Down Loadable DMAC
Software Coming to Web

DMAC’s communication with users, clients, and prospects revolves around its web site. DMAC’s Jon Klein changes it . . .

Rick Home From Tulane;
Mouse Will Roar Again
     

The saga of rfmouse continues.  In the last chapter, Rick and Fred Tarbox agreed upon what was wrong with rfmouse. They found that the purchased source software base had a pretty good 16-bit implementation but a lousy 32-bit implementation. 

Agreement to graft the base 16-bit rfmouse to the generic code for all of DMAC’s screen code was reached. Now, Rick is back and it is happening. Grafting is now in process.  

But with the new plans for the next release and waryness of version creep, the 16-bit rfmouse will be used with both 16 and 32 bit Release 7.49i.  The next release will have a true 32-bit rfmouse replacement.  We call it a replacement because we will remove the backbone from the current rfmouse and use the standard DMAC backbone for both the 16-bit and 32-bit rfmouse. 

Does it not sound like we are surgeons? Great fun having Rick back to help.  
 

LINUX Server Needs Upgrade;
Crash and Burn Here We Come
     

DMAC’s web site for testing WebBase and supporting Bugzilla was HACKED!  Of all the nerve; they attacked our little test web site.  Not only that, we cannot get it running again.  Redhat LINUX 5.0 is not very popular now, so support is the pits. And the 486 we are running on is too slow for Redhat LINUX 7.0+. 

And all the hacker web addresses were from France. My goodness, we do not even speak the same language – but they got our test website. 

So Noreen is setting up again with newer hardware and a newer operating system.  We did our backups regularly, so Bugzilla and WebBase are running internally again. Access to them from the web will take some time.  

Bear with us as we figure out again how to do the web site on LINUX – with more security this time. Gotta keep learning and we never want to look back. They might be gaining on us.  
 

Unibase by DMAC, Unibase Imaging
Finish 7.49i Beta Process - Almost Out
     

Version creep is alive and well. As the latest version works its way through extensive quality assurance and beta testing, little “must have” features are added. Here is a partial list of the changes during the process. One can always read the readme file that comes with the product to obtain the latest information. 

First, JPEG images, in color and in black and white, have been added throughout Unibase Imaging and Unibase by DMAC’s supporting features — not just in dei. The zone construction process, including rfmouse, support these images. Where ever possible, DMAC avoids asking a user if they are referring to a TIFF or JPEG image. The programs look for either one. 

Clarity of the images has been improved by using our own palette throughout the 32 bit versions. 

The Microsoft 16 bit version has all the features, but the 16,000,000 absolute limit on RAM for this version will limit some JPEG applications. 

The flickering at the front of the Unibase Imaging execution has been reduced. (What a mess!) A memory leak outside of Unibase Imaging in the Microsoft 32-bit version has been removed. Ignorance of how the operating system behaves caused this. Took a while to figure it out. 

We have standardized the way the screens are displayed in both 16 bit and 32 bit versions. Especially with the new ability to have the image on the left, top, right, or bottom, some of the flexibility in window placement was traded for standard presentations. 

Rick is working on the fonts – hopefully we will have our own bitmap fonts back where the user can choose between three or four sizes in both 16 and 32 bit versions. 

The DMACI variables have been declared supreme. The color map, font size and apparent screen density chosen in DMACI now governs presentation.  Soon the active variables from DMACI will be added to the Standard Job (a little version creep).  We now have a virtual screen upon which we make our displays before transferring to the real screen.  
 

Next Version Will Be
Called Release 8.0
     

DMAC is now starting development of the next release beyond release 7.49i. Instead of calling it release 7.50i we will be calling it release 8.0. 

Good stuff will be present. Jon has promised to upgrade the manuals to say 8.0.  Since all the persistent files will be in extensible markup language (XML) we think this will be the last time a user has to go through a persistent file change. Hopefully this upgrade of persistent files from release 7.49i format to XML format will occur automatically. From then on the persistent files can co exist at different revision levels. 

Lots of great new features will be in release 8.0. DMAC won’t brag about them until beta testing later this year. Some of the decisions about release 8.0 are interesting. Here’s a partial list of what is coming: 

First, the concept of the virtual screen controlled by the DMACI equivalent parameters in each standard job will be fully implemented. 

Second, the keyboard interface will support more features and keys. 

Third, capability for apparent “popup windows” will come to both user verbs and Unibase by DMAC internals. 

Fourth, internal and external value tables’ capabilities will be enhanced. 

