AppForge MobileVB 4.0
Mobile Application Development Software.
In this article
MobileVB Features Categories
What's New in AppForge MobileVB 4.0
AppForge MobileVB Benefits
Screenshots
Other information
System Requirements
Other programs of Programming Language
How to Order

No mobile application development software is faster, easier, or more productive to use.

AppForge MobileVB software integrates directly into Visual Basic 6.0 enabling you to immediately write applications, using the Visual Basic programming language, that will run on over 90% of the world's handheld, mobile, and wireless devices.

You can use AppForge MobileVB software to easily create smart mobile applications that run on multiple platforms including:

• Palm OS† (Palm, Handspring, Sony, IBM, Kyocera, HandEra, Samsung, Symbol)
• Pocket PC (iPaq, Jornada, Casio, NEC, Symbol, Toshiba)
• Symbian OS (Nokia)
There are two editions of AppForge's mobile application development software platform:

• AppForge MobileVB
• AppForge MobileVB Lite
MobileVB Feature Categories
Mobile application software
Dispositivi wireless
Mobile software
Wireless technology
Symbian software
Programmare visual basic
Visual basic programmazione
INGOTS
Basic Ingots (Controls) Textbox, Listbox, Combobox, Label, Grid, Button†, Checkbox†, Radiobutton†, Graphic Button†, Graphic, Shape, Filmstrip, Tone, Timer
Owner Draw Grid Paints text, graphics, and shapes, with multiple fonts and colors into a grid

  
Up Down A scrollbar with only arrows and no shaft.
Scrollbars Can be used to create custom scrolling actions.

   
Slider Provides a way to input or output data on a predetermined scale.

  
Movie Plays movies converted from .AVI to AppForge (.RMV) format.

  
Time Picker Input mechanism for times.
Date Picker Input mechanism for dates.
Scanner Enables barcode scanning with Symbol® and Symbol® compatible devices.

    
Signature Capture† Serves as an input for drawn signatures and images.

 †  
Serial Supports communications through the serial port.
Wireless Internet Send and receive data wirelessly using INetHTTP.

  
Widget Provides a blank canvas that receives all events including PaintPicture.

  
Game SDK Includes the Sprite Control and Sprite Template which allows creation of complex animations.
Socket Provides for socket-based TCP/IP communication.

     
Alarm Wakes up the device and notifies the user when an event occurs.
   
DATA
Database
Synchroni-
zation		 The AppForge Universal Conduit
(UC) is an extension of the HotSync Manager® that allows for data synchronization between Palm Databases (PDBs) and Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) databases on the PC.

      
AppForge Database Model This database library supports SQL Server CE, Pocket Access (CEDB), PDBs, and Symbian Databases.

  
PIM Library Get / update Outlook and PIM data.

    
Database Performance Performance of the database converter utility has been enhanced, particularly in the case of large databases. (> 15000 records)

         
PDB Library Support for Palm Databases.

  
LANGUAGE SUPPORT
Visual Basic Functions AppForge supports most common Visual Basic functions.

      
Implements keyword May now be used to implement both external Interfaces and internal User Defined Classes.

  
Format Functions Support for these native Visual Basic Format functions: Format Date/Time, Currency, String, and Number.
Floating Point Double Precision floating point operations.
z-order Controls can overlap on a form.

  
User Defined Classes Provides for object oriented programming methodologies.

  
User-Defined Types Full support for Visual Basic user-defined types.
Focus Events Includes LostFocus, GotFocus, and Validate Events.
Numeric Support Support for Byte, Char, Integer, Long, Single, Double, and Currency data types.
Control Arrays Support for groups of controls that share the same name, type and event procedures.
Controls Collection Enables you to reference all controls on a form with one procedure call.
Control Structures Support for these statements: If...Then...End If; Select... Case... End Select; For... Next; Do Until... Loop; Do While...Loop; Do...Loop Until; Do...Loop While; While... Wend.
Debug Apps in VB Run your application in Visual Basic to test it. No need to compile to run in VB.
Financial Functions Provides implementation for standard Visual Basic financial functions.
Redim Dynamically change the size of an array.
PALM SPECIFIC FEATURES
Palm
Extended
Functions
Library		 Collection of Palm specific functions
that expand AppForge functionality
(ex. Date picker).

    
Extensibility Enables AppForge applications to
interoperate with other Palm
applications, shared libraries, and
extensions.

      
Palm
Packager
and Installer		 It is now possible to control (from the
project settings dialog) whether or
not the compressed installation file
for Palm is automatically deleted
once the application is extracted on
the device. It is also possible to
deploy several installation packages
simultaneously to the device and
have them execute as a batch.

        
Compiled
code size
(.AFX) can
exceed 64K

        
SYMBIAN* SPECIFIC FEATURES (Nokia 9200 series Communicator)
TitleBar Ingot Provides a standard header for Nokia
applications.

