Create an intuitive grid app with row selection, processing multiple transactions at once
Just about every business has a situation where users need to perform a single process against multiple items in one pass. For example, you might have a list of open invoices that you'd like to flag as ready for payment, or a group of inventory items that you would like to transfer out of a special holding area.
Correcting issue with partially visible window on migrated AutoCode apps
Older Valence file maintenance apps created through Nitro AutoCode can sometimes exhibit a display problem upon migration to Valence 5.1. This can also be true for AutoCode-based file maintenance apps created in 5.1 builds prior to 5.1.20171202.0. The most common symptom is that a portion of the edit/add window displays outside of the portal boundary, as shown here.
Make your Yes/No grid columns POP with checkmarks instead of text
Wrapping up 2017 with a simple but powerful tip for Nitro Query grid apps... Very often lists of business data include columns that can be classified as boolean, with text representing values of yes/no, true/false, 1/0, etc. When you're creating a Nitro Query grid app that includes such columns, you can make "truthy" values stand out much more clearly by replacing the column text with a visual checkmark.
Use Nitro iAdmin to Watch for Messages and Monitor Subsystems
Power Servers running IBM i are remarkably stable systems, to such a degree that it's easy to overlook those rare occasions when something on the system has gone awry and requires operator attention. When an exception does occur, many IBM i sites have third party monitoring tools or home-grown software in place to notify system administrators that an issue has occurred that may require some kind of action.
Leverage SQL to Create IBM i Web Apps - FAST!
Whether you're a seasoned SQL pro or just learning the ropes of SQL syntax on IBM i, the SQL parser built into Nitro Query App Builder is an invaluable tool you can leverage to quickly generate a web-based report for your users, or even a file maintenance application containing multiple joined files. SQL-based data sources were introduced in Valence 5.1 back in May 2017, and the feature was formally removed from Beta status this month.
Use Valence to pull data from other database servers
We're long past the days where a single on-site server could handle all the IT needs of a typical business.
Give your users the ultimate data drill-down app with a Pivot Grid
Convert a green screen query into a web or mobile app in minutes
The tried and true IBM i Query Utility (as accessed via STRQRY or WRKQRY) is mainstay in many IBM i shops. But it goes without saying that the user interface associated with the configuration and the output of an IBM i Query leaves a bit to be desired. This is particularly true when users must navigate through the query's definition to change selection or sort criteria.
Who knew you could do that in Valence?
As we prepare for next month's release of Valence 5.1, we thought it'd be both interesting and useful to summarize some of the blog post contents in a single, categorized list. From customizing the look and feel of the Valence Portal to tips on back-end and front-end development, there's likely to be at least one or two blog posts to pique your interest. Without further ado, here's a categorized breakdown of the more useful blog posts from the past few years:
Useful information extractable from the IBM i Apache Server
With every user action in the browser that results in a call to a Valence instance running on your IBM i Power Server, a wealth of data about the user's session is sent to the integrated Apache Server. This information can be accessed by your back-end RPG programs to potentially alter how they respond to the front-end. Want to know what URL is on the user's browser page? Or what type of browser is being used?
Adding colorful pizzazz to Nitro Query grids
The Nitro Query app included with Valence is designed to quickly take large volumes of IBM i data and make it easily accessible to your users in the form of a dashboard or query.
Building and deploying Valence 5 apps with Sencha Architect
The latest version of Valence 5 (5.0.20170120.0 as of this writing) makes it significantly easier and more convenient to develop Valence apps using Sencha Architect. Specifically you can now:
Understanding back-end issues with the Valence Errors app
In a typical Valence app you have a myriad of front-end UI logic working in tandem with back-end RPG programs that process AJAX calls and perform functions to retrieve or update IBM i data. Whenever something goes wrong on the front-end, you can typically zero in on the issue by peering into the browser's console.
Fun with summary functions and column rendering on Nitro Query grids
Put a link on it: Launching apps directly from a URL
Sometimes the best way to get a business point across to someone, or get them to look at something at all, is to make it insanely easy for them to get where they need to go with a single click. The Valence 5 portal makes it possible to do this with just about any app or Nitro Query you've got set up. Simply construct a special URL and email it!
Migrating an AutoCode-generated app from Valence 4.2 to 5.0
AutoCode apps generated with Valence 4.2 use Ext JS 4.2 -- the fact that these are the same version numbers iwherever possible it is recommended that you just regenerate the app using the new autocode that comes with valence 5. However, if you've made enhancements to AutoCode apps generated in Valence 4.2 then regeneration from scratch isn't a very viable option.
Using a Validation Program with Nitro Query’s Edit Grid Widget
One of the most powerful widgets available in Nitro Query is the Edit Grid. Traditionally queries are read-only, but with an Edit Grid you can actually allow users to update records in a single-file data source — right from within the query itself! In some cases you may find you can simply create a query for data entry in lieu of coding an actual app, saving yourself a ton of time and effort.
Creating Complex JSON Arrays in RPG
Adding Click Events to a Nitro Query
One common trait we see at companies small and large is that users have a seemingly insatiable appetite for queries, dashboards and Excel downloads. Fortunately, the Nitro Query app included with Valence provides a great mechanism for quickly whipping out these kinds of apps without any programming.
CNX and Sencha Announce Formal Partnership for IBM i Modernization
Sencha and CNX Partner to Revolutionize App Modernization for IBM i Applications