Hi,

A number of years back Alaska added assets for some of the new features 
in Xbase++.  At the time I thought OK... fine... I'll get to that later.

In the latest release (ver 1255 June 15, 2020) they have started to 
support OAuth 2.0 using assets but I can not seem to find any 
documentation as to how to implement/use assets.  There is a .assets 
folder in the Xbase++ section of my Documents folder and within it there 
are 3 files associated with OAuth 2.0... oauth2-1.0.license, 
oauth2-1.0.xar & oauth2-1.0.zip.  Does anyone know where I should be 
looking to get a better understanding of these assets and how to use them?

In the zip file there are 3 projects: 1) one builds a DLL, and the other 
two appear to be examples.  The DLL compile appears to go OK but 
examples compile with "unresolved external symbols".  I then added the 
"missing" prg files to the project and got a clean compile but the 
execution run and then displays a Microsoft sign in error:

AADSTS900144: The request body must contain the following parameter: 
'client_id'.

Andreas Herdt had sent me an email a few weeks back saying that they 
were working on OAuth 2.0 so obviously this is a start of this work. 
Just wondering if anyone else has a insight around this.

Thanks... Jonathan

jonathan.leeming@familycentre.org
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Jonathan,

>Does anyone know where I should be 
>looking to get a better understanding of these assets and how to use them?

There are two types of assets. The ones with a Project.xpj file can be 
compiled and the resulting DLLs used in your own projects, just like runtime 
files.

The ones without project files are supposed to be included in your own 
projects, using the Workbench IDE. This means that the asset's code will be 
embedded into (and be part of) your own DLL or EXE targets.

Don't ask me about the usefulness or practicability of this "Assets Scheme", 
though. There is no explanation why older versions of most of those assets 
are continued to be provided, even though (some of) the older versions 
obviously contain errors or are even identical to newer versions. There is 
also no reason given why those assets aren't pre-compiled and provided 
as runtime DLLs -- especially the various XbbParts.

Some of those assets are not actual Xbase++ code, while some contain some 
resources (which are also called "Assets") that are HTML, CSS, or image 
files.

The only advantage that I can see is that the provided source code can help 
with understanding how those assets work and make it easier to customize 
them on the source code level, as opposed to using OOP. But that could also 
be said for all the other source code in the samples and runtime folders.

As I don't normally use the Workbench, I'm not quite sure how easy the 
integration of assets within this IDE has been made, but there is some 
asset-related functionality in the Project Viewer, none of which is 
documented anywhere, though.

Maybe someone from Alaska can publish a white-paper about Xbase++ Assets?

Hope that helps anyway,

Andreas

Andreas Gehrs-Pahl
Absolute Software, LLC

phone: (989) 723-9927
email: Andreas@AbsoluteSoftwareLLC.com
web:   http://www.AbsoluteSoftwareLLC.com
[L]:   https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/AndreasGehrsPahl
[F]:   https://www.FaceBook.com/AbsoluteSoftwareLLC

Andreas,

the integration of the Assets is very easy with the workbench.

Another aspect of the assets is: When you insert it into you project vie 
the workbench the full code is copied into the project folder 
automaticly. You can adjust it to your needs. And it will not be 
changed/overwritten with the next Xbase++ update.

But I allways miss docs to the assets. Alaska is very - thrifty - with 
that. Makes it hard sometimes to understand the purpose and how to use them.

