4.2 ENHANCEMENTS: Indexes that contain an Abacus with a prefix of lu , lu., lu- or lk are identified as fragile. Printed Relation Comparison now includes the number icons that have been added or removed. View names that end with a space were previously added to the naming error list without indication why; the name is now appended with [space]. Relation highlights may include paragraphs of information the user is already familiar with. However, inclusion means a related problem has been found. Priority of identified problems in Relation highlights has been better organized. New tips, including recent Helix Slick Tricks through January 2002, are available inside Evalix. Descriptions for Helix RADE 5.0.2 and Double Helix 3.5 have been added. A conditional remark had Abaci mispelled (Abaca); this has been corrected.
4.1 ENHANCEMENTS: Detection of Helix Server 5.0 defect (D682) has been incorporated into Relation Comparison and Collection Assessment. Individual Client Remarks can be viewed rather than just those in the future. New tips and cosmetic adjustments to NDA forms are included.
4.0 ENHANCEMENTS: Perhaps most exciting, is the return of the Demo mode. Some who have purchased Evalix remarked after receipt that they now understand why it was not offered as a demo. The breadth of information it delivers about a Collection the first time, is often worth significantly more than the purchase price. To give the doubtful a taste of the power (without giving away the farm), the demo partially activates key features allowing new users to experience the interface and see how simple it is to produce more efficient Collections.
This release replaces Custom Help label and scoring with extensive structure examination for a Web Enabled Collection. If such is detected, the Database Evaluation makes Web-related suggestions. A software update button on the Tip Entry form can launch your browser to the Version History page on the DataPixel website where there is a link to download new tip updates. DataPixel's monthly Helix Slick Tricks, registration, Evalix user directory and homepage are also accessible from within Evalix. Now the DataPixel website becomes an extension of Evalix.
Most of the tips within Evalix are authored by DataPixel. Occasionally, some are inspired by others. Double clicking a record from the list of available tips in the Search Tips window identifies the author. This makes it possible for the end user to add personal tips and keep track of, even search by, authorship.
It has been possible to import new tips since version 2.4 but now the import sequence includes a provision to remove outdated ones. If a tip is no longer valid, DataPixel can include remove flags for matching titles in a text download.
Evalix 3.6 had the ability to append documents to tips only if there was an accompanying screenshot. Documents can now be appended to tips without screenshots. Over 300 useful tips have been reviewed, updated, grammatically improved or added.
Routines have been included to identify additional meaningful information about a Collection (percentage of inert Fields in relation to data Fields; number of text Fields; Form Count Abaci; inert Relations; Web structure; User Globals that possibly use True links). Even if the raw data seems of little value to you, these have been worked into plain-English Assessment comments. Relation Comparison details are also more comprehensive -- both on-screen and in the printed report -- with better grouping of related information and clear identification of where problems exist.
Highlights within the Relation Comparison window are now in an easier-to-read paragraph format. More extensive information with paths to problem icons is available in the Assessment View window. Problem icon names are now appended with the characters [ !?! ] so they can be identified even after styled text is stripped during import/export-upgrade. The total number of such icons is now clearly indicated at the top of the Highlights to prevent scrutinizing each Relation to determine whether any problems are present. Depending on length of icon names, larger Relations (perhaps 2000 icons) may be listed. Previously, Relations were limited to about 1450 icons before truncating the list. The new Dump Relation List is accessible from the Relation Comparison window. This provides a numbered list of all icons in the Collection, grouped by alphabetical Relations.
Evalix now properly identifies a Helix defect identified as D424 Field Name Contains Extra Characters. Prior to Helix RADE 5.0, it was possible to paste, but not type, multi-line text into an icon name field. This results in display anomalies as Helix switches between lines as the text is selected or deselected. Version 5 converts invisible characters like carriage returns and horizontal tabs to spaces if such are pasted into Helix. The location of icon names containing return characters or tabs is listed within the Assessment View.
The Client Remarks form now has a split view for date-stamping and appending progressive comments about a Collection in descending chronological order. This keeps most recent information visible at the top. (Remarks in ascending chronological order from prior Evalix versions can be imported but need to be manually adjusted in the lower portion of the window.)
