MLG Firefly 3.5 Demo and Control File

[James Klutho]

I updated My Little Grid to version 2.00 a few weeks ago.  Here is a demo of MLG using Firefly 3.5 along with the new control file. Unzip and place the files in the James Klutho zip file into the custom control folder of Firefly.  Version 2.00 of MLG has many enhanced features that may be useful to programmers : 1) Splitter bars to have as many as 4 grid panes 2) resizeable rows, 3) Selectable groups of cells , 4) greatly enhanced individual cell formatting and much more.

MLG can be found on the PlanetSquires download page and there has been an on going discussion in the Powerbasic 3rd Party Forum for the last month.

I hope you find My Little Grid useful.

Jim Klutho

[Robert Rioja]

James,

I am confused about the MLG versions.  I have the version that came with FF.  Also a different version I downloaded from the download page.  Then I spent $35 and received another version which does not work.  Where is the latest version?  And who supports it?  When I bought it I got an email that listed jandj@ecentral.com for support, but my emails to that address have gone unanswered.

Thank you,
Robert

[James Klutho]

Sorry for the confusion Robert but I responded to your email the same day that I received it and I received no indication that it had bounced so I assumed it reached you.  I had attached to that email essentially the same files that can be downloaded in the first post of this thread. The version that currently ships with Firefly is probably over a year old - I believe it is version 1.09.  I have had several updates since then.  Though Paul is kind enough to host My Little Grid on his website I am not affiliated with him or Firefly.  Paul places many demos controls into the custom control folder from other programmers due to Paul's generousity.

MLG version 2.00 is a major upgrade to MLG and I have sent Paul the updated files which are also available on this thread as a zip file download.  Paul told me he would include these new MLG files in the next Firefly install.   Since you have  bought the registered version of MLG, I would place that registered dll in place of the demo version in the James Klutho\My Little Grid folder after replacing the My Little Grid folder with the one that you should download from the first post.  Also in that download file is a demo project which should answer your question of handling a right click menu notification. 

In your letter from BMT Micro you recieved the zip password to open the registered version zip file of MLG which also is dowloaded from the Planetsquires download page.  In that registered zip file are the unlocking instructions for the MLG registered version.  If you have problems, send me another email and I will walk you through the process.

Good Luck
Jim

[Robert Rioja]

Hi James,

I had mixed up the versions so nothing worked.  I straightened it out and now everything works well.  Certainly worth the $35.  What email address should I write to if I have other questions?  If you prefer, you can reply to me directly at rrioja@comcast.net

Thank you,
Robert

[James Klutho]

Robert

You can reach me at the jandj at ecentral dot com address that you stated in the second post.  I did reply to your email to the rrioja at comcast dot net as you posted above so I guess my reply got lost in cyperspace.  Glad things are going in the right direction for you.  Have fun with MLG.  Since you have the source code to the MLG you can tweak to your heart's desire.

Jim

[Robert Rioja]

James,

MLG should stand for My Lovely Grid !!!

I remember seeing somewhere that MLG can be turned into an SLL instead of a DLL.  Can you tell me how to do that with FF?  I am using FF 3.50 and PB 10.02

Thanks,
Robert

[James Klutho]

I do not know if Firefly can seamlessly handle SLLs.  I don't think it can at this point.  Maybe Firefly 4 will do that.

Jim

[José Roca]

Sure it can, as long as you aren't afraid of type #LINK "SomeName.SLL" by hand.

[James Klutho]

Wouldn't the designer want to dynamically link the control grid that you have drawn on the form in design mode.  I have not tried this in Firefly so I am probably speaking out of turn here but I thought things might get confusing if you threw in a LINK SLL type command with a control drawn in the designer.

Jim

[Robert Rioja]

Maybe this is something for Paul to handle.  The MLG that is included with FF has to be updated anyway.  Maybe there should be some mechanism for custom controls to be included as SLL as an option.

Robert

[Roger Garstang]

I know above you said you are not affiliated and such, but there is a pretty good relation.  With the capabilities of SLLs it may be cool to see it full integrated.  Something like when the control is added FF automatically adds the SLL to the project and uses the functions according to Control File specs as if it is part of FF or like FireFly Functions.  Could still make a property of the control the serial number or something leaving the option for purchasing unless somehow it could just be integrated into it at additional costs with sharing and such.  It could be a hassle managing all of that though.

I've seen some tools lately with interesting cost models.  I was looking recently for a PHP designer and found Code Lobster which is free, but a big part of it is addon modules for it that cost.  Could be the same model with this as FF is a low cost solution and modules/custom controls could be added to it with a little more improvement to the custom control model.  Then other controls Paul or other users make could be added and either free or costs with them all deployed as a SLL.  I'm surprised the other competitor with his DLL solution isn't doing this to offer his product a little cheaper and then charge for all the pieces on their own so people can get his product and just add what pieces they need.

It is all abut getting the product in people's hands.  I'd much rather pay for pieces of an app I can customize to my needs than yearly maint, upgrades every 3-12 months, or high initial costs for an all-in-one solution.  I'm so tired of buying PHP Editors and Video editing packages lately that end up not doing everything I need or doing too much and missing things that could be a module.  It is annoying too the way people have gotten where they just come out with a new version to avoid fixing bugs in the previous.  I just recently got a Video editing package that supported 64bit processors and latest optimizations, but had some bugs handling 60 fps video.  After waiting a couple weeks for another patch to possibly fix the bug they just released the next version.  Getting this next version costs as much as I paid for the first...that's just bad business.

[David Kenny]

I remember seeing somewhere that MLG can be turned into an SLL instead of a DLL.  Can you tell me how to do that with FF?  I am using FF 3.50 and PB 10.02

My thoughts on how this could be achieved (off the top of my head - untested):

Manually (by the programmer):
1) Design and test your application as you normally would. Continue to step 2 when you are ready to release this version.
2) Edit the ...Main.bas file with PBEdit.  Delete the LoadLibrary call for MLG.DLL (and the "successfull" check on hLib).  Add the #Link "MLG.SLL" metastatement (right under the #COMPILE EXE would work well)
3) Compile with PBEdit.

Dynamically (by FireFly):
1) FF will still need the DLL form of the control as the SLL should not be linked with FF.  That way the DLL and SLL could be updated at a future date and FF won't need to be recompiled.
2) FF will use the DLL to manage the control at design time as usual.
3) At code-generation time, FF would only need to add the #Link metastatement or the LoadLibrary call - depending on what the user specifies. How the user specifies which will have to be added to FF, of course.

David

[Haakon Birkeland]

Getting this next version costs as much as I paid for the first...that's just bad business.

After receiving an offer to upgrade from a software company, I had to whine and complain about the (major) upgrade price on top of my somewhat recent purchase cost would seriously top out the current "get into our grip" price by almost the double.

Result; I got upgraded for free and carry no grudge with them.