Synergy XML API: A customer case study Synergy/DE ... - Synergex

Vol 16 Issue 1
Synerg-E-News...a year in review.
CONNECTION
Synergy/DE extends the reach
of Synergy business applications
Synergex ® delivered important
new technologies and features in
2003 with Synergy/DE 8.1,
8.1.3, and 8.1.5. These versions
introduced an API for XML and
support for HTTPS (8.1), Java
connection pooling (8.1.3),
xfServerPlus performance improvements
(8.1.3), and client/server
debugging capabilities (8.1.5),
enabling developers worldwide to
create dynamic, high-performing
solutions to fit their vertical
application needs.
Version 8.1: XML API, HTTPS,
and more
In February 2003, Synergex
released Synergy/DE 8.1 with an
Synergy XML API: A customer case study
Forward Computers Limited
(Forward), located in Nottingham,
United Kingdom, provides management
information and e-
commerce solutions to the international
freight industry. Recently,
Forward needed a solution for one
of their customers, The Elite Group
of Leeds, UK, an international
freight agent that manages the
import of goods on behalf of many
major clothing retailers in the
United Kingdom. These retailers,
in turn, source the merchandise
from a variety of manufacturers
around the world. For each
purchase order (PO) given to a
supplier, the retailer needs to be
kept up-to-date on shipping
XML API and support for
HTTPS, features that enable
customers to interface with more
third-party applications and to
enhance communication between
their Synergy ® application
components.
XML API and HTTPS Support
The new XML API enables
Synergy developers to parse and
assemble XML documents. HTTPS
support enables secure communications
via Secure Socket Layer
(SSL).
“With version 8.1’s new XML
and HTTPS features, our customers
will find it even easier to build
open solutions that interact with
information, expected arrival dates,
shipped quantities, customs
clearance details, and so forth.
Forward’s business requirement
was to support a bi-directional
electronic interface,
allowing retailers
and freight agents to
update and exchange
PO information as
each PO moves
through the supply
chain. Forward
made the decision to
represent PO data
within XML documents, which are
physically transferred between
systems using File Transfer
Protocol (FTP).
“With the XML API, we
were able to implement an
application that does
exactly what we want it to,
and which more than
adequately covers our
customer’s requirements.”
Synergy/DE to support
Microsoft .NET
Framework and Visual
Studio .NET
(See page 3 for details...)
(See page
28 for
details).
other industry-standard applications
and services,” said Cindy Limburg,
Synergy/DE product manager at
Synergex.
“This is the best Synergy/DE
upgrade I’ve seen so far,” said Deborah
Dube, Software Engineer at C.H.
Continued on page 4
Forward decided to use the Synergy
XML API routines to generate XML
output for this business requirement.
“The Synergy XML API routines are
extremely useful and easy to use,” said
Ken Stewart, director at
Forward Computers
Limited. “With the
XML API, we were able
to implement an
application that does
exactly what we want it
to, and which more than
adequately covers our
customer’s requirements.”
With the new application,
ForwardVision, The Elite Group can
now define and configure specific
XML-based electronic interfaces to
Continued on page 5
A Publication for Professional Developers and Users

from the
EDITOR…
2003 was a productive year—for
Synergex and for our customers. The
release of Synergy/DE version 8 delivered
important new technologies and
features, such as XML and HTTPS
support, Java connection pooling,
xfServerPlus performance improvements
and client/server debugging capabilities.
And our customers were busy implementing
the latest technologies into their
Synergy applications. Read on page 1
how Forward Computers used the
Synergy XML API to support a bidirectional
electronic interface in their
application. On page 15, see how Webbased
systems from Radley Corporation
are streamlining ordering and shipping
tasks for automotive and heavy equipment
suppliers. Go to page 20 to read
about how The Pepsi Bottling Group has
selected Synergy/DE-based SDMS from
Global Beverage Group as its “route
accounting” solution for its Canadian
business. And more…
In 2003, we also introduced a new
multiple-location regional format for the
SPC. Read about the conference on page
28, and find out how to unleash the
power of your Synergy applications at
SPC 2004.
Recapping a year’s worth of
information-packed articles from our biweekly
newsletter, Synerg-E-News, this
issue of Connection includes customer
successes, valuable tech tips, comprehensive
product information, and more. We
look forward to a productive 2004, and
are here to help you as you extend the
reach of your Synergy applications.
Elizabeth Marmins, Editor
THE CONNECTION STAFF
Editor: Elizabeth Marmins
Managing Editor: Ingrid Sides
Contributors: Rosanne Brill, William Hawkins,
Linda Kelley, Cindy Limburg, Matt Linder,
Penelope Perkins, and Mary Ribacchi
Synergex Connection is published for professional developers,
resellers, consultants, vendors, and corporate users. Copyright
2004 Synergex. All rights reserved.
Trademarks: DBL, Synergy, Synergy Development Environment,
xfSeries, and Synergy/DE are trademarks of Synergex. All other
product and company names in this newsletter are trademarks of
their respective holders.
Where in the World Is
SYNERGY/DE?
Managing operations for a
dialysis service provider
DaVita Laboratory Services is
a wholly owned subsidiary of
DaVita, Inc., the second largest
provider of dialysis services in the
United States for patients suffering
from chronic kidney failure, also
known as end stage renal disease
(ESRD). The laboratory, located in
DeLand, Florida, uses a customdesigned
Synergy/DE suite of
applications to manage its day-today
operations. The laboratory
information system, Ref-Lab, is
implemented on OpenVMS Alpha.
Ref-Lab addresses all activities
related to operating a major ESRD
laboratory, including electronic
remote order entry, barcode driven
accessioning, specimen inventory,
instrument interfaces, remote
transmission of lab results, and a
complete accounts receivable,
billing, and collections system. The
system also maintains several WAN
interfaces to corporate Microsoft
SQL databases using Synergy/DE
SQL Connection. The laboratory
was recently awarded the College of
American Pathologists (CAP)
certification, the highest level of
accreditation that can be achieved by
a medical laboratory.
For more information, visit
DaVita’s Web site at
http://www.davita.com/.
Strike a pose! Synergy/DE is in
the world of photography.
Based in Newton Abbot in
Devon, England, Harrier LLC is the
leading mail order film development
company in the United Kingdom
with a customer base of approximately
four million. With workers
ranging in number from 200-400
throughout the year, Harrier is one of
the larger employers in the Devon
area.
Harrier uses the Synergy/DE-built
Abbots application to process orders
for the company’s mail order photo
developing and printing business. All
orders received are logged into the
system, which is then updated with
customer details. The Abbots system
then produces dispatch documentation
and sorting information. “The
Abbots system collects all of the data
necessary to help us analyze marketing
trends and organize customer
enquiries,” said Andrew Bascombe,
IT Manager at Harrier. “We are glad
that we have created a system that is
backed by reliable software development
tools.”
Harrier processes mostly 35mm
film, although Advanced Photo
System (APS) film currently constitutes
almost 20 percent of Harrier’s
business. In addition, Harrier makes
photo CDs and is looking into
forming alliances with e-commerce
companies to offer printing services
for customers who use digital
cameras. Although Harrier continues
to see 35mm processing as the
mainstay of their business, the
company is also starting to do limited
trials on Internet uploads.
http://www.truprint.co.uk
Synergy/DE brings home the
bacon!
Smithfield Foods, Inc., is the
largest hog producer and pork
processor in the world. Throughout
the United States and Canada, in
Continued on page 29
ACCURACY IS OUR GOAL
Delivering accurate technical and business information is a Synergex priority. Although
we do our best to publish quality, accurate, timely information, sometimes information
is incorrect or causes confusion.
If you find any published Synergex information that you think may be incorrect or
needs clarification, please send an e-mail message to mailto:synergy@synergex.com.
2

customer success
APPS IN ACTION
Synergy/DE xfODBC enhances AgTrax Software 7.0
AgTrax users can now produce reports with third-party tools, such as Crystal Reports and Microsoft
Excel.
AgTrax Technologies (AgTrax), a leading developer of accounting software for agricultural businesses throughout
the Midwest, announced the release of version 7.0 of their core product, AgTrax Software.
The new version, featuring Synergy/DE xfODBC, enables AgTrax’s users to access
their accounting data from Crystal Reports ® , Microsoft Excel, and any other ODBCcompliant
application.
Synergy/DE-based AgTrax Software helps manage the food production process in
rural America from the planted seed all the way to food processing companies. The new
version enables AgTrax’s customers to receive customized managerial reports that were
previously not available or that required special programming. In addition, AgTrax has
created a section on their Web site where customers can download and use sample
reports in Crystal Reports or Microsoft Excel.
“Not only does Synergy/DE xfODBC enable our end users to obtain custom reports,
but it also allows us—as the developers—to free up valuable development resources by
outsourcing reporting to third-party tools,” says Jeff Jackson, general manager at
AgTrax. “We really like the freedom that xfODBC gives us as a standard ODBC data source.”
“Synergy/DE provides
the foundation that we
require, the portability
we need, and continues
to demonstrate the
future vision and
direction we want to
follow.”
--Gayle Lewis, AgTrax
Jackson’s top choice for a third-party reporting tool is Crystal Reports. “It’s the most powerful ODBC-compliant
tool we’ve seen. The ability to access multiple data sources makes it very usable and unique.”
AgTrax has been a Synergex customer since September 1996. Gayle Lewis, development manager at AgTrax,
comments, “Synergy/DE provides the foundation that we require, the portability we need, and continues to demonstrate
the future vision and direction we want to follow.”
About AgTrax Technologies
A part of Integrated Solutions Group (ISG), AgTrax Technologies is a technology provider to agribusinesses
throughout the Midwest. Based in Hutchinson, Kansas, AgTrax has the fastest growing customer base in the market,
and offers state-of-the-art conversions, seamless third-party interfacing, VPN technology, and wireless technology
experience. Future developments at AgTrax include Palm Computing and Web-enabled applications, vendor service
bundling, and e-commerce.
http://www.agtrax.com
See how Synergy/DE-based AgTrax software enables online grain grading and certification, which dramatically
reduces shipping-to-payment cycle for grain shippers.
http://www.synergex.com/news/Articledetail.asp?id=2454
Synergy/DE to support Microsoft .NET Framework and
Visual Studio .NET
Synergex plans to support the Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio .NET with Synergy/DE.
Synergex will develop a compiler that will enable Synergy developers to migrate their existing Synergy applications
to the Microsoft .NET Framework. Synergex will also integrate Synergy/DE with Visual Studio .NET, enabling developers
to edit, build, run, and debug their Synergy applications within the powerful Visual Studio .NET environment.
With Synergy/DE’s support for the Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio .NET, Synergy developers will be
able to take advantage of Microsoft’s latest technologies, including tools for creating and deploying XML Web services.
“We see a lot of excitement surrounding the Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio .NET in the industry and
in our customer base, and we are pleased to inform our customers that we will offer them a migration path to these
important new technologies,” said William Mooney, General Manager of the Synergy/DE Business Unit.
Continued on page 23
3

Synergy/DE 8.1
Continued from page 1
developer productivity
WORKING SMART
“This is the best Synergy/DE
upgrade I’ve seen so far. Most
of our system is written using
Synergy/DE UI Toolkit on
OpenVMS Alpha, and the
upgrade to version 8.1 worked
wonderfully! With Synergy/
DE 8.1, I will be able to
work with XML data more
easily. I am now in the
process of modifying my XML
data converter to use the
Synergy XML API.”
--Deborah Dube, Software
Engineer at C.H. Powell
Company
Powell Company. “Most of our
system is written using Synergy/DE
UI Toolkit on OpenVMS Alpha,
and the upgrade to version 8.1
worked wonderfully! With
Synergy/DE 8.1, I will be able to
work with XML data more easily. I
am now in the process of modifying
my XML data converter to use
the Synergy XML API.”
Other Product Enhancements
In addition to an XML API and
HTTPS support, Synergy/DE 8.1
delivers many other enhancements
with which developers can add
value to their Synergy applications:
• Synergy/DE xfODBC
enhancements, such as system
catalog caching
• New UI Toolkit features, such
as scrolling input fields
• Synergy/DE xfServerPlus
support for arguments larger than
64K
Synergy/DE 8.1.3: Java connection
pooling dramatically
speeds up Web applications.
Synergy/DE 8.1.3, released in
May 2003, showcases a new
feature, Java connection pooling,
which can improve the performance
of Java applications and
JavaServer Pages (JSP).
Synergy/DE 8.1.3 also delivers
Microsoft ® Windows Server
2003 support, in addition to
product enhancements and quality
improvements throughout the
Synergy/DE product suite.
Java Connection Pooling
Java connection pooling
dramatically reduces the response
time required to execute Synergy
methods with Synergy/DE
xfNetLink Java Edition. Java
connection pooling enables you to
create a pool of connections to
Synergy/DE xfServerPlus, connections
which are active and ready to
use when your xfNetLink Java
client makes a request. Depending
on your application, pooling
connections can greatly speed up
Web applications by reducing the
amount of time required to make
the Java-to-Synergy connection.
Pooling is of most benefit in JSP
applications and in other Java
applications, such as J2EE
applications, in which multiple
users access a single Java Virtual
Machine running on a server.
Windows Server 2003 Support
With version 8.1.3, Synergy/DE
is certified for use with Windows
Server 2003, which Microsoft says
“takes the best of Windows 2000
Server technology and makes it
easier to deploy, manage, and use.”
Windows Server 2003 also
incorporates .NET functionality,
including
• The Microsoft .NET Framework
• The Microsoft XML Web
services platform
• Deep integration of Microsoft
.NET Passport with Active Directory
® service
• Native support for SOAPbased
XML Web services
• Full integration of the COM+
component architecture with XML
Web services through the .NET
Framework
Other Product Enhancements
In addition to Java connection
pooling and Windows Server 2003
support, Synergy/DE 8.1.3 includes
new XML routines, significant
enhancements to Synergy/DE
xfODBC performance, a new
information advisor in isutl,
support for up to 1024 channels
(requires Operating System
parameter changes), and support
for Unix job control. This release
also incorporates a number of
quality improvements, including
fixes to the ActiveX list display,
Synergy/DE UI Toolkit radio
button positioning, isutl, and
Synergy/DE xfSeries temp file
processing on Windows XP.
Synergy/DE 8.1.5: New features
speed up distributed
applications and facilitate
remote debugging
In October 2003, Synergex
released version 8.1.5, which
includes xfServerPlus performance
improvements and client/server
debugging capabilities, enabling
customers to speed up their
distributed applications and to
debug their distributed (and other)
Continued on page 5
4

