- How is MasterStudio different from other Omnis products?
- What Omnis versions are supported?
- What Operating Systems are supported?
- How much overhead do Omnis and MasterStudio introduce compared to other languages?
- How can I purchase MasterStudio?
- Is there a runtime fee?
- What does the yearly developer support fee buy me?
- Is PlanBoard included in the MasterStudio license?
- Do you have an evaluation version of MasterStudio?
- It seems you are going to a lot of trouble to emulate {Java Client}. Why not just use it? What advantage does Studio give you?
- Does MasterStudio support Omnis Web Client?
- I find design patterns and Java hard to understand. Do I really need to know this stuff?
How is MasterStudio different from other Omnis products?
As far as we know (and our clients confirm this), there is no Omnis product like MasterStudio on the market today. These are some of the most important aspects that you should consider:
- Single Point Of Definition:
There is absolutely no copying of code, nor "generating" code. The purely object-oriented architecture uses inheritance and polymorphism to the max, creating maximum achievable reuse and reliability. When a bug is fixed, you can be sure it is fixed everywhere. When performance is improved, it is improved everywhere. And because your applications cleanly inherit from MasterStudio classes (in a separate library), you can very easily update your existing applications and immediately profit from all the latest improvements.
- Schema-driven business rules:
MasterStudio puts database rules where they belong: Where the database tables are created, in one place. Although the MasterStudio table superclass is very "light" (allowing you to keep using your own table methods), table instances use helper objects, such as a custom schema object, column objects, list managers, record managers, and field managers to derive information from your schema classes and to enforce the database rules throughout your applications. Field labels are automatically derived from column texts that you define in one place. And, of course, they can also be translated into multiple languages in one place. If a column is mandatory, this will automatically be enforced. If you want one or more columns to be fetched only after the user clicks on a specific record, you can make that happen by simply adding XML tags to those columns.
- User Interface Standards Compliance:
MasterStudio uses platform managers for all platform-dependent attributes. Components automatically adjust themselves to Windows and Mac guidelines, and use platform-specific icons, button spacing, and keyboard shortcuts. Without any coding, MasterStudio dialog boxes and "command bars" even draw the "OK" button so it appears at the left on Windows and on the right on Mac OS. In short: MasterStudio applications look and feel like other applications on the platform, more so than most Omnis applications.
- Freedom:
From the very start, MasterStudio was built to coexist with other Omnis components and with your existing applications. It is not in our interest to restrict your applications in any way, and by providing full source code, we ensure that our customers keep full control over their own applications far into the future. MasterStudio components run in their own Omnis tasks. By using factory classes, every class can be replaced by your own subclass. A single theme factory contains all UI-related attributes, so you can easily change MasterStudio so it uses your own icons, colors, etc. By using delegation and by overriding "delegate template methods", you can even "parametrize" MasterStudio's controller objects without even needing to create a single subclass. And, last but not least, MasterStudio allows you to create virtually any window layout you like. By offering reusable and cleanly architected "framesets" and "pane selectors", you can rearrange the look of your windows (such as tab and pane positions) without risking breaking any code.
- Steep Learning Curve:
Using our "Quick Start", you can create very advanced and completely functioning complex windows with corresponding reports in only a few hours. But dare we say it? This is a real object-oriented framework, and like other object-oriented frameworks (such as those found in the Java community) it takes time to take maximum advantage of its architecture and to extend it so your applications do exactly what you want them to do. Once you grasp the essence of MasterStudio, you will feel real empowerment. To quote Apple WebObjects Operations Engineer James Dempsey: "a steep learning curve is good, because it means you will learn a lot in a small amount of time". We could not agree more!
- Documentation:
The MasterStudio Developer's Guide is available as a beautifully printed book as well as in PDF format. It includes a full UML model that helps you understand the clean relationships and dependencies between MasterStudio's classes.
 What Omnis versions are supported?
MasterStudio is fully supported on Omnis Studio 3.3* through 4.2 (we released MasterStudio 1.0.2 within two weeks of the release of Omnis Studio 4.0!). We actively participate in the Studio beta programs. Since MasterStudio includes unlocked classes, developers can immediately fix their own application if they discover a new compatibility issue.
What Operating Systems are supported?
MasterStudio and PlanBoard were completely written in Omnis and do not rely on custom externals. Although MasterStudio classes will work on any platform supported by Omnis Studio, complex Master-Detail windows and PlanBoard may not redraw satisfactorily on Linux -- obviously, we cannot fix problems in Linux graphics drivers or Omnis Studio itself. Raining Data is continuously improving Linux support so we expect remaining issues to disappear in the future. MasterStudio applications run and look great in Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X Panther/Tiger, but also run fine in older OS versions down to Windows 98 and Mac OS X 10.2.8.
PlanBoard is tested and supported on Windows 98 through Vista and Mac OS X. PlanBoard 3 is no longer supported nor tested on Omnis Studio 3.2 or earlier. PlanBoard 2 for Omnis Classic 7.3.6+ will be supported until August 1, 2006. On that date, formal support of Mac OS 9 ("Classic") will also end.
How much overhead do Omnis and MasterStudio introduce compared to other languages?
In our experience, MasterStudio applications generally perform about twice as fast as Java/Swing-based applications on the same hardware. We base this information on real-world comparisons between complex windows developed in MasterStudio and comparing them to similar windows built using a well-respected Java application framework. Java SWT-based applications come closer to Omnis performance, but generally Omnis applications still outperform SWT applications on the same hardware.
