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About

StudioTips is aimed at:

Shared knowledge is the best kind of knowledge!

StudioTips does not intend to replace the Omnis Studio documentation, rather, is aimed at supplementing the Omnis Studio documentation. The Omnis Studio documentation is accurate, but is lacking in code examples. When I was learning Omnis Studio that was the most difficult part. I needed to see how to write the code, not just read about. StudioTips focuses on providing developers with tips, code snips, and real demos..

The tips and code snips included in the StudioTips libraries are available and searchable on-line at www.studiotips.net. The on-line information is free to all Omnis developers. The code samples, demos, and utilties are only available to StudioTips members.

The cost of maintaining and updating the StudioTips website and creating new demos and utilities is covered through StudioTips memberships. The StudioTips libraries, code samples, demos, and extra utilities, are available to StudioTips members only. Visit the studiotips.net website to find out more about the benefits of being a member and how you can join. The cost of membership is very reasonable. You will receive a quick return on your investment in joining the StudioTips community.

Note

If Omnis Studio provided developers with code examples, developers would probably start sending them emails telling them better ways to write their code. We're all better off if the engineers at Mitford House focus on Omnis Studio itself, not how to write code with Omnis Studio, that's our job. As a third party, StudioTips doesn't have to debate or defend the best way to write code, it simply presents developers with ideas that each developer is free to implement however best suits their situation.

Feedback

StudioTips evolves based on questions and feedback received from developers who use StudioTips.

In some cases I am expressing my opinion, not necessarily the right opinion. Please email me if you have any suggestions for improvements, are confused by an explanation, notice any typos, or disagree with something I've stated in any of the tips. I don't want to mislead anyone using StudioTips with bad advice.

If there is something you'd like to see in StudioTips, please email me with your suggestion.

If there are user interface improvements that could be made to StudioTips ... let me know.

Many of the improvements and sections added to StudioTips are based on requests and feedback from other developers who use StudioTips.

Every time StudioTips improves, all the StudioTips users benefit. So send me those suggestions!

Doug Kuyvenhoven doug@vencor.ca

Personal Biases

Everyone has certain biases when it come to programming so it is best that I tell you my biases.
  1. The Omnis data file is a decent SQL learning tool and useable for single user applications. If you get into multi-user applications or mission critical data you should move to a real RDBMS (Relational Database Management System). The good news is that Omnis Studio makes it very easy to connect your application to different RDBMSs.
  2. I prefer to use Omnis notation rather than the Omnis 4GL commands. Notation might seem harder to write, but it is much more flexible and powerful that the Omnis 4GL commands. Once you start to understand the syntax of Omnis notation is gets easier to follow and write. I am not speaking against the Omnis 4GL commands and wouldn't get into an argument over which is better. Notation is my personal bias.
  3. I only use SQL for communicating with the Omnis data file. You could use Omnis 4GL commands (Open data file, Set main file, Prepare for insert, Update files,...) but that marries you to the Omnis data file, excluding other RDBMSs. Using SQL exclusively is my personal bias.
  4. I believe in the power of community and therefore promote StudioWorks. The vision of StudioWorks is to build a community of highly effective Omnis Studio developers who benefit from each by working together on a common framework. The StudioWorks framework is a set of libraries that include a host of classes and code which is commonly used for writing custom software applications in Omnis Studio. The StudioWorks framework source libraries are completely open to StudioWorks members. You will hear me talk about StudioWorks now an then in StudioTips. It's something I believe in so I can't help but talk about it.

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