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
“The Synergy/DE 8.1.5 debug
capabilities provide a much better
way to interactively debug remote
routines.”
--Bret Tenny, Datatrac
Corporation’s Director of
Engineering
“I performed a timing test of
xfNetlink.NET/xfServerPlus,
transferring a very large XML
document as an argument.
With the new xfServerPlus
compression on, we’re at 12.5
seconds. Prior to this, the time
was two minutes and 30
seconds. I LIKE IT!”
--Chip Camden, owner of
Camden Software Consulting.
applications more effectively.
Synergy/DE 8.1.5 also delivers
product enhancements and quality
improvements throughout the
Synergy/DE product suite.
xfServerPlus Performance Improvements
Optimizations to internal
xfServerPlus processing, a new
xfServerPlus compression feature,
and improved xfNetLink performance
with arrays of structures
enable customers to improve the
performance of their distributed
Synergy applications. One customer
already benefiting from
these improvements is Chip
Camden, owner of Camden
Software Consulting. “I performed
a timing test of xfNetlink .NET/
xfServerPlus, transferring a very
large XML document as an
argument. With the new
xfServerPlus compression on,
we’re at 12.5 seconds,” states
Camden. “Prior to this, the time
was two minutes and 30 seconds. I
LIKE IT!”
Client/Server Debugging Capabilities
The Synergy Language
debugger can now be used in a
client/server configuration on
Windows and Unix, making it
easier for customers to debug
distributed applications, applications
running as detached processes
on Unix or as services or scheduled
tasks on Windows, HTTP server
applications, and other applications
where it would be helpful to debug
from a separate client system. “We
like the new 8.1.5 client/server
debugger feature very much,”
states Bret Tenny, Datatrac
Corporation’s Director of Engineering.
“Our previous methods of
debugging the routines that we
access remotely with xfServerPlus
were time-consuming and cumbersome.
The Synergy/DE 8.1.5 debug
capabilities provide a much better
way to interactively debug remote
routines.”
Other Product Enhancements
In addition to xfServerPlus
performance improvements and
client/server debugging capabilities,
Synergy/DE 8.1.5 includes an
OPENELB debugger command to
facilitate debugging of ELB
routines, a new database driver to
enable more effective SQL Server
access, xfODBC join performance
improvements, Servstat enhancements
on OpenVMS, improved
installation of Microsoft Data
Access Components (MDAC), new
ISUTL options, a new version of the
FarPoint Spread control, and
numerous fixes throughout the
Synergy/DE product suite.
XML API
Continued from page 1
each of their customer’s individual
requirements.
Forward previously developed their
own XML parser for an earlier project
(before the Synergy XML API was
available). They now have plans in
place to modify their XML parser so
they can make use of the XML API
routines to retrieve the data contained
in each inbound XML document.
Stewart continues, “Once again, we
leave it to Synergex to do the difficult
work while we reduce our own code
commitment—that’s just the way we
like it!”
For more information about Forward,
visit their Web site at
http://www.forward-comp.co.uk.
5

UP & RUNNING
The Synergy Configuration Program:
Making Your Job Easier
Save time and reduce errors
when configuring Synergy/DE!
Introduced with Synergy/DE
7.3.1, the Synergy Configuration
Program (synconfig) simplifies
your Synergy/DE configuration
tasks on Windows. Tasks that you
previously completed from the
command line or by editing the
registry can now be accomplished
easily with this GUI utility. And
synconfig centralizes all of your
Synergy/DE configuration and
management tasks, so you’ll know
where to go when you need to
review or update your Synergy/DE
configuration.
“We wanted to simplify the
effort required to manage the
multiple Synergy/DE products and
servers that are deployed in a
typical Synergy environment,” said
Cindy Limburg, Synergy/DE
Product Manager. “With synconfig,
we have accomplished this.”
Experience the following
benefits with the Synergy Configuration
Program:
Obtain product keys online.
HelpDesk Support customers
can use synconfig to quickly obtain
product keys. After placing a
product order (with a Synergy/DE
Account Manager), you can easily
obtain product keys for the
machine on which you are running
synconfig. When you select the
“Obtain Keys Online” option in
synconfig, it will link to the
Synergy/DE Resource Center on
the Synergex Web site, passing
along the licensee name and
registration string from your
machine. You can then either
download your keys or have them
e-mailed to you. (If you prefer not
to use the Synergy/DE Resource
Center, you can use synconfig
either to send an e-mail message
with your registration information to
a Synergy/DE Account Manager, or
to print your registration information.
You can then fax or mail this
information to Synergex.)
Install your product keys.
When you download your
product keys or have them e-mailed
to you, they are delivered in the
form of a Synergy key file. You can
use the Synergy Configuration
Program to view the contents of this
file and to install the keys on your
system. If the key file includes keys
for multiple machines, synconfig
will install just the keys for the
system on which it is running.
(When accessed from synconfig, the
Synergy/DE Resource Center
generates keys only for the machine
on which synconfig is running.
However, you can also access the
Synergy/DE Resource Center
directly from the Synergex Web site
(i.e., without synconfig) to create
key files containing keys for
multiple machines.)
View your license information
and manage your license
configuration.
License management is easy with
the Synergy Configuration Program.
Synconfig allows you to easily view
your machine’s current license
information, including licensee
name, registration string, and
installed keys. And it allows you to
view and update your license
configuration—stand-alone, client,
or server.
View and update your SQL
Connection configuration.
If Synergy/DE Connectivity
Series is installed, synconfig will
display the version of Oracle or
SQL Server currently in use, and
the versions supported by SQL
Connection. If you update a
database, you can add the proper
database drivers simply by selecting
the new version of the database
in the synconfig dialog. This
eliminates the need to copy and
rename the driver files manually.
Starting with Synergy/DE 7.3.3,
you can also start and stop SQL
OpenNet Server from synconfig.
Update Synergy/DE xfServer
and xfServerPlus services
easily.
You can view a list of the
current xfServer and xfServerPlus
services on your machine. The
Synergy Configuration Program
will show the service name, port
number, and status of xfServer /
xfServerPlus services. Using this
dialog, a service can be added or
removed, started or stopped; and
the properties of a service can be
modified. When a service is added,
you can specify whether data
access will be secure or nonsecure,
and whether event logging
will be enabled. In addition,
environment variables for the
service can be defined, either as
local to a specific service or as
available to all services. Synconfig
will update the registry with all of
the new information.
Install your Professional Series
Workbench Visual SlickEdit
key.
Starting with Synergy/DE 7.3.3,
you can enter your SlickEdit key
via the Synergy Configuration
Program, instead of during
installation. This enables you to
complete your Synergy/DE
installation without having your
Continued on page 27
6

Resolving Your Database Problems with Fcompare
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
by Mary Ribacchi, Synergex Software Test Engineer
Are you experiencing problems
with your Synergy database?
Getting erroneous data in your
reports? Not getting the expected
performance from Synergy/DE
xfODBC? These are all symptoms
of synchronization problems within
the database. Any discrepancy
between how database elements are
defined and how they are being
used can have a big impact on
database performance. The
alignment of the data files with the
database definition files (i.e.,
repository or system catalog files)
is crucial to the performance of
Synergy programs that function
from these definitions (such as
Synergy/DE ReportWriter and
xfODBC). The Synergy/DE file
compare utility (fcompare) is a tool
that points out such synchronization
problems. Often used by
Synergex developers and support
representatives to debug database
problems, fcompare is easy to use
and comes bundled as a core
component with Synergy/DE 7.3
and higher. Fcompare identifies
synchronization problems so that
you can resolve them. When the
synchronization problems are
resolved, your database will show
improved efficiency and added
performance.
What can fcompare do?
Fcompare can perform two
basic functions: it can compare a
Synergy DBMS (formerly ISAMxf)
file definition against repository
definitions, or it can compare a
Synergy DBMS file definition
against a system catalog. Fcompare
uses the physical data file as the
standard by which to measure
whether or not the repository or
system catalog is correctly defined.
It examines the record and key
information from the data file and
compares it to the corresponding
repository or system catalog
definitions.
Sending the message
When discrepancies are found,
fcompare outputs an error or a
warning, as well as some informational
messages. The output can be
written to the screen or to a file. An
error indicates a problem that must
be resolved to get accurate data
retrieval. One example of an error
is a key whose defined offset in the
data file does not match the offset
as defined in the repository. A
warning suggests a problem that
should be resolved, as it is most
likely reducing performance or
making further debugging more
difficult. An example of a warning
is a key that is longer than it is
defined to be. An informational
message is just useful information
about the database, such as record
size or number of keys defined.
The volume of messages
generated by fcompare can be
large, but you can use command
line options to control the number
of messages output. You can elect
to see only errors, both errors and
warnings, or all messages. For a
large database, it is best to use
fcompare in an iterative manner:
identify and clean up the errors
first, then move on to the lesser
issues, the warnings.
Fcompare is easy to use
You can run it from the command
line or launch it from either
the DBA utility or the Repository
program. When launched from the
DBA, fcompare performs a system
catalog comparison, and when
launched from Repository, it
performs a repository comparison.
From the command line, you can
request either type of comparison.
You supply either a path to the
repository files for a repository
comparison or the name of a connect
file for a system catalog comparison.
For the most part, the checks
performed for the two options are the
same, except that the repository option
does a little more. It performs a number
of checks on key definitions that are not
performed for the system catalog
option. Some examples include
checking key segments for offset and
length, checking that the data types of
key segments match, and checking that
the key segments have a matching sort
order. For this reason, we recommend
that you run the repository option
before creating the system catalogs so
that you can check and correct key
definitions in the repository before
generating system catalogs. For those
who use a conversion setup file to
specify filenames during generation of
system catalogs (via the
SODBC_CNVFIL environment
variable), fcompare can still be used.
When a repository comparison is
performed, fcompare reads the conversion
setup file to retrieve the filenames.
You can choose to compare all table/
file definitions in the database, or you
can limit the comparison to a specific
table or file. When a single table or file
is selected, a data validation check can
also be requested. During data validation,
fcompare reads through all the
records in the data file and verifies that
date and decimal fields contain valid
values for their field types (for example,
that date fields contain valid
dates and decimal fields contain only
digits). The number of records in the
file is reported, and any invalid dates or
invalid decimal data are identified by
outputting the record ID, column name,
and value of the offending data. The
data validation option can significantly
increase the amount of time it takes to
run fcompare, which is why its usage is
limited to one file or table at a time.
Continued on page 27
7

questions answered
SUPPORT CENTER
Support Center Questions and Answers by Topic
• Synergy/DE Resource Center
• Synergy/DE 8.1 upgrade
• Microsoft Windows
• Synergy/DE UI Toolkit
• Error Messages
• General Tips from the Support Team
• Client / Server
• License Manager
• Synergy/DE xfNetLink Java
?
My ActiveX control
no longer fits on
the screen...
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Synergy/DE Resource Center
How do I access the Resource Center?
The login fields for the Resource Center are located in the top right corner of the
Synergex Web site. To access the Resource Center you must have a current subscription
to Synergy/DE HelpDesk Support. You will also need a valid user name
(generally your company e-mail address) and password, which are set up for you by
one of the two administrators at your company. Contact Synergy/DE HelpDesk
Support if you require the names of your company administrators. To obtain your
password, enter your user name in the login field, and then click on the “Forgot
Password?” link. Your password will be sent to you via e-mail.
I don’t have Synergy/DE HelpDesk Support but I would like to visit the Resource Center. How
can I do this?
You may view the Resource Center as a guest by clicking on “Guest User” in the
upper right corner of the Synergy/DE Solutions page of the Synergex Web site. As a
guest user, you will be able to tour some of the areas of the Resource Center, and
find out all of the resources that are available with a HelpDesk subscription.
I recently tried to login to the Resource Center and I don’t seem to have full access. What’s the
problem?
It could be a few things…
1. You may be logged in as an administrator. Some options are not available to
administrative logins, which are intended for user administration purposes only. For
full access, login to the Resource Center as a “non-administrator.”
2. You may not have a subscription to Synergy/DE HelpDesk Support. If this is
the case, you will not have access to the Resource Center, unless you log in as a
guest.
3. Your Synergy/DE HelpDesk Support may have expired. To renew your
subscription, contact a Customer Service representative today.
mailto:Synergy@synergex.com
Continued on pages 9- 13
8

