Why FireFly?
* Full PowerBASIC 9 (PB Objects) support.
* No runtime DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) of any kind. Every FireFly created application is totally self-contained and does not require any supporting DLLs to be distributed. Please note: If your application requires any 3rd party custom controls then you will have to distribute those DLL's with the FireFly generated EXE. However, FireFly does not use any runtime libraries like Visual Basic or other visual designers.
* OCX and ActiveX support. Easily integrate visual COM/ActiveX programming into FireFly programs.
* Built-in support for Microsoft's ADO and ADOX (Active Data Objects) database support.
* Choose from almost 200 internal functions that make combining your code with TreeViews, ListViews, Labels, Command Buttons, TabControls, ProgressBars, etc... extremely easy. You can code entire applications without any Win32 API knowledge.
* Modular Code. FireFly allows the programmer to "attach" code to individual window's messages that are destined for the controls that you create. Separating the code for each control allows for highly maintainable code and discourages the use of bug causing global variables. The code editor is "built in" - no need to shell back and forth between a designer and a code editor.
* WYSIWYG Designer. In the tradition of many of today's powerful visual designers, FireFly presents a "what you see is what you get" design experience. Easily create controls, re-size and move them, and apply different visual characteristics to them. FireFly handles all of the tedious code creation. Easily create and modify forms and controls with ease. Position controls with precision. Create menus, toolbars and statusbars effortlessly.
* Easily create form templates that can be re-used in new projects. You can even create templates for menus, toolbars and statusbars.
* Design MDI (Multiple Document Interface) applications in seconds.
* 3rd Party Custom Controls can integrate directly into FireFly. This allows you to use 3rd party controls as if they were standard, native Windows controls. Simply select the tool from the FireFly Toolbox. You can even assign property values at design time as well as respond to custom messages at run-time.
* Harness the power of the Windows API and never feel constrained by pre-determined programming methods. With the Windows API you have the ultimate degree of coding power in your possession. Windows API coding is not difficult and the benefits are truly amazing! You picked PowerBASIC as your compiler... now pick the Windows API to ensure that you retain that level of ultra-small, ultra-fast executables.

2.95 February 8, 2009

* Modified the code generated WinMain function better accommodate a return value from the application. Set the App.ReturnValue prior to ending the application.
* Added the following to the description for the "foreColor" property: "Has no effect for Option Buttons and Frames if XP Themes are active."
* Fixed problem whereby manual entering of size properties does not work correctly when adjusting for controls on a TabControlChild form when that form's TabControlAutoSize property is set to TRUE.
* The UpDown Control was only allowing values between 0 and 32767 to be entered in the PopertyList for Min, Max and Value.
* The UpDown Control was not maintaining the correct 'Width' property value.
* Fixed code generation error when cracking certain wParam messages with LoWrd/HiWrd instead of LoInt/HiInt.
* Enhanced the error message when compiler paths missing. It now instructs the user to also check the compiler assigned to the project.
* Added code generation code to better initialize the siGrid custom grid control.
* Modified software protection to prevent random General Protection Faults (GPF's) when FireFly runs under Windows Vista.
* Added support for "Thread Function" in code editor and code generator.