Ch, ch, ch, Changes . . . tracking for APP embed code

DonnEdwards · May 27, 2021, 9:24am

Can anyone recommend an add-in that documents all the manual changes I have made to my application? I am using the Embeditor’s “Next Filled Embed” button to find and document my changes before generating a new application, but it takes time and I’m sure it could be automated.

Would the Upper Park Solutions Version Control Interface do this for me? I haven’t purchased a copy yet.

Also, how would I document the changes I have made to NetTalk settings, such as the Header and Footer customization?

Clarion_clarion · May 27, 2021, 9:32am

I am using this way:

For each version I create a new folder somewhere and copy ALL *.CLW files there
Then if I need to find any changes I can easy compare 2 folders (I am using https://winmerge.org)

Of course, you need to have some kind of versioning in your app.

This way will show you ALL changes between 2 versions, manual, template settings and even database table changes (file declarations)

Mark_Sarson · May 27, 2021, 7:31pm

Hi Donn,

Upper Park VC is a must in my opinion. It makes the process of getting your apps into Version Control a breeze. Once you start using it you will find yourself using it in every solution you have. GitHub is free these days and I find it more user friendly over BitBucket.

There is a downside to version control with apps and that is the amount of changes you find in the exported APV’s (Think TXA’s for each procedure in each app) that clarion creates. You have to get used to this, and discard in your Git tool of choice procedures you know you made changes to.

As with Git on any platform, commit often. Don’t leave it to the end of the day, then commit a whole bunch of changes all in one go. I .gitignore the CLW’s in the solution directory as I don’t want to be passing already generated code to other developers.

However, after a commit of the APV files, I copy my generated CLW’s to a different directory that is away from the solution and commit them to a different repo. This is a great way for you to keep track of the changes.

You can then use branching between each version of your applications. Merge when you are ready to release with the main branch, and see every change you made between versions.

I hope this helps a little.

Mark

CarlBarnes · May 27, 2021, 10:40pm

I have some BAT files on GitHub (link below) that make a Backup with a Date-Time stamp. I used to keep individual dated folders like you have, but that can grow to a lot of folders and files. These BATs copy to One Folder named _Bak_\Bak_Last, then Zip that folder to a file with a date stamp. Zip is done with PowerShell.

For little projects it gives me a quick way to backup without having to setup version control.

gist.github.com

https://gist.github.com/CarlTBarnes/bbb936e418226d55ff8651bb1bfbf7e4

Bak_and_Zip_Sample1.bat

@REM This will backup the File Extensions listed below for ROBOCOPY  to a subfolder
@REM then zip using PowerShell to a file named: ProjName_Date_Time.ZIP
@REM I place this BAT file in the Project folder named: _Bak_and_Zip_ProjBane.bat
@REM This backs up to a sub folder named _Bak_ under the project, some times I place this folder elsewhere
@REM This saves the CLW that allows for doing a code compare
@REM -----------------------------------------------------------------

@echo off
for /f %%I in ('wmic os get localdatetime ^|find "20"') do set dt=%%I
REM dt format is now YYYYMMDDhhmmss...

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Bak_and_Zip_Sample2.bat

@REM This backs up all APPs to a folder on another drive
@REM For this I also use One_App_Bak_2bats.bat to do a specific APP.
@REM ----------------------------------------------------

@echo off
SET App2Bak=Tier2_ALL

for /f %%I in ('wmic os get localdatetime ^|find "20"') do set dt=%%I
Set DATE_TIME=%dt:~0,8%_%dt:~8,6%
ECHO ------------- Backup Folder Settings -----------------

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One_App_Bak_2bats.bat

Here I have 1 BAT file per APP to backup using 2nd BAT. 
So there are 2 BAT files here to split out. 
The #1 would exist for each APP so I can backuo just that one. 
The #1 calls the #2 to do the real work which depends on the SET App2Bak=Pr03

#1 ---------------  Save this as: BakZip_Pr03.BAT  ---------------

echo off
SET App2Bak=Pr03
CALL BakZip1TierPrApp.BAT

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jslarve · May 28, 2021, 12:30am

Backup4All is pretty nice too. I use that and git.

Tim · June 8, 2021, 5:14pm

Thank you for sharing.

DonnEdwards · June 8, 2021, 8:59pm

Is there any way of getting just the hand-coded changes to embed points, rather than all the generated code?

jslarve · June 8, 2021, 9:06pm

Perhaps you could take a look at a .TXA or .APV (app export)

Graham_Dawson · June 8, 2021, 9:46pm

Hi Donn,

The BoTPL templates have ‘embeds all out’ that works by exporting procedures to TXA and then parsing the TXA looking for [EMBED] sections and exporting them to .EMB files
You could use that or adapt the code.

Graham_Dawson · June 8, 2021, 9:48pm

BoTPLs can be found on IceTips

https://www.icetips.com/downloads.php?dl=PAR2

DonnEdwards · June 10, 2021, 4:20pm

Thanks Graham
I downloaded “BoTpl C9.1 (4.4) Misc template collection” but the installer doesn’t recognise my C11 installation. I don’t have anything older than C10. I will try to contact the site owner.

CarlBarnes · June 10, 2021, 4:32pm

That installer probably wants to help you by putting the files in the right folders (Accessory Template and LibSrc) and then register the templates.

I would try to make a C:\ClarionBO folder and try get it to install into it and then manually copy the files to C11. Then register TPLs. Show some screen captures of the installer.

DonnEdwards · June 10, 2021, 4:38pm

Thanks for the suggestiont. Even copied the installer directly into the C:\ClarionBO folder. It still reports “No Supported Clarion versions were detected”.

Rick_UpperPark · June 10, 2021, 4:47pm

BoTPL was written by Bo Schmitz. He passed away quite a few years ago.
IceTips is @ArnorBld site. He is just hosting the old installer.

jslarve · June 10, 2021, 4:51pm

Maybe someone who has a “valid” Clarion installed could install it and gather the files based on the .log file.

Graham_Dawson · June 10, 2021, 4:56pm

This is why ‘Installers’ that detect Clarion versions are such a bad idea.

Anyway I’ve installed in into a sandbox (I have Clarion 9.1 installed) and attach a .ZIP with all the files that were created. You’ll need to place the bits into the correct places below
%ClarionRoot%\Accessory
and manually register the templates.

BoTPL.zip (2.9 MB)

ArnorBld · June 10, 2021, 5:10pm

Hi Graham,
Glad I checked this thread as I was just about to do that on a clean VM

Best regards,

CarlBarnes · June 10, 2021, 5:37pm

It would be nice to know what criteria the Installer was checking to make a simulated install that so older installers can work. I would guess it is checking the Registry for the SV Keys that contain the Root folder, and verifies the folder exists.

IIRC it was Bruce the published a spec for how 3rd party installers should work?

It would be easy to create the Reg Keys and folder for 9.1 with a little Clarion program. I have a tool that reads the registry keys and finds installs.

DonnEdwards · June 11, 2021, 7:53am

That is extremely helpful. Thank you

Graham_Dawson · June 11, 2021, 1:10pm

Hi Carl,

Unfortunately it’s not that simple
Installers can use Clarion version auto-detection which looks for a GUID in the registry.
These GUIDs don’t appear to be stored in the Registry Keys that you utility looks at.

This has come up recently in the softvelocity.clarion.addons.setupbuilder newsgroup because the GUID for Clarion 11.1 is apparently the same as the GUID for Clarion 11
See the post there, subject “Install that knows about C11.1”
I’m trying to get a list of the GUIDs and where they’re stored from Friedrich but there seems to be reluctance to reveal them.