Helix 7.0 is the first major upgrade of our database application development and deployment tools since completing the transition from Classic to Intel-only macOS. It was introduced on December 20, 2016. The new feature list is extensive, with over 70 distinct items described in the complete release notes, in addition to clarified specifications and numerous bug fixes. Some of the major new features introduced in Helix 7 are listed below.

Helix 7.0.1 is a bug fix release that was introduced on January 20, 2017. The Release Notes detail the over 20 improvements to performance and stability.

Helix 7.0.2 is a feature enhancement/bug fix release that was introduced on April 29, 2017. The Release Notes detail over 70 improvements in features, performance, and stability.

Helix 7.0.3 is a feature enhancement/bug fix release that was introduced on September 26, 2017. The Release Notes detail over 60 improvements in features, performance, and stability.

Helix 7.0.4 is a feature enhancement/bug fix release that was introduced on January 1, 2018. The Release Notes detail over 30 improvements in features, performance, and stability.

Helix RADE, Helix Engine and Helix Client/Server:

• Unicode support. Helix has spent its entire existence in the 256-character world of ASCII. That’s now a serious limitation, as Unicode is here and supported virtually everywhere. Helix 7.0 provides Unicode support for text and styled text data and collection file names as well as icons, strings and text labels in Design Mode. (Unicode support for document management coming in a future release.)
• Expanded collection file size support. Helix collections are no longer limited to 4GB. In Helix 7.0 they can grow to as large as 64GB. No one likes to have to archive data; now, you may never have to worry about that again.
• PDF replaces PICT as Helix standard for Picture field data, resulting in sharper images and more flexibility.
• Collection update integration. Like the structure check before it, collection updating is now a part of RADE, Server and Engine, with an option to automatically create a zip archive backup.

Helix RADE Design Mode:

• Column Sorting: When viewing a collection or relation window in List Mode, you can now sort by any column, just by clicking on the column headers. Creation and Modification Date columns have been added, and you can sort in ascending or descending order, up to three levels deep. You can even hide columns you don’t care to see.
• Object Timestamping: Knowing when an object was created and/or modified is a very useful piece of information in the design and construction process. In Helix 7.0, icons are timestamped on creation and when modified. This information appears in the Inspector when the object is selected, and as new columns in List Mode.

Helix Client/Server (and Helix Personal Server):

• TLS/SSH Secured Connection (trusted host and encrypted communication). In addition to its two levels of password protection and other security features, Helix collections now support secure data access, using industry-standard authentication and encryption.
• User-based idle time logout. Network managers can now tailor Helix data access to individual users’ work habits, specifying how long a user’s workstation can be idle before being automatically logged out.

Helix Utility:

• Compact Object Map. When compressing an existing collection, this new capability boosts performance for older collections by removing the gaps that occur in a collection’s internal Object Map over time.
• Rescale Collection. Along with providing the ability to expand a collection up to 64GB, this new tool adjusts the ‘internal block size,’ allowing collections that won’t be growing to such an extreme size to run more compactly. (A collection can be rescaled — up or down — as often as desired.)
• Expert Mode. This tab provides collection repair tools for qualified users.

Helix 7 requires transformations within the collection structure. Once a collection is updated to Helix 7, it can not be opened in Helix 6.x again. For this reason, a new feature of the collection update process offers to automatically make a backup for you. We strongly encourage you to make a backup before updating.

Many sample scripts showing how to accomplish specific tasks in AppleScript are available on our public AppleScript page. Additional scripts are available exclusively to customers who purchased the Learning AppleScript with Helix self-paced training course.

Of course, all software contain bugs — this software included! To streamline the reporting process, we have created a complete bug reporting database in our online Helix database: techdb. For those who have never used techdb before: accessing techdb means using Helix Client to log into our own Helix Server from anywhere in the world. This is a great demonstration of the capabilities of Helix Client/Server. You can get your free copy of Helix Client on our download page.

Reporting bugs through techdb has many advantages:

1. Report Discussions — communicate with our staff and other users. Help us identify the root issue behind the bugs.
2. Search Capabilities — find out if others are experiencing the same issues.
3. Feature Votes — indicate how important a fix is to you. More votes = higher priority.
4. Document Exchange — submit collections, scripts, diagnostic logs, etc. Helix’s document management capabilities make it easy.

For more on using techdb, please visit this page.

Before you enter a new report, please look at the existing reports to see if the bug you have found has already been reported. The Callisto Reports item in the Reports menu displays just the reports that pertain to Helix 7.0. This form also has options to filter the list only to show the reports in which you are personally involved.

Because we are trying to get the most visible and productive work done in the shortest possible period, we reserve the right to “condense” reports. If a report you entered seems to have disappeared, rest assured it isn’t a Helix bug. We routinely remove duplicate reports. Please don’t take it personally if your report is removed in favor of another. Either way, we do appreciate your contribution.

Helix 7.0: December 20, 2016

Helix 7.0.1: January 20, 2017

Helix 7.0.2: April 29, 2017

Helix 7.0.3: September 26, 2017

Helix 7.0.4: January 1, 2018