VPE Library/Packages issues.

[colw]

Hi all,

I am in the process of test migrating an application from 19.0 to 20.1 and having problems with reports that use VPE to write pdf's.

It seems like it might be Dataflex code that is not compatible with 64bit/unicode, because it runs fine when selecting to compile as 32bit using the 32 bit vpe.dll but not as 64 bit.

Before I start chasing all these rabbits down rabbit holes I am wondering of anyone else is using this yet with the latest Dataflex and is happy to share any experiences/advice?

Thanks,
Col.

[Mark Powers]

Following! On my list of todo's.
Mark

[Dennis Piccioni]

Hi Col,

take a look at this thread (https://support.dataaccess.com/Forums/showthread.php?65592-Virtual-Print-Engine-(VPE)-and-Unicode).

[colw]

Thanks Dennis. I will do some more reading.

Oddly I firstly did a few searches for 'VPE' across the entire site and got zero results!?!

[Marco]

I got two large projects with vpe.
One is 32 bit and I wrote a converter from dataflex character mode ___ reports. Been running perfect for 4 years now on 19

Other is a 20.1 project 64bit. One that works perfect too, using Arnold’s winprint to vpe. Did need some changes, but saved a LOT of work by not neding to change 500+ reports from winprint classes.

It’s a very good engine and our preferred way for coded reports.

[Dennis Piccioni]

It's too short a word, vBulletin has a 4 character limit. I'll try to add it as an exception. I found it via Google search (https://support.dataaccess.com/Forums/showthread.php?40338-Forum-Search-FAQ).

[colw]

Marco,

Thanks for responding.

"Arnold's winprint to vpe".... I am not sure what that is!?!.

I have been using a beta 3 version of Dataflex VPE library for some years.. is it the same?

I had to do some mods initially to get it to work but it is good now with 19.0 and also works with 20.1 in 32bit mode but not 64bit.

I have just finished reading a section in the help titled "64-bit in Dataflex" which explains A LOT... and is required reading for anyone moving to 64bit!!!

Looks like I will need to get my hands dirty with this one!!
Col.

[Marco]

Hi Col

Yeah I think that is the one.
Changes to 64 bit were limited to two packages as I remember. Some pointer/address changes.
Did not use the Unicode versions or the calls much, just convert from Unicode to ansi.
Oh and some of the previously signed integers were set to negative, that now can and should be unsigned integers.

[colw]

Thanks Marco, I will debug what I have got then.

However, in fixing these packages I have noticed that "Global_Variable Handles" do not always get initialized to 0 in 64 bit mode. Is anyone else able to duplicate this?

//These are results compiled as 32 bit
1= 0
2= 0
3= 0
4= 0
5= 0

//These are results compiled as 64 bit
1= 0
2= 0
3= 6359736094333875520
4= 6359736094333875520
5= 6359736094333875520


//The above results come from the code below. As a test the code below is a new Windows Project straight from the Wizard with the following code insert in 5 different places
Global_Variable Handle ghtest?
Showln "?= " ghtest?


//Full Code follows

Use DFAllEnt.pkg
Use cCJStandardCommandBarSystem.pkg


//Global Handle test********************************************** *******************************
Global_Variable Handle ghtest1
Showln "1= " ghtest1


Object oHtmlHelp is a cHtmlHelp
End_Object


Object oApplication is a cApplication
Set peHelpType to htHtmlHelp


Object oConnection is a cConnection
Use LoginEncryption.pkg
Use DatabaseLoginDialog.dg
End_Object


End_Object


Object oToolTipController is a cToolTipController
Move Self to ghoToolTipController
End_Object


Use oEditContextMenu.pkg
Use oDEOEditContextMenu17.pkg


Object oMain is a Panel
Set Label To "My Project"
Set Location to 4 3
Set Size to 300 450


//Global Handle test********************************************** *******************************
Global_Variable Handle ghtest2
Showln "2= " ghtest2


Object oCommandBarSystem is a cCJCommandBarSystem
Set pbTimerUpdate to True
Set peVisualTheme to xtpThemeOffice2013Outlook
Set pbAutoResizeIcons to True