Q
A
I’m a Synergy/DE HelpDesk Support customer; however, after logging in to the Synergy/DE Resource Center, I noticed
that some of the Online Services links were disabled. How can I access this portion of the Resource Center?
To generate configuration keys or to order products online, you need to sign up for Online Services.
Contact your Synergy/DE Account Manager for more details.
If you have any questions about accessing the Resource Center, contact Synergy/DE HelpDesk Support.
Synergy/DE 8.1
Q
A
Q
A
I just upgraded my PC to use Synergy/DE 8.1 and my font size has changed. I also noticed that my ActiveX control no
longer fits on the screen. What is causing this and how can I fix it?
Font and screen sizes are settings that can be specified in the synergy.ini file. In Synergy/DE 8.1, the
default location for synergy.ini is DBLDIR, rather than the Windows system directory (Windows or
Winnt) as it was in previous versions. You are now probably using the default synergy.ini and therefore not
seeing the customizations that you had made previously.
We recommend that you move your customized synergy.ini file from the old default location to another
directory and set SFWINIPATH to point to it. For deployment at customers’ sites, we recommend that you
put synergy.ini in a directory that is part of your application. (In newer versions of Microsoft Windows
[such as XP], the Windows system directory is protected, which means that some users are not able to see
it. This makes it an undesirable location for an ini file.) We do not recommend using the synergy.ini file in
DBLDIR, as this is just a sample file and may be overwritten the next time you upgrade Synergy/DE.
I just upgraded to Connectivity Series 8.1. Why do I get the error “Invalid connect syntax (uid/pwd/datasource)” when I
try to connect to my SQL OpenNet server? (Note: This issue affects customers using Synergy/DE 8.1.)
This error is generated by the encryption used by SQL OpenNet. In Connectivity Series version 8.1,
user and password information passed in connect strings through SQL OpenNet is encrypted. When you
update both your clients and server to version 8.1, encryption is implemented by default.
However, if either the client or the server is not updated, you may see an “invalid connect syntax (uid/
pwd/datasource)” error. To correct this problem, make sure all clients and servers are running Connectivity
Series version 8.1.
This error can also be caused by a mismatch in encryption settings on the client and server or by a
corrupted net.ini file. For more information, including how to turn encryption off, refer to the Connectivity
Series release notes (REL_CONN.TXT) and the SQL Connection Reference Manual. If you are running
Synergy/DE Client, see information on VORTEX_HOME in the Installation section of the Language
release notes (REL_DBL.TXT).
(For HelpDesk Supported customer only.)
Q
A
Microsoft Windows
How do I conditionally compile code for Microsoft Windows?
If you are building your application to run on both Windows and another platform (Unix or
OpenVMS), you may want to conditionally compile your code so that some sections of code are included
while others are excluded when you build your application for Windows.
The DBLDIR:dbl.def file (installed with Synergy/DE) includes identifiers that enable you to do this.
We recommend that you use D_GUI. (There are also ten OS_WINDOWSxxx identifiers, plus the
OS_MSDOS identifier that you could use. However, we no longer recommend these because some of
them will become obsolete with the introduction of 64-bit Windows—for example, OS_MSDOS and
OS_WINDOWSNT).
9

Q
A
Q
A
How can I invoke the Windows color palette to enable the user to select a new color from within my Synergy application?
Use the following statement:
newcolor = %u_wincolor(D_CHOOSECOLOR, oldcolor)
Where old color is the RGB value of the current color. This invokes the Windows color palette. After the
user selects a new color, newcolor is assigned the RGB value of the color selected. If the user selects Cancel,
newcolor is returned as oldcolor.
Our Windows NT client has two IP addresses. The wrong address is being used when returning from Synergy/DE xfServerPlus.
What can we do?
The xfNetLink client passes its IP address to xfServerPlus at connection time. This is not a value that you
explicitly set in xfServerPlus or xfNetLink. Rather, xfNetLink uses the address of the primary network card as
defined on your system. If you have multiple network cards, verify that the IP address you want xfServerPlus
to use is the address of the primary card.
Synergy/DE UI Toolkit
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
How can I change the title bar and therefore the name of the button on the Windows task bar of the Synergy container
window?
Use xcall E_SECT(“string”,D_CAPTION). The D_CAPTION option sets the Microsoft Windows Application
Window Caption.
We would like our application to emulate the Windows prompt change for hyperlinks in a cell-based environment. Can we
change the prompt’s renditions without changing the color?
You can use the WF_ATTR function (and WF_COLOR function) of the W_FLDS subroutine to modify the
field’s renditions, but you’ll need the low-level field number for the prompt. Use I_FLDINF to get the field
information, including the prompt’s field number, which will be in gs_promptfld in the fldinf.def file.
I have a program with an input screen that has 16 tabs. Is there a way to present these in 2 rows of 8, rather than 1 row of
16?
Yes. If you are using Synergy/DE version 7 or later, use the DTS_MULTILINE option that is passed to the
style argument of TS_TABSET(DTs_CREATE). With DTs_MULTILINE, the tabs will display on multiple
rows if they cannot fit on one row.
For more information refer to the Tab Set Processing section of the Synergy/DE UI Toolkit Reference
Manual.
How do I capture the close event on the application window?
Register an application close method routine either after calling U_START, or as part of your start_method
subroutine specified with U_START. For example:
xcall e_method(D_METH_APPCLOSE, “myappclose” )
In the close method, test to see if the “cancel” argument is passed. If it is, set the argument to TRUE, signal
a menu event that will cause the application to exit, and then return. If the “cancel” argument is not passed, do
not do any of the above. In that case, the method is being called as part of an unconditional shutdown.
For more information, refer to the “application close method” index entry in the UI Toolkit Reference
Manual.
10

Q
A
Q
A
Error Messsages
In the xfNetLink COM log file, the following error occurs:
typelib:Iinterface:Did not receive expected interface for
parameter x
Why is this happening?
This error occurs because the interface is attempting to use a parameter that has not been initialized
correctly.
Usually, this occurs when an array of structures is being passed, and the first element of the array
(element 0) has not been initialized. For example, Dim struct(3) actually creates a four element array,
referenced as elements 0, 1, 2 and 3.
Another possible cause is that there is more than one interface being used, and not all of the interfaces
are being initialized.
Why am I getting the error “Cannot set default value for VT_DISPATCH type” when I run my ASP page? The error occurs
on the method call.
This error occurs when the object being called has not been set. Make sure the object has been instantiated
correctly. If using an array of structures, remember that an instance of the object must be created for
each element of the array. So if you have an array variable that is dimensioned for two elements, your FOR
loop must be dimensioned from 0 to 2.
General Tips from the Support Team
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
When I compile the source file opened in Workbench, the compiler results appear in the upper window instead of the
lower window. Why is this and how can I change it?
You may have the “Capture output” box checked. To uncheck this box, follow these steps:
1). Go to the Tools menu and select Configuration > File Extension Setup.
2). Click on the Project button.
3). Select the Tools tab and make sure the “Capture output” box is unchecked.
Is there a way to connect to a database using Synergy/DE xfODBC without creating a Data Source Name (DSN)?
(Note: This article is applicable to Synergy/DE versions 7.2.7a and later. )
Yes. xfODBC is capable of connecting with or without a DSN. How xfODBC connects depends upon
the connection string. If you are using an ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) application, use the following
connection string format to connect without creating a DSN:
DRIVER=xfODBC;UID=DBADMIN;PWD=MANAGER;DBQ=sodbc_sa;
The key is the DRIVER=xfODBC portion of the string. When connecting this way, all the necessary
connection information must be provided. This includes the user id (UID), password (PWD), and connect
file (DBQ).
What is the best way to remove compression from an ISAM file?
1). Create a par (parameter) file by running the ipar utility with the -g option.
2). Remove the compression attribute “,compress” from the par file. NOTE: the comma character must
be removed as well.
3). Use the fconvert utility with the par file to create a new file without compression. Specify the
compressed file as input and use a new filename as output.
4). Rename the new file, both index (.ism) and data (.is1), to the original name.
Refer to the Synergy Language Reference Manual for more information on using the ipar utility.
11

Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
I would like to center each input window in my application window. I know the size of my application window, but
how can I retrieve the size (rows and columns) of the input window?
Use %W_INFO(WIF_ROWS,WIF_COLS) to retrieve the row and column values.
How do we display a .JPEG file as the background in our main Synergy/DE Windows application?
Create an ActiveX control using Visual Basic with an embedded image control, or use a DLL
routine written in C. Although this approach gives greater performance and control over how the
image is displayed, support for each image format must be programmed independently.
How do I determine the ID of the initial window created by U_START? I would like to set the position of the window
during the USTART_METHOD. To do this, I need the ID of the window to move or position it.
Although that window does not really have an ID, some functions can access it via
WID_CONTAINER. In your case:
xcall w_proc(WP_POSITION, WID_CONTAINER, x_POs, y_POs)
Note: The position of this window can also be specified by setting the APP_X and APP_Y environment
variables.
Client / Server
Q
A
Can I use an older Synergy/DE server product with a newer Synergy/DE client product? For example, can I access
Synergy/DE xfServer 7.1 with my Synergy/DE 7.5-built application?
For all Synergy/DE client/server products, the major revision of the server must be equal to or
higher than the major revision of the client. (The major revision is the second number in a Synergy/
DE version, so “1” and “5” in the above question.) For instance, a Synergy/DE 7.5.3 client can run
with a 7.5.1 server, but a 7.5.3 client cannot run with a 7.1 server. This rule applies to all Synergy/DE
client/server products, which include:
• Synergy application clients with xfServer
• xfODBC or SQL Connection clients with the SQL OpenNet server
• xfNetLink clients with xfServerPlus
• Synergy application clients with the License Manager server
Q
A
10
Is there a way to create a new xfServerPlus logfile (xfpl.log) without shutting down the server?
Yes.
On Windows and Unix, as long as you are not currently connected to xfServerPlus, you can simply
delete the existing xfpl.log file. Or, if you want to save the existing file for reference, you can edit the
XFPL_LOGFILE variable in the xfpl.ini file to point to a new file. Either way, a new file will be
created when the next connection to xfServerPlus occurs.
On VMS, you can edit the XFPL_LOGFILE variable in xfpl.ini as described above, but because
VMS uses a pool of connections, the change will not take effect until a new process is created. This
means that you will probably have to connect twice to ensure that the new log file is being used. (Note
that you do not have to “use up” all the existing connections in the pool before the new log file setting
takes effect. When a new process is started, the xfpl.ini file is read, and the log file setting is communicated
to rsynd. From that point on, all processes in the pool will use the new log file. This does not,
however, apply to other settings in the xfpl.ini file. If you change anything else, such as the logging
level, those changes will apply only to newly created processes.)
10
12

Q
A
License Manager
If you install the License Manager on a Windows or Unix computer, and you misspell the licensee name, can you reset
the name without having to reinitialize the License Manager with a “-k” string?
Yes. To reset the licensee name (before you install configuration keys for Synergy/DE products):
For a license server (Windows NT/2000/XP), type:
lmu -r -ns
For a standalone license (Windows 98/Me or Unix), type:
lmu -r
Note: If you have already installed product configuration keys, you will need a “-k” string to
reinitialize the License Manager.
Synergy/DE xfNetLink Java
Q
A
From Java, I want to call a Synergy routine that has different behavior depending on whether an argument is passed.
However, when I generate the xfNetLink Java class wrappers, I get a message that states that the argument has been
converted to a required parameter.
The Java language does not support optional parameters in the same manner that Synergy Language
does. Consequently, if you mark a parameter as “not required” in the Method Definition Utility, it will be
converted to a required parameter when you generate Java class wrappers. You can work around this
limitation by editing the generated code (the .java source files) to overload the method. That is, you can
create multiple instances of the method using the same name but a different method signature. Use the
synNull class in the xfNetLink Java API to create a “placeholder” object, which you will then pass as the
optional parameter.
For example,
synNull null01 = new synNull();
obj.xcall(“methodid01”, arg1, arg2, null01, arg4);
Note that if you edit the Java source files, your changes will be lost if you regenerate class wrappers.
For more information about using the synNull class and additional examples, refer to the documentation
for synNull in the “xfNetLink Java Class Reference” chapter of the Developing Distributed Synergy
Applications Manual.
A recipe for adding Synergy resources to your development staff:
Ingredients:
• General application programmers
• 1 Synergy Language Essentials class
• 1 week
Preparation:
After hiring competent application programmers, call your Synergy/DE Account Manager to schedule a
week at the location of your choosing (at Synergex headquarters or at your facility) to attend the Synergy
Language Essentials class. After completing this week-long class, your new Synergy-savvy developer will
be “ready” (to productively develop and/or maintain your Synergy applications). And he or she can
continue learning by attending one or more of the following Synergex classes:
• Synergy/DE UI Toolkit Essentials
• Advanced Synergy/DE class
• Custom Classes
Yield:
Several valuable Synergy resources!
“Since coming back from the Synergy Language
Essentials class, I was able to eliminate the
‘random features’ I seemed to add to my code.
Instead, I’m finding some coding shortcuts and
many things I’d like to improve in our existing
code.”
-- Joseph Leech, Norman G. Jensen, Inc.
13

