What's New in CCLAS EL 3.0

CCLAS 3.0.5.2

Database Management

Pool Control

This feature introduces the functionality provided by the Pool Control application in VB6. Its primary purpose is to provide users a convenient way to stop the current database connection or set a different database as the preferred database. This can be done via the application toolbar.

Where the cclasellogon > CCLAS EL login Form is displayed for you to log into CCLAS EL V3, then you can view the terms and conditions of using the CCLAS EL application (the link to the legal disclaimer is stored in the appsettings.json file). Refer to Logging In To a Laboratory.

After login, you can stop or set a different database as the preferred database from the V3 application main menu. Refer to Changing the Database Connection.

Any change to the preferred database automatically updates your appsettings.json file for V3 and CCLAS.INI for V2. Where a connection exists in the appsettings.json file but not in the CCLAS.INI, then an error is raised: Section '<connection>' not found in configuration. Typically these initialisation files should be configured to contain the same available database connections. Refer to Configuring the Language and Database Connection for V3 and Managing the Database Connection and Security.

Menu Adjustments

The menu item for the licenceapp.exe needs the following adjustments:

New location of Licence application

The licence application is located in a new folder. If CCLAS EL is located in the C directory, then the Licence folder is located under the 3.0.5.2 Exe folder.

Licence location update to CCLAS menu

The Executable and Start In directory values needs to be mapped to the new location of the Licence folder which contains the licenceapp.exe. Only the Licence menu needs the update.

Trust Server Certificate in CCLAS.INI file

The Licence application will not launch without adding a trusted certificate string in the CCLAS.INI file. In the DSN line of the CCLAS.INI file, add TrustServerCertificate=yes. Refer to Updating the Licence Application.

.NET Desktop Runtime Version

There is a conditional installation step that most installations will not have to perform. In the event that during CCLAS install, a window pops up asking to download a .NET Desktop Runtime to go through the installation, it is recommended to perform the download manually. A copy of the recommended .NET installer is found in the CCLAS EL 3.0.5.2 Release\ISSetupPrerequisites\{1707.....6D4} folder included in the zip package.

CCLAS 3.0.5.0

Application Initialisation

  • This release brings a new appsettings.json file for configuring the database connection, initial language and connection name for CCLAS EL V3 applications, similar in use to the CCLAS.INI file for configuring V2 applications.

    Important: While including the connection string in the appsettings.json does raise a security risk, it needs to be configured in the same manner as it is in the CCLAS.INI file used for CCLAS EL V2 applications where the password is encrypted using in-house encryption.

    It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure access to that connection string (machine) is restricted.

    Refer to Configuring the Language and Database Connection for V3.

Driver Application Framework

Authentication

  • When the CCLAS EL Menu application is launched, after the licence is verified, if the Pool Control and Security Manager processes are not running, that is, you have not already logged in by running another CCLAS EL application not via the V3 Menu, then a dialog is prompted to allow you to enter your credentials.

  • When viewing the current user account details, then the option to change the password opens a dialog to perform the action.

  • When an application is launched from the V3 Menu application, then any raised warnings or errors that prevent the application starting, for example, the database is invalid or the licence has expired, display in a dialog.

  • When viewing the current user account details, then the option to log out, or re-log in, performs the action.

About Box

  • When the V3 Menu application is launched, the Help » About option is available to display application details.

Language settings

  • The V3 Menu allows users to change the language for screen prompts and error messages.

Displaying Help

  • When the V3 Menu application is launched, the Help » About option is available to launch help.

Splash screen

  • When the V3 Menu is launched, then the CCLAS EL splash screen displays while the menu loads, and the licence is verified. The ApplicationPicture GLOBAL setting defines the URL of the splash screen file.

Status Bar

  • The Status Bar displays at the bottom of the screen to allow for the display of system messages.

V3 Menu Application

Refer to Using the V3 Menu.

Window Title Bar

  • The window's Title Bar and the Menu panel background colour is white.

  • The CCLAS EL Version 3 logo displays in the screen header next to the menu title, which itself is defined by the MenuTitle CCLAS program setting, and all dialogs have a new look and feel.

Licence Expiry

Refer to Managing CCLAS EL Licences.

  • When the V3 Menu application is launched, if licence expiry is to occur within a given number of days, then a warning is given in the screen header next to the menu title: A discrepancy has been detected between the expected and actual Licence conditions in the CCLAS installation. Please contact Datamine Support Centre... to obtain a new Licence Key. This software version will expiry on DD/MM/YYYY. Before this time a new Licence Key MUST be obtained.

    The number of days warning is defined by the LicenceExpiryDays GLOBAL setting, and if that is not defined, is then seven days.

Help

Refer to Accessing Help from the Application.

  • When help is launched, the application will open a web browser and launch the HTML5 help installed with CCLAS EL:

    file:///C:/CCLASEL/Help/CCLAS-EL-Online-Help-HTML5/Home.htm

  • The help about details include program name, version, current login details, and the product legal disclaimer.

User Account

Refer to Logging Out Of a Laboratory, Logging In To a Laboratory and Changing Your Password.

