Blog | Great Migrations

gmStudio Release News: Wednesday, 20-December-2023

Dec 20, 2023

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

gmBasic is a computer language processor that reads, interprets, and rewrites VB6/ASP/COM systems for the .NET platform (using C# or VB.NET). Based on feedback from our clients and real-world modernization projects, we continuously improve gmBasic so it will help developers more easily produce cleaner, more correct upgrade results. Most recently, this work includes general improvements needed to automatically produce a build-complete C# version several systems:

An Elector Roll Management System system comprised of 108 inter-related VBP files referencing 1.4M total LOC in 1,566 code files and using 49 COM libraries
A Collaboration and Document Management Portal product comprised of 303 ASP pages and 380 #includes containing 75K unique LOC server-side logic and 45K ULOC markup.
An ERP for the Sleep Products Industry comprised of 1 VBP referencing 445K LOC in 459 files and using 40 COM libraries

This distribution, Version 40.59, includes many enhancements; for example:

Updates distribution to use 64-bit build for all system binaries
Improves name conflict resolution
Improves array type and rank inference
Improves type inference
Improves handling large numeric quantities in the form property bag code
Improves handling calculations to adjust for Twips to Pixels
Improves handling complex date calculations
Improves handling calculations using Byte quantities
Improves handling Picture types
Improves handling PopupMenu
Improves handling file IO using Get command
Improves handling arrays in user-defined types
Improves handling Response.CodePage in ASP
Improves handling Collection.Ubound and Collection.Lbound for control arrays
Improves handling complex conditional markup in ASP
Improves handling complex formatting in ASP
Adds Select.TargetFramework to allow setting the .NET Framework at the system level

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Powered by gmBasic, gmStudio is a platform for analyzing code and developing custom VB6/ASP/COM to .NET upgrade solutions. We are continuously adding functionality to gmStudio and making it easier to use. This distribution includes several enhancements:

Improves the VS Solution File Generator to allow Folders to occur multiple times
Improves the .NET Build Log Report to update Last Message with build results in the Task list
Adds Line Pragma support to ScriptRules command processor
Adds Language Compatibility items for the standard Source Scan Report
Corrects issue with validation of Migration Project name
Corrects issue with refresh double-loading the left-side file in the side-by-side viewer
Updates analytics reports to use gmMetrics executable rather than internal API

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Powered by gmBasic, gmAPI is a .NET API for automating our upgrade engine and accessing the semantic models produced by our unique linguistic compilation technology. gmAPI also includes classes for managing complex upgrade rules and integrating with gmStudio. This API was updated to reflect the latest improvements and conventions in the gmBasic platform.

Updates to use 64-bit builds

gmMetrics: Advanced Metrics Reporting tool

gmMetrics is a tool for reporting the content of system models generated by gmBasic. This includes Symbol Tables, References Reports, Definitions Reports, and Model Audits. gmMetrics is a console application written in C# using gmAPI. We maintain and enhance gmMetrics to keep it in sync with the model schema and to improve the reports.

Updates to use 64-bit builds

gmStudio Extensions

gmStudio ships with a collection of sample upgrade rules that can be used to add custom features to your upgrade solution. These XML documents and gmSL scripts are distributed as source that you may modify to fit your unique requirements. The sample rules were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. See also additions and changes in gmStudio Extensions Repository.

Improves Environment.std.xml StubBaseClass rules
Improves GRID32.ocx to WinForms rules
Improves mscomct2.ocx to Winforms rules
Improves mscomctl.ocx to WinForms rules
Improves TABCTL32.OCX to Wrapper rules
Improves THREED32.ocx to WinForms rules
Adds mig.vb7lang_PictureBox.xml to demonstrate migrating to a custom PictureBox

gmRTL: Great Migrations Runtime Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable translations. We continuously improve this framework in the course of project work. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Adds GUI.ControlHelper.UIndex/LIndex to support ControlArray.Ubound/Lbound
Adds Core.WinFormsExtensions.Move(Control)
Improves Core.FormatHelper.DateTime to strings
Improves Core.ConversionHelper.DateTime.toStr
Improves Core.ConversionHelper.toDateTime for TimeSpan
Improves Core.FileSystemHelper.Dir operation
Improves GUI.Frame border behavior
Improves WPF.DirListBox to use generic event handlers
Improves WPF.DriveListBox to use generic event handlers

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Great Migrations publishes several sample VB6/ASP upgrade solutions that illustrate the various upgrade features. The samples upgrade solutions and results were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. Learn about the Samples here.

