Announcing New
Iron Speed Designer Version 3.0 Features!

Simplified Code Customization

• Code Telescope makes your app's code understandable. Code Telescope is a major new feature that combines class browsing with code documentation — there's no other way to describe it. Code Telescope quickly shows you an overview of your app's organization and lets you drill down through successive levels to the specific classes and methods where you can insert code customizations. Zoom out to see your app's N-tier architecture; zoom in to see classes, overrides, events and code documentation. You just have to see it first-hand to understand its power.
  
  
• Improved code customization model. Code Telescope identifies the most important functions, events, and properties and presents them based on the .NET page lifecycle. Now it's easy to figure out where to place your code customizations. Just let the Code Telescope guide you!
  
  
• Simplified Code Customization Wizard examples. We've gone through the Code Customization Wizard examples line-by-line and simplified, simplified, simplified! Code customization examples are much easier to understand.
  
  

Simplified Presentation Layer Code

• Simpler generated presentation layer code. We've simplified the code generated by Iron Speed Designer so that it's much easier to read, eliminating most type casting, and reducing the number of lines of code you have to write for most code customizations.
  
  
• Individual classes are generated for each record and table control in a page. The generic CustomRecordControl and CustomTableControl have been replaced by more specific and useful record and table classes, making them easier to customize and use. Coupled with the Code Telescope, it's much easier to see where to place code customizations.
  
  
• New classes for application-wide customization. New safe classes have been added for customizing pages, user controls, table controls and record controls on an application-wide basis. Make global customizations in one convenient place rather than page-by-page. (Of course, you can still customize page-by-page as well.)
  
  
• New record and table control helper functions simplify user interface customization. We looked through hundreds of customer-supplied code customizations to learn what was complex and time-consuming and added helper functions to simplify a lot of common tasks. In many cases, what used to take 10 or 20 lines of code now can be done in a single line.
  
  
• New helper functions in base classes simplify customization. We've added a variety of new helper functions for setting table control filters using string WHERE clauses, retrieving URL parameters, attaching files to a page to make downloading file content easier, and much more.
  
  
• Record controls now support complex WHERE clauses. Code customizations no longer break when you update the underlying query with additional query clauses.
  
  
• V_ and P_ control name prefixes are gone! Control and property names are now prefix-free and use table and field names without any further adornment.
  
  
• Simplified file and class names. The generated and safe class names and file names have been simplified and shortened to improve understandability. Base class names have been updated for consistency and understandability.
  
  

Simplified Data Access Layer Code

• Simpler generated data access layer code. We've simplified the code generated by Iron Speed Designer so that it's much easier to read, has consistently named classes, eliminates most type casting, and reduces the number of lines of code you have to write for most code customizations.
  
  
• New helper functions simplify in-code queries. New GetRecord(), GetRecords(), GetRecordCount(), and GetDataTable() functions accept WHERE and ORDER BY clauses for simplified query filtering. Only a single line of code is needed to create and execute complex multi-clause queries in code customizations.
  
  
• New helper functions simplify record purging. New DeleteRecord() and DeleteRecords() functions accept WHERE clauses for simple data record and table record deletion.
  
  
• Data grid creation and manipulation is streamlined. New helper functions make it easier to create and bind data grid objects. Just two lines of code create and bind data sources for data grids.
  
  
• New properties in record classes simplify setting column values. Assign and manipulate field values with simple statements like: rec.FirstName = "Fred".
  
  
• Easier to use helper functions. You no longer need to get an Instance of the table object when calling most helper functions. For example, to call the GetRecords() helper function in the CategoriesTable class, you can use CategoriesTable.GetRecords().
  
  

New Page Layout Options

• New Microsoft XP and CRM design themes. We added several new design themes including Mount Redmond, a page style similar to Windows XP and Diablo, a page style similar to Microsoft CRM. (Enterprise Edition feature.)
  
  
• Collapsible table and record panels. A set of new collapsible panels let application users expand and collapse sections of your application's generated pages, making data-intensive pages easier to use.
  
  
• Design themes look good in FireFox and Netscape, too! There's a new browser in town, and we're pleased to report our design themes, panels, and other generated application components look good in the FireFox and Netscape browsers. (Some design themes are available only in Enterprise Edition.)
  
  
• Static application pages use design themes. The various static pages used by your application for displaying messages, confirmations and errors now use your selected design theme. Even if your application users make errors, they'll be great looking errors!
  
  
• Pagination control displays total record count. The pagination control informs application users of the total record count in the displayed table.
  
  
• Improved cell formatting around table and column totals. Improved viewing and printing formatting makes apps look better than ever.
  
  

Generated Application Enhancements

• Reduced ViewState size speeds page downloading. The ViewState size has been reduced by 5% to 35%, depending on page type and data content. Your application's pages will reach their users faster than before.
  
  
• Generate applications in new languages. Danish, Norwegian and Turkish have been added to our ever-growing collection of languages. Many thanks to members of the Iron Speed Community for contributing these language translation files. Now, select from 10 different language translations!
  
  
• Simplified debugging. The CustomErrors setting is now set to RemoteOnly so that running an application locally displays a 'yellow screen' error when an exception occurs. This makes debugging easier and helps you find all the surprises before your application users see them.
  
  

Iron Speed Designer Usability Enhancements

• Code Customization Wizard is easier to use. We've reorganized the list of customizations to make them easier to find. Also, a new 'expand and collapse' feature makes it easier to find the customization you're looking for.
  
  
• Access knowledge base and online help using Google search. Search the Iron Speed Designer knowledge base and online help directly from within Iron Speed Designer using Google search. Find what you want quickly and painlessly.
  
  

Upgrading to Iron Speed Designer Version 3.0

• Table and Record panels in existing layout pages will be converted automatically to the new Version 3.0 expandable / collapsible panel format.
• Since Iron Speed Designer does not modify or update safe class files, you will need to re-apply code customizations you have created with earlier versions of Iron Speed Designer in order to accommodate the updated class hierarchy.