Any fully object-oriented framework or abstraction layer that dynamically builds user interfaces, whether developed in Omnis Studio, Java, or other language, will introduce overhead into your application. Omnis developers moving to Studio from Omnis Classic will see a noticeable degradation in UI performance when running on the same hardware. However, we can safely state that MasterStudio will likely introduce less overhead than reusable objects that are created from scratch -- MasterStudio components have matured considerably and numerous performance tweaks have been applied that would be very difficult to program individually -- unless your developers are willing to invest an enormous amount of time to create their own reusable framework and tweak it like we did MasterStudio...
MasterStudio and Omnis Studio run at about the same speed on a Pentium III running Windows 2000/XP/Vista versus a same-clock-rate G3 running Mac OS X. Because of Omnis Studio's class caching scheme and dynamic class loading, MasterStudio performance is greatly enhanced by using a fast hard drive. Omnis applications running in the Omnis runtime require far less RAM than Java applications.
How can I purchase MasterStudio?
Please refer to our detailed order instructions. In order to take maximum advantage of MasterStudio, we strongly recommend attending our one-week training course. Please contact us about locations and schedule. On-site training is available on a limited basis. Please refer to the MasterStudio price list. PlanBoard developers on our Maintenance & E-Mail Support Program receive 20% off their first MasterStudio Developer License.
Is there a runtime fee?
No, there are no deployment costs for MasterStudio apart from the regular Omnis runtime fees that you pay to Raining Data. After you purchase a MasterStudio developer license, you may use MasterStudio classes in any of your applications without owing us additional royalties. See the MasterStudio Developer License Agreement for details. Note that PlanBoard does require deployment licenses.
What does the yearly developer support fee buy me?
Minor (1.0.x) updates and bug fixes are included, as well as email support with an average response time of 2 days or (most often) less. You'll receive all classes unlocked, except three that are used to manage license info. Because they have access to the source code, it is extremely rare for MasterStudio developers to require more urgent support. You may also use incidental phone support at additional cost.
Is PlanBoard included in the MasterStudio license?
MasterStudio includes a developer copy of PlanBoard and the corresponding Developer's Guide on the CD. To deploy PlanBoard in your applications, you must purchase the appropriate library and user deployment licenses. This is still a considerable savings on the regular PlanBoard Developer Pack.
Do you have an evaluation version of MasterStudio?
We believe most of the strength of MasterStudio lies in the accessibility of its source code and the quality of its manual. We therefore do not send out "locked" demos, apart from the movies and manual chapters (3.2 MB) published on this site. We would be happy to give you additional information by email or phone. We are present at the yearly EurOmnis conferences. We are also available for custom consultancy, allowing you to have an in-depth look at MasterStudio as well as getting a clear picture on your Omnis Studio development options before purchasing a MasterStudio developer license. Finally, the MasterStudio book can be ordered from our web site. This book is a great resource: It doesn't only tell you about all of MasterStudio's features, but it also contains valuable chapters on design patterns and Omnis programming conventions.
It seems you are going to a lot of trouble to emulate {Java Client}. Why not just use it? What advantage does Studio give you?
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In our opinion, {popular Java application server/IDE} is a great product. However, to use it to its full extent, you need thorough knowledge of the Java language, which is definitely more "3GL" than Omnis Studio is. MasterStudio was created specifically for experienced Omnis Studio developers who understand the great power of this 4GL development tool and who have made a substantial investment in learning to develop in Studio.
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Java and {popular Java application server/IDE} have even steeper learning curves and it is doubtful that they will ever become serious alternatives for Omnis developers. An important advantage of MasterStudio is that it allows you to create great-looking applications in much less time than it would take to switch to another environment. Contrary to other, more rigid frameworks, MasterStudio allows you to take individual components and build very complex user interfaces. Logically, the latter does require more advanced OO knowledge on the part of the framework developer.
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Omnis Studio has a more robust and more mature cross-platform feature set than Java. Java 1.3 and later come closer than previous releases, but GUI frameworks in the Java community often lack features that Omnis developers have taken for granted for years. MasterStudio is targeted towards creating power applications that users use day in, day out. Omnis Studio is a great development environment for such applications.
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As a company, we have a unique advantage of being both Studio and Java experts. We know that makes our Studio framework into a viable product. MasterStudio will appeal especially to the many developers who are already using PlanBoard, our powerful scheduling component for Omnis Studio.
Does MasterStudio support Omnis Web Client?
No… and yes. MasterStudio is primarily intended to help developers build powerful and complex GUI-based applications that use Omnis Studio's runtime engine to its fullest extent. Many things that MasterStudio does are simply not possible or feasible in Web Client. However, MasterStudio promotes the separation of data (model), application logic (controllers) and presentation (view). MasterStudio uses tasks as window contexts. In that sense, MasterStudio applications are generally easy to web-enable using Web Client.
I find design patterns and Java hard to understand. Do I really need to know this stuff?
First of all, you don't need to know Java. This is an Omnis Studio product. To build standard applications and windows, you don't even need to have a deep understanding of design patterns. However, we believe much of the added value of MasterStudio lies in the reusability of its components and its similarity to solutions that already exist in the Java community. By taking advantage of this knowledge, and all the information that is freely available, developers can enhance their personal Omnis skills in ways they would not have believed possible.
More questions? Please feel free to contact us!
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