Lastic Limited ::: Lastic Screen Handler ::: Overview

	Lastic Screen Handler Overview ::: Key Features Benefits Interface Design Licensing / Prices

	You are here: Home > Products > Lastic Screen Handler > Overview Overview The Lastic Screen Handler has been evolving since 1989 in real application development environments, with enhancements and extensions being added as a result of user requirements. It was born of a need to provide an application development environment which is independent of the M implementation. This makes both the Screen Handler, and your applications, portable across all platforms. The subsequent addition of Lastic GUI provides further portability, enabling applications written using the Screen Handler to also operate as native MS-Windows tasks without any change. The Lastic Screen Handler simulates a windowing environment on character terminals, enabling application forms to be layered and applications to be cascaded. It consists of design-time and run-time components. Design-Time Lastic Terminal Builder, a terminal form design facility, enables you to construct user interfaces in minutes. All form parameters are held centrally within the Caché / M database. Event-handlers at the form and control level are associated with your own application routines on the host Caché / M system. Your preferred Caché / M routine editor can be used for all your application coding. NB: The visual interface designer for Lastic GUI may also be used for Screen Handler application development (subject to purchase of Lastic GUI). Run-Time At run-time, your applications invoke the required forms and perform the necessary event processing. Driver software on the host Caché / M system invokes the designated event handler routines and performs automated screen drawing and refreshing. Control values are displayed and edited directly from the nominated application variables. Migration from Legacy Systems Not only can you intermix Lastic Screen Handler applications with legacy software, you can even call your existing software from within Lastic applications - the Screen Handler will re-instate your screen upon completion. This enables any conversion of legacy software to be performed at your own pace, rather than as a single 'big-bang'. Mixed Application Environments Lastic Screen Handler is fully compatible with Lastic GUI, enabling mixed environments to be accommodated with ease. Multiple GUI and character terminal users may communicate directly with a single host Caché / M application server - and run the same application! No application changes are required to run a Lastic Screen Handler application as a GUI task. System Requirements Lastic Screen Handler will operate on any terminal which provides ANSI escape sequence processing and incorporates cursor control key capabilities. It is written in ANSI Standard M (1990) and will run on all major Caché / M implementations and hardware platforms.