  • The current user account details can be viewed from the V3 Menu, and from there, there are options to change the password, and log out or re-log in.

  • When viewing the current user account details and proceed to log out, then the menu in the Menu panel is closed and the log-in dialog displays.

  • When using the V3 Menu and the current user logs out, then the menu Open and Save buttons are disabled (though the icons themselves do not change).

Outlook Bar Menu

Refer to Using the V3 Menu.

An Outlook-style menu is used in the CCLAS EL V3 Menu application. A different menu file can be loaded, or changes to the existing menu saved to a menu file.

  • The Menu panel displays on the left-hand side of the screen and can be toggled to minimise or maximise.

  • A menu group allows applications of a similar theme to be grouped in the menu. When a menu is loaded from file, then the menu groups defined in the file are displayed on screen, and if changes to the menu are saved, then the menu groups on screen are preserved in the menu file.

  • The CCLAS EL V3 Menu application displays the menu, which is implemented as a pull-down menu style, in the Menu panel.

  • When using the V3 Menu, then menu items can launch CCLAS EL and third-party exe files, including an executable that launches a web browser with a specific page defined as a parameter.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu is loaded from file, then the right-click Add group... option allows a menu group to be added to the menu on screen.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu is loaded from file, then the right-click Delete option available from a menu group allows a menu group to be deleted from the menu on screen.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu is loaded from file, then the right-click Properties option available from a menu group allows a menu group's properties to be updated.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu group is added or modified, then a dialog displays to allow the Group name, Group caption, Help tool tip and Icon source to be defined, which is then reflected in the current menu on screen when the dialog is closed.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu is loaded from file, then the right-click Add item... option available from a menu group allows a menu item to be added to the menu on screen.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu is loaded from file, then the right-click Delete option available from a menu item allows a menu item to be deleted from the menu on screen.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu is loaded from file, then the right-click Properties option available from a menu item allows a menu item's properties to be updated.

  • Menu items are launched using a single click from the V3 Menu.

  • When using the V3 Menu, a menu item can be toggled as a favourite. Favourite applications display in the Launch Pad under the menu group's heading.

  • When using the V3 Menu and a menu item is added or modified, then a dialog displays to allow the Item name, Item caption, Help tool tip, Executable, Parameter, Start in folder, Show mode and Icon source to be defined, which is then reflected in the current menu on screen when the dialog is closed.

  • A different MNU or XML menu file can be located and loaded in the V3 Menu application.

    When a menu file is opened, it is loaded with groups according to the V3 Menu file XML structure.

  • Changes to the current menu loaded in the V3 Menu can be saved to the menu's MNU or XML menu file.

  • Favourite applications are indicated by a star in the V3 Menu.

Launch Pad

Refer to Using the V3 Menu.

  • When using the V3 Menu, then not only can applications be launched by selecting a menu item, but recent and favourite applications in the Launch Pad can be launched. The Launch Pad panel displays on the right-hand side of the screen and can be closed and re-opened, if required.

Language

Refer to Configuring the Language and Database Connection for V3.

  • When any V3 application is run, before a user logs in, then the CCLAS EL application settings file is used to establish:

    • The language in which screen prompts and error messages are displayed on the user interface.
    • The database connection from the workstation to the CCLAS EL server.

    When CCLAS EL V3 is first installed, the CCLAS EL initialisation file must be updated to configure these details.

    After a user logs in, the user's Language CCLAS program setting is used to establish the language in which screen prompts and error messages are displayed on the user interface.

  • Screen prompts and error messages for CCLAS EL V3 applications are extracted from the LANGUAGE and LANGUAGE_ITEM tables.

  • When CCLAS EL Version 3 is deployed, then the LANGUAGE and LANGUAGE_ITEM tables are pre-populated with screen prompts and error messages.

Auto-disconnect and Auto-logout

  • When you exit any CCLAS EL application, including the V3 Menu application:

    • If the AutoLogout CCLAS program setting is enabled, then any other CCLAS EL applications running are automatically closed.

    • If the AutoDisconnect CCLAS program setting is enabled, then the Pool Control and Security Manager applications are closed.

      Note: Typically, this setting is disabled to keep the Pool Control and Security Manager processes running after the CCLAS EL V3 or V2 Menu application is terminated, allowing you to launch other CCLAS EL applications directly from shortcuts or the command line without using the CCLAS EL Menu.

File/Folder Selections

  • Folder paths can use the CCLAS EL folder syntax on return from a dialog that selects a folder or file, that is:

    %Folder%

CCLAS 3.0.4.0

Licencing

  • When updating the CCLAS licence using the CCLAS 3 Licence application or a SQL statement, the licence check no longer forces the server name and database names to upper case, thereby allowing servers and databases with names containing lower and mixed case characters to be validated without returning a licence breach.

Security

  • Password entry is forced to upper case, to be consistent with password entry in CCLAS 2.4.

Menu

  • The V3 menu application no longer performs a licence check so that the menu loads without the triggering of untraceable licence failures, however, applications launched from the menu still perform the licence check.

CCLAS 3.0.3.1

Licence

  • Where a SQL server alias is configured for CCLAS, and the CCLAS 3 Licence application is run, then the server name is displayed in the licence instead of the alias. Along with this, the application is enhanced to show the available nodes in the cluster.

