This fixpack incorporates several important enhancements for Netron Fusion 3.5:

• Support for Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows Terminal Server 2008

• SlickEdit editor has been updated to version 13

• Support for concurrent (server-based) licensing as well as the usual per-workstation licensing

• Improved Support for Micro Focus Mainframe Express v3.1

• Enhancements and fixes to the Screen and Report Editors, the Fusion Build Utility, the Fusion Wizard and the Frame Tree Utility, among other changes

Fixpack 1 can be obtained in two formats:

1. As an .MSI Full Installer incorporating Netron Fusion 3.5. This version is the only one that supports Windows 7, Vista and Server 2008.
2. As a patch to update an existing Netron Fusion 3.5 install.This installer is intended only for in-place upgrades to existing Fusion 3.5 installs running on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

This fixpack is available at no charge to all Netron Fusion users who are up-to-date on product support. To obtain your copy, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

System Requirements

Netron Fusion™ 3.5 Fixpack 1 has the following minimal requirements:

• IBM PC or compatible with 1 GHz processor, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, 256 MB memory, 180 MB free disk space.
• Windows 7, Windows Vista Business Edition or Vista Enterprise (32 and 64 bit), Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 or higher, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4.
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or greater.
• A User ID with Administrator privileges to run the Installer.

List of updates in Fixpack 1

NOTE: The affected tools and components will have their version updated to 3.5.1.  Affected frames will have their version updated to 03.05.10.

New Netron Fusion Installer

The installer has been completely rewritten, and is now a signed MSI installer. It is compatible with the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003. NOTE: only the MSI version of the installer will support these versions. Also, the Concurrent Licensing option will only be shipped in the MSI installer. Netron will entirely phase out non-MSI installers with the next full release. 

Changes for Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008/2003 support

• The Base product can now be installed under the "C:\Program Files" folder (or "C:\Program Files (x86)" under 64-bit Windows), and will thus inherit the default User policies applied to that folder. The product now also supports being executed by a "Standard User", with very restricted rights. In prior releases, the User had to belong to the "Power User" or equivalent group for all product components to function correctly.
• The above enhancement required that some parts of the product were enhanced to support directories with embedded spaces in the pathname. The specific components affected by this change are listed in more detail below.
• To improve Netron Fusion's support for the latest versions of Windows, and to permit backward compatibility for customers who use Fusion to target Windows, the following frames have been added:
  • Plupr.f - Manages application profiles written to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry hive. Application-specific registry entries are now stored on a per-user basis, and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is no longer used.
  • Plusp.f - Converts a "Long" filename to its Shortname equivalent.
  • Also, Plapi.f and Win32typ.cpy have been enhanced to add new Windows API calls.

Terminal Server Support

The product now supports being used in a Windows Terminal Server environment. Netron supports Terminal Server 2003 and Terminal Server 2008. It may work under earlier versions, but Netron has not tested it, since earlier versions are no longer supported by Microsoft. Contact Netron Hotline if you have a need to support older Terminal Server versions.

New SlickEdit Enhancements

• The SlickEdit editor included in Netron Fusion is upgraded from version 2007 to version 2008.
• When a Fusion source file is opened, the 'Defs' pane now shows an enhanced view of the source file. .REPLACE commands are shown with a light green # icon beside the CAPvariable name; .COPY commands are shown with a magenta icon beside the frame name; and FILE SECTION, WORKING-STORAGE SECTION and LINKAGE SECTION are indicated with a green cube icon.
• When Netron Fusion was installed under a directory with spaces in the name, SlickEdit's Fusion Toolbar stopped working. This has been corrected.
• SlickEdit can now open multiple files at the same time when these files are selected in the Mainframe Express project pane.

New Server-Managed Licensing Option

Netron Fusion now supports managed licensing via a License Server. This means that the product can be installed and configured on a larger number of machines than you have purchased licenses for, but the product usage at any given time is restricted to the number of licenses on a license server.

The per-workstation license is still the default licensing mechanism, and is the better solution for a small number of seats, or laptops that must be able to operate stand-alone (i.e., function while not connected to an office network). If you wish to discuss migrating to server-managed licensing, please contact Netron Technical support.

Changes to Screen Editor (ZEDIT.exe) and Report Editor (DEDIT.exe)

Changes to Frame Tree Utility

There are a number of fixes and enhancements to the Frame Tree Utility.

Fixes:

• The 'Find in Tree' function now works correctly.
• The 'Search' function in the 'Generated Source' window now works correctly.
• Online Help, whether invoked by pressing F1 or by pressing the Question-mark icon on the toolbar, now opens the correct online help page.

Enhancements:

• All 'Find' and 'Search' functions now invokable by pressing Ctrl-F.
• The default text editor in Frame Tree Utility is now SlickEdit rather than Notepad.
• If you double-click on a code line in the 'Generated Source' window, it will open the frame from which the line originated, and scroll to the original code line in the frame.

Changes to Netron Fusion Build Utility (FBuild.exe)

• You can now directly modify the build settings of a Fusion program by right-clicking on the program's .pcf file (Program Construction Frame) and selecting "Change Fusion Build Settings" from the pop-up menu. This menu is available from the Fusion Workplace, from Windows Explorer, and from within Micro Focus Mainframe Express (as long as the .pcf file has been added to the project).
• The Build Utility has a new "Test" menu, replacing the old 'Build' menu. This menu permits you to test build settings without first saving the PCF. There are three items on the menu:
  1. Build
     runs the Fusion Build process on the open PCF, taking into account any unsaved modifications to the Build settings. The normal dependency checking is also performed.
  2. Rebuild All
     also performs the Fusion Build with the current Build settings, but also forces a rebuild of all program components by skipping dependency checking.
  3. Build with Graphical Debugger
     runs the Build Process, and forces the Netron Processing stage of the Build to run interactively in the debugger. This is useful for testing or trouble-shooting any changes to the build settings that may impact the Netron Processor.
• When launched from the Fusion Workplace toolbar, the Build Utility assumes you wish to create a new Program Construction frame, and automatically prompts for the necessary information.

Changes to Netron Fusion Wizard (Qwiz.exe)

• The Wizard now works correctly when either the frameworks or the target development directory have spaces in the path name.
• The Interface Generator Parameters dialog, which modifies the layout of Wizard-generated Screens, Reports and Forms, can be accessed from the File menu.

Changes to Data Manager

• The Interface Generator Parameters dialog, which modifies the layout of Wizard-generated Screens, Reports and Forms, can be accessed from the File menu.

Changes to Netron Processor Debugger

• The Netron Processor Debugger halted with an error when a breakpoint was set in a frame that was not yet open, and the frame was in a different directory than the SPC. This has been corrected.

Changes to Netron Fusion Workplace

• The Netron Fusion Workplace now works correctly when the product is installed under a directory with spaces in the name, such as "C:\Program Files", and when the development directory has spaces in the name.

Changes to Micro Focus Mainframe Express Support

• For Mainframe Express 3.1 or higher only: when Netron Fusion is integrated into the Mainframe Express IDE, and the MFE project is stored in a directory with spaces in the name, all integrated Netron Fusion functionality now works correctly.

Changes to Netron Fusion Frameworks

• The File Maintenance frameworks for CICS, IMS and Conversational targets would not compile when column names happened to contain certain COBOL reserved words. This has been corrected.