Jan

Am 18.06.2020 um 22:50 schrieb Andreas Gehrs-Pahl:
> Jonathan,
> 
>> Does anyone know where I should be
>> looking to get a better understanding of these assets and how to use them?
> 
> There are two types of assets. The ones with a Project.xpj file can be
> compiled and the resulting DLLs used in your own projects, just like runtime
> files.
> 
> The ones without project files are supposed to be included in your own
> projects, using the Workbench IDE. This means that the asset's code will be
> embedded into (and be part of) your own DLL or EXE targets.
> 
> Don't ask me about the usefulness or practicability of this "Assets Scheme",
> though. There is no explanation why older versions of most of those assets
> are continued to be provided, even though (some of) the older versions
> obviously contain errors or are even identical to newer versions. There is
> also no reason given why those assets aren't pre-compiled and provided
> as runtime DLLs -- especially the various XbbParts.
> 
> Some of those assets are not actual Xbase++ code, while some contain some
> resources (which are also called "Assets") that are HTML, CSS, or image
> files.
> 
> The only advantage that I can see is that the provided source code can help
> with understanding how those assets work and make it easier to customize
> them on the source code level, as opposed to using OOP. But that could also
> be said for all the other source code in the samples and runtime folders.
> 
> As I don't normally use the Workbench, I'm not quite sure how easy the
> integration of assets within this IDE has been made, but there is some
> asset-related functionality in the Project Viewer, none of which is
> documented anywhere, though.
> 
> Maybe someone from Alaska can publish a white-paper about Xbase++ Assets?
> 
> Hope that helps anyway,
> 
> Andreas
>

On 6/18/2020 9:49 PM, Jan Escholt wrote:
> Andreas,
> 
> the integration of the Assets is very easy with the workbench.

Hi Jan... so I gather this is not a manual process but I don't see any 
provision / reference to assets in the workbench.  Can you elaborate?

> 
> Another aspect of the assets is: When you insert it into you project vie 
> the workbench the full code is copied into the project folder 
> automaticly. You can adjust it to your needs. And it will not be 
> changed/overwritten with the next Xbase++ update.

I don't see any "insert" option... Is it actually referred to as 
"insert" and where should I be looking... I poked around but it has 
eluded me.
> 
> But I allways miss docs to the assets. Alaska is very - thrifty - with 
> that. Makes it hard sometimes to understand the purpose and how to use 
> them.

I like you use of "thrifty"!

Thanks... Jonathan
> 
> Jan
> 
> Am 18.06.2020 um 22:50 schrieb Andreas Gehrs-Pahl:
>> Jonathan,
>>
>>> Does anyone know where I should be
>>> looking to get a better understanding of these assets and how to use 
>>> them?
>>
>> There are two types of assets. The ones with a Project.xpj file can be
>> compiled and the resulting DLLs used in your own projects, just like 
>> runtime
>> files.
>>
>> The ones without project files are supposed to be included in your own
>> projects, using the Workbench IDE. This means that the asset's code 
>> will be
>> embedded into (and be part of) your own DLL or EXE targets.
>>
>> Don't ask me about the usefulness or practicability of this "Assets 
>> Scheme",
>> though. There is no explanation why older versions of most of those 
>> assets
>> are continued to be provided, even though (some of) the older versions
>> obviously contain errors or are even identical to newer versions. 
>> There is
>> also no reason given why those assets aren't pre-compiled and provided
>> as runtime DLLs -- especially the various XbbParts.
>>
>> Some of those assets are not actual Xbase++ code, while some contain some
>> resources (which are also called "Assets") that are HTML, CSS, or image
>> files.
>>
>> The only advantage that I can see is that the provided source code can 
>> help
>> with understanding how those assets work and make it easier to customize
>> them on the source code level, as opposed to using OOP. But that could 
>> also
>> be said for all the other source code in the samples and runtime folders.
>>
>> As I don't normally use the Workbench, I'm not quite sure how easy the
>> integration of assets within this IDE has been made, but there is some
>> asset-related functionality in the Project Viewer, none of which is
>> documented anywhere, though.
>>
>> Maybe someone from Alaska can publish a white-paper about Xbase++ Assets?
>>
>> Hope that helps anyway,
>>
>> Andreas
>>

jonathan.leeming@familycentre.org
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Jonathan,

I'm not a native english speaker. So sometimes my vocabulary and grammar 
might be a bit funny or strange.

Right click on the target in the project manager. And than choose the 
fifth entry, something like "Manage assets" (don't have the english 
Workbench so don't know what it's exactly in english).