Updates all Samples to target VS2022 and Framework V4.8

gmStudio FAQs

Great Migrations publishes FAQ articles and other information to help teams learning and using gmStudio. You can find all of the gmStudio FAQs on the Great Migrations portal. The followiug “Support Statement” articles were added or updated since the last product update:

Adds Support Statement: Surface Pattern Syntax
Adds Support Statement: What does migStatus=“external” stand for
Updates Support Statement: Generating a Global Stub Framework

gmStudio Release News: Friday, 18-August-2023

Dec 19, 2023

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

gmBasic is a computer language processor that reads, interprets, and rewrites VB6/ASP/COM systems for the .NET platform (using C# or VB.NET). Based on feedback from our clients and real-world modernization projects, we continuously improve gmBasic so it will help developers more easily produce cleaner, more correct upgrade results. Most recently, this work includes general improvements needed to automatically produce a build-complete C# version of a Quality Control Platform system comprised of 500K VB6 LOC organized into 639 code files and using 15 COM libraries. This distribution, Version 40.53, includes many enhancements; for example:

Adds Migrate@Default for modifying the default member for COM classes
Adds migration of LockRange and UnlockRange
Adds support for DefObj statement
Corrects problem with event hookups in designer code; adds SpecializedHookup=on migration attribute for events (See this Support Statement)
Increases limit for storing User-Defined event information
Improves consistency between interfaces and implementing classes
Improves translation of bitwise logic using Color quantities
Improves handling FormShowConstants enum
Improves handling vbTriState enum
Improves resolution of User-Defined-Types defined in multiple places
Improves resolution of enums defined in multiple places
Improves migration of local const Color
Improves migration of mixed type IIf
Improves migration of Menu.WindowList
Improves migration of array properties used with indexed expressions
Improves migration of variables typed using type indicator characters
Improves handling ByRef parameters in user-defined events
Improves handling of the ! operator
Improves handling of const initialized to an enum
Improves handling is operator used with Controls and Components
Improves handling of CDate(Empty)

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Powered by gmBasic, gmStudio is a platform for analyzing code and developing custom VB6/ASP/COM to .NET upgrade solutions. We are continuously adding functionality to gmStudio and making it easier to use. This distribution includes several enhancements:

Improves Side-By-Side Viewer to use the target language of the selected task when selecting for the translated file
Improves Source Search unique files criteria to be case-insensitive
Improves adds Reference satus to the Metrics Summary Report
Corrects member name shown in Source Search report for ASP code
Improves error reporting for RESX data generation process

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Powered by gmBasic, gmAPI is a .NET API for automating our upgrade engine and accessing the semantic models produced by our unique linguistic compilation technology. gmAPI also includes classes for managing complex upgrade rules and integrating with gmStudio. This API was updated to reflect the latest improvements and conventions in the gmBasic platform.

gmMetrics: Advanced Metrics Reporting tool

gmMetrics is a tool for reporting the content of system models generated by gmBasic. This includes Symbol Tables, References Reports, Definitions Reports, and Model Audits. gmMetrics is a console application written in C# using gmAPI. We maintain and enhance gmMetrics to keep it in sync with the model schema and to improve the reports.

gmStudio Extensions

gmStudio ships with a collection of sample upgrade rules that can be used to add custom features to your upgrade solution. These XML documents and gmSL scripts are distributed as source that you may modify to fit your unique requirements. The sample rules were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. See also additions and changes in gmStudio Extensions Repository.

Improves Environment.std.xml StubBaseClass rules
Adds ListControls_ItemData.gmsl
Improves VB6 language translation overrides sample (mig.vb7lang.xml)
Improves Windows Common Controls (mscomct2.ocx) rules
Improves Windows Common Controls (mscomctl.ocx) rules
Improves MSOutline Control (msoutl32.ocx) rules
Improves RichTextBox (richtx32.ocx) rules
Improves Scripting (scrrun.dll) rules
Improves Standard.Rules.xml sample

gmRTL: Great Migrations Runtime Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable translations. We continuously improve this framework in the course of project work. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Great Migrations publishes several sample VB6/ASP upgrade solutions that illustrate the various upgrade features. The samples upgrade solutions and results were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. Learn about the Samples here.

