Release Information for Natural Version 6.3.6

This document covers the following topics:

New Features

Natural for Ajax

Natural for Ajax is now delivered in the Version 1.2.3 and is based on Application Designer Version 2.4.

Support is now provided for the following:

  • Applications that organize multiple pages in so-called workplaces. See Working with Workplaces in the Natural for Ajax documentation.

  • Numeric edit mask concept of Natural. See Usage of Edit Masks in the Natural for Ajax documentation.

  • Project-specific online help popups. See Online Help Management in the Application Designer documentation (this is not part of the Natural documentation).

  • Application-controlled sorting of multiple columns in TEXTGRIDSSS2 and ROWTABLEAREA2. See Data Structures for Server-Side Scrolling and Sorting in the Natural for Ajax documentation.

  • Automatic style sheet selection for different screen models. See Modifying the Font Size in the Natural Web I/O Interface documentation.

Changes and Enhancements

Utilities

Object Handler

The Object Handler now provides the commands NATUNLD, NATLOAD and SYSTRANS, which are used to migrate the old utilities NATUNLD, NATLOAD and SYSTRANS to the Object Handler. For details, see Migration from NATUNLD/NATLOAD and SYSTRANS to the Object Handler in the Object Handler section of the Utilities documentation.

The Object Handler now provides the UNDELI command to process delete instructions with the unload function. For details, see Basic Command Syntax in the Object Handler section of the Utilities documentation.

Natural Web I/O Interface Client

Support is now provided for automatic style sheet selection for different screen models. See Modifying the Font Size in the Natural Web I/O Interface documentation.

On IIS, you can now determine whether the PF key numbers are shown next to the PF keys. This is done with the showfkeynumbers attribute of the screen element in sessions.xml. (This feature is already available for Java EE-based servers.)

Natural Remote Procedure Call

Natural Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is available as a separate subcomponent of Natural. It has its own version number. This measure takes into account that Natural RPC is a cross-platform component and makes it possible to provide new Natural RPC versions independent of new Natural versions for the various platforms supported.

With Natural Version 6.3.6, an enhanced Natural Remote Procedure Call Version 6.3.3 is delivered that replaces the existing Natural RPC Version 6.3.2.

As of Version 6.3 of Natural Remote Procedure Call (RPC), the following changes, enhancements and new features are provided.

Trace Enhancement

In case of a conversion error, which is reported with Natural error number NAT6974 and reason codes 2 and 3, the position of the erroneous data in the buffer is indicated. This will help you to identify which application data is causing the conversion error.

For further information, see Using the Server Trace Facility in the Natural Remote Procedure Call (RPC) documentation.

Natural Security

The following enhancements are provided with Natural Security Version 6.3.6.

Logon Records Enhanced

The information stored in the logon records has been expanded: now it also includes the user type and system-file information (FUSER, FNAT, FDIC). With this Natural Security version, this information can only be retrieved via the application programming interface NSCXR; see the example program PGMXR006 in the library SYSSEC.

Notice of Future Changes

The following changes are planned for future versions of Natural.

Change in Return Code Handling

With a future version of Natural, the return code handling of batch Natural processing will be changed:

  • A TERMINATE nnn statement will cause nnn to be always set as the return code of a Natural run.

  • The return code set by a TERMINATE statement will override the return code 61 which is set due to a runtime error. Currently, return code 61 overrides the return code set by a TERMINATE statement.

  • Error message NAT9987 will appear in the file identified by Natural parameter CMPRINT if a Natural run was stopped by a TERMINATE statement. Currently, the message NAT9978 is displayed if either a runtime error occurred or the session was terminated by executing a TERMINATE statement.

Review your batch procedures and check whether there are dependencies related to the above mentioned changes.

External Sort Program

With a future version of Natural, the external sort program SyncSort will no longer be supported.

Natural Web I/O Interface Client on IIS

With a future version of Natural, it will no longer be possible to use the Natural Web I/O Interface client with Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). IIS will no longer be supported.

Linux in 32-Bit Mode

With a future version of Natural, Linux in 32-bit mode will no longer be supported.