Jan

Am 20.06.2020 um 01:11 schrieb Jonathan Leeming:
> On 6/18/2020 9:49 PM, Jan Escholt wrote:
>> Andreas,
>>
>> the integration of the Assets is very easy with the workbench.
> 
> Hi Jan... so I gather this is not a manual process but I don't see any 
> provision / reference to assets in the workbench.  Can you elaborate?
> 
>>
>> Another aspect of the assets is: When you insert it into you project 
>> vie the workbench the full code is copied into the project folder 
>> automaticly. You can adjust it to your needs. And it will not be 
>> changed/overwritten with the next Xbase++ update.
> 
> I don't see any "insert" option... Is it actually referred to as 
> "insert" and where should I be looking... I poked around but it has 
> eluded me.
>>
>> But I allways miss docs to the assets. Alaska is very - thrifty - with 
>> that. Makes it hard sometimes to understand the purpose and how to use 
>> them.
> 
> I like you use of "thrifty"!
> 
> Thanks... Jonathan
>>
>> Jan
>>
>> Am 18.06.2020 um 22:50 schrieb Andreas Gehrs-Pahl:
>>> Jonathan,
>>>
>>>> Does anyone know where I should be
>>>> looking to get a better understanding of these assets and how to use 
>>>> them?
>>>
>>> There are two types of assets. The ones with a Project.xpj file can be
>>> compiled and the resulting DLLs used in your own projects, just like 
>>> runtime
>>> files.
>>>
>>> The ones without project files are supposed to be included in your own
>>> projects, using the Workbench IDE. This means that the asset's code 
>>> will be
>>> embedded into (and be part of) your own DLL or EXE targets.
>>>
>>> Don't ask me about the usefulness or practicability of this "Assets 
>>> Scheme",
>>> though. There is no explanation why older versions of most of those 
>>> assets
>>> are continued to be provided, even though (some of) the older versions
>>> obviously contain errors or are even identical to newer versions. 
>>> There is
>>> also no reason given why those assets aren't pre-compiled and provided
>>> as runtime DLLs -- especially the various XbbParts.
>>>
>>> Some of those assets are not actual Xbase++ code, while some contain 
>>> some
>>> resources (which are also called "Assets") that are HTML, CSS, or image
>>> files.
>>>
>>> The only advantage that I can see is that the provided source code 
>>> can help
>>> with understanding how those assets work and make it easier to customize
>>> them on the source code level, as opposed to using OOP. But that 
>>> could also
>>> be said for all the other source code in the samples and runtime 
>>> folders.
>>>
>>> As I don't normally use the Workbench, I'm not quite sure how easy the
>>> integration of assets within this IDE has been made, but there is some
>>> asset-related functionality in the Project Viewer, none of which is
>>> documented anywhere, though.
>>>
>>> Maybe someone from Alaska can publish a white-paper about Xbase++ 
>>> Assets?
>>>
>>> Hope that helps anyway,
>>>
>>> Andreas
>>>
> 
>

On 6/19/2020 10:10 PM, Jan Escholt wrote:
> Jonathan,
> 
> I'm not a native english speaker. So sometimes my vocabulary and grammar 
> might be a bit funny or strange.
> 
> Right click on the target in the project manager. And than choose the 
> fifth entry, something like "Manage assets" (don't have the english 
> Workbench so don't know what it's exactly in english).
> 
> Jan
Hi Jan,

Thanks for your help..."Manage Assets..." is exactly what it displays.

Now I just need to figure out how to work with the specific asset!

