Version 2009 vol 2
New HTTP Handler for Resources
Instead of the standard HTTP Resource handler provided by ASP.NET to acquire resources from the server, we've implemented our own handler which allows us to significantly increase performance. The DevExpress handler allows transmission of compressed scripts, images and CSS files, which makes round-trips to the server much faster. It also reduces code size by providing shorter links to resources.
Another performance advantage is the result of smarter script transmission to the client side. Previously, all scripts required by a particular assembly were joined in a single batch and were always sent to the client, even when some parts were not required. With this new HTTP Handler, our controls can analyze which scripts are actually needed, join those scripts dynamically into a single batch and then send them to the client.
ASP.NET Theme Assembly
DevExpress ASP.NET Controls now provide a DLL file with themes – making our controls easier to deploy since you no longer need to deal with multiple CSS files and images in a hierarchical folder structure...The new DevExpress HTTP Handler obtains all required resources from the DLL.
Support for IE8 Standard Mode
All our ASP.NET controls are now correctly rendered in Internet Explorer 8 (standard mode).
Reporting in ASP.NET
With this release, XtraReports allows you to generate schedule/calendar reports much like its WinForms counterpart. Not only does this allow for the printing of web schedules, it provides a shared reporting engine for both WinForms and ASP.NET allowing advanced customization of printed schedulers.
If you've already created reports for our WinForms Scheduler, you can use the same report files and generate ASP.NET versions instantly. It's the same engine - with the same report class and same controls in the toolbox.
By binding your report to our scheduler control or storage and dropping controls onto the report, you can create a nearly endless array of "schedule-based" reports. Note that scheduling controls can be used side-by-side with standard XtraReports controls. This makes it a flexible reporting solution allowing you to create printed schedulers with the look and feel your customers require.
Once you've created a report, you can use the ASP.NET Report Viewer and Report Toolbar controls from the XtraReports Suite to display a preview.
XtraReports Suite must be purchased to use this functionality.
Client-Side Management for Appointment Editor Dialogs
ASPxScheduler can now display Appointment Editor dialogs on the client side. The clever bit is that a callback is still initiated in the background, but it is used to fetch or submit only appointment data. HTML code required to render the appointment form is already on the client and thus not transmitted, which makes these callbacks much faster. The whole operation now looks as if it was completely done on the client side.
Built-in UI for Resource Sharing
While resource sharing was previously possible, our appointment editor form didn't have an appropriate multi-select control so that end-users could specify associated resources. You could only share appointments between resources programmatically.
This release includes an updated ASPxListBox control with several multi-selection options, we've used it in the Appointment Editor form to select associated resources. This means you can implement resource sharing for your end-users without having to write code or create a UI manually.
New Components for Scheduler-Report Binding
In this release we've added two new ASP.NET components that serve as a bridge between scheduler controls and their reports. These are the ASPxSchedulerControlPrintAdapter and ASPxSchedulerStoragePrintAdapter classes - specifying visual and data settings respectively. When creating a web scheduler report, you bind controls via these component and thus obtain more control over printed output.
Version 2009 vol 1
Time Cell Customization Mechanisms
A new event is now available which occurs before a time cell is rendered. Handling this event allows you to specify the style and color of a particular time cell and insert a Literal control to display text.
A customization mechanism for the TimeCell interface elements, based on web templates, is implemented. It provides the capability to insert text, hyperlinks, images and additional web controls into Scheduler time cells. This method differs from the customization technique based on the HtmlTimeCellPrepared event in that you can insert an arbitrary web control but cannot change the container's style - text color, borders, background. This technique extends the series of web template customization features already available for appointments, headers and forms.
Dialog Window Customization
Several new events have been added to the ASPxScheduler so that you can customize caption, size and padding of Popup Editor Dialogs.
Version 2008 vol 3
ASP.NET Controls for SharePoint
During the DXperience v2008 vol 3 development cycle, our ASP.NET team invested the resources necessary to enable our controls within SharePoint portals (built with both Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Services 2007). With this release, ALL DevExpress ASP.NET Controls can be integrated into SharePoint pages.
For details on embedding DevExpress ASP.NET AJAX Controls into SharePoint pages, please refer to the following Knowledge Base articles:
Codeless Integration for ASP.NET Grid and HTML Editor
Additionally, we provide SharePoint add-ons allowing codeless integration of our ASP.NET Grid View and HTML Editor controls.
After registration, you can simply navigate to Site Settings to enable DevExpress features and then embed these controls where necessary.
The following codeless integration scenarios are now possible:
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Display SharePoint list data using the ASPxGridView Web Part. (Screenshot)
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Embed an HTML editor into any page as a standalone web part. (Screenshot)
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Use HTML editors to edit data column values in SharePoint lists. (Screenshot)
- In MOSS 2007, use HTML editors to edit text fields.
