Paul Horan

Every development shop that is currently managing its PowerBuilder source code with a third-party SCC tool and has not yet migrated to PB8 will need to understand the upcoming changes in methodology before attempting a migration. Even PBNative users will be affected, as that interface has been redesigned to use the SCC interface as well. In my previous article, "Understanding the SCC Interface in PowerBuilder 8" (PBDJ, Vol. 8, issue 11), I outlined the sweeping rewrite of the source code control (SCC) interface introduced in PowerBuilder 8.0. This article walks through some simple source code management use cases, and shows how to set up and configure PB8 for effective source code control using both PBNative and a third-party SCC tool. Getting Started with SCC The first step in preparing for source code management with an SCC tool is to step back and reevaluate the ... (more)

Source Code Control

Every software development project of any significant size or complexity has a requirement for controlling the source code asset. PowerBuilder is capable of integrating with any third-party Source Code Control (SCC) tool that implements Microsoft's SCC API. However, the fact that PowerBuilder stores its code inside PowerBuilder Libraries (PBLs) and not as individual ASCII text files adds a layer of complexity to that integration. The release of PowerBuilder 8.0 in 2001 brought with it a new set of challenges in the form of a completely redesigned interface with SCC providers, inc... (more)

SCC Issues and Enhancements with PowerBuilder 10.0

As we all know by now, the interface between PowerBuilder and the myriad of Source Code Control (SCC) providers was completely rewritten with the release of PB 8.0. Over the past three years, PowerBuilder's SCC interface has been in a nearly constant state of evolution, and several key enhancements were released with PB9.0 and 9.0.1. These included: The OrcaScript batch command language processor was released; it allows the development of unattended refresh and build scripts. The Refresh Status thread in the IDE was moved to an asynchronous thread, allowing it to run in the bac... (more)

Is the iPhone 3Gs ready for the Enterprise?

By now, everyone on the planet knows what an iPhone is, and either has one or wants one…  The only real weakness of the iPhone centers around its capabilities as an Enterprise business device.  Here’s a great review of the iPhone 3Gs as an “Enterprise” device by Jason Hiner, of TechRepublic.  Jason is a great writer, and I follow his blog religiously.  This article is a thorough evaluation of the plusses and minuses of the iPhone, and Jason’s “bottom line” is this: It’s a great device, but: Hard to do a lot of typing on because of its on-screen keyboard; AT&T is the sole carrie... (more)

StarTeam 5.1 by Starbase

Source code control (SCC) has become a "hot topic" lately, especially after PowerBuilder 8.0 was released, as it contains a wholesale revision to its interface with third-party SCC tools. PB8 now leverages the full functionality of Microsoft's SCC API, and is much more tightly integrated with the SCC repository. There are now over a dozen commercially available SCC tools that implement the SCC API, and choosing the appropriate tool for your organization is not a trivial task. The scope, features, and functions of these tools range from the "bare bones" approach of the open-sourc... (more)