As I support dbFront, often using Zoom, I have the privilege of seeing some of the cool systems that users have built using dbFront.  Sometimes a support session turns into a mini-demo before we get down to fixing the issue at hand.  I have often thought that it would be great if various dbFront users could learn directly from each other but I have always cringed at the idea of setting up and managing a social network.  The dbFront Q/A was purposely designed to be a Q/A site (much like StackOverFlow) and not a discussion forum.

The best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago. The second best time is now.
— unknown

With the new year I realized that there were just too many practical benefits to a user group and so after some research selected Linked-In as the location for the group.

The Purpose

At its simplest level, dbFront is fairly easy to understand and implement, but a core part of the functionality comes from the database structure and server.  A properly designed data structure and correctly configured dbFront install can yield some impressive results but that requires a level of experience.

The purpose of this group is to allow dbFront users/admins to share tips, experiences, best practices, challenges, solutions, and generally support each other to build cool stuff.  Some of the discussions that might be covered are:

• How to inject business rules and processes (Triggers, Stored Functions/Procedures, Views, ...),
• How to effectively use html/css to improve the end-user experience,
• How to safely implement the security,
• How to efficiently integrate with other systems using either dbFront or database functionality.

The answers to these questions can be highly dependent on the needs of a specific system.

Meetings and Training

A hope is that this group could facilitate training via online events.  Possibly via a periodic online meeting.

Help Set Direction

I also plan to poll group members for your opinions on various dbFront feature suggestions and look for general advice on the direction for dbFront.

Not Replacing Support

This group is not intended to replace the existing support avenues such as the Knowledge Base (dbFront.com/kb), the Q&A (dbFront.com/qa) or our other support options (dbFront.com/support)

Moderation

I intend to take a light touch with moderation but all posts containing links, or from new users will be moderated.  If anyone wants to market their dbFront related services then please talk to me and I will find an appropriate solution.

Why Linked-In?

Linked-In is a well-known, solid, and interconnected business network where the majority of dbFront users already have an account. For most dbFront users it requires a single click to join the group.  It also helps us that there is no extra infrastructure or cost other than the actual admin.

Let's Connect

See you there.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you...

The snow is deep here in Canada as we bid farewell to 2023. As we start the New Year we extend our deepest gratitude to you our clients.  Not only have you continued to fund dbFront's growth but you have also continued to provide positive feedback and valuable ideas that we hope to implement over the coming years as dbFront matures.

Please know that we are hard at work making dbFront more powerful, more flexible, more mobile (yes Mobile) all while doing our best to keep things simple and solid.

Notable Clients

We would love to name the notable clients who have funded many of the features that have become core to dbFront.  Suffice it to say, without their funding, much of the functionality that makes up dbFront would not exist today.  We may name those clients in the future,... with their permission of course.  The current licensing cost does not leave much room for new feature development.  If there is a specific feature you would love to see then please consider funding it.  Please see the following list for some suggestions:  Feature Requests.   In comparison here is the list of features that have been requested and added.  Completed Feature Requests.

Stability with dbFront 1.2.6

dbFront 1.2.6 is now the Stable release.  Version 1.2.6 has been functioning as the feature release for some time and accumulated a good set of fixes and we are confident that it is ready for our most demanding clients.  A deeper explanation of what is in dbFront 1.2.6 can be found in the blog post on dbFront 1.2.6.

Custom Search

One of the most significant features completed in the 1.2.6 release of dbFront is Custom Search Buttons.  Custom Search Buttons allow administrators and users to create single-click filter buttons that are placed just below the tables.  The filtering expressions can optionally include SQL, or prompt for user input.

This allows users to quickly move between different views of the same data which makes for happy users…  Because finding what you need is key to being productive and happy!

To see how to set up and use Custom Search buttons, check out the corresponding blog post: Custom Quick Search Buttons

Featuring dbFront 1.3.1

The latest version of dbFront 1.3.1 has been promoted to the feature release.  This is a smaller release that includes all of the updates from 1.3.0 and 1.3.1.  The most notable additions are:

• Crystal Reports: Updated Crystal Report functionality including new output types.
• Security: Support for separate User and Group containers and LDAP filters.
• Export: Ability to export a report and all referenced attachments as a ZIP package.
• FileLinks: Added Read-Only support for attachments stored on the file system.
• Procedures: Full support for Stored Procedures that return multiple result sets.
• Report Templates: Improved editing functionality.

More details to follow.  To get a sneak peek see: dbFront 1.3.1 release history or download the Beta build from dbfront.com/download.

Going Mobile

Traditional mobile applications are expensive to build and maintain.  We could have built a single dbFront mobile app, but it would have stretched our resources, and the app would have been too generic to meet most client needs.  Individual clients would not have been able to create and distribute their own custom HR or Finance app for their own internal users.

With the continued advance of web standards, specifically PWA (Progressive Web App) technology, it's now possible to install apps directly from correctly designed websites.  These apps work across multiple platforms (desktop, IOS, Android, ...) and don't need an app store to install.  If desired, individual clients could convert their dbFront PWA-enabled install to an app store-ready IOS or Android app with a minimal amount of effort.

We are actively working on turning the dbFront client into one or multiple user-installable web application(s).  The deeper off-line functionality will take time to develop.  As noted above, additional funding to support the mobile application development would be appreciated.  To vote on this feature please see Android / IOS app for dbFront.

We hope to have something to play with in the very near future.

Summary

dbFront has seen active development for more than 10 years and there is no plan to stop anytime soon.  The release history can be found at https://dbfront.com/releasehistory

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