      
Window Background Ingot
 Assists in creating applications that
provide consistent window
appearance and highlighting
behavior.

        
Command Button Area Ingot

 Provides a way to interact with the 4
buttons on the right-hand side of the
Nokia Communicator.

        
Basic Ingots
  The Basic MobileVB Ingots are
provided for the Nokia Communicator
with the Nokia look and feel.
(TextBox, ListBox, ComboBox, etc.)

        
Telephony support
 Provide a set of common interfaces
to address basic phone operations.

      
SMS Provides support for text messaging
services in MobileVB applications.

      
Pre-loaded Libraries
 Reduced by loading several key
Booster libraries in advance.

      
CONVERTERS AND VIEWERS
Database Converter & Viewer

 Microsoft Access (.MDB) to Palm OS (.PDB).      
Graphic Converter & Viewer

 Microsoft Paint (.BMP) to AppForge Graphic (.RGX).
    
Font Converter & Viewer

 TrueType Font (.TTF) to AppForge Font (.CMF).
      
Movie Converter & Viewer

 Audio Video Interleave (.AVI) to AppForge Movie (.RMV)    
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION
Fuser SDK A cross-platform way to make calls into external libraries or applications on the device.

  
Message Boxes Support for the native system Message Boxes.

  
Color 24-bit color BMP support. Applications can adopt device system colors.

  
Title Bar Automatically creates an application title bar on the handheld device.

  
Menus Provides native device menu support. Utilizes the built in menu editor in Visual Basic.

        
TrueType Fonts Use Adobe TrueType fonts on the handheld device.

        
Native Appearance Properties Enables Ingots to adapt their appearance to the native look of the current device. Assists with creating true cross-platform applications.

        
Localization Support for localization settings within the following functions: FormatDateTime(), Weekday(), WeekdayName(), DateDiff(), all Numbers and Currency.

  
Unicode Provides for the display of fonts in multiple languages.

        
Filesystem Access
 Provides functions to access volumes, directories, and files on a device’s file system. Both binary and text files are supported.

        
InputBox
 Similar to a Message Box, but prompts user for input.

        
SysInfo
 Offers developers standard access to various system dependent metrics such as available memory, available heap, etc.

        
Support for PNG Graphics format
 This new graphic format is expected to provide significant filesize reduction for applications incorporating raster images.

        
OTHER FEATURES
Zoom Window Provides a zoomed view of application forms.

      
Single File
Installation
to Devices		 Create a single, self extracting installation file of your applications including Booster, Databases, graphics, etc.

    
Documen-
tation
 Includes a User's Guide/User's Manual and a Help file. The User's Guide/User's Manual are separate documents available as a downloadable .PDF document. It includes complete setup and operating instructions, extensive tutorials, and a comprehensive reference section. The printed User's Manual is available for purchase.

      
WYSIWYG What you see is what you get! Design your applications visually, seeing them in Visual Basic just as they will appear in the device.

    
Command
line compiler
 Provides a means for VB developers to drive the compilation process from the command prompt. Now obeys ALL options available in the addin (allows for IDE matching builds).

      
Sample
Applications		 Learn by example from the AppForge Samples and Tutorials, available from the MobileVB menu in Visual Basic. Or visit the Code Library.

    
† Not recommended for Nokia 9200 series Communicator because this device does not have a touch screen.

*Symbian development for Nokia 9210/9290 Communicators.

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What's New in AppForge MobileVB 4.0
New Features/Enhancements
Support for Palm OS 5 In MobileVB 4.0, Microsoft Visual Basic developers are able to create mobile apps for Palm OS 5.0 devices. Support includes Tungsten C, T, and T2! Screen resolutions of 160x160 and 320x320 are supported. High resolution Tungsten W (Palm OS 4) is supported (does not include high res support for other Palm OS 4 devices).
Support for Nokia Series 60 In MobileVB 4.0, Microsoft Visual Basic developers are able to create mobile apps for Nokia Series 60 devices. AppForge Booster for Nokia Series 60 will be available to end users at no additional cost at the release of MobileVB 4.0.
Telephony and SMS Telephony and SMS support for Palm OS 4 and Palm OS 5.
Virtual Graffiti Virtual Graffiti Area Control on Palm OS 5.
Pocket PC Menu Enhanced Menu support on PocketPC.
AFCamera Ingot The new AFCamera control provides control of camera functionality for the Sony Ericsson P800.
Additional Port Values For The AFSerial Ingot TheCommPort property of the AFSerial control now supports several new settings for Palm OS. The new settings provide Bluetooth and additional serial port functionality.
Date Capabilities Available in the AFTimePicker The AFTimePicker control allows the display of dates. This is controlled through the CustomFormat property.
Path Support For The
App Object		 MobileVB now provides support for the Path property of the App Object.
New Method For AppForge PIM Library The new GetCollectionNoSort method of the AppForge PIM Library allows Address Collection retrieval without a default sort being performed.
Sample applications for Palm OS 5, Nokia Series 60


