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Compatibility


Development Environment Compatibility

Most of your basic compatibility questions can be answered here. The compatibility sections are designed to help users determine if the Bennet-Tec control they have purchased or thinking of purchasing has compatibility with the development environment they are working in. If you are unable to get your question answered here, you can submit your compatibility question from this web site. Click Here to submit your question.

Bennet-Tec Components are designed for the maximum in flexibility. While the majority of Bennet-Tec Developers work in Visual Basic and Visual C++ we try to provide support for the widest possible range of programming environments.

For additional details please select the desired link below:


Supported Operating Systems

All of Bennet-Tec's most recent edition components are supported under the following operating systems: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 2003 Server, Vista, and Windows 2008 Server. Windows 7, 8 , 2010 support has also been released for current editions of MetaDraw and TList, and is expected shortly for our Web Signature component .

    Note that TList and MetaDraw can be used on both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows, but applications using these components must be 32 bit applications ( which can then run on 64 bit systems )

In addition our Web Signature component will run on Windows Mobile / Pocket PC


.NET Winforms Components

We currently offer native .NET Winforms editions of both TList and MetaDraw. These have been designed for and tested under Visual Studio .NET - including VB.Net, VC++.Net, and C#.Net.

At this time, we have MetaDraw and TList editions for Visual Studio .NET 1018 as well as older editions.


OCX / ActiveX Components

Bennet-Tec remains committed to continuing support for OCX ( ActiveX ) technology. Our OCX Controls are 32 bit components supported under a very wide range of programming environments.

We have specifically tested our controls within the following environments:

** Certain restrictions apply - please select the appropriate link above for further information

In addition customers have reported successful use of our components within the following additional programming environments

  • APL <= TList , MetaDraw ( see a user's APL Demonstration of MetaDraw
    or Archived page
    )
  • CA CoolGen environment <= TList
  • CA XBase <= TList and ALLText
  • CTD 2000 / Centura Team Developer 2000 <= MetaDraw
  • Clarion <= TList , MetaDraw
    SPECIALS FOR CLARION DEVELOPERS **
    - - TList bundled with a Clarion Wrapper from Klarisoft.
    As per Klarisoft " Class wrapper is ABC/Legacy compatible and works with Clarion 5, 5.5, 6 and 6.1/6.2/6.3. "
    - - MetaDraw bundled with a Clarion Wrapper from Klarisoft.
    "Clarion Class wrapper is ABC/Legacy compatible and works with Clarion 5.5, 6.3 and 7. "
  • Gupta /SqlWindows <= MetaDraw
  • dBase <= TList
  • Java <= TList
  • MacroMedia Director <= ALLText
  • Power Builder <= MetaDraw, TList and Powerbuilder
  • Progress <= TList
  • RGB <= TList
  • ToolBook <= TList & ALLText

Other environments which support the use of ActiveX components should also be compatible with Bennet-Tec components.


Microsoft Access

  • Access Forms & Reports
    • FORMS - All Bennet-Tec ActiveX Components may be used within an Access FORM
    • REPORTS - Neither MetaDraw nor ALLText may be placed on an Access REPORT
      Both components do do however have their own built in Printer support mechanisms so it is easy to print content directly from an Access Form.

  • VB style drag / drop does not work within Access. You can only use OLE style drag drop. Users requiring Drag/Drop support should make sure to use TList version 7 or 8, or MetaDraw version 3. Older versions support only VB style Drag/Drop

  • Access VBA may use slightly different declarations for subroutines than those used by VB as documented in our manual and helpfile For this reason, programmers should not try to manually code the "sub" statements, such as Sub TList_Click()
    Instead allow Access to create the Sub statement for the start of a subroutine automatically by selecting the subroutine from the pull down combobox at the top right of the code window in Access

  • Access reports itself in development mode when opened by user opening an .MDB , .ADP, or .ACCDB file. Any user opening an .MDB, .ADP or .ACCDB file will require his / her own distinct license. To avoid end-user license requirements you must distribute your database as an .MDE, .ADE or .MCCDE file - in this case you do NOT need a license for your end users.
  • TList's Save method does not work in MS Access VBA. Instead use SaveData method.

  • RESOLVING PROPERTY NAME CONFLICTS - Access may sometimes have problems recognizing a certain property of an ActiveX control.
    The solution is to use the special "Object" keyword.

    Instead of
          Control.Property
    or   Control.Method
    Write
          Control.Object.PropertyName
          Control.Object.Method

    Example:
    use
          TList.Object.AddItem "Some String"
    instead of
          TList.AddItem "Some String"


Microsoft FoxPro

TList, ALLText and MetaDraw have been specifically designed for support under Microsoft FoxPro.

