Obsolete functions

Let's start with a list of commands or functions that were declared obsolete in previous versions of the documentation and which, after a new evaluation in v15, are no longer considered as such (so they can still be used, but it is generally recommended that you replace them with more recent commands):

Before

After

In break

In footer

In header

Activated

Deactivated

Document type

Modified

Outside call

SHOW TOOL BAR

HIDE TOOL BAR

These last two commands were reactivated for managing custom tool bars and have been moved from the "User Interface" theme to the "Windows" theme. In addition, the Open form window command accepts a new Toolbar form window type.

Beginning with 4D v15, obsolete commands are systematically prefixed with "_o_" and are no longer displayed in 4D command lists. Around fifty obsolete 4D commands have been renamed accordingly.

For the complete list of obsolete commands that were renamed in 4D v15, refer to the Obsolete commands renamed section.

XSLT processing commands are declared obsolete and have been prefixed accordingly. For compatibility, XSL transformations are still supported in 4D, but their use is now discouraged. Support for XSLT processing will be removed in future 4D releases.

Note for 4D Server 64-bit OS X: XSLT is not available with the 64-bit version of 4D Server for OS X. Consequently, calling one of these commands from this application will generate an error 33: "Unimplemented command or function".

4D provides two solutions for replacing XSLT technology in your databases:

• Using equivalent functions of the PHP libxslt module, which is installed in 4D since version 14.2. 4D has produced a specific document to help you use PHP XSL as a replacement for the 4D XSLT commands: Download XSLT with PHP technical document (PDF)
• Using new possibilities provided by the PROCESS 4D TAGS command, whose capacities have been significantly extended in 4D v15.

• The Has toolbar button Mac constant is now obsolete; the corresponding option has been deprecated by Apple since OS X 10.6. This constant was available in both "Open Form Window" and "Open Window" constant themes. It has been renamed _O_Has toolbar button Mac in 4D v15.

• The qr font constant (1) has been renamed _O_qr font. It is now deprecated and should no longer be used (compatibility is maintained but it will not be supported in future releases). A new qr font name constant (10) has been added to the "QR Text Properties" theme. You must now use this constant to define the font and use a string value. You can pass a name returned by the FONT LIST command.

A new selector is available for the Get database parameter and SET DATABASE PARAMETER commands: Use legacy network layer (Longint, 87).

This new selector sets or gets the current status of the legacy network layer for client/server connections. This former network layer will be replaced gradually with the ServerNet network layer in your applications. ServerNet will be required in upcoming versions of 4D in order to ensure that your applications will benefit from future network evolutions. For compatibility reasons, the legacy network layer is still supported to facilitate the transition of existing applications (it is still used by default for applications converted from versions prior to v15). Right now, you can activate the ServerNet network layer.

• Pass 1 in this parameter to use the legacy network layer (and disable the ServerNet),
• Pass 0 to disable the legacy network layer (and use the ServerNet).

This property can also be set by means of the "Use legacy network layer" option in the Compatibility dialog New compatibility options (see also the New ServerNet Network Layer section).

Implementation note: The ServerNet network layer is provided in "preview" release in 4D v15.

The 4D Write and 4D View plug-ins are still supported but will no longer evolve in future versions of 4D. 4D is currently developing "4D Write Pro" and "4D View Pro" as replacement solutions, whose features will be phased in progressively. Initial versions of these new tools are already available in 4D v15.