 Accessible from the Start > Programs > AppForge MobileVB > Samples menu.
Other Great New Features/Support
Knowledge Base The best Knowledge Base in the industry just got better. Expanded technical questions, answers, tips, and information for developers.
AppForge Developer
Forum		 Post questions about AppForge development. Moderated by expert AppForge users.
Many new samples More sample code than ever before. Visit the App & Code Library.
Introduction to MobileVB
Overview		 Need help getting started? This Introduction to MobileVB will help you get up and running.
Hello World
tutorial		 The famous "Hello World" application lives on to help you quickly understand just how fast you can write applications using AppForge MobileVB.
Hello World
Demo Video

View a video demo of MobileVB in action.

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AppForge MobileVB Benefits


Develop your mobile applications faster and cheaper

• Utilize the Visual Basic resources you already have: Microsoft® Visual Basic® is the most widely used programming language in the world with over 6 million developers. You probably have more developers in your company that know Visual Basic than any other language and those developers can be writing AppForge applications today!

• Bring applications to market sooner: because AppForge MobileVB leverages the Visual Basic skills you already have, applications can be created in a matter of hours (versus the weeks or months it takes using other tools). In addition to tremendous labor savings, applications can go to market sooner, giving AppForge developers a competitive advantage.


Support all major devices with one industry-standard language

• Today, MobileVB applications will run on over 90% of the worlds PDA's, smartphones, and wireless devices including Palm OS, Pocket PC, Windows, WinCE, Symbian (Nokia 9210 and 9290 Communicators), and most Symbol barcode scanners, with more mobile and wireless devices coming every day.


Get the best technical support in the industry

• 24/7 Internet support: AppForge has the best support and Knowledge Base in the industry. We are dedicated to our developers and have implemented the very best support services available. If you run into a problem, we will track it down and work with you until the problem is solved and you are satisfied.


Industry experts give AppForge MobileVB two thumbs up

• Reviews and awards: industry recognition is just one factor in evaluating products. But if you listen to the experts who have reviewed AppForge, you quickly see why over 70,000 developers have chosen AppForge MobileVB as their mobile development standard. From PC Magazine's 5 star review to Visual Studio's 2001 Editor's Choice Award, AppForge has won every major award in its class. Read some of the reviews on AppForge and check out the awards AppForge has won.

• Industry analyst recommendations: in the hi-tech world, there are few experts more informed than the analysts at The Gartner Group, Giga Information Group, and Mobile Insights. These companies spend thousands of hours studying the leaders in every industry. AppForge has been briefing analysts at these companies for over a year. Check with your analyst for their latest mobile development reports.


70.000 developers are using MobileVB

• AppForge MobileVB is the industry-standard cross-platform development language: over 70,000 developers are using MobileVB to develop their corporation's mobile application solutions. Over 5000 enterprise applications have been designed, developed and deployed in record time using AppForge MobileVB software.

• AppForge MobileVB is the fastest growing development tool for mobile devices: AppForge continues to win prestigious industry awards and developer accolades for our easy and innovative approach to mobile application development.


Easiest system to maintain and update

• Visual Basic will be around for a long, long time. Look at COBOL: even if you have C++ or Java programmers available to develop your mobile applications, there is a good chance these same programmers will not be available several months or years down the road. Since AppForge MobileVB apps are written in Visual Basic, you will always have people who can maintain and update them. And if you ever need to migrate these programs to other operating systems, there will be tools available.

• What about .NET? Again, since AppForge MobileVB is built on the Visual Studio framework and since AppForge has been a member of the VSIP (Visual Studio Integrators Program) for over three years, we have access to the very latest information about .NET and other Microsoft Developer information. AppForge support for .NET is currently targeted for the late 2002/early 2003.

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Screenshots

AppForge MobileVB "Recipes" Application Deploying to Nokia Communicator
AppForge MobileVB "Recipes" Application Deploying to Palm OS
AppForge MobileVB "Recipes" Application Deploying to Pocket PC
AppForge MobileVB "Recipes" Application on Palm device
AppForge MobileVB "Recipes" Application on PocketPC device
AppForge MobileVB "Recipes" Application on Nokia 9200 series Communicator device
System Requirements
PC requirements For AppForge Professional Edition Software:

• IBM-PC compatible computer
• Intel Pentium ® or equivalent processor,90 MHz or faster
• Windows 95,98,NT,XP,ME,or 2000 operating system
• Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Service pack 3 or higher -Service Pack
• is recommended.
• 32 MB of RAM
• VGA display adapter with 256 colors (16-bit color recommended)
• 40 MB of available hard disk space
• Serial or USB port,as needed
• Device synchronization software
• Windows Installer