Cross Ref > Tool Basics

To deploy a Paradox application, you need to deploy either the full version of Paradox or the Paradox Runtime both of which will include the BDE as well as any dependecies you've added such as psSendMail DLL, ezDialogs, etc.

Java applets and applications both require the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and any additional dependencies you've added.

Corel Paradox for Windows (was Borland Paradox). Also, Borland used to offer a Paradox for DOS tool which support it's Paradox Application Language (PAL) which is not compatible with ObjectPAL. The biggest drawback to Paradox is that Corel does not have anyone at Corel actively developing Paradox for Windows (as opposed to Microsoft Access which does).

 ObjectPAL Development Tools

Many compilers and development tools are available. Common development tools include Sun's J2EE, CodeGear JBuilder, and Eclipse.

Paradox for Windows has two primary file types: source files and delivered files:

Source Files
Source files in Paradox are binary but can can be opened in later versions of Paradox and even in earlier versions if you don't use any new features.

• .FSL = Form
• .RSL = Report
• .SSL = Script
• .LSL = Library

Since Paradox source files do not compile to an EXE, Paradox developers tend to use a startup form or script to start the application.

 ObjectPAL File Extensions  

The customary primary source file extension for Java code is ".java" which could contain anywhere from a single class to the entire source code.

Other important files:

• .JAR - Java archive file (compressed code file). Archive that contains multiple Java files and is compressed using .ZIP compression; stores Java classes and metadata and may be digitally signed; runs as a program if the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed on the computer.
• .CLASS - compiled source code which are platform-independent. If a source file has more than one class, each class is compiled into a separate .class file. These .class files can be loaded by any Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

 Java File Extensions (.java)

Language Overview: Object based language. Although ObjectPAL uses object oriented techniques "under the hood", it is not object oriented. Although you cannot create classes, ObjectPAL has built-in objects you can use in your code. You code in a traditional approach attaching code to objects or within a script. Most Paradox applications are form based. You may have a short startup script but you design forms and reports and tie them together with a common form. You can store reusable code such as custom methods and procedures in a library.

Target Platforms: Corel Paradox is most suitable for creating business desktop applications that run within Corel Paradox for Windows.

Promoted as a single source cross-platform runtime system (Write Once, Run Anywhere). Java builds on and in some ways simplifies the object oriented features of C++. Java applications are typically compiled to byte-code and can run on any platform running the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

Target Platforms: Java is suitable for creating many types of cross-platform applications that target the JVM including desktop business applications as well as Java applets which target all the major web browsers.

Paradox offers a built-in reporting tool that will suffice for most desktop database applications.

Both Eclipse 3.3 and JBuilder 2008 come bundled with Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT). BIRT is an Eclipse-based open source reporting system with both a report designer based on Eclipse, and a runtime component that you can add to your app server plus a charting engine that lets you add charts.