  • AUTOYEILD There is a special switch in FoxPro which can affect the processing of events by ActiveX controls. One Symptoms of problems is if some event is not being triggered.

    For best performance use
    _VFP.AUTOYEILD = .false.

    This is an extract from the VFP help system:

    "The AutoYield property should be set to false (.F.) when a form contains an ActiveX control. Setting AutoYield to false (.F.) prevents events for an ActiveX control from executing between lines of user program code. For example, if AutoYield is set to true (.T.), clicking an ActiveX control while user program code is executing may cause an event for the ActiveX control to execute, ignoring the user program code for the event, producing undesirable or unpredictable results."

  • RESOLVING PROPERTY NAME CONFLICTS - FoxPro may sometimes have problems recognizing a certain property of an ActiveX control.
    The solution is to use the special "Object" keyword.

    Instead of
          Control.Property
    or   Control.Method
    Write
          Control.Object.PropertyName
          Control.Object.Method

    Example:
    use
          TList.Object.AddItem "Some String"
    instead of
          TList.AddItem "Some String"

  • TList - the ENVIRONMENT property
    When using TList within FoxPro, set the Environment property of TList to 1 (FoxPro) in the DESIGN TIME properties window.
    Note - this property must be set at DESIGN TIME - do not try setting the property by code at run-time.
    If you are seeing repainting problems especially when scrolling, or if you see Flickering, it is likely you have not set the Environment property.
  • MetaDraw - the PictureOptions property
    When using MetaDraw within FoxPro, set the PictureOptions property of MetaDraw to 2048 (PICOPT_FOXPROFORM ) or other value where this bit value is set in the DESIGN TIME properties window.
    Note - this property must be set at DESIGN TIME - You can then latger modify this property with code at run time but always make sure this bit value is set in the PictureOptions property when working in FoxPro.
    If you are seeing repainting problems especially when scrolling, or if you see Flickering, it is likely you have not properly set the PictureOptions property.

  • LIMITATIONS
    • No Child Controls
      FoxPro can not correctly support SimpleFrame controls. This limitation means that it is not possible to have embedded controls within TList, MetaDraw or ALLText when working in the FoxPro programming environment.
    • Using Array Properties
      FoxPro has a limit on the number of elements ( 65,000) in an Array Property. So if you have more than 65,000 rows in TList, members of the standard array properties such as the List property will not be accessible due to Foxpro limitations on arrays.

      Instead use the TList GetArrayProperty, SetArrayProperty, and GetArrayPropertyID methods.

      These three properties provide you with an access to the TList array properties by property name. This feature was specifically added for FoxPro users although they can also be used within other programming environments.


    Microsoft Word and Excel

    Word and Excel always report themselves in development mode a document is opened. For this reason each users opening a Word or Excel VBA application using Bennet-Tec components must have his / her own individual user license.


    Clarion

    While Bennet-Tec does not internally have specific experience working with Clarion, Clarion Wrappers have been written for both TList and MetaDraw use.

    See reseller Klarisoft for further details ( http://www.klarisoft.com ) . Klarisoft provides both the wrappers and Clarion specific support.


    Web Pages

    Bennet-Tec OCX components are designed for support within either standard HTML or ASP web pages. In fact if you go to the web pages for ALLText, TList, MetaDraw or Web Signature, you'll see links to demonstrations of the components within a web page. Web Signature, TList and MetaDraw OCX installation kits also include sample HTML projects.

    In a ASP environment the controls may used in either server side or client side mode.

    When using a Bennet-Tec component on a web page certain technical procedures must be followed to ensure the component is properly recognized as licensed for such development. Please contact us through our support page for further details


    Power Builder

    While Bennet-Tec does not have internal expertise with PowerBuilder and we have not tested our components in the PowerBuilder environment ourselves, we have had very positive feedback from users.

    One general comment - from a user - PowerBuilder requires that function/methods in our components must be prefixed by the special "Object" keyword .

    Instead of: Control.Property - or - Control.Method
    Write Control.Object.PropertyName - or - Control.Object.Method

    Example:
    use : MetaDraw.Object.Addobject(10,100,100,200,200)
    instead of : MetaDraw.Addobject(10,100,100,200,200)


    VBX Controls

    While Bennet-Tec is no longer conducting 16 bit development we are happy to continue to offer our past 16 bit VBX Components to developers who need to support a 16 bit ( Win 3.1) environment.

    Support for 16 bit VBX Controls is limited to the following programming environments:

    • Microsoft Visual Basic 3, 4 / 16 bit
    • Microsoft Visual C++ / v 1.62 c
    • Borland Delphi 1


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