Synergy/DE customer, Vasco BVBA, launches
e-commerce site
Web site eases customer transactions, reduces ordering errors, and more.
Vasco ® BVBA of Dilsen, Belgium, a leading manufacturer of designer
radiators, announced that they have launched a fully-functional e-commerce
Web site that reduces ordering mistakes, eases the workload of their service and
sales teams, and saves the company money in international telephone costs.
Vasco constructed their Web site using Synergex Synergy/DE xfServerPlus,
xfNetLink COM, Microsoft Commerce Server 2000, and a Perl CGI interface to
their Synergy routines. The Web site automates the entire order entry process:
completes and tracks orders online; retrieves stock level, articles, and delivery
times information; retrieves reports and statistics via e-mail; and fulfills
documentation requests.
The site also features an online catalog that offers a wide range of radiators
for each individual taste and interior design. Customers can click through the
catalog for advice about radiators, as well as find suggestions for making their
living environments more comfortable. The online catalog also has extensive
searching capabilities. Customers can search for new products, search by
feature (shape, color, power, size, appearance, etc.), or narrow their search to
radiators that are currently in stock.
“Getting to the Web was a rather simple process,” said Frank Hoedemakers,
software developer for Vasco. “We decided to stay with Synergy/DE because of
the straightforward interface to our existing Synergy software.” Hoedemakers
continues, “By using xfServerPlus, we could concentrate on the essence of the
matter; namely, the development of our Web application, Vasco On-Line
Services.”
To migrate to the Web, Vasco wrote some new Synergy routines and
extracted the user interface elements out of their existing routines. They created
a Web interface using Microsoft FrontPage ® for the static content and Microsoft
Visual InterDev ® for the ASP portion of the site. Vasco then connected the
interface to their Synergy business logic with xfServerPlus and xfNetLink COM
products.
Previously, Vasco’s orders came in by fax, telephone, and e-mail, requiring
their internal service sales department to manually re-enter the orders in the
Synergy/DE-built order program. Clients would then be contacted for any
additional information needed about the configuration of their order. Now,
customers can complete their orders online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The online application forces the client to enter a correct product configuration,
which eliminates ordering mistakes and the need for the service sales team to
contact the client. Once an order is entered on the Web site, the online application
automatically sends the client a message, via XML, confirming the order.
The application then automatically enters the order in the system, avoiding
double entries.
“Customer demand was part of the reason we moved to the Web,” says
Hoedemakers. “However, we also wanted to be a progressive company and
gain an advantage over our competitors, which we can do now through our
12 Web services.”
One of Vasco’s competitors—Thermic BVBA—is also located in Dilsen.
Not only do both companies use the same production plant for manufacturing
designer radiators, but their Synergy/DE-built Web sites also use the same
applications. Visit Thermic’s Web site, http://www.thermic.be, for more
information.
http://www.vasco.be
Vasco bathroom radiator
When Will You Get Your
Synergy Applications to the
Web in a Real-Time Interactive
Environment?
Let Synergex give you a
jumpstart. Within 5 days, with
Synergex’s Passport to the Web,
you will be well on your way to
a Web-enabled application.
What is Synergex’s
Passport to the Web?
Synergex’s Passport to the
Web is designed specifically to
help you get your Synergy
applications to the Web. Our
program offers a unique
integration of products and
services that can help you
transform your legacy applications
to e-business applications
with ease. The Passport to the
Web includes the Synergy/DE
products you’ll need, as well as
on-site customized training from
an experienced Synergex
consultant to help you efficiently
establish your Web
project and lay the groundwork
for you to successfully complete
the job.
Discover how it works
today!
Already have a Web solution
in place? Thinking about
implementing a Web solution?
Tell us about it:
mailto:Synergy@Synergex.com.
14

Web-Based systems from Radley Corporation streamline
ordering and shipping tasks for automotive and
heavy equipment suppliers
Located in Southfield, Mich.,
Radley Corporation (Radley), is a
software development firm focused
exclusively on EDI (Electronic
Data Interchange) and barcode data
collection solutions for the automotive
and retail manufacturing
industries. In 2002, they released
two Web products that reduce
overhead and manpower requirements
for automotive, appliance,
off-road and heavy equipment
suppliers. Both SCM (Supply
Chain Messenger) for handling
Supply Chain orders online, and
iCARaS, Radley’s enhanced
flagship, customer-facing product
use the ERP (Enterprise Resource
Planning) partner’s existing APIs to
get data in and out of their systems,
minimizing the cost of installing
and implementing their systems.
SCM
The SCM product enables
Radley’s customers to bring their
suppliers online, so that forecasts,
schedules and shipments can be
processed real-time through Web
forms. In addition, the Internetenabled
software lets Radley’s
suppliers communicate with their
suppliers further down the chain,
while preserving the customersupplier
relationship. SCM is based
on Synergy/DE.
With Radley’s SCM product, all
the smallest supplier needs to
retrieve orders and enter shipments
back into SCM is Microsoft ®
Internet Explorer and a printer.
“The benefit to the customer is that
they can work on exceptions and let
the data flow between customer and
supplier with minimal human
intervention,” explains Will Soutar,
EDI product manager at Radley.
The SCM product also supports flat
file, XML (Extensible Markup
Language) or EDI standards for
gateway integration to ERP
applications.
“Another significant benefit of
the SCM product is that it provides
our customers with several options
on how to collaborate with their
supply chains,” says Mark Farneth,
president of Radley. “Larger
suppliers can leverage their
existing EDI gateways by exchanging
EDI documents with
SCM. Small suppliers, who may
not have extensive EDI translators
or EDI expertise on staff, can use
Web forms to view shipping
schedules and provide customers
with notification of shipments.”
“Our point solution sets us
apart from the competition,” states
Soutar. “Our SCM software
leverages the content already
available within our customer’s
legacy order management and
purchasing systems without the
associated costs of a major
customization project.” According
to Soutar, Radley’s point solution
keeps it as simple as possible by
conforming to the way their
customers’ applications currently
present data. By using Radley’s
pre-built plug-ins to the specific
ERP partner’s API, this data can
now be available as a
downloadable XML document,
EDI, or as a printable form. The
customer is then notified immediately
when this occurs; or if the
supplier has not logged in for a
specified time period, the buyer
and supplier get e-mail messages
alerting them of the need to take
action.
“To take it one step further, the
customer can update our SCM
product with periodic inventory
quantities so that the supplier can
manage their inventory on a
‘virtual’ basis,” Soutar explains.
“As an additional benefit, SCM
has the ability to sort the Web
At SPC 2004 in Cleveland...
Radley Corporation will demonstrate
how they are using Synergy/DE
xfServerPlus, XML/XSL, and Web
services to provide automotive suppliers
with a complete solution for their
OEM and supply chain requirements.
Radley’s Synergy/DE-based Web
product handles EDI, release accounting,
process scheduling, printing and
scanning of bar-code labels, generation
of reports in PDF format, and ERP
(Enterprise Resource Planning)
integration.
Register today on the SPC 2004
Web site.
http://spc.synergex.com
suppliers from the EDI suppliers and
provides complete EDI processing and
auditing. Most of our competitors have
six or more zeros in their price schedule—not
including implementation—
whereas we can come in without the
high price tag and minimal
customizations.”
iCARaS
Radley’s customer-facing application—iCARaS—now
has an enhanced
user interface and reduced processing
time. These updates enable automotive
and heavy equipment suppliers to
process orders and shipments with their
customers in real-time, and simplifies
job automation with a new scheduler.
iCARaS is also based on Synergy/DE.
“With iCARaS, major OEMs tell
Radley’s customers, via EDI and the
Internet, what they want, where they
want it, how to containerize it, and how
to label it,” comments Soutar. “Different
plants within the same customer ask
the supplier to do things in a different
manner. iCARaS boils down all of the
differences and presents it to the
supplier in a standardized ‘vanilla’
format, which eliminates costly custom
coding on a customer-by-customer
Continued on page 17
15

16
LADSnet’s iCAD dispatch tool increases productivity
and revenue
LADS Network Solutions, Inc. (LADSnet) of St. Louis, Mo., a provider of information management solutions for
the delivery service industry announced the release of iCAD (intelligent Computer Aided Dispatch) for their
Synergy/DE-built LADS (Local Area Delivery System) software solution.
iCAD is a Windows-based dispatching system that uses Synergy/DE’s xfODBC technology. It is designed to keep
dispatchers up-to-date and informed 24 hours a day. For each job, iCAD performs such calculations as the best route
to minimize mileage and stay on schedule, and the most qualified driver for each job—all displayed via six windows
of information on iCAD’s screen.
Sunny Express in California, a Bay area leader in the same day priority delivery industry, has been running iCAD
for one year as a beta tester. “iCAD goes well beyond all other standard dispatch systems,” says John Slaughter,
President of Sunny Express. “The iCAD software recalculates the ETA for each uncompleted stop every 20 seconds
while producing the best possible list of suggested drivers for new jobs.” Slaughter continues, “iCAD has changed
our business dramatically, increasing productivity and saving hard dollars while allowing us to be more resourceful
in how we run our business. Other delivery companies can’t compete with us on service or cost because they simply
don’t have our level of technology.”
“With iCAD, dispatchers handle at least 30 percent more drivers with greater accuracy, jobs are completed with
higher on-time percentages, and drivers handle at least 10 percent more jobs per day with sometimes no additional
miles,” says Dan Huber, President of LADSnet. “Our customers are now able to offer the highest levels of service to
their customers by providing prompt and accurate estimated times of arrival for their packages.”
For more information on iCAD please call LADSnet at 800-542-2115 or visit the company’s Web site at
http://www.ladsnet.com.
CareCentric listed as one of the top 100 Healthcare
IT companies in the nation
Atlanta, Georgia-based CareCentric, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CURA), a leading provider of management
information systems to the home healthcare community, recently announced their inclusion in Healthcare
Informatics’ annual list of top United States healthcare IT providers. Ranked by healthcare IT revenue, the financial
information provided by these top 100 companies is considered a barometer for the direction of the industry and
healthcare IT future.
“Selection into the Healthcare Informatics 100 is a great honor,” stated John R. Festa, President and CEO of
CareCentric. “It reaffirms that our employee efforts are being rewarded, as witnessed by new revenue growth, new
product initiatives, and enhanced customer service.” Festa added, “CareCentric has been in the home care business
for over 30 years. Our customers and partners know they can count on us to provide the performance, service, and
the kind of relationship they want from a long-term partner. This award is a wonderful recognition of the very best
software organizations in the industry today.”
CareCentric was also recently recognized by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of Georgia’s top 100
publicly traded companies, based on overall business performance including stock market assessment and executive
management of resources.
CareCentric’s Synergy/DE-based billing, management, and clinical software solutions have helped thousands of
home care providers more fully automate their business processes. One of CareCentric’s newest products,
PharmMed, is a GUI-based application that uses Crystal Reports and Synergy/DE xfODBC to generate prescription
forms.
About CareCentric, Inc.
CareCentric provides freestanding, hospital-based, and multi-office home healthcare, home medical equipment
and home care pharmacy providers with complete information solutions, enabling them to generate and utilize
comprehensive and integrated financial, operational, and clinical information.
http://www.carecentric.com

