Business Computer Design has enhanced the WebSmart PHP web application development tool that it first released twelve months ago. UK distributor is SoftLanding Europe.

A new wizard in version 2.0 of the solution eliminates the need to code the many lines of PHP required to call existing RPG programs. The wizard guides developers by prompting them for the program name, library and parameters and generates the PHP code.

Through its WebSmart PHP support desk, BCD says that it discovered that developers frequently create custom templates to match the appearance and functionality of other programs in the enterprise. In response to this, version 2.0 lets users create custom program template families with a new feature that allows them to copy elements from existing program templates. Over 75 pre-configured application templates are included. A Copy Templates feature will create a new template family and incorporate the template files on a PC, and all related CSS files on the IFS will properly reference the new CSS file and directory in the new templates automatically.

Separate System i repositories have been incorporated into version 2.0, so each time WebSmart PHP is installed on a new server, the tool will create a separate repository for all of the business rules used on that server. Developers can toggle between these repositories with a drop-down box in the WebSmart IDE Repository window.

WebSmart PHP offers a variety of platform options for hosting applications on different servers, accessing different databases and working on multiple System i machines. A new "define developer environment" feature lets programmers set up entire web application development environments in a single WebSmart IDE. An environment consists of configuration settings for the servers that can be manipulated in WebSmart including the system FTP, database servers and System i. In the previous version, users had to change their default settings to display this information.

The solution requires i OS 5.3 (V5R3) and onwards and, obviously, systems need to be running Zend Core.