Collection scoring has been slightly modified. Previously, inclusion of Custom Help represented 3 points (though the parameter could be disabled). This criteria has been replaced with a progressive assessment of Web structure. A Web-enabled Collection now receives 4 points. To compensate, availability of the original developer receives a maximum of 2 points instead of 3. As with the previous version, Collection scoring can be turned off and Web Enabled or Documentation criteria can be disabled in User Preferences.
The Company Search window now defaults to the one used on the current evaluation. In most cases this is one a user desires. In previous versions, all companies were listed by default. The form still accepts up to three keyword to perform searches that customize the list.
Evaluation reports now include another memory suggestion for Helix LCIRAM. The Evaluation List now defaults to black text to prevent text screening on black and white laser printers. To view the colorized version of the page, visit User Preferences and change the Altered Text option to Purple Text.
DataPixel officially ceased translating the interface and tips into other languages in October 1999. That does not mean that other languages are no longer supported by the program. There has just been insufficient manpower to market and support non-English languages in a timely and cost-effective manner. You now have the ability to display tips and Guidelines in English while dialogs remain in another language. The Comment Display option on the Comments tab of the User Preferences affects tips, Guidelines and comments on the Database Evaluation. Previously it affected only the latter and if there were no translated tips, the list would be blank. More field labels and dialogs have also been translated.
Continuing with work begun in version 3.6, the interface has been transformed to use three dimensional platinum buttons rather than the flat multi-colored ones in previous versions.
Integration of the now unsupported Database Checker 1.95 has been removed. The nearly 200 Kb of code has been repurposed. Evalix continues to support Database Chequer 2.5x by optionally activating it with the currently evaluated Collection, ready to go. Launch- and path-storage anomalies have been corrected.
BUG FIXES: In the Choose Default Language dialog window, two options for automatic User Preference (General Use, All Options) now set the dynamic menu on the Guidelines to display the default language in the title list. The printable Relation Detail now properly displays the total number of Abaci even when there are no Lookups. Relation Highlights and Helix Collection Summary are now properly translated on reports. Evalix previously reported: 'there are no lists to view any records' when evaluating Collections that have no lists but include a Subform. Actually, the Subform list shows up on an entry form (even if a new record cannot be entered from it). Evalix now looks for the presence of at least one Subform before inferring the Collection may be incomplete. Evalix properly identifies empty Abaci. Data size now defaults to zero rather than undefined to complete a report. Depending on the size of the structure, Evalix entitles Collections having zero data as Preliminary evaluations by default. Comments specific to Helix 5.0 have been included. It is now possible to click and drill down to other Views from the Database Evaluation window without receiving the dialog This feature is unavailable at this time (most of the time). A foreign language label has been corrected to read DATE ABACI rather than DATE DATE. Information in several tips has been updated. Due to a decimal error, Evalix assessment indicated that Collections with more than 90% complexity are 'prime candidates for modification.' It now makes note of the complexity and cautions the addition of more features. Miscellaneous micro-programming (details too small to recall) optimization and aesthetic corrections were made. Several forms have been made cold for improved networked performance.
3.6.2 ENHANCEMENTS: In Relation Comparison window, User icon names include User type and comment. A few new tips have been added along with additional searchable sentences. Edit Tip Sentences added to Evalix-User Preferences menu.
BUG FIXES: A few overlooked 3D import/export thermometers are now updated. The Export Since window preferences displayed a truncated concatenated day for the date entered; it now displays the day of the week. Helix version comments were not showing up on Evaluations (since the constant was not matching any record). This has now been corrected (which gave Evalix a speed boost). Modifcations to HR455 and HR454 version descriptions are included. SmartDate field on Client Remarks form and on NonDisclosure now accept MM/YY formatted dates. These default to the 1st of the month.
3.6.1 ENHANCEMENTS: Archived with enhanced Helix 4.5.5 RunTime Engine. Date Preferences include option to disable SmartDate and includes rollover year for century distinction. Internal options for Demo mode enabled. Two more questions added to Search Tip menu. A couple of Tips have been modified. Import/export thermometers and command buttons on lists are now three dimensional.
BUG FIXES: Concatenated link for day of week corrected to lookup properly on Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and Client Remarks.
