This section outlines some of the key new features of the Fiorano eStudio:
1. Offline Event Process Development
In Offline Event Process Development mode, Event Processes development is done without connecting to a server. The Offline perspective maintains its own repository of event processes and services. Event Processes can be developed in Offline mode and can be deployed to any Enterprise Server. A server connection is required only while deploying an Event Process.
2. EPLCM (Event Process Life Cycle Management)
EPLCM allows a user to move Event Processes in different labeled environments that is; Testing, Staging, QA, and Production, all at the click of a button. Pre-created profiles for each environment are automatically picked up by the Server at the deployment time. This allows the user to specify properties for service instances in an Event Process for multiple environments, rather than creating new event processes for each environment. With the new EPLCM functionality, migration from one environment to another is simple.
3. Sub-Flows
A powerful new Sub-flow concept has been added. Sub-flow allows the user to insert an event process into another event process, easing composition of large applications.
4. Improved Debugger Implementation
Message injection is added, together with a better set of views to simplify debugging.
5. Split File Development for Services and Application
The ServiceDescriptor.xml and Application.xml are changed to split files, thereby making them more readable and reducing the memory footprint of eStudio.
To reduce the memory footprints, internally the application object now contains just details of service instances while no longer holding any information of their configurations and schemas associated. Configurations and schemas are now picked up on demand.
6. Service Descriptor Editor
The editor edits the ServiceDescriptor.xml file, making the editing easier to perform than when using a Text/Xml editor.
7. Quicker Custom Property Sheet (CPS) launch
The CPS, when associated with a given component now launches significantly faster than previous versions of the Studio. The Save and Close options have been introduced in the CPS, allowing the user to save the CPS in the middle of configuration and revisit it at a later point of time.
8. Dynamic Validations while Editing and Creating Services and Applications
Dynamic Validations point out errors at development time, while Event Processes are being composed, or Services created; errors that had to previously wait until compilation or run-time can now be detected earlier in the development/composition cycle.
9. UI crafted for Rich User Experience
Significant user feedback has been incorporated within eStudio to provide a richer user-experience. Most common operations can now be performed with a single click and with much less navigation than in previous versions.
10. Support for Version Control Systems
Users can now store applications in any Version Control System (SVN, CVS, or VSS) using Fiorano eStudio.
11. The Mapping Tool: eMapper
The eStudio incorporates a brand new mapping tool that is developed ground-up in Eclipse. This new version fixes many more bugs as compared to past versions and has several other enhancements.
12. Customization Possible as an Advantage of Eclipse Based Product
Since eStudio is developed over the Eclipse platform, users can now write their own plug-ins or use existing ones. Users are now able to customize the eStudio the way they want. For instance, a user can add a version control plug-in.