CallHelix 2.1.1 ©1999-2006 Autograph Systems
Programming: Ryan Wilcox, Wilcox Development Solutions
Original Concept: Fred Stevenson
Technical support: Matthew Strange, Autograph Systems

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What is CallHelix 2?

CallHelix 2 is an AppleScript Scripting Addition (aka OSAX) that enables you to manipulate data in Helix databases using AppleScript. Data can be added, retrieved, and deleted with ease. Data integrity and security is guaranteed, as CallHelix uses the Users & Views in a collection to control access. No special programming within Helix is required, but programming with CallHelix in mind can allow you to create some very powerful solutions that would not otherwise be possible.

CallHelix 2 is also provided as a faceless background application (FBA) for those who prefer more direct access to the Apple Event mechanism.

CallHelix 2.1.1 is Available

March 8, 2006: Version 2.1.1 is a maintenance fix release, addressing a bug in Selector 143 (get partial view data) that caused it to ignore the Subform Tabbing parameter. The copyright notice is also updated.

CallHelix 2.1 Ships

January 1, 2006: Version 2.1 adds a new feature that allows the target parameter to directly target a Helix application running on a remote machine. It is no longer necessary to install CallHelix on the same machine as the Helix application.

CallHelix 2.1 also provides compatibility updates that enable it to become the underlying driver for the Qilan to Helix 6 adapter.

What's New in CallHelix 2.0

July 26, 2004: Rewritten from the ground up to make the process of accessing Helix data not just easier, but just plain easy. PowerPC native code makes CallHelix 2 faster, and CallHelix 2 runs natively in both Classic Mac OS and OS X.

Here's a partial list of the new and updated features...

  1. PowerPC native code: Typical scripts run 30% faster, some run even faster.
  2. OS X native code: Write and run scripts in Classic Mac OS or Mac OS X.
  3. Faceless background application option: Makes casual use and remote machine access much easier.
  4. Python Support: Tap into Helix collections using the power of Python.
  5. New commands: Significantly streamline script writing, in some cases reducing dozens of lines to just one line.
  6. New syntax: English language commands make scripts faster to write and significantly more readable.
  7. New retrieval capabilities: Retrieve records as a single string, or divided into separate fields.
  8. Target Helix application: Address multiple copies of Helix running on one machine.
  9. CallHelixVersion command: Test for code compatibility with distributed scripts.
  10. Integrated Error Code handler: Meaningful text messages instead of Helix's cryptic error numbers
  11. Demo version: Try before you buy, or distribute freely with your scripts.
  12. Full Helix 5.x compatibility: Take full advantage of the latest Helix Apple Events.

Head to Head Comparison

The most significant new feature in CallHelix 2 is the new commands that reduce the amount of AppleScript code you have to write to retrieve records from Helix. Here's the CallHelix 1 code to get the records from a relation...

try
  set ProcessID to CallHelix {myCollection, myUser, myPassword, myRelation, myView} selector 100
  set theStatus to {false}
  repeat until item 1 of theStatus is true
    set theStatus to CallHelix {ProcessID} selector 120
  end repeat
  set Record_Count to item 2 of theStatus
  set Records_To_Fetch to 10
  set Start_Record to 0
  set theData to {}
  repeat while Start_Record < Record_Count
    set theReply to CallHelix {ProcessID, 2, Start_Record, Records_To_Fetch, true} selector 140
    repeat with i from 3 to (count items in theReply) by 2
      copy item i of theReply to the end of theData
    end repeat
    set Start_Record to Start_Record + Records_To_Fetch
  end repeat
on error errTxt number errNum
  display dialog errTxt
end try
try
  CallHelix {ProcessID} selector 130
on error errTxt number errNum
  display dialog errTxt
end try

Compare that to this CallHelix 2 code, which does the same thing...

set theData to CallHelix {myCollection, myUser, myPassword, myRelation, myView} action retrieve records as string

No other program makes accessing Helix data as easy as CallHelix 2. If you've tried to integrate Helix with other applications before, but gave up because of the complexity, you owe it to yourself to try CallHelix 2. Download the demo or purchase CallHelix here.