This article may contain URLs that were valid when originally published, but now link to sites or pages that no longer exist. To maintain the flow of the article, we've left these URLs in the text, but disabled the links.

Resources for Your Developer Toolbox

Theresa W. Carey

Generate Rules for Visual Basic

      Rule Machines Corporation has released Visual Rule Studio 2.0, which allows developers using Visual Basic® to incorporate high-performance business rules as integral components of their e-commerce and n-tier enterprise applications. Version 2.0 provides dynamic rule generation and expanded database facilities so that mission-critical business policies can be captured and managed in real time. Its business rule automation technology can reduce the time needed to develop and deploy distributed e-business applications.
      Visual Rule Studio combines business rule engines and knowledge representation strategies with the development capabilities of Visual Basic 6.0. Visual Rule Studio enables developers to deploy scalable, distributed e-business applications that can be modified as business needs change. Business rule components developed with Visual Rule Studio can be delivered as automation servers, ActiveX® controls, OCX controls, DLLs, EXEs, or COM objects embedded into e-commerce Web sites, Microsoft Transaction Service processes, n-tier client/server systems, or standalone Windows-based applications.
      Version 2.0 also offers a standalone rule development and test environment for developers who want to work independently of Visual Basic. By isolating business rules as component objects, separate from business objects and application logic, Visual Rule Studio allows business analysts and corporate developers to leverage the proven productivity of any Windows-based, component-oriented development tool.

Rule Machines Corporation
134 Fifth Avenue, Suite 205
Indialantic, FL 32903
321-984-4402
https://www.RuleMachines.com

Enterprise-wide Installations

      LANovation recently announced the availability of PictureTaker Enterprise Edition 3.0, which adds full support for Windows® 2000, support for unattended and after-hours installations, the ability to create self-installing files, an Expert that lets administrators build Web pages for software distribution, built-in file and registry conflict checking, an optional status bar to display for target PC users, and several other enhancements.
      By using the two-step, graphical Expert, administrators can capture software installations and updates in a single-file format called a Package. PictureTaker Enterprise Edition's single-file design allows network administrators to create just one Package for each distribution task (such as a software rollout), rather than creating several files to accomplish a single installation.
      PictureTaker's smart variables ensure that the Package will correctly install itself on each target PC, regardless of the PC's configuration or previous installations. When remote PCs need updates, an administrator can convert the Package to a self-installing file (an EXE file that will run on any Windows-based PC). PictureTaker can convert that same Package to a Windows Installer file when that is the preferred distribution method.

LANovation
1313 5th Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
800-747-4487, 612-379-3805
https://www.lanovation.com

Visual Basic Configuration Management

      Diakonos Corporation is releasing vbMake, an automated build facility and configuration management tool for Visual Basic. The complexity of component-based applications is reflected in the process of building and configuring these reusable parts into stable systems. vbMake is a professional development tool for IT and software development organizations that assists in the process of building application components. When used with Microsoft Visual SourceSafeâ„¢, vbMake also provides an effective means of software configuration management.
      Detailed build reports, build histories, component version management, and Visual SourceSafe-based labeling allow development and quality assurance organizations to document changes to each build. Build data generated by vbMake can be used to map defects to specific component versions during testing and to identify the components deployed in various releases of the application.

Diakonos Corporation
10044 Village Tree
Miamisburg, OH. 45342
937-312-0086
https://www.vbmake.com

Access the Winsock 2 API

      Xceed Software Inc. has released Xceed Winsock Library 1.0, a COM and ActiveX library that offers access to the complete Winsock 2 networking API. The library allows developers of Windows-based applications to write scalable networking code for their apps without developing the low-level code needed to use the Winsock 2 API.
      The Xceed Winsock Library exposes the flexibility provided by the Winsock 2 APIâ€"including support for protocol independence, quality of service, and multicastingâ€"while offering a simplified object model and a built-in multithreaded low-level I/O engine. The library's low-level engine takes full advantage of Winsock 2 optimization features such as overlapped I/O and completion ports, when available. Applications using Xceed Winsock Library are therefore using pre-optimized, pre-tested networking code and are ready to handle large loads without overtaxing the systems they run on. The library comes with various COM interfaces and supports most 32-bit languages including Visual Basic, Visual C++®, and Delphi.

Xceed Software Inc.
1555 Boulevard Jean-Paul Vincent
Suite 180
Longueuil, Quebec
Canada J4N 1L6
800-865-2626
https://www.xceedsoft.com

Windows 2000 Embedded Firewall

      Network-1 Security Solutions Inc. recently announced CyberwallPLUS-SV 6.0, with support for Windows 2000. E-business users of Microsoft Windows 2000 can now firewall their systems from hackers with intrusion-prevention software embedded at the operating system level. Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, and Windows 2000 Advanced Server are all supported. Windows 2000 Datacenter Server will be supported at a later date.
      CyberwallPLUS-SV utilizes a unique kernel-mode architecture to create a scalable, distributed security solution. It enables system administrators to integrate rich firewall and intrusion prevention capabilities on critical application servers such as Web, e-mail, database, and ERP servers. The product was designed to substantially harden servers running Windows NT and Windows 2000. In the process, it protects mission-critical applications that reside on these servers.
      CyberwallPLUS-SV provides stateful packet inspection, intrusion detection and prevention, and kernel-mode operation to close security holes and vulnerabilities in Windows NT® and Windows 2000. In addition, CyberwallPLUS-SV supports over 4,500 different protocols including IP, IPX, SNA, DECnet, and AppleTalk, among others. You can apply rule changes dynamically without rebooting the server, and manage the application locally or remotely.

