Rekall 2.3.4: Latest development release

Rekall 2.3.4
===========

This is the latest development release of Rekall, the database front end for Linux (KDE and QT3-only), MAC OS/X and (cough) Windows. It is now available from the URLs below. Please use the second URL if your browser cannot cope with the RekallRevealed web site. It is a snapshot from CVS a few hours ago.

http://www.rekallrevealed.org/
http://www.rekallrevealed.org/packages/

Rekall is a database front end in the sense that MS Access is (or KNoda or Kexi). Rekall includes:

The latest stable release announcement summarised as below:

* GPL'd drivers for MySQL, PostgreSQL and for XBase (DB4) files (via the XBSQL wrapper library).
* Read-only driver for DBTCP (http://www.fastflow.it/dbtcp/)
* Table design and data access
* Graphic form, reports and query design and execution
* Database import/export via a generalised "copier"
* Fully scriptable using Python with built-in debugger
* Ability to construct reusable components for forms and reports
* Basic database dumping and loading


New stuff in the 2.3.x series
-----------------------------

* Uses a scons (www.scons.org) build system, no more autohell. Joy!

* Builds under KDE, QT3-only in Linux, MAC OS/X and Windows. All use the same scons build files. All for one and one for all. Joy!

* Javascript scripting using KDE's KJS code. Builds on KDE 3.3.0+, also on QT3-only, MAC OS/X and Windows (using slightly tweaked 3.4.1 version in source package). Almost as functional as the python scripter. Thanx to the KDE guys for this. Sorry, no debugger yet.

* Basic dynamic form layouts using QT's layout engine. Not the full hog but enough for most uses (I claim).

* New tree-structured data control - table linking on steroids.

* Improved documentation, particularly scripting reference. Integrated document viewer (like QT Assistant) with help linked to help buttons.

* Supports stock databases (either shipped with Rekall or download from a web server). The demonstration orders database is part of the distribution. The database that runs rekallrevealed.org website is available from rekallrevealed.org (at least, a fairly recent one).

* Developing support for running forms through a web browser (rekallWeb). RekallWeb runs rekallrevealed.org. Forms are updated on the display, not redrawn. A voice whispers in my ear: AJAX.

* Control wizards, form/subform wizard; and form/report/component setup wizards (ask for standard stuff when creating forms and reports without using the wizards) (yer wot? ... yes, really)

* DCOP script injection. Push python through dcop and execute the code inside a form. Intended for testdebug but makes for interesting automation. See www.rekallrevealed.org -gt; Mike's Blog -gt; Testing, DCOP. Do not feed your python before attempting this.


Has been build (not necessarily run though on
------------------------------------------------

* Fedora Core 2 and 3
* Lindows 4.5
* Mandrake 10.0 and 1.01
* Mepis 3.3 and 2004
* Suse 9,0, 9.1 and 9.2
* Debian Sarge
* Xandros Open 3.0
* (K)Ubuntu 5.04


Some extra 2.3.4 screenshots
----------------------------

Below are a few screenshots showing what Rekall 2.3.4 can do. Don't try this at home with 2.2.4!

Calendar form displaying free and allocated resources per day-of-month. Buttons move forward and backward by month. The cells displaying each day access a single reusable component, making (for example) changes in colours trivial (ie., you make one change, not 35

http://www.rekallrevealed.org/ss234/calendar1.png
http://www.rekallrevealed.org/ss234/calendar2.png

Receptionists form to log incoming calls:

http://www.rekallrevealed.org/ss234/receptionlog.png

Sample Python scripting (actually the code used to populate the cells in the diary form above):

http://www.rekallrevealed.org/ss234/postsync.png

Sample Javascript (KJS) scripting. Exactly the same code runs both in Rekall itself and when the form that uses it is accessed through a web browser using RekallWeb:

http://www.rekallrevealed.org/ss234/javascript1.png
http://www.rekallrevealed.org/ss234/javascript2.png

Here's the calendar running in FireFox using RekallWeb (runs in Konqui, Opera and (splutter) IE6 as well). Same database, same form, same scripting:

http://www.rekallrevealed.org/ss234/firefox.png