3.6 ENHANCEMENTS: Optimized for faster performance on most CPUs. Improved Keyword indexing for Custom Tips. Default question searches enabled in Search Tips window. Picture Preferences also include Keyword searches. Client Remarks can schedule day and time. Future Visits list includes options for default text. Date Preferences have option to display military time for appointments. Relation Comparison includes Relation count for Lookup Abaci. Company Info now includes address and field for directions (or private info such as enablement keys and passwords). Address information is now included on NDA. NDA text modified to include reference to digital media on hard drives. NDA can now be prepared without first performing a Collection Evaluation. Some Tips have been modified and new ones are added along with more screenshots and embedded Collection examples.
BUG FIXES: NDA now properly includes signature.
3.5 ENHANCEMENTS: Updated to graphically enhanced current RADE engine with resource modified for Page Up and Page Down keyboard recognition. Client Remarks listed in a new Company Future Visits form for printing or dumping. User Preference option to guess estimated Load time (default now displays previous time). Includes comments about unusually large data when measured in gigabytes. Dump Options for single Tip text dump from entry window now default to CR for field separator. Definition for Helix RADE version 4.5.5 included. Minor cosmetic refinements to several Views. A few new Tips have been added or modified.
BUG FIXES: Updated calculation of RAM for Helix Server and Client. Some releases of 3.4.x had batch reporting forms disabled.
3.4.4 ENHANCEMENTS: Native RADE application; printable Relation Detail form was added that lists counts for each icon type within Relations; Improved appearance of dumped Evaluation text; a start character Field was added for the Non-Disclosure (NDC) Collection title menu; the NDC Export form has been converted to a list for better performance; A File Size field was added to the Evaluation Request form; Company and Collection Title dynamic menus on Company Info entry window are now disabled when defined to improve performance and prevent data entry errors; two dozen custom Tips were added or modified; Company Activity list now includes a button to remove records with no associated Evaluation; Power Query icons with more than 10 references are now highlighted on Relation Comparison; Assessment comments include remarks about the number of Lookup Abaci and excessive Power Query reference icons; conditional dynamic menu optimization added to improve performance; a fixed numeric variable was removed to provide a more accurate CPU-dependent evaluation time estimate; DataPixel URL and e-mail references were updated.
BUG FIXES: Activated the Suppress signature option; correct RAM calculation for Servers now displayed in Collection Info; Print Checked Evaluations from the Evaluation Summary correctly prints only the ones marked; reloading a Collection no longer duplicates the Company Info; Optimized Company Info entry form.
3.4.3 Increased the icon limit at which Relation detail omits color to 860 (up from 410 icons); Collection Highlights filtered to prevent 7A01/FFFF96A0 data overflow error when characters exceed 32,500 in a single Field; included provision to verify whether icons preceded with the letter i in parenthesis (i) are inert.
3.4.2 Enhanced HTML compatibility with Find and Rename script as discussed in the DataPixel June 1999 Helix Tip; includes ability to flag and delete temporary Tips containing a unique key word; nearly three dozen temporary tips provided for troubleshooting Helix RADE 4.5.3; Tips matching a keyword can be dumped as preformatted HTML; French quotation marks changed from inch marks to « French quotes » ; several spelling corrections and bug fixes.
3.4.1 Enabled Client Remarks entry form; added Tip Export from entry window; included DAT Tip; included keyboard command for batch processing; corrected scripted evaluation (with EvaCom) timer which was always recording 5 seconds. Installation procedure no longer requires activation within 24-48 hours; provision for text import to change Helix Preferred memory displayed in Collection Info was added; removed HDTP resource (this allows it to be updated at first launch); corrected 3.5.0 version guess and second field dynamic menu (in the absence of installed language) on User Preference; included two additional Custom Tips and provision to store documents within Picture Preference; enabled document import and export.
3.4.0 Third Generation of Evalix released; New RADE Runtime engine; enhanced interface; Custom Tips updated; optimized performance; more reports: Non-Disclosure Agreement, digital signature on reports; Collection Info RAM calculator; Date Abaci List; Original Version Verification; Client Remarks; supports Publish and Subscribe
2.4.2 Extended activation window to 2 days; corrected situation in which imported evaluations displayed improper complexity percentage due to rounding; unified foreign language record number import; new Tips added
2.4.1 Entry button on Custom Tips activated. Modified Y2K guideline; changed French default user preference to General Use.
2.4.0 Second Generation of Evalix released
1.4.6 Maintenance release
1.4.1 - 1.4.5 Demo and beta releases
1.4.0 Evalix made public