Network-1 Security Solutions Inc.
Reservoir Place
1601 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02451
781-522-3400
https://www.network-1.com

Directory Publishing Technology

      Nextron Communications has announced the initial availability of version 6.0 of ICAS (Integrated Creation and Administration System). The latest release of this Web technology platform introduces new features and capabilities specifically designed with the telecommunications and Yellow Pages publishing industries in mind.
      ICAS 6.0 features a completely redesigned user interface that makes it easier for Nextron Communications to customize the application for each of its partners. ICAS 6.0 streamlines the process of creating and managing high-volume Web-presence programs. The ability to create Web pages using frames, as well as the introduction of a new state-of-the-art Java language-based page creation and editing tool, expand a Web developer's ability to create unique page layouts.
      Nextron Communications offers software and service solutions that enable its partners to bundle Web products and services with their existing offerings and sell them under their own brands. Nextron's browser interface software helps companies manage all aspects of their Web-presence programs including site creation and fulfillment, ongoing management and customer support, and billing.

Nextron Communications
6830 Via Del Oro, Suite 240
San Jose, CA 95119
800-328-6802, 408-574-0200
https://www.nextron.com

Quick Takes

      WebLoad Resource Manager and WebLoad Workstation client, introduced by Radview Software, are designed to span the e-business development lifecycleâ€"design, development, quality assurance, and deployment. Resource Manager dynamically serves testing and analysis resources to WebLoad Workstations deployed at the desktops of software architects, developers, quality assurance, and IT professionals distributed throughout a workgroup or the entire enterprise. Resource Manager facilitates iterative testing throughout the development process for optimized contributions by individual line-of-development professionals, and improved coordination and cooperation between interfunctional workgroups. WebLoad can test Web applications running in any computing environment if all systems participating in the test are TCP/IP enabled. Check out the particulars at https://www.radview.com.
      Some of the major new features of WinZip 8.0 include Zip and E-Mail, which zips a document and attaches it to an e-mail message without leaving Windows Explorer, and the Enhanced WinZip Wizard, which creates and updates Zip files and can extract and install from MIME and similar encoded files. The new version has an updated interface and optional Explorer-style toolbar. The desktop theme and screen saver installer make it easy to install from Internet downloads. Check out the upgrade at https://www.winzip.com.
      Zone Labs Inc. is publishing ZoneAlarm 2.0, which provides protection for DSL and cable modem users by combining the safety of a dynamic firewall with control over applications' Internet use. ZoneAlarm 2.0 offers traditional security and application control in one simple interface, good for PCs with always-on connections. ZoneAlarm 2.0 includes five interlocking security services: Firewall, Application Control, an Internet Lock, dynamically assigned Security Levels, and Zones. Combined, these elements guarantee secure Internet use. You can download ZoneAlarm 2.0 from https://www.zonelabs.com.
      SignIT! provides the ability to append a digital signature to a Web page, thereby giving users a way to verify the authenticity of the page both in terms of its content and its originator. Designed by J&R Software, SignIT! permits Web developers to digitally sign their Web pages. Once signed, anyone browsing the page is able to authenticate the page's credentials by viewing the digital ID associated with the page originator (whether an individual or an organization). If an invalid signature is encountered, that information is immediately conveyed to the user through an embedded control inserted within the page. SignIT! is implemented as an add-in product for Microsoft FrontPage® as well as Visual InterDev®, and can be found at https://www.j-r-software.com/signit.
      Check out WindowBlinds, a program published by Stardock.net that allows users to completely customize their Windows experience. With WindowBlinds, users can change their desktop to resemble other operating systems or something entirely different. Users who install WindowBlinds are automatically given an account on Stardock.net, which provides access to the Stardock news service and allows them to download "skins" directly from the program. Future versions of WindowBlinds will include functionality to integrate interactive and dynamic functionality to their skins. Check it out at https://www.stardock.net.
      Visual Build 1.2, Kinook Software, is a build management tool for Windows and the Web that automates such tasks as retrieving the latest source code, building the pieces of an application, and registering components. It will execute the tedious steps that must be performed over and over, while ensuring that all steps have been completed successfully. Visual Build keyboard shortcuts are similar to those in Microsoft Visual Studio®, and it comes preconfigured with support macros for tools in Visual Studio, although any graphical or command-line application or script can be called. Visual Build requires Windows 9x, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000. An evaluation version is available for download at https://www.kinook.com.

Theresa W. Carey is a freelance writer who lives in California. Her byline has appeared in Barron's and PC World. You can send her New Stuff at newstuff@microsoft.com.

From the June 2000 issue of MSDN Magazine.