In this issue....

11.1.1f has arrived

We are pleased to announce the release of Synergy/DE 11.1.1f. This is a quality improvement release available immediately on all Synergy-supported platforms. Please refer to the release notes for important information on issues addressed by this release.

Among other things, this release addresses several issues relating to running xfServer with encryption enabled. We highly recommend this configuration for all xfServer deployments. If you are using xfServer with encryption and are running an earlier version of Synergy 11, we encourage you to upgrade your server and client systems to 11.1.1f.

REV11 licensing makes life easier

Upcoming Jan. 1, 2021 requirement for production subscription licenses

Synergex customers have been moving Synergy/DE licenses to REV11 licensing since October 2019. Since product keys are now updated automatically, managing Synergy product keys is much easier.

REV11 licensing is used with Synergy/DE version 11, and it also supports Synergy/DE 9.3.1 – 10.3.3 licenses. REV11 licensing has been required for new and renewing development licenses since last November. Starting January 1, 2021, it will also be required for all new and renewing production subscription licenses.

We encourage you to update production licenses to REV11 licensing now (or at least before their renewal month) so your keys will be updated automatically when Synergex processes your renewal. To update your Synergy/DE 9.3.1 – 10.3.3 system, review the instructions for Windows or Unix, then download (requires Resource Center login) and install the REV11 licensing upgrade package.

Need more information? See our website for general REV11 licensing information. See our documentation (Windows, Unix) for details. If you’re updating to Synergy/DE version 11, see our documentation on licensing with Synergy/DE version 11.

Need assistance? Contact Developer Support with technical questions or your Synergy Account Executive for any other questions or if you would like assistance with your update.

The game is afoot!

We’re inviting YOU to participate in our digital scavenger hunt. Complete challenges, answer questions, and earn points to win fabulous prizes. There are only two weeks left (game ends October 9), so don’t miss your chance to play!

Every developer eventually introduces logic issues and false assumptions into code, causing it to misbehave, use too many resources, or even crash. Even when everything goes according to plan, issues emerge from application component interactions, increased users, or unexpressed expectations. Unfortunately, even in the best situations these testing layers tend to be time-consuming and costly.

Wouldn't it be great to get results in minutes, instead of hours or days, and to have developers run tests on their own machines before committing code and sending off a build to QA? Unit tests make this possible. With unit tests, developers shorten the regression and bug-finding feedback loop to near-instant levels. So although developers may write several bugs a week, they find and fix most of those bugs so quickly that they rarely make it to the QA team or out to production.

See unit testing in action

In his Unit Testing webinar, Software Engineer Nick Tammadge demonstrates the use of the new Visual Studio project template, “Unit Test (Traditional),” by replicating two very different scenarios: unit testing in a new codebase and retrofitting unit tests into Synergex's very own Repository code.

You can also read more about unit testing in traditional Synergy on the Synergex blog.

Your success story is waiting

Our team of experts offers consulting services and technical training to help you successfully advance and maintain your Synergy and non-Synergy software solutions. We can help with everything from the generic (system assessments, documentation, managed services) to the specific (Visual Studio migration, data replication, web services, etc.). Learn how we can help you achieve your goals.

Using Synergy logicals with .NET Framework methods may produce unexpected results because .NET Framework calls do not understand Synergy logical syntax. For example, the following uses the .NET Framework System.IO.File.Exists() method to determine the existence of a file. Even if the file exists at the location specified by the Synergy logical (DAT), the System.IO.File.Exists method will indicate that it does not exist.

• if (System.IO.File.Exists('DAT:MyDataFile.ism'))

Since .NET methods do not understand Synergy logical syntax, the logical must be either translated or expanded as a Windows environment variable (i.e., enclosed in percent signs):

Translated:

• if (System.IO.File.Exists(System.Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable('DAT') + 'Myddatafile.ism'))

Expanded:

• if (System.IO.File.Exists(Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables ('%DAT%\MyDataFile.ism')))

Industry News & Articles

• The future of .NET Standard
• Achieving consistent vocabulary across business functions
• There’s more to testing than simply testing
• 5 tips for making documentation a priority in open source projects
• A DevOps approach to legacy system modernization
• Five best practices for scaling DevOps programs
• Breaking silos in continuous integration and continuous delivery
• 6 productivity practices for new (or old) developers

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