Procedure OnCreateCommandBars
Handle hoOptions
Get OptionsObject to hoOptions
Forward Send OnCreateCommandBars
End_Procedure


Object oMenuBar is a cCJMenuBar


Object oFileMenu is a cCJMenuItem
Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set psCaption to "&File"
Set psDescription to "Find, Save, Delete, Clear information or quit this application."
Set psCategory to "Menus"


Object oClearMenuItem is a cCJClearMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
End_Object


Object oClearAllMenu is a cCJClearAllMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
End_Object


Object oPromptMenuItem is a cCJPromptMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


Object oFindMenuItem is a cCJFindMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


Object oFindNextMenu is a cCJFindNextMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
End_Object


Object oFindPreviousMenu is a cCJFindPreviousMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
End_Object


Object oFindFirstMenu is a cCJFindFirstMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
End_Object


Object oFindLastMenu is a cCJFindLastMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
End_Object


Object oSaveMenuItem is a cCJSaveMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


Object oDeleteMenuItem is a cCJDeleteMenuItem
Set pbAddToDesignerMenu to True
End_Object


Object oExitMenu is a cCJExitMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


End_Object


Object oViewMenu is a cCJMenuItem
Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set psCaption to "&View"
Set psToolTip to "View"
Set psDescription to "Available Views"
End_Object

Object oReportMenu is a cCJMenuItem
Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set psCaption to "&Report"
Set psToolTip to "Report"
Set psDescription to "Available Reports"
End_Object


Object oNavigateMenu is a cCJMenuItem
Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set psCaption to "&Navigate"
Set psTooltip to "Navigate"
Set psDescription to "Move to different areas of the application"


Object oNextAreaMenu is a cCJNextAreaMenu
End_Object


Object oPriorAreaMenu is a cCJPriorAreaMenu
End_Object


Object oNextViewMenu is a cCJNextViewMenu
End_Object


Object oPriorViewMenu is a cCJPriorViewMenu
End_Object


Object oPromptMenu is a cCJPromptMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


Object oZoomMenu is a cCJZoomMenuItem
End_Object


End_Object


Object oWindowMenu is a cCJMDIWindowsMenuItem
Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set psCaption to "&Window"
Set psToolTip to "Window"
Set psDescription to "Display Current Views and set other display options."


// These are the static windows items. More will be created in onInitPopup
Object oDisplayOptionsMenu is a cCJMenuItem
Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set psCaption to "&Display Options"
Set psToolTip to "Display Options"
Set psDescription to "Set display options"


Object oStatusbarMenu is a cCJStatusbarMenuItem
End_Object


Object oAutoArrangeIconsMenu is a cCJAutoArrangeIconsMenuItem
End_Object


Object oRestoreMenusMenu is a cCJRestoreMenusMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


End_Object


Object oCascadeMenu is a cCJCascadeMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


Object oHorizTile is a cCJTileHorizontally
End_Object


Object oVertTile is a cCJTileVertically
End_Object


Object oMinimizeMenuItem is a cCJMinimizeWindowsMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


Object oRestoreMenuItem is a cCJRestoreWindowsMenuItem
End_Object


Object oArrangeIconsMenuItem is a cCJAutoArrangeIconsMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


End_Object


Object oHelpMenu is a cCJMenuItem
Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set psCaption to "&Help"
Set psDescription to "Access Information for learning and using this DataFlex application."
Set psToolTip to "Help"


Object oHelpMenuItem is a cCJHelpMenuItem
End_Object


Object oAboutMenuItem is a cCJAboutMenuItem
End_Object


End_Object


End_Object


Object oFindToolBar is a cCJToolbar
Set psTitle to "Finding Toolbar"


Object oFindFirstTool is a cCJFindFirstMenuItem
End_Object


Object oFindPreviousTool is a cCJFindPreviousMenuItem
End_Object


Object oFindMenuTool is a cCJFindMenuItem
End_Object


Object oFindNextTool is a cCJFindNextMenuItem
End_Object


Object oFindLastTool is a cCJFindLastMenuItem
End_Object


Object oPromptToolItem is a cCJPromptMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


