n continuing to make GUI application development faster and easier for Business BASIC developers, BASIS has released the Grid Management Library (GML), version 2.0. This version offers significant speed increases as well as new features.

• We have tested and implemented recommendations from users within our dealer base that vastly improve performance. You don't need to change any of your existing code to take advantage of these speed improvements.

• We have added an "Attached File" mode for fast grid control of large databases. The GML provides several spreadsheet-like behaviors in a grid, such as the ability to sort on a particular column. Originally, this feature was available even on a column of data NOT included in the key structure of the file. When accessing a data file with a large amount of records, it took a long time to populate the internal array that enabled this functionality. To speed this process up, we added programs that can "attach" to a data file and read into memory only the keys requested for display, not every key in the file. In this mode, the grid no longer reads every key in the attached file, so you don't have the default sort functionality with this option. But you gain significant performance when accessing a large file.

• We have added the new File Maintenance Utility (FMU). The FMU is a collection of programs that allows a developer to quickly create a powerful view of data from a data file. The FMU uses the GML code to create grids in three formats, Standard, Attached Mode and Selectable. Each format will allow for a record, key or keys to be retrieved to the calling program. The record retrieval format will also call its own grid-oriented edit program. The FMU programs are so easy to use even beginning GUI developers can create powerful, elegant screens in just minutes with only a few lines of code.

Download and try out our improved GML Toolset at:

n the past, BASIS has sponsored several communication mechanisms for Customers to talk to each other about our products. BASIS newsgroups and e-mail lists are separated into various topical areas and, in many cases, they mirror each other, so the mechanism of use is up to the user. Now, we are adding another mechanism that will provide even more functionality for users.

The new Web-based forums provide a browser interface into our discussion forums. You can go to the BASIS Web site and access the same discussions you currently do via e-mail or the newsgroups but with additional functionality.

One aspect of this added functionality is that all of the discussions are indexed for searching. While some people could search e-mail lists in their e-mail programs, it required storing all of the messages on the local system. With the new Web-based forums, everyone can search all discussions directly on the Web. If you choose to continue to use e-mail through the new Web-based systems, you can mark certain threads and receive only messages that pertain to that thread. And spam e-mails are greatly reduced using the Web-based forums. While we can't guarantee total elimination of spam, this aids in our ongoing efforts to deal with spam.

Many more features too numerous to list here are part of these Web-based forums. To get more information, visit:

ASIS announced in October a special offer to Customers working on BBx/PROGRESSION/4® or early revisions of PRO/5® and Visual PRO/5®.

Until December 31, 2001, BASIS will upgrade or update licenses to the latest PRO/5 revision free when Customers purchase a BASIS Software Asset Management (SAM) Plan. The offer applies to upgrades from BBX/PROGRESSION/4® to PRO/5 and to updates within the PRO/5 family of products.

The reason behind the offer is to make it easy and cost-effective for every BASIS Customer to have the latest software features and capabilities. Planned changes to take effect in 2002 regarding product pricing and BASIS Technical Support will mean Customers will save money by planning their upgrades or updates in this quarter and taking advantage of the offer. The savings to some Customers can be in the thousands of dollars.

BASIS has announced that beginning January 1, 2002, all upgrades and updates will be 75 percent of list price for Customers who do not have SAM Plan coverage; Technical Support will be chargeable for Customers who do not have SAM Plan coverage; and the promotion of free BBj® SAM Plan coverage for the first year will end.

An example of the potential savings would be a BASIS Customer who has a 26-user PROGRESSION/4® license and wants to upgrade to PRO/5:

Without this Quarter 4, 2001, SAM offer, at the published BASIS upgrade price of $115 (U.S.) per user, 26 users would cost $2,990.

With this Quarter 4, 2001, SAM offer, at the published BASIS Standard SAM Plan price of $23 per user, 26 users would cost $598. The first-year savings alone is $2,392.

BASIS has several SAM Plans available and BASIS Sales Representatives or Authorized BASIS Distributors can help Customers determine which BASIS SAM Plan is right for their businesses.

ASIS is responding to Customer requests to update TAOS: The Developer's Workbench® to enable TAOS applications to run in GUI environments. Falk Spitzberg, of BSI F Spitzberg, and BASIS International Software GmbH, our German subsidiary, have undertaken the initiative to update TAOS applications with modern GUI capabilities.

The GUI TAOS project offers a graphical run-time environment for TAOS applications. There are no changes in the TAOS Project Manager and TAOS programs run in both character and GUI environments without code changes. Development in TAOS remains character based, and TAOS forms need conversion from character to GUI but are held in both versions.

The new version of TAOS: The Developer's Workbench will be available for TAOS Customers before the end of the year.

Here's a quick preview of what TAOS users will be able to create with the new GUI capabilities: