embedded windows
  • Parenting forms and windows to each other
  •  Embedding ABL windows in .NET forms
    • Elements of an embedded ABL window
    • Using the ABL features to embed a window
    • Embedding a single window in an MDI child form
    • Embedding one or more windows in a .NET form
    • Behavior of forms with embedded windows
  •  Handling form and window input
    • Common event handling for forms and windows
    • Common focus detection for forms and windows
  • Managing form and window run-time behavior
  •  Configuring common session features
    • Palette management
    • Font management
    • Regional settings: localization
•  OpenEdge Installed .NET Controls
  • OpenEdge Controls
  • Microsoft .NET UI Controls
  • OpenEdge Ultra Controls for .NET
•  Using .NET data types in ABL
  •  Overview of .NET data types in ABL
    • Value types in ABL
    • Reference types in ABL
  •  General ABL support for .NET types
    • Support for .NET mapped object and primitive data types
    • Support for .NET object types
    • Support for .NET value types as objects
  •  Implicit data type mappings
    • Implicit array mappings
    • An ABL INTEGER larger than its .NET destination
    • Negative ABL values and unsigned .NET destinations
    • ABL DECIMAL and .NET System.Decimal
    • Default matching ABL and .NET data types
    • An ABL INT64 larger than its .NET System.UInt32 destination
    • An ABL DECIMAL larger than its .NET System.UInt64 destination
    • ABL DECIMAL and .NET System.Double or System.Single
  • Explicit data type mappings
  • Assigning between ABL primitive or array types and System.Object
  •  Passing ABL data types to .NET constructor and method parameters
    • Indicating explicit .NET data types
    • Data type widening
  • Getting .NET data member, property, and method return values
  •  .NET boxing support
    • Automatic boxing
    • Manual boxing
  • .NET null values and the ABL Unknown value (?)
  • Support for ADO.NET DataSets and DataTables
  •  Accessing and using .NET enumeration types
    • Enumerations in .NET
    • .NET enumerations in ABL
    • Using the Progress.Util.EnumHelper class
  •  Working with .NET generic types
    • Identifying generic type parameters
    • Identifying constraints on generic type parameters
  •  Accessing and using .NET arrays
    • Accessing .NET arrays
    • Array mapping: conversion between ABL arrays and .NET arrays
    • Array assignment
    • Example: Mapping an ABL array to a .NET array
    • Example: Accessing a .NET array
•  Notes on using the ProBindingSource
  • Determining what to bind to the ProBindingSource
  • Repopulating data in an ABL data source bound to a ProBindingSource
  • Using the ProBindingSource AddNew( ) and Remove( ) methods