Fifth, true “untethered” images will be expanded. 

Sixth, image data control files manipulation will be expanded.

ParaPort Heads to Beta Site
Process Is Consistent
     

ParaPort, a new DMAC automatic access port for the web based Parascript ICR/OCR capability, finally has passed its consistency test ( its gotta work the same way twice or more on the same data regardless of client workstation) and is off to a users site for beta testing. 

For those who only have one type of client (e.g. Windows 95) this may seem simple, but those who support multiple flavors of Windows clients know it is tough. 

Unibase by DMAC and Unibase Imaging are very aware of which client and server are hosting the application. They automatically adjust for small idiosyncrasies. Turns out our multi-page TIFF construction varied based upon the input data, and client. Many times the resultant XML files were valid and worked – but no one liked a different result each time the port was used on the same data. When it did not work; no one liked it. 

As most know, the promise of easy, no capital investment, ICR/OCR is wonderful.  DMAC and ParaScript are working very hard to make this happen.  As usual, when riding the leading waves, we occasionally get dumped. So much to do, so little time. Results of the beta testing, next issue.

“Start” Command Provides
Choices for Batch Files
  

Now that XP is out DMAC can start talking about the opportunities of using batch files with the Windows NT technologies. As a user said, “batch files do weird things in operating systems based on NT when compared to other Windows operating systems.” Right. The answer to controlling the weird things is to learn about the “start” command.

If DMAC had known about the power of this command, we would not have lost a potential sale three years ago. Oh well, live and learn. Maybe this will help you.

What DMAC has done is make the system calls and ccall in Unibase by DMAC on Windows NT work like the other Windows operating systems for both the 16 and 32 bit versions. But when you call a batch file, it reverts to its” weird” behavior. 

Buy DMAC Software
On The Web in 2002
     

Once DMAC has its software available for download and trial from the web, the next logical step is to have prices and be able to buy the software on the web. Ahh, more sleepless nights. It is becoming as hard to be a software supplier to data entry (oops – data capture) people as it is to be data entry people. Change hits us all. Oh well, here are the issues. 

Using credit cards in DMAC’s data entry store should work. Our vendor for credit card processing says HIS software can do it. (Heard that before, have we not?). 

Our leasing company will probably scream. Getting the quick response from them has been wonderful, but they are just getting the payback from that. Oh well, maybe they will read this article and get the hint – is lease over the web coming? 

And speaking of pricing, how do you price for the world? Currently we tend to ask what Microsoft charges for its latest OS version and go from there. Does that mean we will have versions – say Chinese? Will our Unicode stuff (that only we use now) hold up. 

Another issue, a store with four items is not much of a store. What else can we sell? Is it appropriate? Do our users want it?   

What about different languages? How will be support people who do not speak as we speak and do not do as we do?  What about different time zone? Cannot stay up 24 hours; cannot afford some one here all night. 

Exciting is it not?  Now Fred thinks he knows a little more about how the ancient tea traders felt when they got on the ship filled with tea for a six-month trading venture to unload the tea. Let us hope there are no Boston tea parties in sight.

DMAC Web Site Evolves As
Visitors Tell Us their Wishes
     

DMAC’s communication with users, clients, and prospects revolves around its web site. DMAC’s Jon Klein changes it to reflect what website visitors request and to reflect what he reads the general Internet surfer expects of a web site. 

The saying – “So much to do, so little time”– comes to mind in the process. Little things like downloadable software become big things as we try to implement them. Soon, you will be able to download a one-time, 30 day trial version of Unibase by DMAC and Unibase Imaging from our web site. In testing now, this full version of DMAC’s products will come complete with nag screens, timeouts, and automatic activation. Hopefully it will meet a need of potential users of DMAC products. Only the Microsoft 32-bit version will be available on the web while the CD-ROM will still have the 16-bit and 32-bit versions for the various operating systems. 

At DMAC we are also trying to address the needs of those who wish to upgrade from products not actively being supported. Jon has added to the web site some short summaries of the steps needed for the upgrade process. Currently he plans EZ-C, Siemens-Nixdorf, REI Banktec and DCR/Cade conversion descriptions. 

Jon is also working on setting up some back links between clients, products, etc. Anyone wanting a back link to your site from ours, get up with Jon at jklein@dmac-unibase.com. 

As WebBase by DMAC gets up to speed, Jon would like to have the demo interactive with training. He is taxing our development group’s understanding of the web; but we will get there. 

A regular visit to our site will keep you posted on new developments – especially if you read our latest newsletter.