After a smooth upgrade to Synergy/DE 8.1, Jack Henry
& Associates, Inc., takes advantage of features
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc., (Nasdaq: JKHY) is a leading provider of integrated technology solutions for financial
institutions throughout the United States. To take advantage of enhancements including the XML API and improvements
to Professional Series Workbench, Jack Henry decided to migrate their Core Director product to Synergy/DE 8.1.
The XML API and support for HTTPS in Synergy/DE 8.1 enables customers like Jack Henry to communicate with more
third-party applications, and to implement enhanced communication between their own application components.
Synergy/DE 8.1 also provides enhancements to xfODBC, Synergy Language, UI Toolkit, and many other Synergy/DE
tools.
“Overall, upgrading our application to Synergy/DE 8.1 was a smooth process—we had no issues at all,” commented
Tom Head, Programmer and Analyst Team Leader at Jack Henry, “We were very impressed with 8.1’s quality; it looks
great and runs very smoothly.”
Following the smooth upgrade to 8.1, Jack Henry plans to add
a browser interface to their existing application using ASP.NET
and Synergy/DE’s xfNetLink .NET and xfServerPlus products.
The company will use version 8.1’s XML API to communicate
between the Synergy side of their application and the browser
side. “We think that this will allow us more flexibility as our
structures change, and will position us to more easily utilize
emerging technologies,” said Erik Read, lead developer at Jack
Henry.
Head and his team are particularly pleased with the improvements
to version 8.1’s Professional Series Workbench: “I noticed
“Overall, upgrading our application to
Synergy/DE 8.1 was a smooth process—we had
no issues at all. We were very impressed with
8.1’s quality; it looks great and runs very
smoothly.”
--Tom Head, Programmer and Analyst Team
Leader at Jack Henry
a vast improvement in how well it functions and the ease with which you can upgrade Workbench now.”
Jack Henry plans to support the following platforms with their Synergy/DE 8.1 application:
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows 2000 Professional and Server SP3
• Windows NT 4.0 SP6a Workstation and Server
• Compaq Tru64 Unix
• IBM AIX 4.3 or higher
• NCR 3000
About Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc., based in Monett, Missouri, provides integrated computer systems and processes ATM
and debit card transactions for banks and credit unions. Jack Henry markets and supports its systems throughout the
United States and has over 3,000 customers nationwide.
http://www.jackhenry.com
Radley
Continued from page 15
basis.” Radley’s iCARaS customers face the same issues regardless of their size, from the small fastener manufacturer
to the Tier 1, Tier 2, and so forth. Suppliers such as Cummins, Texas Instruments, and American Axle rely on Radley’s
application to keep them in sync with their customers’ requirements.
iCARaS also has a full function shipping system that complies with the customers’ demands, including scanning
options to automatically create shipments and the associated shipping documentation.
For more information about Radley, visit the company Web site at
http://www.radley.com.
17

RCC: Using XML to electronically process insurance
policy premiums
About Rural Computer
Consultants
Rural Computer Consultants
(RCC) specializes in developing
applications for propane retailers
and mutual insurance companies.
Started in 1979 by the Sheehan
brothers, Brian and Kevin, the
company has continued to grow in
the fuel and mutual insurance
markets by selling their applications
at the national and international
levels.
RCC’s Mutual Insurance
Processing System (MIPS) is a
complete software/hardware
package specifically built for the
mutual insurance industry. MIPS
includes policy issuance/printing,
integrated rating with user maintainable
rates, agent and/or direct
billing, ACH and/or credit card
processing, agent statement/
reporting, unearned premium
reporting, claims management,
premium/loss ratio analysis,
optional G/L and A/P, and much
more.
RCC uses XML to electronically
process insurance policy
premiums
Mutual insurance companies
use MIPS to manage their customers’
insurance policies. On a daily
basis, an insurance company can
run a menu option in MIPS that
determines which premiums are
due and what each customer’s
preferred payment method is,
creates XML files with this
information, and then sends the
XML files to one of two payment
vendor Web services. One vendor’s
Web service handles credit card
payments, communicating with the
appropriate credit card company
and obtaining verification of the
charges. The second vendor
handles ACH, or automatic bank
account withdrawal. The ACH
vendor’s Web service withdraws
the appropriate funds from the
policyholder’s bank account and
deposits them into the insurance
company’s account. If an
account is rejected, the insurance
company is notified and
can then either re-bill the
customer with a new account or
credit card number or print the
bill to mail.
“All of this occurs behind the
scenes,” states Kevin Sheehan,
Executive Vice-President of RCC.
“All the insurance company has to
do is receive the money.” The
automation provides a number of
benefits to both policyholder and
insurance company. “It’s one less
bill for the policyholder to worry
about,” adds Sheehan. “Not to
mention the time and money saved
for both sides when you eliminate
check writing and processing, the
manual collecting and processing
of premiums, and the revenue lost
from late or lapsed notices.” The
cost savings don’t end there. Prior
to XML, insurance ISVs and their
customers had to pay to use a
proprietary data syntax from
ACORD, a non-profit agency that
develops and maintains various
electronic standards for the
insurance, reinsurance, and related
financial services industries. With
the advent of XML, this syntax is
no longer required, eliminating this
surcharge to insurance companies.
Now, the only fees paid to ACORD
are by insurance company ISVs
who rely on the agency to develop
and support the industry’s standards
for sharing data electronically.
ACORD defines naming
conventions and specifies what
data needs to be captured and how
to interpret it—enabling vendors to
easily exchange information.
ACORD has recently released
new standards for the farm
insurance industry, and RCC plans
“XML really opens up our
applications to a number of
technologies and alliances. The
opportunities for communication
are truly endless.”
--Kevin Sheehan, Executive Vice-
President of RCC
to take advantage of this new market.
“We will definitely use the Synergy
XML API in this next phase of development,”
states RCC’s Senior Synergy
Developer, Brian Fagerstrom. Future
development will also accommodate the
reinsurance industry, which covers the
insurance companies themselves. And,
RCC plans to incorporate XML into
their propane application.
“XML really opens up our applications
to a number of technologies and
alliances,” concludes Sheehan. “The
opportunities for communication are
truly endless.”
18

Turnkey’s tkEDGE system uses Synergy/DE xfODBC to
increase reporting flexibility
Synergy/DE xfODBC enables Turnkey customers to create sophisticated on-demand reports using a
variety of popular third-party tools
Turnkey Computer Systems
(Turnkey), a premier provider of
software solutions to the feedyard
industry, recently announced the
release of their xfODBC-enabled
reporting system, which is run by
the Synergy/DE-based tkEDGE
application. Synergy/DE’s data
connectivity technology (xfODBC)
enables Turnkey’s customers to
create their own on-demand,
customized reports using popular
third-party tools such as Crystal
Reports, Microsoft Query,
Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft
Access.
Terry Jones, programmer and
analyst at Turnkey elaborates:
“One customer is maintaining the
data warehouse through ODBC and
is combining data from our
production system with other
sources within his company. He’s
now able to do some very sophisticated
analysis. Synergy/DE
xfODBC is the tool that allows this
to happen.”
Servicing over 200 commercial
feedyards and tracking over 10
million head of cattle per year,
Turnkey was previously inundated
with reporting requests from their
customers. By integrating their
tkEDGE application with xfODBC,
Turnkey has empowered customers
to create their own sophisticated
reports at will. “Customers
appreciate the flexibility, and we
are able to free up development
resources previously devoted to
report creation,” states Steve
Myers, President of Turnkey.
Another product introduced by
Turnkey is the Web Reporting
System. Turnkey uses xfODBC to
extract customer data for access via
the Internet. This allows feedyards
to maintain secure online accounts
for each customer. Customers can
log onto their online accounts to
view predefined feedyard data such
as shipping and receiving transactions,
and comprehensive yard
sheets that include cattle health
records and feed consumption. The
data can then be downloaded directly
from the Internet into Microsoft Excel
or Microsoft Access. The reporting
functionality aids the feedyard’s
customers in their future planning, as
they can now more effectively analyze
and interpret their data.
Turnkey customer Andrew Keller of
Northside Hay Mills in Arizona
comments: “Turnkey’s Web Reporting
System has made getting—and using—
our data easy by making it accessible to
virtually any ODBC-enabled software
package.”
About Turnkey Computer Systems,
Inc.
Turnkey Computer Systems is the
premier provider of software solutions
to the commercial feedyard industry.
Located in Amarillo, Texas, they serve
over 200 clients in North America.
http://www.turnkeynet.com/about.html
Synergy/DE-built RDS Advantage © offers VoIP
technology
Telephone messaging capabilities help RDS customers improve network use and save money.
In May, RDS Publishing (RDS), a provider of choice software tools and services to churches of all denominations
across the United States, announced that their core application, RDS Advantage, now offers VoIP (Voice over Internet
Protocol). The VoIP technology enables RDS clients to send voice messages via the Internet to thousands of people in
just minutes.
The Synergy/DE-built RDS Advantage application includes VoIP “Phone Messaging” options on the Member and
Activity Records print menus. Users can employ these options to deliver a customized recorded message to 1000s of
people within just three minutes. After selecting the appropriate target audience, the user clicks on the “WebPhone”
button, which generates a file of those names and phone numbers and sends it to the phone messaging center. The
software then directs the user to a Web page of the phone messaging center, where he enters a password and then
determines how the calls should be made (for example, time of day, whether or not to reply, whether or not to speak the
names of those being called, and so forth).
“A major advantage of VoIP is that it greatly reduces the cost of telephone messaging by using Internet Protocol
instead of typical telephone company lines,” said Dick Webber, President of RDS. “There is no equipment to purchase,
Continued on page 28
19

The Pepsi Bottling Group selects GBG’s Synergy/DEbased
supply chain solution
The Pepsi Bottling Group has
selected Global Beverage Group’s
(GBG) Synergy/DE-based Sales &
Delivery Management System
(SDMS) as its “route accounting”
solution for its Canadian business.
The Pepsi Bottling Group
produces and distributes more than
85 percent of all Pepsi-Cola
beverages sold in Canada.
“We are very excited to welcome
Pepsi Bottling Group –
Canada to Global Beverage Group.
GBG’s mission is to provide
leading edge software and services
that are specifically designed for
the direct store delivery - route
accounting segment of the supply
chain for the beverage industry. We
look forward to providing that
superior service to The Pepsi
Bottling Group,” said Ted
Hastings, CEO of GBG.
Based on Synergy/DE, SDMS
is a comprehensive route accounting
application that helps beverage
distributors efficiently manage
every step of the order-to-delivery
cycle, from order entry
and fulfillment to vehicle
loading, delivery, route
settlement, and financials.
SDMS also supports a
range of sales and delivery
methods, including presales,
call-in, and conventional
off-truck sales
operations. SDMS can be integrated
with other value-added
mobile, warehouse and logistics,
asset management, and business
applications from GBG and thirdparty
suppliers.
System implementation was
planned at The Pepsi Bottling
Group for the fourth quarter of
2003.
About The Pepsi Bottling
Group
The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc.
(http://www.pbg.com) is the
world’s largest manufacturer, seller,
and distributor of Pepsi-Cola
beverages with operations in the
United States, Canada, Greece,
Russia, Spain, and Turkey.
Based on Synergy/DE, SDMS is a
comprehensive route accounting application
that helps beverage distributors efficiently
manage every step of the order-to-delivery
cycle, from order entry and fulfillment to
vehicle loading, delivery, route settlement,
and financials.
About Global Beverage Group
Global Beverage Group (GBG)
provides direct-store-delivery (DSD)
software solutions for consumer
packaged goods companies. GBG’s
applications integrate DSD processes in
the supply chain for distributors of soft
drinks, beer, wine, spirits, water,
snacks, candy, and tobacco. GBG
customers have the tools they need to
more effectively manage their inventory,
mobile resources, and assets to
enhance revenue, reduce operating
costs, and improve customer service.
GBG is headquartered in Waterloo,
Ontario with operations in Austin, Tex.,
Charlotte, N.C., Durham, N.C., Denver,
Colo., Lancaster, Pa. and West Palm
Beach, Fla. For more information, visit
http://www.globalbeveragegroup.com.
ASI releases Internet module for Insite Banking System
Automated Systems, Inc. (ASI)
of Lincoln, Neb., one of the
Midwest’s largest networking
services companies, announced
that it has released an
Internet module of their
Insite Banking System
software. The system adds a
Web interface, enabling
customers to access their
accounts online 24 hours a
day, seven days a week. It
relies on Synergex’s
Synergy/DE xfServerPlus and
xfNetLink products to connect the
Web interface to ASI’s Synergy/
DE-built banking application
routines.
Developed for small-tomedium-sized
community banks,
the Insite Banking System is a
complete data processing solution.
“Using the Synergy/DE xfServerPlus and
xfNetLink tools made it easy for us to create a
Web interface for our existing Synergy software,”
said Tim Schmidt, Marketing Director of
Automated Systems, Inc.
It was designed with the latest
programming methods, and is a
fully integrated software system.
Using sound financial practices and
ensuring optimum efficiency and
easy operation, the system provides
banks with a complete in-house data
processing system that is comprehensive
and extremely flexible.
The Insite Banking System includes
a cost-effective check imaging
module that displays processed
checks online. This reduces
overhead for banks, improves
customer satisfaction, and
enhances workforce productivity.
Other major features include…
- A full range of demand
deposit module, savings, time
deposits, and IRAs, as well as commercial,
consumer, and mortgage loans.
- Automatic interfacing to the
general ledger; a comprehensive
customer information system; over 250
Continued on page 28
20