Thanks Again... Jonathan
> 
> Am 20.06.2020 um 01:11 schrieb Jonathan Leeming:
>> On 6/18/2020 9:49 PM, Jan Escholt wrote:
>>> Andreas,
>>>
>>> the integration of the Assets is very easy with the workbench.
>>
>> Hi Jan... so I gather this is not a manual process but I don't see any 
>> provision / reference to assets in the workbench.  Can you elaborate?
>>
>>>
>>> Another aspect of the assets is: When you insert it into you project 
>>> vie the workbench the full code is copied into the project folder 
>>> automaticly. You can adjust it to your needs. And it will not be 
>>> changed/overwritten with the next Xbase++ update.
>>
>> I don't see any "insert" option... Is it actually referred to as 
>> "insert" and where should I be looking... I poked around but it has 
>> eluded me.
>>>
>>> But I allways miss docs to the assets. Alaska is very - thrifty - 
>>> with that. Makes it hard sometimes to understand the purpose and how 
>>> to use them.
>>
>> I like you use of "thrifty"!
>>
>> Thanks... Jonathan
>>>
>>> Jan
>>>
>>> Am 18.06.2020 um 22:50 schrieb Andreas Gehrs-Pahl:
>>>> Jonathan,
>>>>
>>>>> Does anyone know where I should be
>>>>> looking to get a better understanding of these assets and how to 
>>>>> use them?
>>>>
>>>> There are two types of assets. The ones with a Project.xpj file can be
>>>> compiled and the resulting DLLs used in your own projects, just like 
>>>> runtime
>>>> files.
>>>>
>>>> The ones without project files are supposed to be included in your own
>>>> projects, using the Workbench IDE. This means that the asset's code 
>>>> will be
>>>> embedded into (and be part of) your own DLL or EXE targets.
>>>>
>>>> Don't ask me about the usefulness or practicability of this "Assets 
>>>> Scheme",
>>>> though. There is no explanation why older versions of most of those 
>>>> assets
>>>> are continued to be provided, even though (some of) the older versions
>>>> obviously contain errors or are even identical to newer versions. 
>>>> There is
>>>> also no reason given why those assets aren't pre-compiled and provided
>>>> as runtime DLLs -- especially the various XbbParts.
>>>>
>>>> Some of those assets are not actual Xbase++ code, while some contain 
>>>> some
>>>> resources (which are also called "Assets") that are HTML, CSS, or image
>>>> files.
>>>>
>>>> The only advantage that I can see is that the provided source code 
>>>> can help
>>>> with understanding how those assets work and make it easier to 
>>>> customize
>>>> them on the source code level, as opposed to using OOP. But that 
>>>> could also
>>>> be said for all the other source code in the samples and runtime 
>>>> folders.
>>>>
>>>> As I don't normally use the Workbench, I'm not quite sure how easy the
>>>> integration of assets within this IDE has been made, but there is some
>>>> asset-related functionality in the Project Viewer, none of which is
>>>> documented anywhere, though.
>>>>
>>>> Maybe someone from Alaska can publish a white-paper about Xbase++ 
>>>> Assets?
>>>>
>>>> Hope that helps anyway,
>>>>
>>>> Andreas
>>>>
>>
>>

jonathan.leeming@familycentre.org
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

On 6/18/2020 2:50 PM, Andreas Gehrs-Pahl wrote:
> Jonathan,
> 
>> Does anyone know where I should be
>> looking to get a better understanding of these assets and how to use them?
> 
> There are two types of assets. The ones with a Project.xpj file can be
> compiled and the resulting DLLs used in your own projects, just like runtime
> files.
> 
> The ones without project files are supposed to be included in your own
> projects, using the Workbench IDE. This means that the asset's code will be
> embedded into (and be part of) your own DLL or EXE targets.
> 
> Don't ask me about the usefulness or practicability of this "Assets Scheme",
> though. There is no explanation why older versions of most of those assets
> are continued to be provided, even though (some of) the older versions
> obviously contain errors or are even identical to newer versions. There is
> also no reason given why those assets aren't pre-compiled and provided
> as runtime DLLs -- especially the various XbbParts.
> 
> Some of those assets are not actual Xbase++ code, while some contain some
> resources (which are also called "Assets") that are HTML, CSS, or image
> files.
> 
> The only advantage that I can see is that the provided source code can help
> with understanding how those assets work and make it easier to customize
> them on the source code level, as opposed to using OOP. But that could also
> be said for all the other source code in the samples and runtime folders.
> 
> As I don't normally use the Workbench, I'm not quite sure how easy the
> integration of assets within this IDE has been made, but there is some
> asset-related functionality in the Project Viewer, none of which is
> documented anywhere, though.
> 
> Maybe someone from Alaska can publish a white-paper about Xbase++ Assets?
> 
> Hope that helps anyway,
> 
> Andreas
> 
Thanks Andreas,

I don't use the workbench either... just for the updates.

I'll play around a bit with them but the implementation into a project 
seems like a manual process... or maybe I'm missing something... That's 
happened before 

On another note, I noticed in the .assets for related to OAuth 2.0 there 
are three files... oauth2-1.0.license, oauth2-1.0.xar, and 
oauth2-1.0.zip.  Any idea what the purpose/significance of the first 2? 
In oauth2-1.0.zip there is a readme.md file which I'm assuming (ok... a 
dangerous thing) is a markdown file.  It appears that there is an 
extension for chrome to view markdown files but after installing it the 
first portion of this file is just a bunch of "stuff" that does not 
render any better than using notepad.  Are you aware of a viewer that 
would make more sense of this file?

