FrontBase 4.2.1 - Release Notes

FrontBase 4.2 includes an improved query optimizer. Most queries should execute as fast as in earlier releases, but for some multi-table queries with joins, the previous query optimizer made some less than optimal choices which could result in slower than expected execution times. The new query optimizer should make the correct choices in all cases.

Various minor bugs, mostly related to an earlier SELECT COUNT(*) optimization, have been fixed. 4.2 also contains the beginnings on an implementation of TRIGGERs which is planned enabled with 4.3.

FrontBaseJManager 0.505 (Beta)

The java based FrontBase manager. On Mac OS X its wrapped as an application but the jar runs on Windows and Linux as well.

Requirements

J2RE 1.4 or later.
FrontBase JDBC driver (included).

Installation

Make sure the frontbasejdbc.jar (JDBC driver) file can be located in your Java CLASSPATH or is in the Java extensions folder. If you are using an existing version of the JDBC driver then please update it with the version that ships with this release of FrontBaseJManager.

To use the backup management pane with databases running on Mac OS X you must replace the current version of the FBExec with the version contained within this release. To do this, stop the running FBExec process, replace the file in the bin folder of your installation and then restart the process.

The FrontBaseJManager.jar file can be double clicked to start the application. You can also start the application from the command line by using:

   java -jar FrontBaseJManager.jar

Documentation

Currently there is no documentation but the most of the functionality follows from that provided in FrontBaseManager.

Backup Management Pane

Currently this functionality is only supported by databases on Mac OS X running the version of FBExec which is available as part of this release. To update the FBExec stop the running version and replace the file in the bin folder of your installation.

From this pane you can only list backups contained in the default location, i.e. the Backups folder of the FrontBase installation. Only backups created with the default filename in the form B_YYYY_MM_DD-HH_MM_SS will be listed. When a database is selected then it's backups are displayed in order of the most recent. You can create, restore and delete backups from this panel. Also the list will mark backups which have expired either because they are older than the backup expiry limit or older than a specified date. You can then delete all expired backups. These expiry settings are configurable from the preferences panel. By default no backups expire.

Bugs and Comments

Please report any new bugs or comments to colin@frontbase.com.

Certification

   Mac OS X 10.4.3   J2RE 1.4.2_09/1.5.0_02
   Win2000           J2RE 1.5.0_05
   WinXP             J2RE 1.5.0_05
   RedHat 9 (GNOME)  J2RE 1.5.0_05

Bug fixes in 0.505

• Auto refresh in extract usage doesn't terminate when connection frame is closed.
• Single quotes in table content update and insert row are not escaped.

Enhancements in 0.504

• Added support for extract/describe commands.
• Double click on table column definition will open edit pane.
• Finished menu shortcuts.
• Added printing support.
• Added menu bars to all frames on non-Mac platforms.
• Added fetch limiting and batching to result and content panel.
• Added Backup Management panel and expiry options to Preferences.

Bug fixes in 0.504

• There is a pending transaction which needs removing before a table is first edited.
• Create Full Text Index should only list char columns.
• Create Full Text Index misaligns with long column names.
• Insert Table Row should place edit focus on first value.
• Create Check constraint. Remove scrollpane on text area.
• Double click Upload CLOB after already selected value will toggle entry to NULL. (Windows)
• Collation pane does not hide/close when collation created.
• Creating a procedure relists functions in objects pane not procedures.
• Procedures listed on schema object pane does not disabled Open Content button.
• Create view panel should only enable CREATE button once VIEW is specified.
• Can't clear invalid options from Start Database Advanced.
• Usage Pane. Refresh clears refresh box.
• Drop table is not prompting to alter transaction mode.
• Null binary columns are returned as <null>.
• Connecting on port should display database/catalog name in connection pane title.
• Procedure panel does not resize when containing window is resized.
• Scroll bar on error dialog is not drawing when line count is 10.
• Enter on running database now acts as double click and prompts for connect.
• View definition columns are not displayed in order of definition but alphabetically.

Enhancements in 0.503

• Improved look and feel support on Linux.

Bug fixes in 0.503

• Can't connect direct to port.
• Can't open database unless database name selected.
• Connecting to an unmonitored database caused dummy entries in monitored databases.
• License pane in connection frame will not redisplay.
• Usage pane does not list null connections.
• Usage entries are in the wrong order.
• Create Full Text Index display problems on XP.

Known Bugs

• Some tables do not support moving columns.
• Table rendering has problems with last column not being expandable.
• Uploading CLOBs is restricted by available memory.
• Enter autostart management for the first time. Sometimes asks to save changes, even when none occur.
• Horizontal scroll bars on some tables are redundant.
• New Schema pane; components are misaligned (Windows).
• Specify hours, minutes, seconds on usage pane times.
• Specify MB on BLOB/CLOB sizes.
• Result set binary/LOB values are not dereferenced as in the content pane.
• Start database/advanced/stop should be disabled for an unknown database.
• New database should display any errors.
• Preference Panel is sometimes not added and removed from windows menu.
• Open, New and Restore database are only active from main monitor window.
• On non-mac platforms Null and CLOB values should be highlighted in white when a row is selected.
• Transaction duration is always NONE on usage pane.
• The viewport containing the privilege table for views, procedures and functions should match the tables background (Windows).
• New view, procedure and function panel should be larger, resizeable and omit horizontal scrollbar.

FrontBase PlugIn 2.6.3

Fixed bug in framework (FrontBasePlugIn object corrupted).