Version 9

Major New Features

1. AI Coding Assistant to help you with your code
2. Bootstrap 5 support added
3. SQL WASM support added
4. VoltBuilder integration improved.
5. Online Wiki - server reconfigured for faster response

Upgrading

If you have AppStudio 8 or older and don't have a subscription, you will need to get the upgrade to use these new features. You can order it here.

If you like would to try it first, download from the 'Check for Updates' screen in the Help menu. You'll get a demo copy.

Version 9.1.2

1. BS5: Libraries for DataTables updated.
2. BS5: Fix error on SetFocus()
3. Design Screen: Controls no longer lose focus on Windows during moving/editing.
4. VoltBuilder: Use VoltBuilder to create icons and splashscreens instead of AppStudio.
5. VoltBuilder: Duplicate lines in config.xml removed.
6. Samples: BS5 DataTables sample updated.
7. Project: Internal project version bumped from 9 to 10.
8. Docs: All remaining references in PhoneGap removed or marked obsolete.
9. Libraries: various libs updated

If you're building native apps using VoltBuilder, make sure you supply values for the icon (1024) and splash (2732) properties in Project Properties - VoltBuilder. Otherwise, the default AppStudio icon will be used.

Version 9.1.1

1. Controls: New BS5 Spinner control
2. Documentation: off line Wiki updated
3. Project Explorer: Duplicate filename when adding a file starting with a non-alpha fixed.
4. Project Properties: iOS properties updated to use same terms as VoltBuilder
5. Runtime: new BuildCounter global
6. Samples: new Spinner samples
7. Libraries: various libs updated

Version 9.1.0

1. AppStudio: Icon in top left corner now appears properly.
2. AppStudio: Save As now copies all the files in the project directory.
3. BS4, BS5: added disabled property to several controls
4. BS4, BS5: added name property to several controls.
5. BS4, BS5: Label: added blank appearance property for no styling
6. BS5: Dropdown: added index property.
7. BS5: Input-group: button has been added as an itemType: Buttons can be part of a group.
8. Design Screen: Now uses Edge instead of IE to render. Should fix some BS5 issues.
9. Docs: Add AI to your app using ChatGPT
10. Docs: Using SQLite updated for SQLite WASM
11. Docs: Wiki for ForEach updated.
12. Docs: Offline wiki updated.
13. Libraries: wxPython updated to 4.2.2
14. Native: don't initialize SQLite WASM if Cordova plugin is being used.
15. Samples: ElectronWeather now shows how to do a custom icon in Electron.
16. Samples: New ChatGPT sample
17. Update Screen: Links to proper place in Wiki.

Version 9.0.7

1. ChatGPT: Now uses latest model: GPT-4o
2. Samples: ElectronWeather (JavaScript) updated.
3. Electron: Error reporting improved - check log in About screen to see messages.
4. Electron: Electron updated to 31.2, Electron-builder to 24.13.3
5. Libraries: PyInstaller updated to 6.9
6. Libraries: Python updated to 3.11
7. Libraries: wxPython update to 4.2.1

If you are using Electron, make sure the following versions are set in package.json property (Project Properties, in the Electron section):

  "electron": "^31.2.0",
  "electron-builder": "^24.13.3",
  "npm": "^10.8.2"

Version 9.0.6

1. BS5: New Range control. Replaces BS5 Slider
2. BS5: Slider control deprecated. Replaced by a placeholder.
3. Samples: Northwind updated to use SQLite WASM
4. SQLite WASM: SQLImport and SQLExport are now fully supported.
5. SQLExport: Output is now sorted properly

Version 9.0.5

1. ChatGPT: Now uses gpt-3.5-turbo-0125. Can handle more data in and out.
2. Samples: SQLSample1 has a new Lookup feature.
3. Samples: SQLSample1 now saves to localStorage and clears database properly.
4. Splashscreens: Support for Android 12 splashscreens added.
5. Splashscreens: New splash background property.
6. SQLite: Additional required files are now deployed.
7. SQLite: Data saved to localStorage by default
8. SQLite: Error reporting improved.
9. SQLite: Headers for OPFS support added.
10. SQLite: New SQLDump() command for the console.
11. SQLite: Main() is not called until SQLite WASM finished loading
12. SQLite: Warning appears if no SQLite library is installed when trying to open.
13. SQLite: SQLite WASM no longer needs to be selected if using Cordova plugins
14. SQLite WASM: Updated to 3.46

Version 9.0.4

1. BS5: new Carousel control
2. BS5: Input.files now works properly
3. BS5: Bootstrap 5 updated to 5.3.3
4. Code Window: Selecting a item in the Functions panel now goes to that function.
5. Docs: The offline wiki has been updated with the latest changes.
6. SQLite: SqlOpenDatabase can now save to localStorage
7. Libraries: SQLite WASM updated to 3.45.3
8. Libraries: Shake library removed (no longer maintained by author)
9. Samples: new Google Gemini AI sample
10. Samples: new Carousel sample

Version 9.0.3

1. BS4, BS5: Checkbox: inline property no longer adds a BR
2. BS5: Textarea now supports .text and .value
3. Build: Action scripts updated.
4. Build: Upgraded signing certificates for Windows
5. ChatGPT: Context size increase 4x. Larger code modules can be handled.
6. ChatGPT: error messages improved.
7. ChatGPT: Version updated to gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
8. Electron: package-lockfile now added by default
9. Libraries: multiple updated
10. Samples: Unneeded voltbuilder folders deleted.
11. Snackbar: Duration is now user controllable.
12. Stripe: User's name now used instead of defaulting to 'Stripe'.
13. Toolbox: SQL WASM description improved.
14. VoltBuilder: do not include SQL WASM module when using - use Cordova plugin.
15. VoltBuilder: Log file name now includes date and time of build.
16. Voltbuilder: Missing download folder now handled properly.
17. VoltBuilder: update trial messages

Version 9.0.2

1. BS5: Input-item: enable style property
2. Design Screen: Formatting problems fixed with BS4 Scroller and others. (Windows)
3. SQLite: To use SQLite in your app, select SQLite (WASM) in Libraries.
4. SQLite: SQLite.js and SQLite.wasm are no longer included for VoltBuilder. Use plugins instead.

