Message Board

MS AccExplorer is able to find things

jimmack1963 — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:14:50 GMT

accExplorer2.exe is able to find & drill down to the appropriate stuff I need as an anchor. Is there any way to derive the address from it and use that?

Forum: Appspaces and The Ratchet-X Appspace Editor

Old School Delphi desktop app

jimmack1963 — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:59:17 GMT

Old Delphi App doesn't create Default Path with Crosshair (although elements on screen do highlight)

Advanced Path Editor on (Root) starts with fake window that I think Delphi establishes as a placeholder for its apps. The Client Node does not lead to the actual app. When I click Parent, I get list of every open app, and can find the desired target. Clicking in the Nodes window on something that just says -- Window, the details screen shows up correctly.

Node Details:
Role: Window
Name: BH-HC Pro 1.0 Enterprise - eQuote Unit
Description:
Value:
WindowClass: TfrmMainScreen
State: Sizeable, Moveable, Focusable
Action:
Visible: True
Available: True
Offscreen: False
Selected: False
ReadOnly: False
Checked: False
Path:
(Root)/Parent:/*/Child:/Window

Double clicking on this, which sets a path: (Root)/Parent:/*/Child:/Window , leads to a Nodes area with everything grey, a Node Details area of:
Role: Window
Name: M?1
Description:
Value:
WindowClass: MSCTFIME UI
State: Unavailable, Invisible
Action:
Visible: False
Available: False
Offscreen: False
Selected: False
ReadOnly: False
Checked: False
Path:
(Root)/Parent:/*/Child:/Window

and no clear way to go further, even if were a safe indexing mechanism!

Is there any alternative to getting MSAA working in Delphi? I looked on internet, didn't find much, will continue. Am willing & able to write code to expose things to your appspace, which we can include with our base app.... Would really like to be able to show something.

Thanks,
Jim
jmack@bhhc.com

Forum: Appspaces and The Ratchet-X Appspace Editor

Ratchet-X Appears To Not Be Taking New Updates

jlabbe — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:12:33 GMT

This issue may occur for users who, for whatever reason, launch Ratchet-X from different URLs on the same machine. This error does not occur for users who download different versions from the same URL (which is how most users access Ratchet-X).

During beta testing, we often make different build types available to different test groups. These different types and groups access Ratchet-X from different URLs. If a user switches build types or groups without removing the existing desktop shortcut, its possible that the subsequent install will not replace the original shortcut and the user will continue to download only updates for the original build. This is a ClickOnce limitation for .NET 2.0 users and will be cleared up when we move to .NET 3.5 (which we are holding off until the release of Windows 7 due to the enormous install base that still has not certified .NET 3.5 to run on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

If your version of Ratchet-X does not appear to be receiving proper updates, check to make sure your shortcut is pointing the correct URL. You can check this by doing the following: Right click on your Ratchet-X Desktop Integration Platform shortcut and drag it into Notepad. When you do, the URL from which you are trying to run Ratchet-X will be displayed. Make sure that this URL is the URL from which you want to load Ratchet-X. If it is not, delete the shortcut and create a new one to the URL from which you want to load Ratchet-X.

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander

How to paste copied data out of the task in oher window

Goosie — Thur, 28 Aug 2008 16:54:03 GMT

Hi,

I'm trying and error a little to see if I can automate some steps for our organization by Ratchet. One of the things I want to accomplish is to copy some company information out of a webbased phonebook and paste the data into an other webbased application screen to create a new record. This will save a user some typework is the idea.

So I created two appspaces and I'm able to make a copy of the screen I want to read. I'm able to give acommand "Copy Screen data to the commander" out of the menu of the window and than I see the copied data in the task screen of the commander. Now I want paste the data into an other screen of the second appspace. How can I realize this last step?

When I do a paste i hear a beep but the screen will not filled. I think I forget something, probably link the copied data somewehere in a configuration but can't figure out what and how. Any help appreciated,

Thanks in advance for the great job you are working on.

Perry Smit
Netherlands

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander

What's New in Ratchet-X Version 3.5

jlabbe — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:53:25 GMT

Good news for RatchetSoft users! Ratchet-X version 3.5 was released to the Ratchet-X Community last week. Heres a review of whats new.

Assembles
The most significant change in version 3.5 is the introduction of Assembles. While Ratchet-X has always had the ability to extract, paste and manage datasets that scan multiple applications and application screens, version 3.5 shifts the responsibility of supporting this feature from the plug-in developer to the appspace creator and the platform itself. As part of our ongoing effort to focus the platform on managing desktop data rather than mere application automation, we felt that multiple application and screen support should be something that the plug-in creator inherits rather than have to specifically plan for. This supports the philosophy of loosely coupling applications and data sources.

So now, if a plug-in requires data from an xmodel that spans multiple screens, its up to the appspace developer (the only person who really knows this to be the case for a particular application integration), to define that fact by instructing the Commander to create an assemble in the task list when the user executes the associated plug-in. Once the assemble is in the task list, it becomes much easier to be repurposed to other applications and sources. For more on assembles, check out the Ratchet-X documentation.

Macro Throttling
Appspace macros are created by the appspace author. This being the case, defined macro execution speed is usually based on the performance the appspace creator sees on his/her desktop. However, once the appspace is deployed, the macros execution speed may need to be altered to accommodate the performance of an end users workstation. This is the purpose for macro throttling. Macro throttling allows each individual end user to globally speed up or slow down the performance of macros executed on his or her desktop (five levels of throttling).

