Compatibility
The system is fully upward compatible. This means that everything developed in version 4.7 can be executed in this version without being prepared again. As long as you use functionality that was also available in 4.7 you will be able to run data models and Manipula / Maniplus setups prepared in 4.8 also in 4.7. Note that the use of multiple layout sections in a datamodel breaks the backward compatibility of the .bmi file.CATI management is not backward compatible. The storage format of the survey specification has changed. To reflect this a new file extension is being used (.btr). A survey specification of version 4.7 or earlier can be used (read-only) in 4.8. Version 4.8 can only write survey specifications in the new storage format. A daybatch created in 4.7 or earlier can not be used in 4.8 and a daybatch created in 4.8 can not be used in earlier versions.
The DEP menu manager MenuMana.exe to create DEP menu Files (extension .bwm) is not included anymore in the installation. All parts of the system now support Blaise menu files (extension .bmf) created with the menu editor program (MenuEdit.exe). Note that both the menu editor and the Data Entry Program can still read the DEP menu files.
‘Classical’ Alien DLL's (see for instance DEP DLL Reference) are only supported when compiled in Delphi™ version 7 or higher. Blaise version 4.7 and earlier supported Alien DLL's compiled in Delphi™version 2, 3 and 4.
Due to Microsoft's policy on the ImageEdit control, Blaise 4.8 does no longer
supports the BlaiseImageControl and the accompanying tool ZoneDef.exe. These
parts of the system where used to highlight a field in a scanned form during a
data entry session.
All executables that are shipped with Blaise 4.8 have been compressed using the
compression tool PECompact2. As a result the executable sizes are much smaller
compared to previous releases.
In order to allow a full Blaise 4.8 installation next to a Blaise 4.7 installation on the same machine, almost all Blaise components have a new name.