HBS enables pharmacies to handle higher
prescription volumes
Health Business Systems (HBS) has released Rx Workflow, their end-to-end prescription solution, which will enable
pharmacies to track a prescription through all phases of the prescription-filling process.
An add-on module to HBS’ Synergy/DE-based Retail Pharmacy Management System, Rx Workflow enables a
pharmacy to track the prescription process from beginning to end. From prescription intake, via manual entry or IVR
(automated telephone refill system), through the filling process using bar code scanning of the drug package for data
entry, and through a quality assurance check, using pill images to reduce medication errors, the HBS Workflow solution
enables pharmacies to handle higher prescription volumes with less labor and increased accuracy. HBS customers can
also add on the Signature Capture module, which enables them to automatically collect and store patient signatures, as
required by law, and to create an electronic log of day-to-day transactions for Rx pick-ups. Signature Capture is a
Synergy application that communicates with a C language server via the Synergy socket API.
“By automating the entire Rx processing function, our solution significantly reduces the workload for pharmacists,”
states HBS president Lou Greenberg. “Especially with new HIPAA regulations on maintaining patient privacy records,
pharmacists can get bogged down with paperwork. Our system allows them to increase their productivity, while at the
same time maintaining more accurate and comprehensive records. Ultimately, this enhances the consumer’s experience.”
About HBS
HBS of Warminster, Pennsylvania has been a leader in Pharmaceutical Management technology since the early
1980’s. With a national reputation in the field of high-tech Nursing Home and Mail Order Pharmacy Systems, HBS’
innovative products are enhanced by HBS’ in-depth experience in Systems Integration, Networking, and Hardware
Service. Synergy/DE powers their Retail Pharmacy Management System.
http://www.hbsrx.com
dabs.com launches new Synergy/DE xfServerPluspowered
Web site
Note: Attend SPC 2004, and get a behind-the-scenes look at this customer’s entire online ordering process as you
learn about Web site design considerations and xfServerPlus integration. Register today on the SPC 2004 Web site:
http://spc.synergex.com.
dabs.com, the United Kingdom’s leading Internet retailer of IT and technology products recently reengineered their
Web site with Synergy/DE xfServerPlus, and is now processing £18 million ($30.6 million) of orders per month on the
site. The Web site dramatically reduces order processing time, offering users a much-enhanced shopping experience.
With a back-end based completely on Synergy/DE, dabs.com’s Web site offers over 20,000 lines from the world’s
leading IT and technology manufacturers to over a million online customers across the country. Servicing all of the
United Kingdom from their state-of-the-art facility in Bolton, dabs.com typically processes 5,000 customer orders every
day from the 1 million unique visitors that visit dabs.com each month.
The development team at dabs.com recently decided to reengineer their existing Web site using Synergy/DE
xfServerPlus technology. “We weren’t satisfied with the amount of time it was taking to return order information,” states
Paul Martin, dabs.com’s Head of Development. “The xfServerPlus solution was fast and easy to implement, and offered
a dramatic decrease in response time. Our previous solution used DecThreads, Digital’s multithreading runtime library,
and it took 45 seconds to bring back order information. With xfServerPlus, it’s immediate.”
The Web site delivers additional enhancements, including reduced download time, increased bandwidth, improved
sort functionality, and more.
What’s more, dabs.com recently announced a major two-year sponsorship deal with Fulham Football Club, currently
riding high in England’s Premier soccer league. As the official team sponsor for the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons,
the dabs.com logo appears on the front of both the Fulham men’s and ladies’ shirts.
Jonathan Wall, Marketing Director of dabs.com commented, “The shirt sponsorship deal with Fulham will undoubtedly
propel our brand into a whole new dimension, putting our name in front of millions of people throughout the next
two years. More importantly, and of particular importance for us as an Internet retailer, this sponsorship program will
really help establish our online brand as a recognizable, reliable and viable alternative to the traditional retail outlet.”
Continued on page 31
21

The Synergy XML API: Empowering Businesscraft to
Provide Streamlined Integration Solutions
Based in Newcastle, Australia, Businesscraft Pty. Ltd. provides commercial accounting and mission-critical
software systems to the manufacturing, service, and building industries. Builders, manufacturers, and engineering
shops across Australia use the Synergy/DE-based Businesscraft Corporate Management Software (Businesscraft) to
manage all aspects of their daily operations, including job costing, estimating, contracts, workflow, financials, and
much more.
Businesscraft uses XML to import work order requests into their accounting software.
One of Businesscraft’s clients, Machine Monitor, provides machine monitoring and plant maintenance on a
contract basis for mines and manufacturers. They use the Businesscraft application to process the high volume of
incoming job orders they receive on a daily basis.
Recently, Machine Monitor created a Web application that enables site engineers to enter maintenance work
order requests via the Web. To integrate their accounting software with this Web application, Businesscraft decided
to implement an XML solution. Work order requests are now transmitted from Machine Monitor’s Web application
to the Businesscraft application via e-mail messages containing XML documents as attachments. Upon receipt, the
Businesscraft application uses the Synergy XML API to extract and process the XML data and creates a new job in
the Businesscraft Job Costing/Order Entry module.
Continued on page 31
Large regional education center replaces Visual Basic
application with Synergy/DE solution
Netherlands-based JPD Automatisering (JPD) has been selected by a leading Dutch Regional Education Center
(ROC, or Regionaal Opleidingscentrum in Dutch) to use Synergy/DE to rewrite its existing Visual Basic human
resources application. Lacking the resources to extend the existing application and accommodate its growing user
base, the ROC has commissioned JPD to provide the increased functionality, performance, and flexibility its
application requires.
This ROC is one of the largest regional education centers in the Netherlands, educating over 22,000 students at
54 locations. Supervisors in all four of the ROC’s divisions currently use the Visual Basic application to track
personnel data—such as work schedules, job functions, and salaries—for their 2200+ employees. Because the
current system doesn’t support data sharing, such tracking becomes difficult with teachers at remote locations—a
frequent concern since some of the divisions contain over 20 schools. Managers at the remote locations are forced
to keep separate, independent records for each teacher in standalone databases on their desktops. This data is never
conveyed back to the teachers’ supervisors, who require it for scheduling and performance tracking, nor to the
division HR departments, who would like to use it for reporting and planning purposes.
Frustrated with the application’s limited functionality and the degree of difficulty required to maintain it, one of
the ROC’s chief directors approached JPD Automatisering in search of a solution more suitable for the growing
user 31base.
“Sharing and maintaining these disparate databases is cumbersome and unreliable,” states J.P. van Dijk of JPD
Automatisering. “What the ROC needs is a centralized source of up-to-date data that can be easily accessed and
shared among their multiple users.”
After reviewing the options available to them, the ROC decided to take JPD’s recommendation to rewrite the
application using Synergy/DE. Although pleased with many of the basic concepts of their existing application, the
ROC’s administrators recognized a need to accommodate their growing user base. Appreciating the ROC’s desire to
retain many of the current application’s features, JPD’s first step will be to duplicate the application’s existing
functionality, using Synergy/DE Professional Series Workbench. Once this has been accomplished, the most urgent
enhancements will be incorporated.
The new Synergy application will be deployed in a Windows Terminal Services environment. “At the 2003
Synergex Success Partners Conference, I discussed this client with the Synergex Professional Services Group,”
states van Dijk. “They suggested Terminal Services because of the simplified deployment and centralized system
Continued on page 31
22

Synergy/DE customer MCS uses XML for business-tobusiness
data transport and to communicate with Web
services
About MCS & Insitu
Headquartered in the Thames Valley in England, MCS Global Limited develops and distributes the leading computer-based
management system for the equipment and tool rental market. Deployed in countries worldwide, their Synergy/DE-based Insitu
application suite tracks a wide variety of rental items—everything from deep-sea diving equipment to cement mixers.
How is MCS using XML?
MCS uses XML for business-to-business data transport and to communicate with Web services.
Data transport
The Point of Sale (POS) application is the principal component of MCS’ Insitu software suite. It handles various types of
transactions, both rental and sales, from initial inquiry to final accounting. MCS customers wanted a streamlined process for
electronically invoicing their customers and receiving orders from them. However, end users’ incompatible applications and
operating systems prohibited the sharing of data, forcing MCS customers to complete these processes manually.
“Some of our customers generate over 10,000 invoices a month,” states Mark Nolan, Research and Development Manager at
MCS. “Getting bogged down with manual billing procedures and costly human errors just isn’t an option for them.”
Looking for an affordable way to meet their customers’ requirements, MCS decided to incorporate XML into the Insitu
solution. Outbound invoices and dispatch notices are now converted to XML, enabling third-party applications to receive and
understand the data. Similarly, inbound orders and remittance notices arrive in XML format, enabling easy interpretation by
Insitu.
“Opening up this type of communication has allowed us to streamline many of the day-to-day processes for our customers,”
maintains Nolan. “Using XML, we can offer our customers this new functionality without the complexity or the expense
associated with traditional EDI solutions.”
Communication with Web services
Another way XML is helping Insitu users streamline business processes is by enabling them to communicate with Web
services. When users enter new customer or supplier details, Insitu calls on the http://www.postcodeanywhere.co.uk Web service
to help the user specify address information. When a user enters a number in the zip code field, Insitu uses the Synergy HTTP
document transport API to send a request to the postcode Web service. It requests all company addresses with that zip code and
then uses the Synergy XML API to parse the XML data that is returned. The user receives a list of addresses corresponding to
the zip code entered and can simply click on the appropriate entry.
“This obviously saves our customers significant time, not to mention the increase in accuracy it provides,” states Rachel
Blunden, MCS Senior Developer. “Given the success with ‘postcodeanywhere,’ we have decided to look at Web services for
other areas of our application. We are just beginning to unlock the tremendous potential this technology offers our application.”
Note: Because their data transport implementation occurred before the Synergy XML API was available, MCS created their
own XML parsing/assembling code to meet their needs for that project. “We would have used the XML API if it had been
available at the time,“ says Nolan. “We used the Synergy XML API parsing routines with our Web services project, and it was
certainly easier than creating our own parsing code.”
Synergy/DE to support Microsoft .NET
Continued from page 3
Synergy/DE will enable customers to migrate existing applications gradually to the .NET Framework, rather than requiring
revolutionary code changes all at once. “This will allow our customers to leverage the best available technology while continuing
to preserve their Synergy/DE investment,” added Mooney.
As a member of the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Integration Program (VSIP), Synergex is working with Microsoft to
ensure a smooth and optimized integration with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. “Microsoft offers tremendous value to business
application developers who continuously want to evolve their solutions to new technologies,” said Chris Flores, lead product
manager for the Developer and Platform Evangelism Division at Microsoft Corp. “It’s great to see Synergex delivering this
value to their customers.”
23

24
Synergy/DE Technology Center
Reducing network traffic with xfNetLink Synergy Edition
If you use Synergy/DE UI Toolkit and Synergy/DE xfServer, you may be able to reduce your network traffic by using
xfNetLink Synergy and xfServerPlus to move your record filtering to your server machine. xfNetLink Synergy is a set of
routines distributed with Synergy/DE Professional Series. These routines work in conjunction with xfServerPlus to execute
Synergy routines stored on a remote server.
Your application probably filters out records each time it searches for a specific set of records. For example, your
application may read a customer transaction file looking for invoices between two dates. If there is no suitable key, the
application has to read the records in a loop and, for each record, first decide if it’s an invoice, and then decide if the invoice
is in the required date range. In a “traditional” Synergy application, where the data resides on a different computer, the
application has to retrieve each record from the data server, move it across the network, and then decide if the record is
valid. With the approach suggested below, the application will tell the data server “get me the next valid record.” A routine
on the data server will read through the file until it finds a valid record and then return that record to the application.
This implementation would be particularly beneficial when you are reading through a large number of records in a data
file and rejecting some of those records as part of a filtering process. An example of this is in a UI Toolkit load method.
Depending on the size of the records and the frequency of record rejection, this technique can significantly reduce the traffic
on your network. In simple tests run on Synergex’s in-house defect tracking application (Tracker), we reduced the typical
time taken to load lists by 50 percent.
The approach is relatively simple and should only take a short time to implement.
1. Install and configure xfServerPlus on the server machine where the data is stored.
2. Create a new subroutine (e.g., list_getrec) to do the work of selecting the next valid record. This is the routine that will
be called remotely from your Toolkit application. Build the list_getrec subroutine into a separate ELB for use by
xfServerPlus and enter it in the Method Definition Utility. Place the ELB on the server machine.
3. Modify your Toolkit application to use xfNetLink Synergy. It will need to call %RX_START_REMOTE to create an
xfServerPlus session and store the returned network ID so that it will be available to the load method. Your Toolkit application
will also need to call RX_SHUTDOWN_REMOTE to close the xfServerPlus session when you are finished making
remote calls.
4. Modify the load method to use %RXSUBR to call the list_getrec subroutine. Because list_getrec is now doing the
record filtering, the list method only needs to handle the display of the records sent to it. (In essence, you are splitting the
load method in two: the code that does the record filtering is now part of list_getrec.)
For more information on using xfNetLink Synergy and xfServerPlus, see the Developing Distributed Applications
Manual.
The Synergy CodeExchange (in the Resource Center of Synergex’s Web site) has sample code that illustrates this
approach: “Example using xfNetLink Synergy.”
When you review the sample code, be sure to read the “implementation notes” in the header for some additional implementation
considerations.
Are you wrapping your Synergy/DE installation on Windows?
If so, be sure to get the Windows Installation Log Utility, wilogutl.exe. This utility will help you analyze log files from a
Windows Installer installation, and it offers possible causes of errors in the log file. (Since you are not displaying Synergy/DE
installation screens and not displaying non-critical installation errors, you will rely on the windows installer log files to report
the results of your installation.) Wilogutl.exe may be run in quiet mode or with a user interface, and it generates reports as text
files.
Example:
If you encounter an error, such as:
“The wizard was interrupted before Synergy/DE 7.5.1c could be completely installed. Your system has not been modified.
To complete installation at another time, please run setup again.”
you can determine which action caused the installation to end by running wilogutl and reviewing the information in its Error
box.
If you did not have this utility, you would have to manually search the log file and interpret the log information yourself. If
an installation has multiple errors, the log utility has the ability to generate an html format of the logfile. This html page would
allow you to navigate through the log file error by error rather than having to scroll through every line of the log file.
(Please note that there is a typo in Microsoft’s documentation of the utility—the example command line says “WiLogUtil”
but should actually be “WiLogUtl” without the “i.”)
Continued on page 25

