4D_Pack Introduction

The 4D_Pack plug-in provides 4D developpers with useful additional routines.

The 4D_Pack command names have the “AP” prefix in order to avoid any confusion with 4D commands. They also use the uppercase/lowercase convention depending on whether they are commands or functions.

You install the 4D_Pack plug-in just like any 4D plug-in: you must put it in the Plugins folder located either next to the executable application or next to the structure file of the database. For more information, please refer to the Installing plugins or components section in the Design Reference manual.

For reasons related to the evolution of 4D products, several commands found in previous versions have been removed in 4D_Pack v11. Here is the list of deleted commands as well as the recommended replacement solutions:

AP PICT DRAGGER -> Use the integrated drag and drop functions of 4D (MouseDown, MouseX and MouseY System Variables in the case of “click” type events)
AP PICT UPDATER and %AP Pict displayer -> Use a picture field
AP Read Picture BLOB -> Use BLOB TO PICTURE
AP Read Picture File - > Use READ PICTURE FILE
AP Save GIF -> Use CONVERT PICTURE + WRITE PICTURE FILE
AP SET PICT MODE -> Use SET FORMAT
AP Select document -> Use Select document
AP Set palette -> Use Select RGB Color
AP Sublaunch -> Use LAUNCH EXTERNAL PROCESS
AP PrintDefault -> Use AP BLOB to print settings + AP Print settings to BLOB
AP Text to PrintRec -> Use AP BLOB to print settings + AP Print settings to BLOB
AP PrintRec to text -> Use AP BLOB to print settings + AP Print settings to BLOB
AP PrValidate -> Use AP BLOB to print settings + AP Print settings to BLOB
AP Toolbar installed -> Use Tool bar height (returns 0 if toolbar is hidden)
AP SET WEB FILTERS -> Use SET DATABASE PARAMETER and Get database parameter
AP ShellExecute (Mac OS) --> Use LAUNCH EXTERNAL PROCESS
AP Add table and fields -> Use 4D SQL engine
AP Create relation -> No alternative solution currently