End_Object


Object oFileToolBar is a cCJToolbar
Set psTitle to "Data Entry Toolbar"


Object oClearToolItem is a cCJClearMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
End_Object


Object oClearAllToolItem2 is a cCJClearAllMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
End_Object


Object oSaveToolItem is a cCJSaveMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


Object oDeleteToolItem is a cCJDeleteMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
End_Object


End_Object


Object oEditToolBar is a cCJToolbar
Set psTitle to "Edit Toolbar"


Object oCutToolbarItem is a cCJCutMenuItem
End_Object


Object oCopyToolbarItem is a cCJCopyMenuItem
End_Object


Object oPasteToolbarItem is a cCJPasteMenuItem
End_Object


Object oDeleteEditToolbarItem is a cCJDeleteEditMenuItem
Set pbControlBeginGroup to True
End_Object


End_Object


Object oRememberToolbar is a cCJToolbar
Set psTitle to C_$Remember


Object oRememberItems is a cCJMenuItem


Set peControlType to xtpControlPopup
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonCaption
Set psCaption to C_$Remember

Object oMenuItem is a cCJRememberFieldMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
End_Object

Object oMenuItem is a cCJRememberLastFieldMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
End_Object

Object oMenuItem is a cCJUnRememberFieldMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
End_Object

Object oMenuItem is a cCJUnRememberFieldAllMenuItem
Set peControlStyle to xtpButtonIconAndCaption
End_Object


End_Object

End_Object

Object oStatusBar is a cCJStatusBar


Object oStatusPane1 is a cCJStatusBarPane
Set piID to sbpIDIdlePane
Set pbStyleStretch to True
End_Object


Object oStatusPane2 is a cCJStatusBarPane
Set phoViewPane to Self
Set pbStyleStretch to True
End_Object


End_Object


End_Object


Object oClientArea is a ClientArea
Use StdAbout.pkg


//Global Handle test********************************************** ***************************
Global_Variable Handle ghtest3
Showln "3= " ghtest3


Procedure Activate_About
Send DoAbout "" "" "" "" ""
End_Procedure


End_Object


//Global Handle test********************************************** *******************************
Global_Variable Handle ghtest4
Showln "4= " ghtest4


End_Object

//Global Handle test********************************************** *******************************
Global_Variable Handle ghtest5
Showln "5= " ghtest5

Start_UI

[Chris_V]

Hi Marco,

I'm interested in using VPE to convert a project with character mode print screens and winprint. Any chance you can share Arnold's winprint to vpe classes for 64 bit?

Cheers,

Chris

[Edgard]

Hi Chris,

If you don't intend to use the graphic resources, I recommend using Winprint 2.


Of course, you would want a DFPrint64.DLL (legacy) and certainly you, who are thinking about VPE.


As this is out of the question and my client was not interested in migrating to DR, I chose to preserve the legacy in DF20.1 32 bits and converting from Winprint 1 (with graphics) -> Winprint 2 (without graphics - 64 bits).

Regards,

Edgard Luis Paneque

[Chris_V]

Hi Edgard,

I'm going to try Arnold's VPE to Winprint2 package in 64bit.

[starzen]

Not sure which VPE packages you are referring too.

Our VPE classes work for 32bit as well as 64bit

Mike

[colw]

Hi all,

Well this package now seems to be working ok in 64 bit DF. I mostly used the struc padding tool which worked well.

The main problem seemed to be the declaration of Global_Variables of type Handle which do not always get initiated to 0. Once I moved 0 to these straight after declaration it all seemed to work.

I notice no-one commented on that above so I will post it again as a separate item as it does seem like a bug to me

Happy to email more detail if anyone else is interested in using this. Just let me know.

BTW. The testing was done using Postgresql which has also worked very well via 64bit odbc , so now feeling quite confident upgrading this application to 64 bit.

All the best,
Col.