Technology Center
Continued from page 24
What is XML, and how can you use it with Synergy/DE?
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a standard that specifies a syntax that enables you to create your own markup
language. It wraps all data in tags that identify what each piece of data represents. As the name suggests, you can define an
unlimited number of tags to define the data in the XML document. XML looks similar to HTML in that it employs the start-tag/
end-tag mechanism to delimit the data. XML is used to store and transmit information both on and off the Web.
Synergy/DE 8.1 introduced an XML API that enables you to parse and assemble XML documents. The Synergy XML API
gives you direct access to XML from within your Synergy programs. It enables you to:
• Parse an XML file or string into a memory-based XML document that represents a DOM tree. Parsing the file means to
disassemble the XML so that your Synergy program can process it.
• Iterate through the DOM tree to access the XML data. This entails finding the root element, being able to iterate recursively
through its children, and being able to get text and attributes for all these elements.
• Assemble Synergy data into a memory-based XML document. This includes
being able to specify an element’s children, attributes, and text values.
• Write the contents of a memory-based XML document to a file or XML string.
Visit the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web site on XML for more information.
The URL is http://www.w3.org/XML/.
Web Services: An Overview
Promising a new level of compatibility across multiple technology platforms, Web
services enable you to build more powerful applications by allowing you to integrate
with third-party vendors in real time.
Web services are based on XML, which provides a “lowest common denominator”
method for different systems to talk to each other. XML can be used to create a set of
industry standard protocols for finding companies, describing and exchanging information,
and handling transactions between companies.
Learn more about XML and
Web Services by visiting the
Synergy/DE, XML, and Web
Services microsite within the
Synergy/DE Resource Center on
Synergex.com. http://
resourcecenter.synergex.com/
Open/SdeMicrosites/xml/
Default.asp
(Attention HelpDesk Support customers:
After clicking on this link, log into the
Resource Center. You’ll then be
redirected to the Synergy/DE, XML, and
Web Services microsite.)
Web services range from major services such as customer relationship management (CRM), to more limited services such as
the checking of bids for an auction item. Using multiple vendors’ Web services, one can simultaneously communicate with a
vendor for the latest price of an item, submit an order, and track the order until it has been received. Future Web services will
allow further integration, such as the ability to schedule appointments with other exposed calendars online.
A client program can communicate to a Web service using the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). SOAP requests are
specially formatted XML documents that request some functionality from a Web service over HTTP.
With Synergy/DE’s introduction of the HTTP API in version 7.5.1 and the XML API introduced in 8.1, it is possible for your
Synergy programs to make SOAP requests of Web services and process the responses.
Get more information on the HTTP API and XML API in the Synergy Language Reference Manual within the Synergy/DE
Resource Center.
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) enables applications to communicate with each other.
SOAP uses HTTP and XML as the mechanisms for information exchange. Since these Web protocols are installed and
available for use by all major operating system platforms, HTTP and XML provide an already at-hand solution to the problem of
how programs running under different operating systems in a network can communicate with each other. SOAP specifies exactly
how to encode an HTTP header and an XML file so that a program in one computer can call a program in another computer and
pass it information. It also specifies how the called program can return a response.
An advantage of SOAP is that program calls are much more likely to get through firewall servers that screen out requests
other than those for known applications. Since HTTP requests are usually allowed through firewalls, programs using SOAP to
communicate can be sure that they can communicate with programs anywhere.
For information about Synergy/DE’s XML and HTTP APIs, refer to the Synergy Language Reference Manual.
Continued on page 26
25

Technology Center
Continued from page 28
HTTPS
HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer, or HTTP over SSL) is a Web protocol that uses
Netscape’s Secure Socket Layer (SSL) as a sublayer under its regular HTTP application layering to encrypt and decrypt user
page requests as well as the pages that are returned by the Web server.
For example, if you are using a browser to order from an online catalog, you will be given a Web page order form with a
URL that starts with https://. When you submit the order form to the retailer, your browser’s HTTPS layer will encrypt it,
and the server will reply on the same connection with an equally encrypted acknowledgment. The acknowledgment will
then be decrypted for you by your browser’s HTTPS sublayer.
HTTPS and SSL support the use of X.509 digital certificates from the server so that, if necessary, a user can authenticate
the sender. A digital certificate is an electronic “credit card” that establishes your credentials when doing business or other
transactions on the Web. It is issued by a certification authority, and contains your name, a serial number, expiration dates, a
copy of the certificate holder’s public key (used for encrypting messages and digital signatures), and the digital signature of
the certificate-issuing authority so that a recipient can verify that the certificate is real. X.509 is a widely used standard for
defining digital certificates.
Since Synergy/DE 7.5.1, Synergy developers have been able to make requests of non-secure Web servers using the
Synergy HTTP document transport API. Synergy/DE 8.1 added extensions to this API that enable users to make requests of
secure Web servers using HTTPS.
SSL is an open, nonproprietary protocol that Netscape has proposed as a standard to the World Wide Consortium. For
more information about HTTPS and SSL, visit the following Web pages:
• Introduction to SSL: http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/security/sslin/contents.htm
• Understanding Encryption and SSL: http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/proxy/adminux/encrypt.htm
• Securing Access to Web Servers: http://www-uxsup.csx.cam.ac.uk/%7Ejw35/courses/using_https/notes.html
Using Microsoft’s GAC and NGEN.EXE utility with Synergy/DE xfNetLink .NET
To build a distributed system with xfNetLink .NET and xfServerPlus, you’ll need to understand the GAC (Global
Assembly Cache). The GAC is a directory structure in which a .NET application will look for assemblies. Assemblies
placed in the GAC are considered “public,” enabling a single copy of the assembly to be used by multiple applications.
A native image is an assembly that has been pre-compiled for the particular platform it is running on. An assembly
installed as a native image is installed in the GAC with the ngen.exe utility.
Not all assemblies need to be installed in the GAC or as native images; however, if you want to use (COM+) pooling, it
is required that your assembly be registered in the GAC. The Microsoft Developer’s Network (MSDN) library contains
additional information about the GAC and examples of the types of assemblies that need to be either added to the GAC or
installed as native images.
Signing Assemblies vs. Delayed Signing of Assemblies in Synergy/DE xfNetLink .NET
When you run a batch file to build an assembly, xfNetLink NET generates public and private keys in a strong name key
file (.snk file).
These keys will be used to sign the generated assembly when you build your project in the batch file or Visual Studio
.NET. Signing a .NET assembly is required to install the assembly into the GAC (global assembly cache). Signing is also
used for distribution purposes, such as when the CLR (common language runtime) checks a generated hash value associated
with a signed assembly to determine that the assembly has not been tampered with.
If signing is not a concern for your application, you can simply use the defaults (i.e., do nothing in this regard). However,
your company may decide to develop a policy for signing assemblies. In this case, you will need to do the following before
running the batch file:
• Create your own .snk file using Microsoft’s sn.exe utility, which is included in the .NET Framework SDK.
• Edit the batch file (xmlFilename.bat). This file includes a line that runs sn.exe to create the default key file.
• Edit the AssemblyKeyFile attribute in the AssemblyInfo.cs file to include your .snk file instead of the default file.
Continued on page 27
26

Technology Center
Signing Assemblies...
Continued from page 26
Depending on your workflow, it may be more convenient to use delayed signing. Delayed signing assigns the public
key when the assembly is built, but enables you to delay the assignment of the private key until you are ready to
distribute the assembly. If you are using delayed signing, you will need to use the name of the public key file for the
AssemblyKeyFile attribute in AssemblyInfo.cs and change the AssemblyDelaySign attribute to “true.”
DOM Trees
When you use the Synergy XML API to parse an XML file, a “tree view” of the document is produced. This tree
view is called a DOM (Document Object Model) tree, and it can be traversed to retrieve and manipulate the XML data.
The document’s root element is the top level of the tree. This element can have one or many child elements, or nodes,
which represent the branches of the tree. Using a DOM, you can create a document, navigate its structure, and add,
modify, or delete its elements.
Here is an example of an XML document:
And here is what this document would look like as a DOM
tree. In this example, the topmost tag, structure, becomes the
root element. This structure element has two attributes: name
and size. Below it are the three child elements representing the
three field tags. Each of these children, in turn, has three
attributes: name, type, and size.
synconfig
Continued from page 6
Visual SlickEdit key at your fingertips.
Synconfig can be found on the Synergy/DE
Utilities menu (Start > Programs > SynergyDE
> Utilities > Synergy Configuration Program).
For more information about the Synergy
Configuration Program, refer to the Installation
Configuration Guide.
Fcompare
Continued from page 7
Sample output from fcompare (repository option):
Data file [DATA1:orders], revision [4], creation version
[7.3.1]
Structure [orders]
INFO: Record size defined as [863], actual [863]
INFO: Number of access keys defined as [15], actual [15]
WARNING: Key 3, Key length defined as [170], actual
[200]
ERROR: Key 3, Defined segment positions do not match
actual segment positions
Performing data tests...
10 records read
No data errors found
Checked 1 file
Fcompare is a very useful tool and should be run routinely
after you create or update a repository or anytime you suspect a
database performance problem. For more information about
fcompare, refer to the “Synergy DBMS” chapter of the version
8.1 Synergy Language Reference Manual.
27

Synergex Success Partners Conference 2003: A Success
“My SPC goals were elaborately met…I feel like I now have a good idea of recent, current, and future development.
I particularly enjoyed learning about new features from the people who are actually in the process of
developing them.”
Dave Overbeck
Turn-Key Distribution Systems, Inc.
SPC 2003 Attendee
SPC 2003 concluded on March 12, following an action-packed four-city tour. During each of the two-day
conferences, customers experienced the debut of Synergy/DE 8.1 and learned about the XML parser, HTTPS
support, and enhancements to UI Toolkit, Workbench, and xfODBC. SPC attendees also learned about the upcoming
Synergy object support, a powerful model for writing Synergy software; Synergy/DE support for Microsoft
.NET, which offers a number of significant benefits to business application developers; the Synergy/VisualSmart
product, which delivers analytics at the speed of thought; and exciting change management features in PVCS
Tracker 7.5. Other SPC topics included scalability and performance, Web services, and xfODBC maximization.
There were also plenty of opportunities at each conference for one-on-one discussions and networking with
Synergex staff and Synergy developers.
Thank you to everyone who attended SPC 2003. We look forward to seeing you all—and those who couldn’t
make it this year—at SPC 2004.
“By experiencing the latest features of Synergy/DE, we were able to see where Synergex is today; and by seeing
the OO session, where they are planning to go in the future...The SPC gives me a chance to escape the hustle and
bustle of business and think strategically-I use it like a software development retreat.”
Don Fillion
Distribution Management Systems
SPC 2003 Attendee
Come to the SPC 2004 and learn how easy it is to unleash the
power of your Synergy applications. For details, visit
http://spc.synergex.com.
RDS Advantage
Continued from page 19
no minimum or maximum number of calls to make, and there are loads of
user-defined criteria users can set for their calls.”
RDS’ customers are also pleased with the VoIP system. “We contacted
RDS Advantage because we wanted to reach a large number of households
in a short time,” said Chuck Pace, Minister of Education at the First Baptist
Church in Lake Jackson, Texas. “RDS suggested two options: one was to
purchase approximately $3,500 of phone messaging equipment and use six
phone lines. The other was to use their VoIP telephone messaging capability,
which requires no equipment and uses none of our phone lines. Needless
to say, we chose the second option, and were able to reach 900
households within a few minutes. I even watched the progress online.”
ASI
Continued from page 20
standard reports; custom Synergy/
DE ReportWriter reports; customized
interfaces for ACH, ATM,
electronic cash letters, proof
machines, and reader/sorters; a
fully integrated safe deposit box
module; periodic upgrades to
maintain regulatory compliance;
and investment accounting—all in
an ODBC compatible database.
28

