Purchase or Upgrade
| Downloads | Documentation
Register | FAQ | Screenshots
4th Dimension (4D) is a family of rapid application development applications and plug-ins designed to run on Windows and Macintosh personal computers. 4th Dimension applications can run interpreted or compiled to native code, in single-user or multi-user modes with up to hundreds of users, on any combination of Windows and Macintosh computers. 4th Dimension is also a very productive front-ending tool for SQL databases, and provides the easiest way available to provide access to databases from a web browser. 4th Dimension has been on the market for over fifteen years, and is used at companies ranging from very small businesses to Fortune 500 companies as well as at a number of academic and an not-for-profit organizations.
The 4D product line is centered around two main products: 4th Dimension and 4D Server. 4th Dimension is for single-user development while 4D Server is for multi-user development and deployment.
The 4th Dimension Standard Edition offers application developers a truly standard-setting, professional suite of application and Web development tools. The 4th Dimension Developer Edition includes the 4th Dimension Standard Edition along with a comprehensive plug-ins bundle, offering a complete development environment that allows for the developing of any single-user applications.
4D Server Standard Edition is a development and deployment environment that integrates a database engine and a built-in Web server. 4th Dimension Developer Edition includes 4D Server, a powerful multi-user deployment server, and a complete set of development, deployment, and back systems for Windows and Mac OS.
For your convenience, our entire family of products (including 4D, 4D WebSTAR, and 4D Business Kit) can be purchased online through the 4D Store. You can also contact a 4D sales representative by calling toll-free 1.800.785.3303.
If you're new to 4D and part of an academic or not-for-profit organization, click here to find out how you can download 4D Academic Standard Edition free-of-charge.
The newest version of the 4D product line, 4D v6.8, has been rewritten for Mac OS X and Windows XP, and combines a number of new features and functionality to help you take full advantage of the benefits offered by these latest operating systems. These features include a new contextual menu in the methods editor for single-click insertion of methods, fields, and commands, easier plug-in administration, and new commands and constants. Newly reinforced security in 4D v6.8 protects component code and makes deployment easier. New integration of the TCP/IP component in 4D v6.8 further simplifies administration. New user interface enhancements include floating, dockable toolbars under Mac OS X, support for the Apple Viewer for online help menus on the Mac, and follows all Aqua and Windows XP look and feel for dialog icons.
Get the complete list of new features and enhancements in 4D v6.8.
View the 4D v6.8 press release.
To download a free demo of 4D v6.8, click here.
To purchase 4D v6.7 and downloadable upgrade to 4D v6.8, click here.
After you have received your serial numbers, visit the Downloads section of the Web site to download your 4D v6.8 software.
Yes. 4D v6.8 is a new product line with its own serial numbers. Therefore, you need to install the new serial numbers.
To obtain your v6.8 serial number, click here.
No. All products need to be updated in 6.8. Of course, this rule only applies to 4D plug-ins. For third-party plug-ins, 4D v6.8 compatibility should be guaranteed. To be sure, check with the providers of the plug-ins.
Only the structure is modified and converted during the upgrade to 6.8. Therefore, it is important to make a copy of your structure if you wish to use it again in 6.7.x. The data file, however, does not change.
Yes. Even if only minor changes occurred, 4D databases need to be recompiled using a 4D v6.8 Compiler.
A "package" is a new Mac OS X concept that allows for the transforming of a folder that contains several files into a stand-alone application with a desktop icon. With this feature, application files are hidden to the end user.
To purchase an upgrade to 4D v6.8, visit the 4D Store or call 1.800.785.3303 to speak to a 4D sales representative.
Yes. With one exception---when you upgrade a 4D Server you will receive the expansion Product ID numbers for all of the expansion products registered to that particular server at the time you upgrade. Additional expansion products added at a later time will not be able to get upgraded here, so please be sure that you have registered and attached all the necessary expansion licenses to your 4D Server prior to upgrading.
If you are already using the 4D Academic Standard Edition and would like to upgrade to the newest v6.8 version, click here. Please be sure to have your 4D Academic Standard Edition Serial Number available.
4D products have been carbonized, which means that Carbon API was used to port the products.
Apart from a few exceptions, the whole set of 4D products is carbonized in 6.8. Please note that although it has not yet been carbonized, 4D Compiler is numbered 6.8 in order to indicate its compatibility with other products. (It will ultimately be carbonized in a slightly different form.)
Products that will not be carbonized may belong to 3 families:
1) Products that will not be part of the catalog anymore including Network
component memory, Network component IPX/SPX, and Network Component ADSP.
2) Products that are only available under Windows including 4D ISAPI, 4D
CGI, ODBC Driver for 4D Server, DDE Tools, and OLE Tools.
3) Products where the Client part is missing such as 4D ODBCD and 4D for
Oracle.
The answer is "no" if we talk about 4D plug-ins which will not be carbonized anyway. The answer is "yes" for third-party plug-ins, provided they work under Mac OS 9 or in Classic mode.
Yes. Whether they are used under Mac OS 9.x or the Classic mode, carbonized products use the Apple "Carbon Lib" library to work.
No. The 4D v6.8 product line is only available in a carbonized version. This version runs on both systems.
The CarbonLib will be provided by 4D as a standard. The latest versions can be also be found on the Apple Web site.
CarbonLib version 1.4 minimum, but version 1.5 is recommended. This version may change according to the needs and modifications of the OX or of the 4D product line.
No. The only existing conversion concerns the structure during the upgrade of 6.7.x versions to 6.8.x versions. As soon as the structure is a 6.8 structure, no file format difference appears between Mac OS 9.x and Mac OS X.
Nothing at all---4D takes care of everything. No coding modification for the structure and no data format modification is needed. A 4D database can be opened under Mac OS 9 and/or Mac OS X without being modified.
4D provides a small database called "4D Package Maker" which enables you to build a packaged application using a compiled database and 4D Runtime.
Under Mac OS 9, these applications also appear as packages. To see the package content, use the "Ctrl-Click" combination on its icon.
Given the first test results, there is almost no difference. Calls to the CarbonLib under Mac OS 9 are equal in terms of performance to the Toolbox calls.
Windows
Pentium II minimum
800 X 600 monitor resolution
Windows 2000, Windows XP.
256 MB RAM minimum
MacOS:
G3 or better processor
800 X 600 monitor resolution
Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later
256 MB RAM minimum
International | Company | Contact 4D | Site Map | Privacy Policy | © 4D, Inc. 1995-2008 | Change font size: [A] [A] [A] | 
| 4D RSS Feeds
