MGI 2.0, a plug-in for the WebStar Web server from 4D, has reached “final candidate” status and will be released soon by PagePlanet Software, according to MacTech Magazine.
You can download MGI 2.0 Final Candidate at the PagePlanet download site. And the company wants your comments. You can test drive the app, then send all bug reports, comments, feature requests, etc. to beta@mgibeta.com.
MGI 2.0 includes ODBC hooks to connect your Web pages to such third-party databases as FileMakerPro, dBase, FoxPro, Oracle 6 and 7 (support for Oracle 8 and SQL 7 is tentatively slated for next month) as well as connectivity to flat-text files, according to Steve Crisp of PagePlanet. In addition, MGI has built-in capabilities to connect via any other ODBC proprietary driver that ships with individual database products.
MGI 2.0FC also extends the capabilities of MGI 1.6 with improved memory management, thread handling, dramatic speed increases, a number of new administrative interfaces, and a more robust internal database with C-Tree Plus built right into MGI, Crisp said.
With the completion of MGI 2.0, MGI is now cross-platform between Mac and NT and doesn’t require any MGI code modifications. Crisp said that Web sites are fully transportable between platforms; the actual database transfer is accomplished by a simple import/export feature built into MGI that doesn’t require the manual recreation of the database on the new platform.
New functions are mgiQuiz and mgiPoll, both enhanced and extended from version 1.6. mgiQuiz is now easily adaptable to any academic setting, Crisp said. And there are now built-in guestbook/database functions in addition to the existing manual guestbook.
“And as the keystone of MGI 2.0, we have constructed a shopping basket system that not only is amazingly simple to implement, but allows the designer to retain complete control over the look and feel of the Web site and shopping experience,” Crisp said. “Shopping basket functions are now configurable via an admin and will allow total control over inventory, shipping methods and pricing, taxation rules, integrated credit card processing, and many more features.”
Other enhancements have been added to mgiCreditBank (the basis of a pay-per-view and micropayment systems,), including a suite of programming-style tools such as mgiSwitch, mgiLoop, mgiComment, mgiIf, mgiString and mgiSetResponseHeader. mgiMath has been completely revamped and now includes a true equation parser along with a multi-precision number class. mgiSendMail has a full admin interface with Web-based management of any failed mail. mgiCounter has a web-based admin added that allows easy management of counters. Plus, some administrative functions now built into MGI 2.0 include custom error pages, regulating feature sets to specific customers on single machines, and remote administration via passcode-protected Web browser.
The memory footprint, in both RAM and hard disk requirements, has been reduced from 40MB in MGI 1.6 to 5MB in MGI 2.0. Other system requirements are 4D’s WebSTAR 3.02 or higher (WebSTAR version 4.2 is recommended) and System 8.1 or higher (9.0.4 is recommended).