CCLAS 3.0.3.0

Online Help

  • Since the virus scanners provided with Microsoft Windows block the running of CHM files across the network, CCLAS online help is now primarily provided in HTML5 format from CCLAS 3 applications.

    The base folder for the HTML5 CCLAS online help is defined by the HelpDirectory. The subfolders to use are then specified in the DI (dependency injection) configuration. To change this, modify the htmlhelp_subdirectory tag in the properties section of CastleWindsorNET.xml file, located in the cclas3 exe folder, as required.

    By default, the system attempts to display the HTML5 CCLAS online help in a Web browser. HTML5 files can be run across the network. In the event an error is raised when attempting this, then the CHM version is displayed instead. To run CHM files without compromising network security, the files should be relocated to a local drive.

    Refer to Get Help for CCLAS.

Licence

  • The clsSecurity class now establishes a warningDay range for licence expiry, such that, when logging in to a laboratory, launching any CCLAS application or accessing the Help » About dialog from any CCLAS application, then the CheckLicenceExpiryDate method is run, and if the CCLAS licence is about to expire, then displays a licence expiry warning dialog that the user cannot close for at least one minute, the duration of which is indicated by a progress bar.

  • When the CCLAS 3 Licence application is launched, then the Licence Server from the licence key is validated as follows:

    • Firstly by checking whether the server matches a connected server, and if it does match, then licence details display, and if it does not match, then

    • Secondly by checking whether the server matches a server cluster name, and if it does match, then licence details display, and if it does not match, then an error results, such that, users are not able to update the licence.

  • Refer to Managing CCLAS Licences.

Licencing

  • Where clsSecurity establishes that CCLAS licence expiry has entered the warning period, then each CCLAS V3 application displays the warning in the title bar.

Menu

  • When using the V3 menu, the form's title is defined by the MenuTitle CCLAS program setting.

  • When using the V3 menu, the form's background is defined by the FormBackColour CCLAS program setting.

  • When the Launch Pad icon is clicked on the V3 menu, then the Launch Pad panel toggles to display recently accessed applications and favourite applications.

    The first column on the Launch Pad is the Recents column that contains the last accessed applications during the current login session from any group, tiled vertically in the column. The maximum number of applications in the Recents column is defined by the MaxRecents parameter in the CCLAS entity of the user.MNU.XML file. This may be updated, as required. For example:

    <CCLAS xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" caption="CCLAS MGR" MaxRecents="8">

    In previous releases, when the user.MNU.XML file was created from a user.MNU file, then MaxRecents was set to 10. In this release, the default is 5 for newly converted menu files, to avoid the list taking up too much vertical space.

    Subsequent columns on the Home panel are the favourites columns, one for each menu group that contains applications flagged as a favourite during the current login session, tiled vertically in the column.

  • All buttons on the CCLAS V3 Menu are changed so that the icon and text are left-justified instead of being centred in the launch panel.

  • Refer to Using the V3 menu.

CCLAS 3.0.2.0

CCLAS EL 3.0.2 continues the move to a .NET5 framework and service model—this release sees a new Licence application.

Licencing

  • The CCLAS Licence application is supplied as a .NET5 framework application (licenceapp.exe) and service model. When the application is launched, the number of licences in use is displayed, and invalid licence details are highlighted. A context menu is supplied to manage actions.

CCLAS 3.0.0.0

CCLAS EL 3.0.0 sees the introduction of a more up-to-date technology stack. These improvements are developed using Microsoft NETCore WPF, however, there is still a reliance on existing CCLAS EL COM libraries for core functionality. This release sees a new CCLAS Menu application.

Prerequisites

The following software must be installed as a prerequisite to installing and running CCLAS 3.0.0:

  • CCLAS EL—Ideally CCLAS EL 2.40 or above must be installed. It makes no difference whether the full package or workstation package was installed.

  • Microsoft NETCore Runtime—Microsoft NETCore 3.1 or above must be installed. The installer for this is bundled in the release zip file. It is also available for download from https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet-core/3.1.

Note: Due to the reliance on COM, the current version of CCLAS EL for .NETCore still runs as a 32-bit application.

User Interface

  • A MessageDLL for Russian is added to CCLAS, and a fix was applied to ensure the correct alternative language displayed on the login screen, for example, where the Ini file has the language set to 2 (English in the CCLAS EL database) and the MessageDLL set to CCMESSES.dll, and the CCLAS Language setting is set to 3 (Chinese), then the login screen now displays Chinese and not Spanish upon launching CCLAS.

CCLAS Menu

  • The V3 menu is supplied as a .NET5 framework application (cclaselmenuapp.exe), in addition to the existing V2 Menu. The CCLAS 3 Menu serves as a starting point to launch CCLAS applications, allowing for quick access to frequently used applications. When the V3 menu is launched, if a V3 menu file does not exist as yet, one is built from the existing CCLAS 2.42 (or CCLAS 2.40) menu file. This means that, initially, your V3 menu will still link to CCLAS 2.42 (or CCLAS 2.40) .ico icon files for the applications launched from your menu.