AutoSave/AutoBackup
In version 3.5, the Appspace Editor has both an AutoSave and AutoBackup feature. When Appspace Editor saves, it makes a backup of the previous version. Further, once you save an appspace for the first time, Appspace Editor will autosave a copy of your appspace based on a user defined autosave time interval.

In addition, there have been various changes to the the connector API and plug-in API to accommodate changes to the task list and assembles.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the new version, please gives us a call or drop me an email. Good luck with version 3.5 of Ratchet-X!

to globally speed up or slow down the performance of macros executed on his or her desktop (five levels of throttling).

AutoSave/AutoBackup
In version 3.5, the Appspace Editor has both an AutoSave and AutoBackup feature. When Appspace Editor saves, it makes a backup of the previous version. Further, once you save an appspace for the first time, Appspace Editor will autosave a copy of your appspace based on a user defined autosave time interval.

In addition, there have been various changes to the the connector API and plug-in API to accommodate changes to the task list and assembles.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the new version, please gives us a call or drop me an email. Good luck with version 3.5 of Ratchet-X!

Forum: Ratchet-X General Forum

MappingTestMode makes testing your regwins a snap.

gweihs — Thur, 14 Feb 2008 18:15:12 GMT

After creating a RegWin and testing it snippet-by-snippet, I often want to test it using Commander and see how it behaves. Well, since this requires a plug-in with knowledge of my XModel, it presents a problem since I usually dont have one built yet.

Thats where the MappingTestMode feature of Commander is useful. By setting this option in the Tools/Options window, you are instructing Commander to add debug alerts for each Mapping found on the associated RegWin (see picture 1). Once clicked, these alerts will load a special plug-in (hosted on ratchetx.com) which acts as a simple test harness - allowing you to extract and paste to your regwin as well as see the WPIRequest xml that was submitted.

Use it in good health

George

Forum: Pro Corner

Alerts Aren't Showing

TheBigHurt — Thur, 14 Feb 2008 15:02:38 GMT

I created an xmodel, plug-in/rxdl and appspace for an integration project. All works well on my computer. I then emailed all the assets to a user who in turn registered them with Commander. Unfortunately, it doesnt seem to work. Commander recognizes the application screen but there is no alert for the plug-in I created. What should I do?

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander

Install error

darksky500 — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 15:16:03 GMT

I tried installing a new version of ratchet and got the following error - Cannot start the application. Contact the application vendor for assistance.

I don't remember the last version I downloaded but I am trying to download version 3.0.0.780.

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander

Appspace loading problem

Leonid78 — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:05:19 GMT

The attached appspace not load and generate runtime error. What do i do.

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander

Integrating Ratchet-X with Microsoft Popfly

Buzzer — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:48:04 GMT

Hello, I have been working with Microsoft's PopFly mashup platform and was wondering if it makes sense to integrate Ratchet-X? If so, what's ht best way to do so? I've created a few mashups and want to allow my users to be able to add new things to it without having to change the mashup each time.
-Jay.

Forum: Plug-Ins and The Ratchet-X SDK (Software Development Kit)

Task Lists and Notes

jlabbe — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:40:55 GMT

On 12/14/07, we added the ability to add notes to any item in the Commander task list.

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander

Windows Vista Support

jlabbe — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:51:35 GMT

While Ratchet-X works under Windows Vista, the Commander alert button does not render properly. Rather than releasing a quick fix, we are using this opportunity to revist the alert button concept. Some users have asked if rather than adding the alert button to the integration application title bar, could the alert button appear as an "appendage" to the window.

For example, if you use WebEx or GoToMeeting, you'll notice that these applications append their alerts to the window rather than inserting alert graphics into the window. Since solving the Vista issue in this way will also help us address these other user requests, releasing a Vista certified version will take a little longer than you migh expect. We anticipate this version will be released in early 2008.

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander

Multiple Copies of the Same Alert

jlabbe — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:20:13 GMT

We get this question from time-to-time so I thought it best to post to the matter for everyone. Sometimes you will see what appears to be multiple alerts for the same plug-in in Commander's alert window at runtime. While this might appear as a bug at first, in reality, it's not. What we invariably find when this occurs is that the appspace author did not properly differentiate his/her regwins. So, if you have a have more than one regwin that maps to the same xmodel and the Commander "thinks" it finds multiple regwins, Commander will generate an alert for each instance.

The quickest way to determine if this is your problem is to open Commander's appspace tab and double click the appspace in question. When you are presented with the Appspace Details dialog, look at the RegWins information. An "*" will precede each regwin's name in the appspace that Commander thinks it has found. If Commander is finding instances of regwins that you think it shouldn't look carefully at your Window and marker settings. Chances are good (so far, 100%), that you need to differentiate your regwin more than you have.

Forum: Appspaces and The Ratchet-X Appspace Editor

Using Experian SmartBusiness Reports with your appspaces

jlabbe — Thur, 13 Sep 2007 15:03:11 GMT

Due to licensing requirements, the Experian SmartBusiness Reports plug-in can only be used in conjunction with appspaces created and served by Ratchet-X Online. If you want to use this plug-in with an application other than those profiled by Rathet-X Online appspaces or an appspace derived from one of those appspaces, please contact us at support@ratchetsoft.com.

Forum: Plug-Ins and The Ratchet-X SDK (Software Development Kit)

The remote server returned an error (407) Proxy authentication"

jlabbe — Thur, 13 Sep 2007 14:58:06 GMT

When Ratchet-X is running on a computer that accesses the internet via a proxy server, Commander authenticates http requests to the proxy server using the logged in user's default Windows' credentials. This error may indicate a mismatch between the user's login credentials at the computer and the proxy server.

Forum: Ratchet-X Commander