Hi All

One of the projects I'm working on is migrating a 3.1d Application to 18.2 DrillDown (Mobile).
Reasons for DrillDown over Desktop or Windows I see as:
  • Users are familiar with the program-driven flow (Windows and DesktopWeb are user-driven)
  • Users are familiar with the constraints of available space (they never got spoiled with the windows MDI screens)
  • The DrillDown model is the latest and pushed more than Desktop by DataAccess
  • It won't be long until each computer and laptop has a touch screen


The consequence of using the Drill down model is that it is focused on 'keeping the keyboard from sliding up'. I agree that this is a very important consideration for SmartPhone apps, but believe that the future of business applications is not just the smartphone, instead touch+keyboard devices.

I believe a DrillDown app should work perfect on a iPad with Bluetooth keyboard, a Microsoft surface book, or any other computer with a hardware keyboard and screen (touch or not).

So with the hardware keyboard in mind, some things in the framework are to be tweaked by the developer, such as the ReadOnly flag when moving from select to zoom (but great for setting user rights). But the biggest hurdle I found is that the Grid class does not work properly.

The reason given for the cWebGrid class not working in Drill down is that we should not want this and it is not supported. Although I can fully agree that the alternative of a 'add button' to a new Zoom is a better approach for a SmartPhone, I fail to see how this suggestion is useful for a hardware keyboard user.

DataFlex developers in the 80's went to great lengths to support grid-like multi row entry screens. We simply could not get away with a sub screen for entering rows.

In my opinion it should be reconsidered to supporting the cWebGrid in the DrillDown model, with the future business user in mind with a Hardware keyboard and a touch screen.

I would appreciate any feedback to either support or counter my opinion.

kind regards
Marco