Generating 4GL for dynamic objects as static objects
With the 4GL Generator mechanism, you can generate static equivalents of all classes of dynamic objects, except for SmartBusinessObjects and Dynamics Web objects. The 4GL for generated-4GL static objects and their run-time handling is specially optimized for performance. These static objects function exactly like their dynamic equivalents, except all rendering and behavioral properties defined in the Repository for the dynamic equivalents are specified directly in the 4GL for the static objects. Because it is optimized for performance, a generated-4GL object procedure looks and works quite differently from a static object that you create using the AppBuilder.
Unlike other static and dynamic objects, Dynamics does not (and you must not) register these generated-4GL static objects in the Repository. They implicitly share their registration status directly with the original dynamic objects (logical objects) from which they are generated. Dynamics handles the security and some execution features for these generated static objects based on the existing registration of the corresponding logical objects. Thus, generated-4GL static objects are true deployment equivalents of their dynamic originals, and you deploy them together wherever you use them.
Dynamics offers several options for generating the 4GL for these static objects and imposes some constraints on the construction and use of these static objects in relation to their original dynamic equivalents. The following procedure describes what these options and constraints are and how to handle them.
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To generate 4GL for a static equivalent of a dynamic object: |
- In the Administration tool main window, choose the Deployment menu, as shown:
- Choose 4GL Generator in the Deployment menu, displaying the 4GL Generator window, as shown:
- Select the Selection tab to specify the selection of dynamic objects that you want to generate as static objects:
- Set the Filter settings to identify the list of objects you want to generate. You can filter this list by a combination of criteria. Note that the Object name field must have a value that can include instances of the general wild-card character (
*) anywhere in the value. For example: - After you have specified filter criteria, choose Apply to display the corresponding list of objects in the browser.
- Individually or as a group, select the objects from this list for which you actually want to generate static 4GL. You can start by selecting all (Select All) or none (Deselect All) of the items of the list.
- Select the Options tab to specify generation options that apply to all of the object selections you want to generate, as shown:
- Constructor — Invoked as part of the object startup.
- Property — Set as a property and invoked by the ADM code.
- Select the Paths tab to specify various file and path names for the generated objects, as shown:
- To generate 4GL for the static objects using the specified information, choose the Go
button.
You can also separately include viewers that are link targets of DataField objects and object instances contained in container objects.
Use Generate options to specify if the generated object uses Dynamics security, thin rendering, and how super procedures are generated and invoked for the selected objects. For more information on thin rendering, see the sections on thin SmartObject rendering in Appendix E "Performance Notes." The choices for handling custom super procedures include:
DataLogic procedures for SmartDataObjects are handled in the same way as super procedures.
Use the Customizations selections to specify the result codes (if any) and the order to apply them for generating the selected objects. The selected result codes form part of the filename for each generated object. The result codes in the filename help Dynamics decide what files to execute for the object. For more information, see the "Generated-4GL object execution and file naming" section.
Use the Translations selections to specify what language translations (if any) to include in the generated objects. Like all other Repository definitions, the generator includes all selected translations in the generated code for access at run time.
You can choose View log file to view the contents of the specified log file in a Notepad window. Note that the generator does not check for existing static objects in the specified target location with the same filenames as currently selected objects and replaces any that it finds with the newly generated files for these objects.
Check the Compile toggle box to compile the 4GL and store the r-code for the generated object in the specified location.
Note: While the location you choose to store any r-code you generate might be temporary, Dynamics specifies a location where you must deploy the r-code for generated-4GL static objects on the client. For more information, see the "Deploying generated-4GL static objects" section.