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Discover what’s new in 4D Server v11 SQL and 4D v11 SQL Release 2 (11.2). For more details, consult the 4D v11 SQL Addendum 11.2 on the documentation page.
Please visit our brochures page for “4D Server v11 SQL: Beyond the Limits,” which you may download or read online.
You can now deploy your applications and take advantage of the 4D v11 SQL’s overhauled engine. On top of improved compatibility with previous versions, your applications will benefit from numerous optimizations in server operation. Many of the improvements in 4D v11 SQL Release 2 listed below concern the Client/Server environment.
New Server Administration Window A new admin window allows multiple, separated views of your server activity and metrics, as well as to perform your server maintenance operations live (verify, compact, and backup). You can even send messages to individual users.
The admin console is available from every client node connected to 4D Server (as long as it has access rights), so you can remotely perform server operations from the client end – including maintenance functions. New commands allow you to perform server maintenance functions programmatically.
It is now possible to compile your source code and restart your server remotely with 4D Team Developer Professional. You no longer need to shut down the server to launch 4D Developer Professional, included with 4D Team Developer Pro (except at the last stage, wherein the final application is generated).
Resource Explorer The resource explorer is the newest part of 4D’s toolbox, allowing you to manage all of your application resources over a network, in real-time. Without ever restarting the server, you can distribute your pictures and XLIFF resources from client to server and vice-versa, all via drag-and-drop.
New "Execute on Server" Parameter By checking off a box, you can delegate the execution of a method to the server, without creating a stored procedure. The operation is completely transparent and synchronous, handling the transfer of variables and results. If you have any data-intensive methods, you can immediately optimize their performance without any additional programming.
In the past, it was not advised to use the QUERY BY FORMULA and ORDER BY FORMULA commands in client/server mode. This is no longer the case, as selections or presets can be computed on the server before being sent to the client. See the results of this enhancement in our benchmarks section.
Thanks to a new means of managing internal requests in client/server mode, there’s been a notable performance improvement over WAN networks. In effect, grouping comands into more compact packets – an operation completely transparent to the developer – reduces the impact of latency on broadband networks, such as over DSL. In most cases, you can get a highly usable, lightweight client from your database without any additional programming for remote connections. See the performance details in our benchmarks section.
4D Server includes a SQL server that accepts internal requests in the 4D or SQL languages. Internal calls – those that are performed within the bounds of the 4D language – are totally unlimited. External requests – those coming from external applications via the ODBC driver for 4D Server – use a 4D Client license for each request. Even when connections are immediately freed up, as in cases of intensive usage, you could saturate the supply of licenses to your clients. That's why the new 4D SQL Unlimited expansion license allows you to accept a limitless number of SQL connections, without ever touching your 4D Client licenses, which can remain dedicated to connections from remote 4D applications. The 4D SQL Unlimited expansion license is sold based on the number of processor cores on the server machine.
4D is now a universal application for the developer or the end user. You can use it to easily open an application on your local hard disk, or open a remote application hosted by 4D Server or 4D Team Developer Professional. To guide the user in this new mode of functioning, a welcome wizard appears upon first launch, and for as long as they wish to see it. In client/server mode, you can specify which server selection window appears by default.
The installer for the 4D v11 SQL product line needs only to install three applications to cover every possible license available. The application "4D" is used for 4D Developer Standard, 4D Developer Professional, 4D Interpreted Desktop, 4D SQL Desktop, 4D Web Application Server and 4D Client. The application "4D Server" is used for 4D Server v11 SQL and 4D Team Developer Professional licenses. And the "4D Volume Desktop" application covers 4D Unlimited Desktop and 4D OEM Desktop licenses. Below is a table showing the relationship between 4D v11 SQL and its predecessors:
| 4D 2004 | 4D v11 SQL | ||
 |
4th Dimension |  |
4D |
 |
4D Runtime Interpreted | ||
|
4D Runtime Single User | ||
 |
4D Client | ||
 |
4D Runtime Volume License |  |
4D Volume Desktop |
 |
4D Server |  |
4D Server |
 |
4D Tools | Functions are included in all 4D applications. | |
 |
4D Insider | Functions are included in all 4D applications. | |
The file extension .4DLink signifies an XML file allowing automated access to local or remote databases, as well as to control the list of the recent databases in the File -> Open Recent Database... menu. Their use of a standard format makes their use and creation especially easy and flexible.
This new property lets you generate unique and un-modifiable identifiers for every record created. It corresponds to SQL property "AUTO_INCREMENT" and provides a viable alternative to using the "Sequence Number" command.
Control the Visibility of Listbox RowsEvery listbox supports row visibility control, via an array of booleans reserved for this attribute. It is therefore extremely easy to programmatically control the masking of one or several listbox rows based on the actions of the user.
This new form area lets you display any type of data compatible with Web browsers: Web sites, local HTML pages, PDF files, QuickTime® movies, Flash animations, etc., as well as Office files (on Windows only). Standard actions and event forms, as well as about twenty commands in the 4D language give you total control over this area, including the execution of JavaScript.
A user with an open window with a running transaction will no longer block application backups.
The SMTP_SetPrefs command now allows you to send messages using the UTF-8 character scheme.
