Deep Sky Finalizes 4D Component, TCP Deux

Deep Sky Technologies has finalized and released their 4D component, TCP Deux 1.0. TCP Deux provides 4D programmers with a set of cross-platform TCP wrappers for a wide variety of TCP based 4D plug-ins. TCP Deux will make it far easier for developers to incorporate TCP based routines. According to Deep Sky Technologies:

Deep Sky Technologies, Inc., today announced the full release of TCP Deux v1.0.0 for Macintosh and Windows. TCP Deux is a 4th Dimension component which provides cross-platform TCP wrappers for different TCP plugins available for 4th Dimension. The plugins supported within TCP Deux include 4D Internet Commands v6.7.x, Internet ToolKit v2.0.x, and Internet ToolKit v2.5.x.

With the TCP Deux component, a 4th Dimension developer can code TCP level routines without worrying about which particular plugin is going to be used. TCP Deux provides a very simple upgrade path for developers to write one set of code. With TCP Deux, a 4D developer can begin by using the free 4D Internet Commands for all TCP communications and upgrade to the commercial Internet ToolKit plugin when the needs arises, all without changing a single line of code.

Separate 4D components for higher level TCP protocols are or soon will be available from Deep Sky Technologies, Inc. Common TCP protocols currently available include SMTP, POP3, FTP client, HTTP/HTTPS client, and many more. A full manual, explaining every call and feature available in TCP Deux, is included with the component.

TCP Deux provides cross-platform, plugin independent routines for handling all TCP communications in 4D. The functionality available in the TCP Deux component include:

  • Stream and listener openers and closers;
  • Stream status checking, individually or for all open streams;
  • Processor friendly stream status waiting routines;
  • Full support for sending and receiving text and binary data;
  • Full support for sending and receiving directly from documents;
  • Full management system for TCP communication streams;
  • Full multiple 4D process (handler) support for TCP servers;
  • Accessor methods for updating and extracting stream information;
  • Accessor methods detailing TCP environment on local machine;
  • Transparent support for IC v6.7.x, ITK v2.0.x, and ITK v2.5.x;
  • Full SSL support when using ITK v2.5.x.

The TCP stream management system, entitled TCPd Streams Stack, built into TCP Deux provides a complete management and tracking system for 4D developers to use for handling all TCP streams. The TCPd Streams Stack provides transparent management of all TCP streams, allowing the 4D developer to concentrate on management the higher level TCP protocol being coded for instead of the direct management of the TCP connection streams. And, the TCPd Streams Stack even provides full support for common TCP serving options (e.g. distributed process handlers within 4D).

The TCP Deux component requires the BASh component be installed to operate properly. BASh is available for free from Deep Sky Technologies, Inc., and provides essential routines needed by all 4D programmers.

Pricing for TCP Deux starts at US$95. You can find more information at the Deep Sky Technologies Web site.