MySql and PostgreSql have some useful custom datatypes. Enum is one of them. MySql has a Set datatype too.

With an Enum, you define a list of allowed values, but only one value is possible for the column (same behaviour as check constraints in other databases)

With a Set, you define a list of allowed values and multiple values are possible for the column (more like a n:m relation). But you should not use Set datatypes, because it makes your data model unreadable and everyone wants clean data models?

With JVx 1.0 it is possible to use Enum or Set datatypes. On UI side you get a link cell editor (dropdown) or choice cell editor (e.g. checkbox).

Look at the image on the right. You see 3 columns. The first is a simple text column, the second is a linked cell editor (dropdown) and the third is a checkbox. Nothing special? Not until you see the database table.

The table and types, in PostgreSQL, are defined as:

The server-side storage handles the enum/set detection automatically and sets the linked cell editor and allowed values into the MetaData. You don't have additional work on UI side to get above table!
And this is really cool, isn't it!

But we recommend a new creation style for your storages in your life-cycle objects, to get the new features:

Old style:

New style:

Why we recommend this?

With 1.0 we introduce db specific storages like MySqlDBStorage and PostgreSQLDBStorage. This storages support database specific features that are not standardized.
We avoid/reduce boilerplate code whenever possible and who wants to change source code if the database is changed?

With the new style, you get the best storage available for your database, automatically. Of course it is possible to create e.g. a MySqlDBStorage() manually, but keep in mind that you are fixed to MySql.

After you changed your life-cycle objects, you get linked cell editors for your enum columns. But in many cases you use enum datatypes as check constraints e.g. Yes/No columns. In that case, a linked cell editor is not very cool - you need a choice cell editor.

JVx defines some default choice cell editors, via

in the Application class. With this mechanism it is very easy to define choice cell editors for your enum types.

Set datatypes are very special and generally, we don't like unreadable data models. But JVx should support it as good as possible.

We handle Set datatypes like enum datatypes and we show a link or choice cell editor. The user can only select one value. A developer can set multiple values via API (as comma separated list).

Have you ever seen this comfort in other frameworks? Let us know

In the last weeks, we talked long time about VisionX Support, Tutorials and Videos. What should we use? A Forum, a mailing list, a Ticketing system, ...?

We use a Forum for JVx support and think that it was a good decision because the communication works and we don't forget our tasks. So we think a Forum for VisionX related questions is also a good choice. For bug reporting, the best choice is a ticketing system and we are very happy with our Flyspray system.

We don't like mailing lists. Sometimes it is comfortable to send an email and use the mail client for communication because it is in use, all the day. But online search interfaces are awful and links to mailing lists are not very cool.

What about product documentation?

Who wants to read a lot of text? We don't want it.
We decided to use a lot of short Howto Videos (30 seconds to 1 minute), some intro texts and a lot of screenshots.

The first videos are online on our YouTube channel.
Please check them and give us your feedback.

Auch auf einem Entwicklungsrechner gehen irgendwann die Ressourcen zu Ende. Einem aufmerksamen Browser wie Chrome, entgeht das natürlich nicht

Die Entwickler dürften dabei sichtlich Spaß gehabt haben.

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