Version 6 Progress Report: - April 2010
In developing the Version 4 series we have come to the end of the series and jumped to a new major version number as we had run out of minor version numbers and also the 10 major changes being made to V4.8 warranted a new major version number.
We will continue working on Version 5.2 and possibly Version 5.3, which should be the end of the Version 4/5 series.
Hence we expect to begin work on Version 6 in June 2010 and this will require a new database design plus a new database engine which is compatible with 64 bit computers.
New Database Engine Required (Free & Professional License versions):
So in version 4 our Pro version software uses the free MS-dbJet database engine which has worked well without any problems. There is also an option for users to use MS SQL 2000 (or later) as a faster higher performance database engine.
With Version 6 we cannot use the dbJet system any more and we do not want to force users to install the costly MS-SQL database engine, so we are investigating other non-microsoft database software suppliers. SQL Compact is single-user only and virtually useless.
Our focus is currently on the highly popular
VistaDb database software (no relation to MS Windows Vista) and we will begin testing this in March 2010.
If we are happy with this product we will immediately begin work on Version 6 and replace the dbJet component with the VistaDb embedded software, so it will install silently with the Strategy Map software and work tirelessly and invisibly just as the dbJet software did.
Version 6 will have a new database structure and so there will be some ability to import Version 4/5 Strategic Plans.
New Database Folder Required:
As part of Windows Vista and Windows 7, Microsoft provided the Lock Down and UAC facilities.
1. Folder Lock-Down:
The folder "Lock-Down" concept meant that every folder on the computer was set to Read-Only mode and only specific Personal Document folders had write capability.
This was done to prevent piracy or virus software from modifying executable files.
2. User Account Control (UAC):
Any attempt to change any execuatble file displayed the UAC Popup window which asked the user's permission to do this.
UAC however could be easily disabled in the Control Panel User account screen which meant that the computer became similar to Windows XP.
3. Program Files Folder:
The location of our data has always been the Program Files folder so now when you install the software it shows a pop-up window saying that it is changing the write permission for the folder where the StrategyMap executable software is located.
This way we can continue to use the Program Files folder for our data as before.
We did this because Windows Vista creates a virtual Program Files folder for data which is used if the write permission is denied, however if UAC is disabled then this is ignored.
So enabling or disabling the UAC meant that Strategy Map users would change their database location, and we found this risk unacceptable.
4. New Program Files Folder Required:
With Version 6 the data will not be located in the Program Files folder and we will choose a folder that is compatible with Vista UAC.