Micro Focus Plc has begun shipping Micro Focus Dialog System version 2.5, a development tool for building graphical user interfaces for a variety of clients including Windows, OS/2, MS-DOS and Motif. It has visual programming facilities and includes an ANSI-compliant relational database from XDB Systems Inc, which enables applications to be converted to any XDB system or equivalent dBase-compatible relational database through Open Database Connectivity. Micro Focus says new applications can be quickly and easily generated using the Application Builder, and the Dialog System 3270 feature enables screens to be captured, imported and automatically transformed into a graphical interface. Version 2.5 includes several graphical user interface definition enhancements that enable developers to create interfaces that can then be transfered from operating system to operating system such that end users in heterogeneous environments can all be given the same user interface for the same applications. Dialog System features include the Application Manager, Object Linking & Embedding 2 object support and a new trace and debug environment, the Screenset Animator. The Application Manager provides a visual map of the structure of a Dialog System screen set, showing the relationship between the various windows, dialogue boxes, controls and programs in an application, says Micro Focus. From within the Application Manager, the user has complete control over all aspects of defining the user interface. Dialog System includes an Animator-like trace and debug environment for debugging the graphical user interface and associated business logic. The Connection Manager enables developers to define links between user interface events interactively and application code. Micro Focus says the new Dialog System version 2.5 is available immediately, list priced at $1,250.
