Business Computer Design (BCD Software) has just unveiled a new release of WebSmart ILE. WebSmart is a proven rapid web development tool for IBM i programmers to create RPG web applications.

WebSmart ILE 9.2 offers a grid template for a more modern way of displaying and editing data in a tabular layout, support for creating PDF files from web applications and pages, and HTML5 SmartCharts to view charts on iPads and other devices that don’t support Flash. 

Web 2.0 Grid Template 

WebSmart’s Web 2.0 capabilities have expanded with the addition of a new grid template that uses the jQuery jqGrid plugin. With this new template, IBM i programmers can create web applications in minutes that include grids over DB2, MySQL or MS SQL data. The grid displays data in a tabular layout and automatically includes sortable columns, flexible paging options, scrolling and row highlighting. It also offers a modal window for editing records, which improves the overall look and feel of the application and makes it faster to add or edit data. The grid uses AJAX to display and process data quicker by only refreshing a portion of the screen rather than the entire page. 

According to Eric Figura, Director of Marketing and Sales for BCD, “Today's users expect web applications to have the latest bells and whistles, and that means using grids. Grids not only make your web applications look nicer, but they also make it faster to display and edit data. There is no tradeoff between having a nicer looking UI and performance. You get the best of both worlds." 

PDF Support  

PDF is a very popular format; Users often want to generate PDFs from web applications and enjoy having the option to convert a web page to a PDF. This is now possible in WebSmart 9.2 with its new PDF support. You can generate PDFs that include static text and database file fields using web applications created with WebSmart. Users can view, print or save the PDFs. If you want to allow users to view the data before creating the PDF, you can display the data in an HTML page and add a link to export to PDF. Another way to use this feature is to generate a PDF and attach it to emails that are sent from WebSmart programs. This is a fast and easy way to automate invoicing and other similar processes. 

HTML5 Charts 

SmartCharts, a set of charts included with WebSmart at no cost, now include HTML5 versions of the charts for non-Flash devices such as iPads. You can design and integrate real-time animated two and three-dimensional bar charts, pie charts, executive dashboards and more on the fly and display them in iPads and other devices that do not support Flash. You can also continue to use the Flash versions for devices that support Flash. This is a must-have capability as the workforce becomes more mobile and devices like the iPad further pervade the marketplace. 

Other New Features 

Other new features include additional PML functions to work with dates and times, an improved IDE user interface that gives WebSmart a more modern look and improved file browsing capabilities that allow you to manage FTP connections and IFS files (e.g. CSS, JavaScript, etc.) from one location. An additional template feature in 9.2 is improved modularization of programs through local scoping. 

About WebSmart ILE 

WebSmart ILE is the fastest way for IBM i programmers to develop new RPG web applications. Even if you have no web development experience, on day one you’ll create database driven web applications that you’ll want to show your boss. WebSmart Program Templates help you create web applications in minutes. They also shorten the web development learning curve by generating the starting HTML and RPG for you. You can customize the applications in the WebSmart IDE to create powerful web applications for any business need.

BCD is a Quadrant Software company and one of the most successful software organizations in the IBM i marketplace. The companies have a combined 60 years in the IBM i marketplace and have successfully helped thousands of organizations worldwide modernize. Together, Quadrant and BCD help customers maximize their investment in IBM i with their industry leading web development, mobilization, spool file beautification and document distribution tools. Their customers and partners around the world are leaders in key markets such as finance, manufacturing, transportation, retail and healthcare.
Quadrant and BCD are part of the Quadrant group of companies that also includes Netlert, which develops an Avaya call center performance analysis solution, and SoftBase, which provides application testing and tuning solutions for IBM's DB2 database utilizing the OS/390 and z/OS operating systems.
For more information, please visit http://www.bcdsoftware.com and http://www.quadrantsoftware.com.