What's New?

SitePad Pro version 7.0 (beta)

The major new features in version 7 are the new build system and the Dash templating system.

The goal of the new build system is to make it easy to generate a target with one command. This includes not only the traditional compile and link targets, but any other tasks that need to be done as a part of generating a target such as validation, packaging, and uploading. Build tasks can include running any script, exe, or class file.

The purpose of Dash is help you reduce duplicate content and code and to automate generation of content and code. For example, it can be used as a Java preprocessor and also used to generate a template based web site.

Build system

The new build system is based on a flexible property based system. The initial release includes Java, C/C++ and Dash build units. Additional build types can be added using just scripts.

Simple builds such as compiling and running a Java or C/C++ program can be done by creating or opening a source file with a main method or function and then choosing the Compile command in the Build menu.

Multifile builds should first create a Solution using Solution/New Solution... Then just add one or more build units to the Solution.

After you have a Solution defined, then you can use any of the Build menu commands, including Build and Rebuild. Some build units will add additional commands to the Build menu.

The build system has three levels of properties. The tool level properties provide the data necessary to run a tool. The solution level contains general properties for all builds included in a solution. Finally the build level contains specific properties necessary to generate the build target. Both the solution and build level can override values defined at the tool level.

Property values have either a Defined value, Inherited value or a Custom value (set you you). These are denoted by 'D', 'I', and 'C' in the properties editors. For example, the path to the Java compiler, javac.exe, will automatically be set at the tool level when the build unit is defined during startup as necessary. And that path is inherited in both solution and build levels. This means that if you want to use jikes for one build and javac for another build then you have the flexibility to easily do that. You can also reset the property value to its initial value by using the Reset command.

In addition, each build in a solution can have one or more targets. This lets you include multiple configurations or stages in a solution. For example, you could have both a Develop and Deploy stage or you could have Unix and Windows configurations. A configuration consists of a name followed by either a [debug] or [release] mode.

Finally each property can have a number of handlers. These handlers are written in JavaScript and are used for editing, setting, inheriting, and validation of properties. These handlers reduce the effort needed to create and maintain a solution.

Dash templating system

The purpose of Dash is to provide an easy way to build programmable living files. Dash can be used for code generation (such as a Java preprocessor), for building and maintaining sites.

Dash's internal language is JavaScript and it's syntax is similar to Freemarker, ASP, or PHP. It can be used to generate code for any file type including both client and server side code. This includes dynamic web pages using ASP or PHP.

To use Dash, first create a Dash Document using the File/New... menu. In the File New dialog first select a file type, with optional template, and then click on the Dash Document button. Then edit the Dash document. Then to create the target files use one of the commands from the Build menu.

In addition to including JavaScript in Dash statements, Dash also includes a 'call' and 'use' command to call a template. This feature makes it easy to use existing HTML based templates for generating a site.

For example, the Dash document:

<#@include dash.script #>
<#@call $.DASH.masterTemplate #>
    <#@parameter content #>
        <p>Hello World! 
        Created on <#= new Date() #>
        by <#= $.DASH.author #>.
        </p>
    <#@end #>
<#@end #>

with masterTemplate written as:

<html>
    <head>
    </head>
    <body>
        <#@use content #>
    </body>
</html>

generates:

<html>
    <head>
    </head>
    <body>
        <p>Hello World! 
        Created on Sun Nov 13 13:28:17 PST 2005
        by John.
        </p>    
    </body>
</html>

In the above example '@use content' references the named content parameter of the '@call' statement. The values $.DASH.masterTemplate and $.DASH.author can be defined in the dash.script using JSON like this:

var DASH = 
{
    masterTemplate: "path to master template",
    author: "John"
};

See PSG Print for a sample site that is built using Dash. Using Dash makes it easy to change the master template to update the site.

Download

To install any Modelworks product you will need to logon your computer as an administrator if you are running Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

Version 7 products require on-line trial registration for a 30 day free trial.

Version 7 requires Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows 2003 Server. We recommend that you use IE 6 or later with version 6 products. Note that IE does not need to be your default browser. You can use any browser you like.

Because of the changes in the build system we do not recommend that you install version 7 in the same folder as earlier versions.

Minimum requirements for Version 7.x:

• Windows 2000 or later.
• IE 5.5 or later.

Version 7 products are NOT supported on Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows ME.

If you have a lifetime maintenance license or if you purchased your license for SitePad Pro within the last year this release is a free upgrade.

If you purchased your license more than one year ago and you do not have a lifetime maintenance license see order online for options.

For details on the changes in this and previous releases see the Change History.

Compatibility

We have discovered a potential problem with nVidia graphic card software which can cause excessive internal message traffic in SitePad Pro. If you notice that either SitePad Pro is consuming processor cycles even when you are not using them, check to see if you have nVidia's "nView Desktop Manager" turned on. When the nView Desktop Manager is enabled, it can cause the idle loop to continuously cycle.

To fix this, open the nVidia nView Desktop Manager control panel by choosing: Start Menu -> Settings -> Control Panel -> nVidia nView Desktop Manager. Then uncheck the "Enable Desktop Manager" button and click OK. If you do not see the nVidia nView Desktop Manager applet then you do not have it installed.

Note: Our products will run in the 64 bit version of Windows XP as a 32 bit application.