Version 9.0.1

1. Demo: Users of older versions of AppStudio can now try AppStudio 9 for 10 days.
2. Controls: BS5 Input uses size instead of font attributes for sizing.
3. Controls: BS5 TextArea now shows headers and footers.
4. Copyright: Updated to 2024
5. Electron: Updated to version 28 (samples too)
6. Installer: proper icon shows in the Windows toolbar
7. Runtime: Navigo warning removed by using Version 7.1.2
8. Samples: Compass sample now asks for permission from user (iOS)

Version 9.0.0

Here's a list of what is new.

If you own a previous version of AppStudio and do not have a subscription, you need to buy the upgrade to use Version 9. You can do this from within the app or from our order form.

Until you have bought the upgrade, you can use AppStudio 9 in Demo mode for up to 10 days. Once you buy, your copy will convert automatically to the full version.

IDE

General

1. AppStudio icon updated to a modern squared circle.
2. Registration and validation now uses new backend stem.

Code Window

1. New AI Coding Assistant icon added.
2. Code formatting updated to use Prettier instead of jsBeautifier
3. Switching between tabs is now faster.
4. Format Code is now in sync with Check Syntax.
5. Format Code now uses the latest JS best practices.
6. Changed indent preference takes effect immediately.
7. Using the Functions window to navigate code has been improved.
8. eslintRules can be used to fine tune syntax checking.

Design Screen

1. Stability of dragging controls improved.
2. Avoid adding control to container it already is in.
3. Fix underlining and reporting of syntax errors in code.
4. Design Screen: Add warning for mixed frameworks (like BS4 and BS5 in same project)

ToolBox

1. SQLite WASM added
2. Bootstrap 5 controls added

Runtime

1. Change delays in startup to improve import of SQLite databases.
2. SQLite error messages improved.
3. Option to use SQLite WASM added to libraries.

Deploy Methods

Local Deploy

1. Deploy: fix error on Windows local deploy when using Hebrew.

VoltBuilder and Cordova

1. Cordova: remove option from Run menu.
2. VoltBuilder: Rename "VoltBuilder and Cordova" to "Cordova"
3. VoltBuilder: Remove "Cordova command" property.
4. VoltBuilder: Add "Release" and "Platform" properties.
5. VoltBuilder: properties renamed to be consistent with VoltBuilder docs.
6. VoltBuilder: Use utf-8 encoding to handle extended characters in Arabic, Hebrew, etc.
7. VoltBuilder: Improve handling of special characters in "description" property.
8. VoltBuilder: Update "config.xml" property template for latest requirements.
9. VoltBuilder Status: Work gracefully if job not submitted yet.

Electron

1. Packages listed in package.json are now deployed with your project.
2. isElectron set earlier in startup - fixes possible runtime error
3. Updated to latest version.

ToolBox

1. SQLite WASM added

PhoneGap

1. PhoneGap dropped - no longer in business.

Frameworks

Bootstrap 5 has been released. The developers continue to support Bootstrap 4 as well: both are supported by AppStudio.

Bootstrap 3 is no longer supported. We recommend [[Converting_jQuery_Mobile_to_Bootstrap_4|converting to Bootstrap 4] or Bootstrap 5.

jQuery Mobile is no longer supported. While the controls still work, for the most part, they throw error messages in Chrome for using insecure libraries. We recommend converting to Bootstrap 4 or Bootstrap 5.

Bootstrap 5

1. Complete new framework. Read about Bootstrap 5.

Bootstrap 4

1. Select: name and required properties are now implemented.
2. New themes: morph, quartz, vapor, yeti and zephyr.
3. Toast - Add z-index property

Common

1. Forms: iScroll no longer used - use native scrolling instead.
2. QRCode: setValue added to autocomplete in Code Window

jQuery Mobile (Obsolete)

1. Now marked as Obsolete in the Toolbox and Samples.

Samples

1. BootStrap 5 samples added.
2. SQLSample1, 2 and 3 updated to use SQLite WASM
3. Add missing descriptions to some samples.
4. Fix JS Northwind sample.
5. HeaderBodyFooter: Add comment to app describing what it is for.
6. Splitview: Add comment to app describing what it is for.
7. PictureBox - fix image not showing
8. StudentsLocalStorage - Add a message if record not found

Installer

1. Windows installer now shows 9.0.0.0
2. Windows Installer: use new icon

Internals

1. jQuery updated to 3.7
2. Python updated to 3.8.10.
3. Node updated to 20
4. Many, many internal libraries updated.
5. PDFMake updated to fix unsafe-eval issue.

Breaking Changes

1. Calling Cordova to build your project locally is no longer supported. Use VoltBuilder instead - it's much easier and is mult-platform. (If you need to build locally, you can use the files in the VoltBuilder folder which is created on a deploy to VoltBuilder)