Section 508 and Web Accessiblity Initiative (WAI) Support
To enable accessibility, ASP.NET controls must obviously generate more code. For instance, many elements must include links simply to allow keyboard navigation. Because of this additional HTML code, accessibility rendering is disabled by default in advanced controls like the ASPxGridView. If you don't need accessibility support in your application, you will still have optimized rendering. If you need Section 508 and WAI compliance, simply toggle a single property to enable it.
Blogs: Section 508: Enable Support In ALL DevExpress ASP.NET Controls,
"Section 508 Compliant" Renamed "Accessibility Compliant"
Better Localization Support
We now provide an easier way to localize all built-in dialogs in the HTML Editor, spell checker and all other controls. You need only to write a few lines of code to translate your application's UI into the desired language.
Faster Page Loading
We've combined a series of smaller scripts into larger files so that fewer requests are made to the server, resulting in faster page loading.
Version 2008 vol 2
Useful Classes for Client-Side Scripting
We've published a new ASPxClientUtils class allowing you to easily perform typical client-side actions, including the following:
- Determine web browser type
- Work with arrays
- Access an object's parent or child object
- Obtain event parameters
Easily Transmit Data onto the Client
All DevExpress AJAX-enabled controls allow you to use callbacks to easily exchange data with the web server. Controls expose a JSProperties property, which allows you to declare custom properties for the client control. You can specify these property values on the server and then access them on the client...as you would with built-in properties.
Enabling/Disabling Controls and Control Elements on the Client Side
Previously, enabling or disabling a control or a particular control element required a round trip to the server. In v2008 vol 2 the ASPxEditors and ASPxperience Libraries allow you to change their enabled state or the state of their elements (e.g., tabs and menu items) on the client side, to reduce the number of round trips and increase web site responsiveness.
Distinguishing Between Callbacks and Postbacks
A new server-side IsCallback property has been added to our web controls. This property enables you to determine whether a control is taking part in callback processing.
Native Rendering for Data Editors
Some controls from the ASPxEditors Library (ASPxTextBox, ASPxMemo, ASPxListBox, ASPxComboBox and ASPxButton) can now be rendered as HTML INPUT elements. This allows you to enable native rendering for these elements to provide a Windows® style UI across your web site.
Note that native rendering results in less HTML code thus improving the application's overall performance.
Full Support for iCalendar Data Exchange Standard
DevExpress Scheduler controls simplify information transmission between different platforms by implementing iCalendar RFC 2445 standard support. The support for this format allows you to easily exchange scheduling data between your application and the most popular calendars - Apple iCal, Lotus Notes, Google Calendar, Novell GroupWise, and Windows Calendar.
XtraScheduler and ASPxScheduler support the main set of elements included in the iCalendar standard. Tasks and journaling capabilities of RFC 2445, as well as descriptors and extensions specific for a particular calendar application, are to be implemented in future versions.
Note that when you are exchanging scheduling data, you don't have to export or import all events. DevExpress objects enable you to control such operations, thus processing only items that meet a particular condition.
Zooming
We've improved the usability of our controls with methods that imitate zooming of the current view. The ZoomIn method displays content in greater detail, while its counterpart, ZoomOut, displays a more general view.
Zooming is implemented by adjusting the time scale or changing the number of visible weeks (in Month View).
New Services
In v2008 vol 2, we have implemented three new services: One of them allows you to determine the control's state, i.e. whether the modal form, popup menu or inplace editor is opened, if appointments are being resized or dragged, and if you can start a data refresh operation. Two other services can be used to customize textual representation of date-time values within the Time Ruler, headers, tooltips and appointments. Thus, end-users can specify different display formats for different visual elements within the Scheduler’s view. This allows you to provide a more user-friendly interface.
All services are now available in the ASPxScheduler Suite as well as its WinForms counterpart, the XtraScheduler Suite.
Reminders Processing
The following reminder management enhancements have been implemented in v2008 vol 2:
- Reminder functionality is now fully supported by the ASPxScheduler Suite.
- Reminders can now be selectively ignored when triggering alerts, meaning that they can be invoked on a per-user basis.
- Often, users run the application only to check for alerts. Now an application can trigger all alerts immediately on startup, to avoid delays.
XtraScheduler - Calendar Navigation Extensions
If you own the XtraBars Suite, you can now use two new extension components that enable easy calendar management. Simply drop these components onto a form and they will automatically add proper toolbars or Ribbon tabs to your existing navigation system, so that end-users can change the active view or navigate the calendar.