Where in the World Is Synergy/DE?
Continued from page 2
France, Poland, Japan, and elsewhere,
Smithfield’s brands set the
standard for fresh pork and processed
meats.
To manage their catalog orders,
Smithfield uses the Synergy/DE-based
Windows Catalog Order Entry System
from Monette Information Systems.
By ordering products online or from
Smithfield’s printed catalog, customers
can bring home the taste and tradition
of classic Virginia with world-famous
hams direct from Smithfield, Virginia.
With Monette’s Catalog Order Entry
System, customers can order country
hams, exclusive gourmet gift baskets,
Virginia peanuts, smoked turkeys,
seafood, tasty cakes, and more.
In 2002, Monette built the Windowsbased
Catalog Order Entry System from
the ground up. By the end of 2002,
Monette had processed 48,000 orders
for Smithfield. The Windows-based
system enabled Monette to seamlessly
integrate Web orders, UPS shipping and
tracking, and credit card authorization
systems, which significantly streamlined
operations. The Order Entry
system also provides a custom interface
to BEST! Software’s MAS200 suite of
Windows-based financial applications.
For more information on Smithfield
and Monette, browse the following Web
sites: http://www.smithfieldfoods.com,
http://www.smithfieldhams.com, and
http://www.monette.com.
Synergy/DE is backing the largest
media-based aid organization In
the United Kingdom!
Broadcasting Support Service (BSS)
(http://www.bss.org/) is a not-for-profit
organization specializing in providing
information to the public. With subjects
ranging from social, health, educational,
and public service issues to those of a
more entertaining or commercial nature,
BSS provides a vital link between their
clients and those they serve, whether
they be customers, supporters, the
general public, viewers, or listeners.
BSS uses Gould Hall Computer
Services’ (http://www.gouldhall.com/
index.asp) Synergy/DE-built
OSCAR (Orders Sales Costing
And Reporting) system, which was
designed for companies that
manage the fulfillment of orders
and the storage and distribution of
materials for many clients.
OSCAR enables BSS Distribution
to handle the management,
reporting, and production processes
for the following services:
• System management for
Granada TV’s (http://
www.granadamedia.com/
cybersword/dotcom/default.asp)
successful program “You’ve Been
Framed,” which airs humorous
video clips submitted by viewers.
For instance, OSCAR serves up
information to customers who call
the BSS contact line and want to
find out exactly where their video
is in the selection process. Approximately
one thousand videos
per week are entered into the
OSCAR-run database. OSCAR
also enables the “You’ve Been
Framed” system to produce a
unique barcode label and reference
number for each of these videos,
enabling the tracking of the video
through each stage of the selection
and eventual returns process.
• Requests for program
support literature for shows such
as “Changing Rooms,” “Ground
Force,” “Neighbours From Hell,”
and “Son of God.”
• Online purchases on
Channel4.com (http://
www.channel4.com/booklets).
• Fulfillment of support
materials for adult training courses
via “Learn Direct.”
OSCAR has enabled BSS
Distribution to expand the portfolio
of services it offers to clients
and empowers them with a greater
control over the delivery of these
services.
“We chose Gould Hall after
evaluating what software was
available for our market place,”
says Bill Balance, BSS Operations
Manager. “The bespoke system
they are developing for us allows
us to rapidly and efficiently react to
our client’s needs and requirements.”
Note: Gould Hall’s OSCAR
system also manages donations
given to Ethiopiaid (http://
www.ethiopiaid.org.uk/) and the
Brooke Hospital for Animals
(http://www.brookehospital.org.uk/brooke/
homeframe.html). These donations
are processed through OSCAR via
credit or debit cards, checks, postal
orders, direct debits, and so forth.
Ever get out of bed on a
freezing cold day and have
your feet greeted by a soft,
warm carpet instead of a cold
stone floor?
If so, you may have Synergy/
DE to thank! The Headlam Group
(Headlam), the number one
carpeting distributor in the world,
uses Gould Hall’s Synergy/DEbased
Enterprise application
(including its xfServerPlus Webenabling
tools) to manage the
entire distribution of their 35 trade
brands of floor coverings. Enterprise
automates the entire fulfillment
process—from the minute an
order is received, to the electronic
transmission of the order to the
fork lift, to the automatic cutting
and packaging of the order, to the
delivery of the order to the customer
... all within 16 hours of the
order being placed!
“Enterprise enables us to supply
our customers with products from
all of the leading floorcovering
manufacturers in the UK, Continental
Europe and North America,”
states Tony Brewer with Headlam.
“By automating our entire distribution
process, we are able to fill our
orders quickly, exactly, and
efficiently.”
Continued on page 30
29

Where in the World Is Synergy/DE Now?
Continued from page 29
See Headlam’s facilities in action. Visit their Web site at http://www.headlam.com/sections/company/
company.htm.
How is Synergy/DE related to lush tropical gardens, waterfalls and exotic wildlife?
Located on Waikiki’s widest stretch of beach, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach features lush tropical gardens,
waterfalls and exotic wildlife.
Hilton Grand Vacation Club at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s premier location offers guests immediate access to
the abundant treasures of the 20-acre resort including: expansive recreation facilities, classic restaurants, diverse
entertainment and world-class shopping. Sound appealing? These properties at the Hilton Hawaiian Village are just
a sampling of the time-share properties managed by Hilton Grand Vacation Company (HGVC). And thanks to
HGVC’s Synergy/DE-based reservations and property management software, booking and arranging vacations and
timeshares is easy!
HGVC’s software handles everything from accounting, lead generation, reservations, and loan processing, to
keeping track of the many services offered by the Vacation Club. Synergy/DE xfODBC enables data access from all
HGVC locations to contribute to the total information package served up to the representative’s monitor screen.
And, thanks to Synergy/DE xfServerPlus Web enabling technology, HGVC members can access their member
information and book their vacations right on the HGVC Web site!
To pick your next vacation spot, visit the Hilton Grand Vacations Web site today: http://www.hgvc.com/.
30
Rewards are Sweeter with Nectar
Imagine getting rewarded for grocery shopping! If you’re shopping at Sainsburys, Britain’s second largest
supermarkets group, you can. Simply swipe your Nectar card at the checkout stand, and your grocery money will
turn into “loyalty points,” redeemable for a number of valuable and exciting rewards.
Nectar is a reward program that lets you earn points with a variety of sponsors, including the Sainsburys
supermarkets group. Once you’ve collected enough points for the rewards you want, you can redeem them for free
meals, flights abroad, cinema tickets, or even a champagne balloon ride—the choice is yours. You can even use
your points to save money on your next shopping trip at Sainsburys.
Launched in 2002, Nectar already has more than 11 million active users, representing a third of British households.
Nectar uses the Synergy/DE-built GH-Fulfillment system from Gould Hall to manage a variety of functions
for both consumers and sponsors. When a customer decides to exchange his loyalty points for a rewards voucher,
GH-Fulfillment sends out the vouchers. The Synergy/DE-based application also enables Nectar to coordinate
correspondence on behalf of the reward partners, send out welcome packets to new members, and replace lost or
stolen cards.
The GH-Fullfillment application takes the raw files supplied electronically by Nectar and incorporates them into
a structured database to be used in the fulfillment process and for mail-merge purposes. Utilizing Synergy/DE
xfServerPlus technology, the application can interface with external Post Office files to ensure accurate addressing.
The Nectar card has proven so popular that the number of reward partners is constantly growing. As a result,
Gould Hall has recently been commissioned to develop a “generic” transfer format to incorporate the new partner
rewards into the scheme.
For more information, visit Gould Hall’s (http://www.gouldhall.com/) and Nectar’s (http://www.nectar.com/)
Web sites.
Have an interesting story
about Synergy/DE?
Tell us about it! Don’t worry,
we’ll do all the writing—just
send your ideas to
mailto:Synergy@Synergex.com
or give us a call at
+1-800-366-3472 or at
+1-916-635-7300.

Businesscraft
Continued from page 22
Prior to this integration with
Businesscraft financial modules,
Machine Monitor site engineers
were required to fax work order
requests to Machine Monitor,
requiring cumbersome data entry
and often resulting in inaccuracies.
“The XML parser was one of the
main reasons we decided to
upgrade to Synergy/DE 8.1.3. XML
enables us to streamline processes
for customers such as Machine
Monitor and save them tons of
time,” said Steven Parish, president
of Businesscraft.
Other ways Businesscraft is
using XML
(Note: The following projects
were completed before the Synergy
XML API was available. As a
result, Businesscraft created their
own XML output routines to meet
their customers’ needs.)
• Businesscraft is using XML in
their Sales Automation software.
This software is used by new homes
sales consultants to help customers
select household options via an ASP
Web page. Whenever a customer
selects a checkbox for the option
that he wants, the Sales Automation
software stores this information as
XML data. Synergy/DE
xfServerPlus enables
Businesscraft’s Sales Automation
software to update this information,
while Synergy/DE xfODBC enables
the software to download the XML
data.
• Businesscraft has also
implemented an extensive set of
interfaces to Crystal Reports,
enabling Businesscraft developers
to report on XML data. As a result,
users can now view reports with the
Crystal Viewer, publish reports as
PDFs on an intranet, send reports
via e-mail as PDF attachments,
print reports directly to a printer, or
fax reports through Windows NT
Fax Server software—all without
requiring customizations by
Businesscraft developers.
• Businesscraft is currently
developing a new Microsoft .NET
client application, which will
provide an entirely new user
interface to their existing legacy
application. To accommodate the
disconnected nature of the client/
server design, Businesscraft has
decided to integrate XML into this
new client application for business-to-business
data transport.
Now, when a dataset is updated on
the client, an XML packet is sent
via an xfServerPlus call where the
data is updated in the Synergy
ISAM files. This allows all of the
new .NET Framework features to
be used in the client user interface,
while still leveraging the extensive
business logic that has evolved
over the past 20 years.
Users of the new Businesscraft
application will also be able to
view Executive Information
Summaries. When the client
application requests such a
summary, routines on the server
read and summarize key data
stored in Synergy ISAM files (such
as Overall Debtor Aged Summary,
TopN Customer Sales Figures, and
so forth) and then return that data
to the client, where an XML/XSL
transformation is used to present it
as HTML.
For more information about
Businesscraft, visit their Web site.
http://www.businesscraft.com
dabs.com
Continued from page 21
About dabs.com and
Synergy/DE
Originally established in 1990 as
Dabs Direct, a traditional mail order
computer dealer, dabs.com (http://
www.dabs.com) is now the United
Kingdom’s leading Internet retailer
of IT and technology products,
offering approximately 20,000 lines
from the world’s leading manufacturers
to over a million online
customers across the country. Their
Synergy/DE-based Fulcrum
application enables the processing
of 5,000+ orders each day. Running
on an OpenVMS cluster, Fulcrum
automates the entire process from
allocating stock once an order is
received, accepting credit card
payments, communicating with the
conveyor belt system in the
warehouse, and tracking the item
once shipped.
Synergy/DE enables companies
like dabs.com to deploy multiplatform,
Web-enabled applications
that integrate with e-commerce
solutions, ODBC-enabled reporting
tools, RDBMSs, ActiveX components,
wireless devices, and other
third-party applications and data.
Synergy/DE has a long track record
backed by millions of end-users
worldwide, and a substantial
presence in a multitude of vertical
industries.
JPD
Continued from page 22
and application management it provides. There are several rules and regulations
that apply to the assignment of teachers and staff—and these rules
change frequently. Terminal Services will allow my client to better accommodate
these types of fluctuations.” Terminal Services will also help handle
variances in staff size at a given remote location. The number of employees
at a given location can vary tremendously from day to day, making Terminal
Services an ideal solution.
The ROC plans to go live with the Synergy/DE-based application in Q2 of
2004. “This new solution will offer them a more flexible and manageable
database structure, with centralized data that is available at any time to
whomever needs it,” promises van Dijk. “And, most importantly, we can
provide all of these enhancements without sacrificing the core functionality
of their proven application.”
31

2330 Gold Meadow Way
Gold River, CA 95670
U.S.A.
inside CONNECTION
Synergex releases Synergy/DE 8.1
(February 2003)
page 1
Where in the World is Synergy/DE Now? 2
xfODBC enhances AgTrax Software 3
The Synergy Configuration Program 6
Synergy XML API: A customer success
story
Unleash the power of your Synergy
application at SPC 2004!
page 1
page 28
Fcompare: Resolving your database problems 7
Support Center 8
Vasco launches e-commerce site 14
Radley Corp. Web system streamlines tasks 15
Jack Henry upgrades to Synergy/DE 8.1 17
Turnkey’s tkEDGE system uses xfODBC 19
and much more...
A Publication for Professional Developers and Users