2.8.1 documentation?

[EzCoder]

I direct your attantion to:

Rev web site
http://www.runrev.com/section/whats_new.php
Announcement thread:
http://forums.runrev.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=769

Revolution 2.8.1 Update Release

We are delighted to announce the arrival of Revolution 2.8.1!

This is a feature release which lets you:

• Integrate Database Capabilities. Build sophisticated data-driven solutions atop the versatile SQLite database engine, now integrated into Revolution. Process your data using standard, powerful SQL statements.
  
  Command the Internet. Present web pages within your solution with 100% fidelity via a fully scriptable instance of the Internet Explorer or Safari web browsers. Not just HTML, but JavaScript, CSS, Flash, you name it.
  
  Make Arrays Child's Play. Transform data instantly with added capabilities to parse row and column values in matrixes.
  
  Embed Fonts for Professional Results. Create a unique branding for your product and ensure pixel-perfect cross-platform consistency by loading custom fonts at runtime. Great for maintaining corporate identity, games, and creative solutions.
  
  Enjoy More than 260 Fixes and Enhancements. Program with more confidence and release solutions that are more stable than ever. Six months of testing with more than 500 beta testers make this the best-performing, most dependable version of Revolution to date.

As a licensed user of Rev Studio 2.5.1, I've been waiting patiently for some good solid reasons to spend the money for a renewal to the latest version and much of what I see in the 2.8.1 announcements would make it a worthwhile for me personally. (Ready to spend the $$$)

However, doing a test run of version 2.8.1, I find that most of the new features listed are almost useless in it's current implementation. For example, the SQlite database engine has zero documentation to be found anywhere. No test stacks, no entries in the documentation stack, nothing to be found in the userguide. Replies to questions posted here at the forum point in all directions except to real answers.

Basically, four months after a new release with zero documentation for new featurew, tends to make it seem much like vaporware.

Anyone directly employed by RunRev wish to reply?

[Mark]

EzCoder,

It is not RunRev's task to provide you with an SQLite manual, just like they shouldn't provide you with a manual for your printer if you want to print cards or the skills to design a good interface.

You can find SQLite documentation on the SQLite homepage:
http://www.sqlite.org/docs.html

An example stack, called SQLite Sampler.rev, is included with Rev 2.8.1.

Also, make sure to study all database related information in the docs including the dictionary. Search for strings like revdb, sql, and revDatabase.

Best,

Mark

[EzCoder]

Hello Mark,

It is not RunRev's task to provide you with an SQLite manual...

I have no argument with that statement and it has nothing to do with my complaint and/or questions....

When the RunRev organization announced to the world (as a feature and selling point) that SQlite was included, they *do* have the responsibility to provide instructional material covering how the new feature is implemented into their product.

-Or- Do you suppose that users of a new feature should just automatically figure how how to implement things? Maybe we should rely on lightning bolts from a blue sky, crystal balls or just plain luck?

My point is that *nowhere* in the existing documentation does it reference the use of SQlite. Period. Zilch, Nadda.

What you might also note, is that *nowhere* in the sample projects, documentation or other material, is there a reference to the sample stack named SQLite Sampler.rev that you so kindly pointed out. (thank you, btw)

Look for yourself... using "SQLite" or any variation thereof, do a search of the userguide and documentaion stacks and see what you come up with. Are new users (or old ones for that matter) expected to be clairvoyant?

Still a crappy, poor way to handle business, IMO.

Capice?

[Mark]

EzCoder,

From the What's New file accompanying 2.8.1:

dbSQLite
~~~~~~~~
The (formally) altSQLite3 SQLite database driver has been integrated into the main Revolution distribution. This can be accessed by using 'sqlite' as the database in the revOpenDatabase, or from the drop down list in the database query manager.

To open a SQLite database simply use:
get revOpenDatabase("sqlite", <filename>,,,,,)

If the file does not already exist, it will be created by SQLite as an SQLite database.

The implementation largely remains unchanged from the last released altSQLite driver apart from an improvement to binary data support. In this version, binary data can be inserted in the following ways:
. Insert binary data by variable binding by prefixing the variable name by '*b'
. Insert binary data by array binding by prefixing the *value* of the array key by '*b'

To retrieve binary data, the column of the table you are retrieving must have been declared using the 'BLOB' type.

N.B. Due to the current implementation method used for storage of binary data in the SQLite driver it is important that you only store data into BLOB columns using the methods mentioned above.

The version of SQLite used in this release is 3.3.15.

I'll post it here if I find more info.

Best,

Mark

[paul_gr]

While I agree that Rev documentation isn't perfect, I think for a compiler type application it is very good. Programming environments assume that the user is reasonably intelligent and can do a little research by themselves. It only took me a couple of hours to get a handle on sqLite usage in Rev.
The sample stack mentioned by Mark I found quite brilliant, it is clearly laid out and assumes no prior knowledge. To be fair I did extract the information in it into a 29 page doc file and printed it out.
It was a lot faster to understand sqLite with Rev than trying to use sqLite with the Visual Studio and Delphi compilers, using any documentation I could find.

Paul