Improves FileExplorer sample to demonstrate use of SpecializedHookup=“on”
Improves VBScan sample to demonstrate use of SpecializedHookup=“on”

gmStudio FAQs

Great Migrations publishes FAQ articles and other information to help teams learning and using gmStudio. You can find all of the gmStudio FAQs on the Great Migrations portal. The followiug “Support Statement” articles were added or updated since the last product update:

Using gmSL to determine if an optional argument was omitted
ListView.Add example of using gmSL to map COM to .NET
Generating a Global Stub Framework
How does gmStudio run builds?
Unused Symbol Analysis and Reporting
Removing Code
Translation Challenges
Setting Scope for an ASP Site Upgrade
MigrationSupport (gmRTL) Source Code
What does migStatus=“external” stand for

gmStudio Release News: Monday, 30-May-2023

May 29, 2023

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

gmBasic is a computer language processor that reads, interprets, and rewrites VB6/ASP/COM systems for the .NET platform (using C# or VB.NET). Based on feedback from our clients and real-world modernization project work, we continuously improve gmBasic so it will help developers more easily produce cleaner and more correct upgrade results. Most recently, this work includes general improvements needed to automatically produce a build-complete C# version of a three-tier Electoral Commission Role Management System comprised of 1.2M VB6 LOC organized into 89 VBPs using over 30 COM APIs and controls . This distribution, Version 40.49, includes enhancements; for example:

Improves migration of user-defined events to use sender/EventArgs conventions
Improves migration of multi-type code using conditional typing based on the typeof operator
Adds more type inference for symbols declared as Object
Adds Refactor/Remove for Events
Improves GoSub refactoring
Begins work on a 64bit distribution (coming soon)

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Powered by gmBasic, gmStudio is a platform for analyzing code and developing custom VB6/ASP/COM to .NET upgrade solutions. We are continuously adding functionality to gmStudio and making it easier to use. This distribution includes several enhancements:

Improves Net Build Log Report to update last message field for each Task
Improve License handling when ASP LOC=0
Improves Specification Code Generator set UserCmds.cmd file to writable
Improves VisualSolution Generator to support nested folders
Improves parsing .NET Build Log when parallel build is in effect
Improves member location reported by Target Code Scan and .NET Build Log Reports (VB.NET)
Improves search by preventing accidentally searching for blanks

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Powered by gmBasic, gmAPI is a .NET API for automating our upgrade engine and accessing the semantic models produced by our unique linguistic compilation technology. gmAPI also includes classes for managing complex upgrade rules and integrating with gmStudio. This API was updated to reflect the latest improvements and conventions in the gmBasic platform.

Improves implementation of the custom CodeStyle capability to use new XML-driven gmAPI conventions
Improves implementation of the WPF migration capability to use new XML-driven gmAPI conventions

gmMetrics: Advanced Metrics Reporting tool

gmMetrics is a tool for reporting the content of system models generated by gmBasic. This includes Symbol Tables, References Reports, Definitions Reports, and Model Audits. gmMetrics is a console application written in C# using gmAPI. We maintain and enhance gmMetrics to keep it in sync with the model schema and to improve the reports.

gmStudio Extensions

gmStudio ships with a collection of sample upgrade rules that can be used to add custom features to your upgrade solution. These XML documents and gmSL scripts are distributed as source that you may modify to fit your unique requirements. The sample rules were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. See also additions and changes in gmStudio Extensions Repository.

Improves COM replacement rules for Scripting Runtime to System.IO
Improves COM replacement rules for CommonDialog to WinForms common Dialog controls
Improves COM replacement rules for Windows Common Controls to WinForms
Improves Sample rules for custom VB6 Language replacements

gmRTL: Great Migrations Runtime Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable translations. We continuously improve this framework in the course of project work. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Updated to use Framework V4.7.2

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Great Migrations publishes several sample VB6/ASP upgrade solutions that illustrate the various upgrade features. The samples upgrade solutions and results were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. Learn about the Samples here.

