Browser Compatibility
Technical Overview
Omnis Web ClientThe Omnis Web ClientT lets you design and implement genuine thin client, multi-tier, and web-based solutions. It lets you deploy the GUI aspects of an application to web browsers, while the business logic and database management is handled on the Omnis Server, via your web server. The Omnis Web Client is an ActiveX or Netscape style plug-in that embeds the Omnis driven GUI window in a standard html web page, and at around 1mb the plug-in downloads to the user’s browser in a matter of seconds.
The Omnis Web Client supports all major web browsers
- Firefox
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Netscape
- Opera
Application Architecture
Applications using the Omnis Web Client technology comprise the remote form class or window in the user’s browser, the web client plug-in, the web server, and the Omnis application server.
The Omnis Remote Form
The Omnis remote form is a type of window class, stored in the server-based Omnis application containing special web components. There are over 30 different web components available in Omnis; several are contained in the Web Client plug-in as standard controls, including form fields, buttons, radio buttons, check boxes and simple lists.
As well as the standard components, there are ones for more complex functions like the calendar, clock, sidebar, tree list, progress bar, and slider, which are downloaded automatically to the user’s browser when needed. Please go to the Web Client Component page where you can try example applications that use the web components.
The Omnis Web Client Plug-in
The Omnis Web Client is an ActiveX or Netscape style plug-in which is embedded into a standard html page. The ActiveX, for use with Windows, or Netscape plug-in for MacOS or Linux, is a container for the remote form class on the server-based Omnis application. Users download the Web Client plug-in, which is around 1mb, to their browser in order to view the application’s remote forms and interact with the remote database. The plug-in itself contains standard components in order to display basic forms, however, more Plug-in Promptcomplex functions like tree lists and sidebars require additional components, located on the application server, which are downloaded automatically to the browser when needed. This helps the Omnis application to load as fast as possible; the form and components are cached on the user’s computer so when they return to the applications in the future access is virtually instantaneous.
To view examples of the Web Client in action please download the plug-in and visit the Web Client Gallery.
The Omnis Application Server
The Omnis Application Server runs under Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, and is serialized with a special Web Client serial number to allow for a specific number of concurrent users, or an unlimited number of users. The Omnis server runs your application containing the remote form class(es) and any business logic. The server communicates with browsers via a web server extension located in the cgi folder of your web site contained on the web server. The Omnis server is multi-threaded which means multiple requests to and from the server can be handled improving the speed and performance of Web Client applications.
Developing web applications with Omnis
Omnis StudioTo develop a Web Client application you will need to design an Omnis remote form and a web page to display the form, although Omnis Studio does contain many wizards to help you build web forms and html pages. Designing the remote form class is very similar to designing a standard window in Omnis Studio, for a detailed look at the design environment click here. To create the web page you would typically use any html editor to embed the Web Client object into the page. The web page should allow users to download the Web Client plug-in and any additional components which your remote form may use; in fact, under Windows the web client plug-in can be installed automatically using a signed CAB file.
Deploying web applications
Web Client ApplicationOnce you have developed your Omnis web forms and HTML page(s), you need to deploy the application. You place your Omnis application on either your Omnis server (for Windows, Linux or Mac OS X), and upload your web page to your intranet or internet web server (typically IIS or Apache). When users access the web page they will be prompted to download the Web Client plug-in and any additional components needed for the application, then they can interact with your application or database straight away.
For examples of real world solutions depolyed using Omnis Web Client Technology please click here.
See the Omnis web client in action…
There are a number of sample applications that use the Omnis web client on this web site in the Web Client Gallery: click here to go to the gallery. Alternatively, you can view sample applications for most of the individual web components: click here for the component gallery.