PocketBuilder 2.5 supports PowerScript targets only. Because Web targets are not supported, the System Tree in PocketBuilder has a single Workspace tab. PocketBuilder does not currently support .NET targets, distributed applications, or deployment to component transaction servers.
Using PocketBuilder with PocketSOAP
You can use PocketBuilder in conjunction
with PocketSOAP to access online Web services. DLL files that define
a PocketSOAP interface for PocketBuilder are available on the Sybase CodeXchange Web site. (Click the Pocket SOAP hyperlink
and select the soapif.zip file for download.)
A readme file is included in the Pocket SOAP folder and in the zip
file on this Web site.
PowerBuilder installs a Sybase\Shared folder that contains subdirectories with PowerBuilder DLL files, Web target files, and Java support. There is no shared folder in a PocketBuilder installation.
The differences between PowerBuilder and PocketBuilder functionality are reflected in the wizards provided with the two products. PocketBuilder has wizards that support the conversion of PowerBuilder and PocketBuilder targets, as well as separate wizards to generate template applications for the Pocket PC and the Smartphone.
Table B-6 describes differences between several PowerBuilder and PocketBuilder wizards. Wizards that differ only in the extension of the files they create are not included in this table.
PocketBuilder wizard |
Differences from PowerBuilder wizard |
|---|---|
Application Creation wizards (Target tab) |
In PocketBuilder there are separate wizards for Pocket PC and Smartphone targets. These wizards do not support selection of MDI or PFC application types. |
Connection Object (PB Object tab) |
Does not support EAServer connection; allows for entry of connection information that is not in a database profile. |
Application wizard (Project tab) |
Does not support creation of machine code EXE or DLL files or incremental builds; allows selection of deployment target options; version information is more limited than in PowerBuilder and is valid only for files deployed to the desktop. In PocketBuilder, you can select security certificates in the Project painter to sign application and CAB files. |
Table B-7 shows standard class PowerBuilder object types that are not supported in PocketBuilder.
ADOResultSet |
ErrorLogging |
SSLCallback |
Connection |
JaguarORB |
SSLServiceProvider |
CorbaUnion |
Mail object types |
Timing |
DynamicDescriptionArea |
OLE object types |
TransactionServer |
DynamicStagingArea |
Pipeline |
In addition, PocketBuilder does not support external visual user objects. The standard RichTextEdit and OLE visual controls are also not supported in PocketBuilder. ClassDefinition and ScriptDefinition objects, and other objects that descend from the ClassDefinitionObject object, are supported on the desktop but not on Windows CE devices or emulators.
Datatypes The longlong datatype added for PowerBuilder 9 is not supported in PocketBuilder.
Functions The following classes of functions are not supported in PocketBuilder:
Connection and TransactionServer object functions (such as CreateInstance and Lookup)
CORBA object functions (such as BeginTransaction and Init)
DBCS functions (such as LenW and PosW)
DDE functions (such as CloseChannel and GetDataDDE)
OLE object functions (such as Length and MemberExists)
RichTextEdit control functions (such as CopyRTF and GetTextColor)
SSLCallback and SSLServiceProvider object functions (such as GetPin and SetGlobalProperty)
Table B-8 lists PowerScript functions that are not currently implemented for the Windows CE platform. Although you are not prevented from coding these functions, if you call any of them at runtime, the calls will either be ignored, return partially valid data, or throw a system exception.
Activate |
GetLibraryList |
LibraryExport |
AddToLibraryList |
GetRecordSet |
LibraryImport |
Arrangesheets |
GetToolbar |
LongLong |
CanUndo |
InsertDocument |
Mail functions other than mailLogon, mailLogoff, and mailSend |
ClassList |
InsertFile |
ObjectAtPointer |
Connection object functions |
IsAllArabic |
OLE object functions |
CORBA object functions |
IsAllHebrew |
PageCreated |
CreatePage |
IsAnyArabic |
Profiling object functions |
DBCS functions |
IsAnyHebrew |
RichTextEdit functions |
DDE functions |
IsArabic |
SetLibraryList |
GetArgElement |
IsArabicAndNumbers |
ShowHelp |
GetActiveSheet |
IsHebrew |
ShowPopupHelp |
GetFirstSheet |
IsHebrewAndNumbers |
SSLCallback functions |
GetFolder |
LibraryDirectory |
SSLServiceProvider functions |
GetLastReturn |
LibraryDirectoryEx |
Trace functions |
Method limitations on Windows
CE platforms
The SetPointer function works only with the Hourglass! and Arrow! values in applications deployed to Windows CE platforms. The pointer is an arrow by default. If you set the pointer to an hourglass in a desktop application, the pointer reverts to an arrow after the script is run. On a Windows CE device you must explicitly call SetPointer a second time to reset the pointer.
On Windows CE platforms, SetRedraw (FALSE) works only for the ListBox, DropDownListBox, and TreeView controls, however SetRedraw (TRUE) forces a repaint of all control types. This can lead to unexpected performance penalties in applications that you deploy to these platforms.
You must install the FieldSoftware PrinterCE SDK before you can use print methods in PocketBuilder applications deployed to Pocket PC platforms. An evaluation version of this software is available from the FieldSoftware Web site.
To send mail from a PocketBuilder application you must configure an ActiveSync to synchronize mail files with a desktop mail client. Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express can be configured to work with ActiveSync.
Events Table B-9 lists events that are not supported on the Windows CE platform. Although you are not prevented from coding these events, if you add script for any of them, it will be ignored at runtime.
CloseQuery |
RemoteExec |
RemoteRequest |
Help |
RemoteHotLinkStart |
RemoteSend |
HotLinkAlarm |
RemoteHotLinkStop |
ToolbarMoved |
The DataWindow types supported by PocketBuilder are: Freeform, Graph, Grid, Group, and Tabular. PocketBuilder does not support the following DataWindow types: Composite, Crosstab, Label, N-Up, OLE 2.0, and RichText.
The “Rows to Disk” retrieve option for DataWindow objects is not available in PocketBuilder.
The ODBC driver for SQL Anywhere is the database driver installed with PocketBuilder, as well as a native driver for UltraLite. Database drivers for OLE/DB and JDBC, as well as DBMS native drivers, are not supported. PocketBuilder also does not support data pipeline objects. If you need to access an enterprise database from a PocketBuilder application, you can use MobiLink synchronization technology or convert the enterprise database to a SQL Anywhere database
For information describing MobiLink support in PocketBuilder, see “Using the MobiLink Synchronization for ASA wizard” and the chapter on MobiLink synchronization in the Resource Guide.
Some defaults for background colors have been changed from Btn_Face (Gray) in PowerBuilder to Window (White) in PocketBuilder. Some of the named colors on Windows machines are not supported on Windows CE devices. Unsupported colors are rendered in black on these devices.Controls in PocketBuilder default to a 2D presentation style. If a 3D look is selected for a control, it might not have the desired appearance when deployed to a Windows CE device. Different versions of the Windows CE platform can vary in their support of 3D controls.PocketBuilder supports GIFs, BMPs, JPGs, and stock icons for picture controls. Other picture files (WMFs, RLEs, and cursor files) are not currently supported.