Improves WPF Samples to user the new XML-Driven custom upgrade processor conventions rather than the deprecated GM Migration Utility approach.

gmStudio FAQs

Great Migrations publishes FAQ articles and other information to help teams learn and use gmStudio. You can find all of the gmStudio FAQs on the Great Migrations portal. The followiug articles were added or updated since the last product update:

Support Statement: Removing a container control (e.g. vsElastic )
Support Statement: Unused Symbol Analysis and Reporting
Support Statement: Improving Type Inference for MSHTML
Support Statement: Sample Migration of CommonDialog to Winforms

gmStudio Release News: Monday, 27-March-2023

Mar 28, 2023

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

gmBasic is a computer language processor that reads, interprets, and rewrites VB6/ASP/COM systems for the .NET platform (using C# or VB.NET). Based on feedback from our clients and real-world modernization project work, we continuously improve gmBasic so it will help developers more easily produce cleaner and more correct upgrade results. This distribution, Version 40.44, includes many enhancements; for example:

Improves adjustment of Twips to Pixels in complex calculations
Improves RootNameSpace in C# project files
Improves the gmSL runtime to allow Cross-Class function calls
Improves Conditional Stubout for VBN
Improves GenericCollections migration

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Powered by gmBasic, gmStudio is a platform for analyzing code and developing custom VB6/ASP/COM to .NET upgrade solutions. We are continuously adding functionality to gmStudio and making it easier to use. This distribution includes several enhancements:

Adds Support for GMEXEC:Script Convention for running custom GMAPI executables
Adds Edit/Find to the file content display box on the Settings form
Improves Target Code Scan Report to correctly report member rather than statement label
Improves performance of %ReferenceList% detokenization
Improves Translation Log Report for XMLERRORs and EMRROOM errors
Improves managing System Metalang Files from settings screen
Improves editing CodeSearchList and SearchTemplate
Improves naming convention for script templates created
Improves default translation scripts to use OptionalArguments=On
Improves hot-key handling on Task Attributes Dialog
Improves default button behavior on Filter Dialog
Improves COM dependency analysis for ASP code
Improves Reference information panel and Analytics Report error handling

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Powered by gmBasic, gmAPI is a .NET API for automating our upgrade engine and accessing the semantic models produced by our unique linguistic compilation technology. gmAPI also includes classes for managing complex upgrade rules and integrating with gmStudio. This API was updated to reflect the latest improvements and conventions in the gmBasic platform.

Adds new XML-driven execution model for custom upgrade engines developed with gmAPI

gmMetrics: Advanced Metrics Reporting tool

gmMetrics is a tool for reporting the content of system models generated by gmBasic. This includes Symbol Tables, References Reports, Definitions Reports, and Model Audits. gmMetrics is a console application written in C# using gmAPI. We maintain and enhance gmMetrics to keep it in sync with the model schema and to produce new reports.

gmStudio Extensions

gmStudio ships with a collection of sample upgrade rules that can be used to add custom features to your upgrade solution. These XML documents and gmSL scripts are distributed as source that you may modify to fit your unique requirements. The sample rules were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. See also additions and changes in gmStudio Extensions Repository.

Improves COM replacement rules for Scripting Runtime to System.IO
Improves COM replacement rules for CommonDialog to WinForms common Dialog controls
Improves COM replacement rules for Windows Common Controls to WinForms

gmRTL: Great Migrations Run Time Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable translations. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Various additions and refactoring
Adjustments to support changes in sequence of gmRTL processing

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Great Migrations publishes several sample VB6/ASP upgrade solutions that illustrate the various upgrade features. The samples upgrade solutions and results were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. Learn about the Samples here.

Improves samples to use OptionalArguments=on

gmStudio FAQs

Great Migrations publishes FAQ articles and other information to help teams learn and use gmStudio. Several new articles where posted since the last product update. You can find all of the gmStudio FAQs on the Great Migrations portal. Please feel free to contact us with questions anytime.

Support Statement: Upgrading a COM Component property to a WinForms Static property
Support Statement: Dealing with Twips to Pixels
Support Statement: GlobalSettings enhancements

gmStudio Release News: Sunday, 11-December-2022

Dec 11, 2022

egmBasic: Upgrade Engine

gmBasic is a code transformation engine that reads, interprets, and rewrites VB6/ASP/COM systems to one of the .NET languages (C# or VB.NET). Based on feedback from our clients and migration projects in the field, we are continuously improving gmBasic so as to help developers more easily produce cleaner and more correct upgrade results. Most recently, this work includes general improvements needed to automatically produce build-complete VB.NET and C# versions of a document/workflow management system comprised of 213K LOC and of a regional government license administration system comprised of 250K LOC. This distribution, Version 40.39, includes many enhancements; for example:

Improves migration of strings from FRX file to Designer code
Improves handling naming conflicts between enums and fields
Improves migration of type-inferred Variant-array used with empty string
Improves migration of logic comparing IntPtr and zero
Improves migration of Load control statement with a type-inferred ControlArray
Improves inferring the type of Object as a strongly-typed ControlArray
Improves migrating optional default Date parameter values
Improves generation of EventArgs classes in the Stub Framework
Improves migration of event handlers with weakly-typed parameters
Improves migration of OLE_HANDLE used as a method parameter
Improves inference of weakly-typed parameter based on Array() argument
Improves migration of complex conditional expressions with both bitwise and logical operations
Improves handling of AlignmentConstants and control.Alignment properties
Improves Twips to pixels migration to a Const
Improves recognizing types imported from external libraries used in RefactorLibraries
Improves csproj and vbproj generation to follow current Visual Studio conventions
Improves migration of Printer.KillDoc
Improves recognizing the type of ControlArray elements
Improves handling one-line With blocks using alternate statements separator
Improves interpreting expressions of the form Me.frmX.Controls!name
Improves migrating For Each ctl in Me.Controls
Improves handling COM APIs where there is a name clash of the library and one of its classes (SSPlitter)
Improves migrating Do-While where the loop control variable is declared within the body of the loop
Improves migrating Select-Case using a constant Select value over different constant case values
Improves migrating of VB4AppearanceConstants
Improves handling methods calls passing a ColorConstant argument to an OLE_COLOR parameter
Improves migrating event handlers for ControlArrays
Improves migration of ControlArray used as a With block variable
Improves migration of conditional expressions using default property
Improves migration of logical calculations involving enum and bool
Improves migration of the Implication operator (Imp)
Improves migration of For Each over an enumerable COM property
Improves migration of Get Property return values
Improves comparisons involving stdole.StdPicture
Improves migration of Debug.Print using Tab() function
Improves migration of Button.Default property to AcceptButton
Improves migrating complex logic expression involving Long, Boolean, and bitwise operation
Improves handling of computations using Currency and Double
Improves migration of recursive functions passed as an argument in the recursive call
Improves using refTemp for an argument passed to object! operation.

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Powered by gmBasic, gmStudio is a platform for analyzing code and developing custom VB6/ASP/COM to .NET upgrade solutions. We are continuously adding functionality to gmStudio and making it easier to use. This distribution includes several enhancements:

Adds Visual Studio 2022 support for authoring VS022 projects and integrating with VS2022 IDE
Adds Analytics Unused Symbols Report
Adds Analytics Late Calls Report
Improves Iceberg Report to reflect new build-path conventions
Improves References Report to include IdfPath and IdfType even if the IDL contains TLI warnings
Improves COM Reference searches and Snapshot comparison to use TaskTag-specific folder content
Improves Task Removal confirmation dialog to show number of tasks selected for removal

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Powered by gmBasic, gmAPI is a .NET API for automating our upgrade engine and accessing the semantic models produced by our unique linguistic compilation technology. gmAPI also includes classes for managing complex upgrade rules and integrating with gmStudio. This API was updated to reflect the latest improvements and conventions in the gmBasic platform.

Improves API for Unused Symbols and Late Calls Analysis

gmMetrics: Advanced Metrics Reporting tool

gmMetrics is a tool for reporting the content of system models generated by gmBasic. This includes Symbol Tables, References Reports, Definitions Reports, and Model Audits. gmMetrics is a console application written in C# using gmAPI. We maintain and enhance gmMetrics to keep it in sync with the model schema and to produce new reports.

gmStudio Extensions

gmStudio ships with a collection of sample upgrade rules that can be used to add custom features to your upgrade solution. These XML documents and gmSL scripts are distributed as source that you may modify to fit your unique requirements. The sample rules were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. See also additions and changes in gmStudio Extensions Repository.

Improves COM replacement Scripting Runtime to System.IO rules
Improves ListBox/ComboBox ItemData FRX to Designer code migration script

gmRTL: Great Migrations Run Time Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable translations. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Improves ListBox/ComboBox ItemData Support logic
Adds stub methods for Printer, Help, and Control support

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Great Migrations publishes a number of sample VB6/ASP upgrade solutions to illustrate the capabilities of gmStudio. The sample upgrade solutions and results were updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. Learn about the samples here.

Improves the FMStocks Web Site sample for VB.NET