Thanks again... as always... Jonathan

jonathan.leeming@familycentre.org
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Jonathan,

>On another note, I noticed in the .assets for related to OAuth 2.0 there 
>are three files... oauth2-1.0.license, oauth2-1.0.xar, and 
>oauth2-1.0.zip. Any idea what the purpose/significance of the first 2?

Those are both simple text files. The *.license files are usually required 
by the original copyright holders of Open Source materials.

The *.xar (Xbase Asset Repository, i suppose) files are XML-formatted text 
files that describe the Asset and contain Tags that are known to the 
Workbench (I assume). They are used to tell the Workbench how to import and 
handle a specific Asset and its corresponding files.

>In oauth2-1.0.zip there is a readme.md file which I'm assuming (ok... a 
>dangerous thing) is a markdown file.  It appears that there is an 
>extension for chrome to view markdown files but after installing it the 
>first portion of this file is just a bunch of "stuff" that does not 
>render any better than using notepad.  Are you aware of a viewer that 
>would make more sense of this file?

The readme.md are indeed markdown files. They are also used, just like the 
*.xar files, to convey information about the Assets. This format is often 
used on GitHub. For some details see:

https://guides.github.com/features/mastering-markdown/

You can view (and edit) them with markdown editors, such as the online 
Dillenger or downloadable Editor.md. See here:

https://dillinger.io/
https://pandao.github.io/editor.md/en.html

Hope that helps,

Andreas

Andreas Gehrs-Pahl
Absolute Software, LLC

phone: (989) 723-9927
email: Andreas@AbsoluteSoftwareLLC.com
web:   http://www.AbsoluteSoftwareLLC.com
[L]:   https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/AndreasGehrsPahl
[F]:   https://www.FaceBook.com/AbsoluteSoftwareLLC

On 6/19/2020 7:21 PM, Andreas Gehrs-Pahl wrote:
> Jonathan,
> 
>> On another note, I noticed in the .assets for related to OAuth 2.0 there
>> are three files... oauth2-1.0.license, oauth2-1.0.xar, and
>> oauth2-1.0.zip. Any idea what the purpose/significance of the first 2?
> 
> Those are both simple text files. The *.license files are usually required
> by the original copyright holders of Open Source materials.
> 
> The *.xar (Xbase Asset Repository, i suppose) files are XML-formatted text
> files that describe the Asset and contain Tags that are known to the
> Workbench (I assume). They are used to tell the Workbench how to import and
> handle a specific Asset and its corresponding files.
> 
>> In oauth2-1.0.zip there is a readme.md file which I'm assuming (ok... a
>> dangerous thing) is a markdown file.  It appears that there is an
>> extension for chrome to view markdown files but after installing it the
>> first portion of this file is just a bunch of "stuff" that does not
>> render any better than using notepad.  Are you aware of a viewer that
>> would make more sense of this file?
> 
> The readme.md are indeed markdown files. They are also used, just like the
> *.xar files, to convey information about the Assets. This format is often
> used on GitHub. For some details see:
> 
> https://guides.github.com/features/mastering-markdown/
> 
> You can view (and edit) them with markdown editors, such as the online
> Dillenger or downloadable Editor.md. See here:
> 
> https://dillinger.io/
> https://pandao.github.io/editor.md/en.html
> 
> Hope that helps,
> 
> Andreas
> 
Thanks Andreas... My knowledge of assets has increased astronomically 
however, given that I was recently at zero that may not be saying much!

At least now I can explore with an inkling of what I am looking at. 
Although it may be a alternate way of delivering new capabilities it 
somehow seems disjointed with the Xbase++ development structure. 
Anyhow, there is a lot of talent in the Alaska team so I will bow to 
their judgement.

Thanks Again... Hope all is well with you and Kathryn... Regards... 
Jonathan

jonathan.leeming@familycentre.org
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada