Great Migrations | Blog

gmStudio Release News: Wednesday, 03-December-2025

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modernization Podcast Video Series

Here is our third episode in a series of Podcast videos covering software modernization topics. This episode, Translation Mythbusters, takes on the question: should we Convert or Rewrite and challenges common misconceptions about the role and value of using legacy code and translation tools as part of a modernization strategy. Watch and listen here.

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 to help developers produce cleaner, more correct results and to successfully manage and complete large-scale upgrade projects. Most recently, this includes enhancements relating to the work of upgrading a large VB6/ASP/COM/.NET payment processing application comprising 700 active pages backed by a 50K LOC VB6 service component library. The distribution, Version 50.27, includes several other important additions and improvements:

Adds support for recognizing and translating symbols declared in server-side Javascript (JScript) in ASP to C# or VB.NET
Adds a new FindDynamics command that may be used to assist with migrating late-bound object.member references to custom interfaces rather than using dynamic casts
Improves Form migrations so that DefInstance support is authored only for forms, MDI forms, and other Designer-based types that need it
Adds Migrate DefInstance=on|off to allow explicitly adding DefInstance support for a form when the requirement is not automatically detected
Improves migration of complex error handling/goto sequences to try-catch
Improves detecting the need to retain weak typing for variant when a variant parameter is assigned to an enum
Improves handling statements that invoke a default member in an object instantiation statement (e.g., Set obj = (new Class)(args))
Improves migration of Array function to string[] when the arguments to Array are a mixed set of types
Improves the migration of VB6 Line control to gmRTL.GUI.LineControl
Improves migration of string variable assigned to a void method
Improves translation of huge numeric literals (longlong quantities)
Improves translating VBScript With blocks in ASP code
Improves translating ASP sites having multiple same-named VBScript classes
Improves migration of conditional expressions comparing variant to empty string
Improves handling files with UTF-8 encoding and BOM
Improves logic to automatically increase code storage space when needed
Improves migration of ZOrder statements
Improves migration of complex conditionals involving integers and relational operations
Improves handling foreign class references
Improves support for Response.LCID in ASP translations
Improves authoring COM interface descriptions for read-only properties
Improves migration of intrinsic controls so that the property defaults more closely follow VS designer conventions

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 continuously add functionality to gmStudio and make it easier to use. This distribution includes several enhancements:

Improves Validate Source operation to allow for upgrade tasks with no translation script

gmAPI: A .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

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 external migration tools with gmStudio. We maintain and improve gmAPI and related components to keep them in sync with the platform and to add new features. gmAPI is central to our platform and gmAPI dlls are used to implement several advanced features: analytics reports, shared files consolidation, custom coding style, support framework generation, migration to WPF, and more.

Advanced Metrics Reporting

The gmStudio platform includes advanced reporting services that allow you to gather extremely detailed information about your legacy system. The advanced reports include Symbol Tables, Symbol References, Symbol Definitions, Model Audits, and more. We maintain and enhance these reporting services to keep them in sync with the model schema and to add new features. See Semantic Reports for more information.

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 code that you may modify to fit your unique requirements. The sample rules have been updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. See also additions and changes in the gmStudio Extensions Repository.

Tabctl32.ocx.Wrapper.Transform.gmsl: Updated TabControl migration to be compatible with LineControl migration

gmRTL: Great Migrations Runtime Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more maintainable translations. We continuously improve this framework through real-world project work. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Sample Upgrade Solutions

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

Improves FMStocks samples to demonstrate just-in-time GlobalSettings integration

gmStudio Documentation

Great Migrations publishes FAQ articles and other information to help teams learn and use gmStudio. The following articles were added or updated since the last product update:

New Case Study: Government Agency Electoral Register System, a 1.4M LOC three-tier VB6/ASP/COM/COM+ application
New Case Study: DesignBuilder Software — Building Performance Simulation, a 500K VB6/COM application
Updated CodeStyle documentation: added discussion of the RemoveNameSpaces command; improved clarity and consistency

Modernization Podcast Video Series Episode 3: Translation Myth Busters

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Here is our third episode in a series of Podcast videos covering software modernization topics. This episode, Translation Myth Busters, takes on the question: should we Convert or Rewrite and challenges common misconceptions about the role and value of using legacy code and translation tools as part of a modernization strategy.

Modernization Podcast Video Series Episode 2: Setting Modernization Project Scope and Budget

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Here is our second episode in a series of Podcast videos covering software modernization topics.
This episode discusses how to go about Setting Modernization Project Scope and Budget.

gmStudio Release News: Sunday, 10-August-2025

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Modernization Podcast Video Series

Here is our second episode in a series of Podcast videos covering software modernization topics.
This episode discusses how to go about Setting Modernization Project Scope and Budget.
Watch and listen here.

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 to help developers produce cleaner, more correct results and to successfully manage and complete large-scale upgrade projects. Most recently, this work includes changes to automatically produce a functionally correct C# translation of a three-tier enterprise application comprising 101 interrelated VBP files, referencing 1.4M total LOC in 1,566 code files, and using 29 third-party COM libraries. The distribution,Version 50.20, includes several important enhancements:

Adds the RuntimeLibrary feature for generating a custom support framework as an initial COM replacement. Previously, the support framework code was limited to mocking COM APIs; now it can mock .NET target APIs.
Adds Compile/Fix@MethodScope to allow more precise pre-editing of source prior to translation.
Adds a generalized high-performance transformation engine that improves performance and simplifies the specification of more complex forms of deep semantic translation.
Adds support for Registry@Type=Prefix to allow adding user-defined code attribute blocks before specified declarations.
Improves migration of TabIndex and TabStop for VB6 intrinsic controls.
Improves handling of currency literals.
Improves ASP translations.
Improves translation of enum expressions used as optional parameter defaults.
Improves Twips-to-Pixels adjustments for more complex UI layout calculations.
Improves indenting of code added using Fix/ReplaceFile.
Corrects unexpected use of null rather than DBNull.Value when comparing to Null.

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Improves performance and relevance of results displayed for User Settings.
Improves performance and relevance of results displayed for User Content Search.
Adds MemType and LocMemb to specify the source control in Source Scan of GUI code.

gmAPI: A .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Adds CodeStyle ClassDisposal to support calling Dispose on specified classes.
Adds a gmAPI implementation of the TabDlg migration.
Adds a gmAPI implementation of the MSComCtlLib migration.
Adds a gmAPI implementation of the Scripting migration.
Improves CodeStyle VerticalLists smart line breaker to optionally suppress line breaking on commas.
Improves the gmSL-to-gmAPI translator and gmSL/gmAPI unit tests.

Advanced Metrics Reporting

gmStudio Extensions

CodeStyle.std.xml: adds samples for VerticalLists, ClassDisposal, RemoveNameSpaces, and RemoveUserNamespaces
mig.vb7lang.xml: adds various language operation customizations
mscomctl.ocx.WinForms.Refactor.xml: updates for treeview
Scrrun.dll.SystemIO.Refactor.xml: updates for FileSystem.GetExtensionName
Tabctl32.ocx.Wrapper.Transform.gmsl: adds comments for clarity and update calling Character.Substr

gmRTL: Great Migrations Runtime Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable translations. We continuously improve this framework through real-world project work. Learn more about gmRTLhere.

Adds new classes and interfaces for improved exception handling of VB6-style exceptions.
Adds a new BusinessSettings class to manage application settings.
Adds a new framework to assist with emulating VB6’s tab key navigation.
Improves CheckedListBox and ComboBoxEx item selection and state management.
Improves the ControlHelper class with new methods for managing control properties.
Improves registry management, logging.

Sample Upgrade Solutions

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 following “Support Statement” articles were added or updated since the last product update:

Fix Statement Reference: added details regarding the new MethodScope attribute.
Registry Statement Reference: added details regarding the new type=“Prefix” option.
Translation Mythbusters Article: updated discussion on strategic objectives.
Upgrade Assessment Instructions Article: added details regarding use of Trial with large code bases and stressed the importance of gathering COM information/files.

gmStudio Release News: Tuesday, 8-April-2025

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT

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 that produce more functionally correct translations of a Voter Roll Management System. This three-tier enterprise application is comprised of 101 inter-related VBP files referencing 1.4M total LOC in 1,566 code files and using 29 third-party COM libraries. In addition, important improvements were made in the ASP translation capability. The distribution,Version 50.14, has several important enhancements.

Improves translation of complex ASP tags having embedded conditional logic
Improves translation of statements that invoke event handlers
Improves string array declarations and initializations
Improves translation of OptionButton.Checked = true
Improves translation of OptionButton.Click event
Improves translation of CheckBox.Click event
Improves diagnostic messages when a ByRef parameter of a user-defined event migrates to ByVal
Improves diagnostic messages when an explicit Optional ByRef parameter migrates to ByVal
Improves consistency of UPGRADE_INFO messages
Improves consistency of using Status=“NotImplemented” rather than Status=“delete” for incompatible VB6 Control properties
Improves Refactor/Remove to allow also removing orphaned comments when removing a subprogram
Corrects system hang when an empty OldBlock is used in a Replace command

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:

Corrects Location Name in XML Search results
Improves handling of Search Peek Window size
Add Task Comment and Description to Project Metrics report

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Improves implementation of custom CodeStyle extension

Advanced Metrics Reporting

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 the migration of Common Dialog to WinForms (comdlg32.ocx.Wrapper.Refactor.xml)
Improves migration of COM+ to System.EnterpriseServices (Comsvcs.dll.Refactor.xml)
Improves rules for setting the default parent class for stub controls authored in the support framework (Environment.std.xml)
Improves examples directing custom migration of VB6 language operations (mig.vb7lang.xml)
Improves migration of Windows Common Control 2 to WinForms (mscomct2.ocx.WinForms.gmsl/xml)
Improves migration of Windows Common Control to WinForms (mscomctl.ocx.WinForms.gmsl/xml)
Improves migration of MSXML2 to System.Xml (msxml6.dll.Refactor.xml)
Improves migration of RichTextBox to WinForms (richtx32.ocx.WinForms.Refactor.xml)
Improves migration of Scripting to http://System.IO (Scrrun.dll.SystemIO.Refactor.xml)
Improves the migration of TabDialog to WinForms (TABCTL32.OCX.Wrapper.Refactor.xml)

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 real-world project work. Learn more about gmRTLhere.

Improves gmRTL.Core.OrderedDictionary
Adds gmRTL.Core.COMPlus mock classes for running COM+ components outside of MTS
Adds gmRTL.Core.ErrorHandling.SimpleResumeNext
Adds gmRTL.Core.GLog classes for process logging
Adds gmRTL.Core.ArrayHelper services to allow deep initialization of stucts containing strings
Adds gmRTL.Core.ConversionHelper.ToVal to more closely emulate the Val function
Improves gmRTL.Core.InteractionHelper.Shell function
Adds gmRT.GUI.CheckedListBox control
Adds gmRT.GUI.ComboBoxEx control
Adds gmRT.GUI.OleControl control

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.

gmStudio FAQs

By Tool or By Hand: Comparing Upgrade Methodologies
Custom COM Replacement
Setting Modernization Project Scope and Budget
Support Statement: Overcome the Limits of AI for Large Scale Software Modernization
Support Statement: Surface Pattern Syntax
Translation Myth Busters
gmStudio Command Line
gmStudio User Guide
gmplRegistryStatement
gmplRemoveStatement

Modernization Podcast Video Series Episode 1: Using AI in software modernization

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Announcing a series of PODCast Videos covering the software modernization topics. This first episode discusses how to get more migration for your money by using AI tools in your software modernization projects.

gmStudio Release News: January 2025 Updates

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

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 http://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 an enterprise-level financial management system for security and alarm companies. This large desktop application is comprised of 185 inter-related VBP files referencing 1.2M total LOC in 2,696 code files (including 682 ActiveReports Designers) and using 72 third-party COM libraries. The distribution,Version 50.10, has several important enhancements.

Adds Registry type=BaseType to alter how VB6 intrinsic types are recognized
Adds Registry type=LibType to facilitate migrating a COM API types are recognized
Improves migration of custom designer files (*.dsr) such as ActiveReports
Improves recognizing the type of ControlArray elements
Improves indenting of translations modified by Fix@FileFilter
Improves the migration of App object operations and the App type
Improved consistency of the inferred array parameters and corresponding arguments
Improves handling string literals containing control characters
Improves resolution of late-bound object/default property references
Improves relational operations between Twips and strings
Improves handling ListBox.Item and ComboBox.ItemData
Improves migrating vbEmpty to null
Improves migrating assignments of a class instance to an implemented interface
Improves Refactor/Rename to allow renaming a VBP’s internal name
Improves recognition of classes requiring IEnumerable support
Improves logic to provide an enum entry from a quantity that may be null
Improves Generic Collections to make adjustment for zero-based indexing when index quantity is a enum
Improves behavior of Fix/Replace with MatchBlock=on
Improves conventions for Array initialization and assignments
Improves OutputPath conventions in .NET project template
Improves DefineConstants conventions in .NET project template
Improves ByRef optimizations for array parameters
Improves migration of foreach with ControlArrays
Improves type inference to retain weak typing when variable is used with an IsNull operation
Improves handling of status=“delete” to suppress unwanted operations from the translations.

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Adds FinalEdit element to ScriptRules to be inserted after the Output@Status=Close element. Typically this is used for top-level Fix@FileFilter operations to make changes to the translation outputs after they are written to disk.
Adds LogTranTime setting to application configuration to suppress or allow logging the total elapsed translation time in translation logs
Improves user experience for running and viewing Metalang Audit Report
Improves Task Filter Dialog resize behavior
Improves Translation Status checking to report WARN when there is a ScriptRule warning

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

Improves the CodeStyle Namespaces commands to allow specifying an alias for “using-qualified” naming

Advanced Metrics Reporting

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 ingmStudio Extensions Repository.

Improves rules to set the default parent class for stub controls authored in the support framework
Improves the analytics reporting script template
Improves the Common Dialog migration rules
Improves the MS Word to Interop rules
Improves the Tab Dialog (TabCtl32.ocx) rules

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 during project work. Learn more about gmRTLhere.

Improved Generic Collections OrderedDictionary.InsertBefore method
Improves App Class Implementation to be instance based
Improves Error Handling to Exception Handling compatibility support
Improves String to Date Conversion
Improves CreateObject logic to get along with System Enterprise Services
Adds ControlHelper.KeyOfValue to assist with migrating Control.Index
Removes unnecessary using statements

Sample Upgrade Solutions

gmStudio FAQs

Great Migrations publishes FAQ articles and other information to help teams learn and use gmStudio. You can findall of the gmStudio FAQs on the Great Migrations portal.The following “Support Statement” articles were added or updated since the last product update:

Updates Support Statement: Steps for Developing an ASP Site Upgrade
Adds Support Statement: Building gmStudio Extensions using gmAPI and .NET

gmStudio Release News: Tuesday, 17-Sept-2024

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

Improves the Translator as a Service (TaaS) capabilities enabling developers to build and integrate their own custom upgrade features
Adds MoveToTop migration for moving nested local variable declarations to the top of enclosing method
Improves logic that infers array order (i.e., 1D, 2D, etc)
Improves handling optional arguments for all methods in libraries having ImplicitByref=on
Improves SharedFiles consolidation for Forms other complex scenarios
Improves type inference for ControlArray elements
Improves FixType for variants containing ControlArrays
Improves support for conditional compilation
Improves support for GoSub
Improves support for Enum entries initialized with VB6 functions
Improves support for array declarations dimensioned with enum entries
Improves support for constants initialized by other constants
Improves support for VB6’s archaic file IO formatting
Improves translating Redim Preserve for 2D arrays
Improves translating code using variables and arrays of type Byte

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Adds option to use Standard Search terms for Source Scan on the Reporting control panel
Adds Semantic Declarations Report to the Reports menu
Adds option to use a user-defined VS Solution File Generator
Improves VS Solution File Generator to allow more flexible format and structure of GenerateSolution.txt files
Improves transition to Reporting-Only mode when Trial license is not valid
Improves updating .NET Build status for custom tasks
Improves ScriptRules error reporting

gmAPI: a .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

In this release we introduce an innovative approach for gmAPI integration. The new approach allows .NET developers to define custom features and activate them with user-defined statements in translation scripts. When detecting a user-defined statement, gmBasic will delegate processing to the designated extension DLL. Extension DLLs may use .NET code and gmAPI to automate services that access information in the semantic translation model. The user code may inspect and alter the information model, edit source and generated code, and integrate external information and processes. The new approach seamlessly extends gmBasic making it easier to use custom processing with gmStudio and it also allows much easier debugging extension code in Visual Studio.

We updated many of gmStudio’s advanced features to use the new approach.

Shared Files Reporting and Consolidation (gmPL_gmSharedFiles.dll)
Custom Coding Style Transformations (gmPL_gmCodeStyle.dll).
VB6 to WPF Migration (gmPL_WpfSubSystem.dll)
Global Support Framework Generation (gmPL_gmGlobalStubs.dll).
Global Analysis and Reporting (gmPL_gmGlobal.dll)
Advanced Metrics Reporting (gmPL_Search.dll)

Advanced Metrics Reporting

The gmStudio platform includes advanced reporting services that allow you to gather extremely detailed information about your legacy system. The advance reports include Symbol Tables, Symbol References, Symbol Definitions, Model Audits, and more. We maintain and enhance these advanced reporting services to keep them in sync with the model schema and add new features. See Semantic Reports for more information.
In this release, gmMetrics.exe has been replaced by gmPL_Search.dll. gmBasic.exe automatically engages the services of gmPL_Search.dll to handle advanced reporting commands in gmPL scripts.

Adds the Semantic Declarations Report; currently this report provides details on Implements statements in the source code

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 rules to migrate the Windows Common Controls to WinForms controls

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 during project work. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Updates all Samples to target VS2022 and Framework V4.8.1
Updates WPF Samples to use gmPL_WpfSubSystem.dll rather than gmPL_WpfSubSystem.exe
Updates FileExplorer sample to demonstrate additional upgrade requirements and use the latest API mapping rules

gmStudio FAQs

Adds Support Statement: Overcome the Limits of AI for Large Scale Software Modernization
Adds Support Statement: Partial Translations
Updates Support Statement: gmSL to move a variable declaration
Updates Support Statement: Override a routine in authortext.gmsl
Updates Support Statement: Stub Replacement

gmStudio Release News: Monday, 22-April-2024

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

Improves Shared Files Consolidation utility to handle forms, and more complex code file consolidation requirements
Improves Generic Collections migration utility
Improves Custom CodeStyle utility to support using-qualified naming conventions rather than fully-qualified naming conventions
Improves Custom CodeStyle utility to support more intelligent reformatting of long-lines

In addition, it includes many enhancements in general translation cabapilities; for example:

Improves Ole Control layout properties to use Twips to Pixels adjustments
Improves handling DefLng and related DefType statements
Improves migrating of PropertyBag Color Properties
Improves the Support Framework generation feature
Improves ArrayToValue.csh code should use index 0
Improves Control.CausesValidation property and Validate Event
Improves SavePicture migration
Improves Reauthoring overloaded methods
Improves record of edits, errors, and warnings in translation log
Improves migration of COM controls
Improves migration of array assignments
Improves default framework to be v4.8.1 for VS2022

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Adds Edit ScriptRules File operation to References context menu
Adds Compare Files operation to Search Results context menu
Adds support for matching and reporting XPath locations when searching XML files
Improves batch processing to rebuild the VB6 project associated with an upgrade task
Improves All Logs Report to restrict results to selected project task(s)
Improves file filter behavior on Configuration form
Improves .NET Build report operation to also update NetBlds and NetSize fields in the task list
Improves global support framework generation script template
Improves default User Commands Batch processing script template
Improves the set of default scan patterns used for language compatibility reporting
Changes the default VS Version for new projects to VS2022

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. gmAPI is used to implement special purpose utilities in the gmStudio distribution and is updated to improve these utilities and to follow the latest conventions of the gmBasic platform.

Improves Shared Files Consolidation utility to handle forms, and more complex code file consolidation requirements
Improves Generic Collections migration utility
Improves Custom CodeStyle utility to support using-qualified naming conventions rather than fully-qualified naming conventions
Improves Custom CodeStyle utility to support more intelligent reformatting of long-lines

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 ingmStudio Extensions Repository.

Adds example metalang rules to migrate PictureBox to gmRTL.GUI.PictureBox
Improves StubBaseClass rules in Environment.std.xml
Improves rules to migrate MSGrid.Grid to WinForms
Improves rules to migrate various Windows Common Controls to WinForms controls
Improves rules to migrate Scripting Runtime to http://System.IO
Improves rules to migrate TabDlg.SSTab runtime to WinForms.TabControl
Improves rules to migrate various Threed Controls to WinForms controls

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 gmRTLhere.

Improves support for ComboBox.Clear
Improves support for Array.Copy
Improves File System List Controls
Adds Ole Control

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Updates all Samples to target VS2022 and Framework V4.8.1

gmStudio FAQs

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

Adds Support Statement: How many programmers?
Updates Support Statement: Consolidating Shared Code Files
Updates Support Statement: gmStudio Licenses

gmStudio Release News: Wednesday, 20-December-2023

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

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

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

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

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

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 00:00:00 GMT

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

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

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

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

Tue, 30 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

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

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

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

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

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

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

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

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

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

New Support Statements

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

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.

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

Please feel free to contact us with questions or ideas for ideas of other support statements anytime.

PS. I know I really should do a blog post as part of my SOP for publishing new documentation. I will be more diligent going forward.

gmStudio Release News: Sunday, 11-December-2022

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

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

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

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

New Reports: Unused Symbols and Late Calls

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Large mature systems often contain symbols that are no longer used. These may be methods that are no longer called or variables and data structures that are no longer referenced by active logic. These unused symbols are often referred to as “dead code, dead wood, Cruft”. Dead code make a system “smell bad” and a form of technical debt, and it can be difficult to identify and risky to remove. An Upgrade Project is an optimal time to deal with dead code because gmStudio can help you identify and remove it.

Learn how in this Support Statement: Unused Symbol Analysis and Reporting

gmStudio Release News: Monday, 10-October-2022

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT

gmBasic: 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 produce build-complete C# code for a Retail ERP system having 1.2M LOC organized into 73 inter-related VBPs, and to produce build-complete VB.NET code for a Construction Project Management System having 800K LOC organized into 31 inter-related VBPs. The release also includesa sophisticated new utility, gmGlobal, that can automate the process of identifying dead code. This major distribution, Version 40.34, includes many enhancements; for example:

Improves inference of array rank when a undimensioned variant is used as an array
Improves migration of Object inferred as Form used with For Each
Improves migration of the VB6 intrinsic Input function to a Generic method
Improves overall correctness of results when using the Shared Files consolidation capability
Improves overall correctness of results when using the Optional Arguments capability
Improves declaration of stub controls that override Name property
Improves the Global Stub framework for systems that use Implements commands
Improves assembly references added for GlobalStubs translations
Improves avoiding a name clash between external class name and module field
Improves ability to recognize methods called like properties
Improves stub framework generation to allow implementing multiple interfaces (VB.NET)
Improves stubbing Readonly properties (VB.NET)
Improves handling of date literal assigned to const (VB.NET)
Improves handling of operations that involve a late-bound implicit default property
Improves the behavior of Refactor/Remove
Improves migration of array properties
Improves handling name clash between method and one of its parameters
Improves vbCrLf used as an optional parameter default (VB.NET)
Improves translation of late bound reference to a collection item
Improves handling of codes declaring symbols that clash with VB.NET reserved words
Improves handling migration of GoSub in methods declaring optional parameters
Improves logic to detect implicit conversions that must be made explicit (VB.NET)
Improves logic to make default property reference explicit for a Select Case (VB.NET)
Improves detecting and reporting undeclared identifiers
Improves initializing const symbols using an enum entry
Improves reference tracking to allow for Unused symbol analysis
Improves csproj and vbproj content to follow current Visual Studio conventions
Improves processing more HTML5 tags in ASP translations

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Changes Trial License limits; increases duration to 30 days; lowers LOC limits: VB6=5,000 LOC, ASP=2,500 LOC
Adds Source Member to .NET Build Log Report and Target Code Scan Report for VB.NET translation tasks
Adds Translation Audit as a new type of report
Improves IDL generator to allow reporting hidden coclasses
Improves Target Code Scan to report TaskTag rather than File extension in the LocType field
Improves Ctrl-C handling to follow control having focus
Improves Task-list Hot-Key handling
Adds Alt-G as hotkey to Generate and Open VS Solution file
Improves All IDF Scan to search all IDF folders
Corrects issue where malformed XML attributes in ScriptRules file caused gmStudio to hang or crash

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.

gmAPI was extended and used to implement gmGlobal, a utility that identifies and reports unused symbols across multiple inter-related VBPs.
Adds several low-level functions to support reference analysis

gmMetrics: Advanced Metrics Reporting tool

Adds more detailed symbol usage data to Semantic Audit Reports
Improves accuracy of References Report
Improves accuracy of Definitions Report

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 with additional StubBaseClass entries
Adds sample gmGlobalIncludes.gmsl and gmGlobalIncludes.xml to Global Includes analysis
Adds MSCAL.ocx.WinForms.Refactor.xml
Adds MSWORD.OLB.Interop.Refactor.xml

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.

Adds gmRTL.GUI.PictureBoxExtended control to support drawing graphics on a PictureBox

Sample Upgrade Solutions

gmStudio Release News: Tuesday, 05-July-2022

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

gmBasic: 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 users more easily produce cleaner and more correct results. Most recently, this work includes general improvements needed to produce build-complete C# and VB.NET code based for several enterprise systems containing over 2M LOC organized into dozens of inter-related VBPs. This major distribution, Version 40.30, includes several enhancements:

Adds support for specifying a base class for controls in the stub framework
Improves the quality of translations for systems of many inter-related VBPs
Improves handling numeric const values declared with type indicator character
Improves expression of VB File IO Operations: LOF, Seek, FileCopy
Improves handling of parameters declared As Any
Improves handling of name clashes between global symbols
Improves handling of PictureBox.Image.Set
Improves type inference for variants used as arrays
Improves inferring the number of dimensions for array parameters
Improves handling undeclared variables when archaic typing directives (e.g. DefInt) are in use
Improves handling Select-Case with byte compared to enum entry
Improves translation for integer division for VB.NET
Improves conversion of string to double for VB.NET
Improves GoSub migration to support references to local const variables
Improves GoSub migration when subroutines are refactored out of functions for VB.NET
Improves handling of comments in ASP translations
Improves migrating parameterized properties
Improves migrating enumerations in COM libraries
Improves migrating methods with optional arguments
Improves migrating Select Case Is… with Date variables
Improves migrating VB.Line geometry from Twips to pixels in designer code
Improves handling of interfaces when generating translation for a system of inter-related VBPs
Improves handling of custom events and event handlers when generating translation for a system of inter-related VBPs
Improved migration of On Error handling to try-catch

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Adds Reset Filter item to Toolbar Filter button
Adds Line Pragma (%LN%) to ScriptRule pre-processor and editor integration
Adds option to create a starter for a hand-coded IDF (e.g. for when IDF cannot be generated from COM)
Improves handling of Task List context menu hotkeys when task list does not have focus
Improves handling of Task Filtering hotkeys
Improves conventions for using custom tools with gmStudio project tasks
Improves logic for merging ScriptRule elements into the translation script in the order they are defined in the ScriptRules file
Improves user folder scan by suppressing matches in CodeScanList.txt
Improves Source Metrics Report to include DSX report data
Improves Side-by-Side Viewer to include DSX report data
Improves IDF generator to handle typedefs for auto properties in IDL for interop assemblies
Improves Title of the Side-by-Side Viewer panels
Improves Information Panel grid data cache/refresh behavior
Improves Side-by-Side viewer for use with VBScript classes
Improves .NET Build Log reporting performance and editor integration

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

Adds option to generate System Metalanguage Information File Audit
Improves the quality of reference location reporting for ASP systems

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.

Adds sample Environment.std.xml to the gmStudio standard distribution
Adds sample rules for setting the base class for classes in the stub dependency framework

gmRTL: Great Migrations Run Time Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable translations. gmRTL namespace and class structure conventions will replace the legacy RTL conventions in the next gmStudio release. The old conventions (MigrationSupport, MigrationSupportUI, etc.) will be deprecated, but still available as custom migration options. Learn more about gmRTL here.

Sample Upgrade Solutions

gmStudio Release News: Saturday, 05-March-2022

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

gmBasic is a code transformation tool 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 users more easily produce cleaner and more correct results. Most recently, this work includes general improvements needed to produce build-complete C# code for a Construction ERP product. This system is 31 inter-related VB6 project components containing 820K LOC organized into 1,125 code files and supported by 46 external COM libraries. This distribution, Version 40.25, includes several enhancements:

Improves handling the default member operator, ’!’
Improves handling inferring implicit references to default members
Improves handling of logic using ControlArrays
Improves handling recognizing references to unqualified global enumeration entries
Improves handling numeric literals using exponential notation
Improves handling of numeric values using hexadecimal notation in IDL to IDF
Improves parsing ASP attribute values containing complex VBScript logic
Improves migration of a local method to a custom call pattern
Improves migration of VBP information to AssemblyInfo content

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Powered by gmBasic, gmStudio is a development environment 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 logic that maintains the Workspace runtime folder
Improves performance of .NET Build Log Report and the associated listing in the UI
Improves IDL/IDF handling of const = Infinity
Improves spawning a process without console logging
Improves ScriptRule command to allow script variables in the id attribute

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 product improvements and conventions.

gmMetrics: Advanced Metrics Reporting tool

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.

Adds MSCAL.ocx.WinForms.Refactor.xml
Improves GM.MSCAL.OCX.xml
Improves mscomctl.ocx.WinForms.Transform.gmsl
Improves scrrun.dll.Transform.gmsl
Improves StubControlBaseClass.Rules.xml
Improves StubControlBaseClass.xml
Improves wpfSubsystem.gmsl

gmRTL: Great Migrations Run Time Library

Improves gmRTL.GUI.ControlHelper.GetDrawStyle/SetDrawStyle.style

Sample Upgrade Solutions

VB6/COM Still declining in popularity

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT

I just had a customer ask me about the future of COM support on Windows. Here is how I responded

Someone mentioned they had heard the VB6 runtime will not be supported beyond Windows10 (2025?). I could not find any official word on that. But I know there is no support statement for VB6 on Windows 11 — but that is not an official Windows release yet, so…

One thing: COM is a typically 32-bit technology and special steps are needed to work on 64-bit. On 64bit, which is what most Windows installations are running any more, COM must run in a 32-bit emulation. Maybe you have noticed VB6 COM references need to be to files in the SysWOW64 folder, not the System32 folder…

Bottom line, VB6 and COM may be officially supported by Microsoft, but they are not mainstream anymore. As time goes on, you are more likely to run into difficult issues with them; you will find yourself in troubled waters, in a boat by yourself without a paddle… And more importantly, all VB6 programmers will eventually leave the labor pool. Organizations still running VB6 will have no one to go to for help when they have technical problems. Organizations may choose to bear that risk and continue to put out VB6/COM compatibility fires as they come up, or they can upgrade their systems and join the much larger community of .NET/C# developers on a vital, well-supported platform.

To give you an idea about the level of interest in VB6 vs C# here are some relevant metrics:

Google Search (June 2021)

Search String	Results
”VB6 Programming”	14,500
”C# Programming”	2,270,000
”VB.NET Programming”	175,000

GitHub (Jan 2022)

Search String (based on file extension)	Results
VBP https://github.com/search?q=extension%3Avbp&type=Code	260,579
CSPROJ https://github.com/search?q=extension%3Acsproj&type=Code	7,223,451
VBPROJ https://github.com/search?q=extension%3Avbproj&type=Code	185,686

Here are some details on VB6 support from Microsoft.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/visualstudio/visual-basic-6/visual-basic-6-support-policy

	Support Statement for Visual Basic 6.0 Visual Basic 6.0 Support Policy http://docs.microsoft.com