Lasso has a dynamic type system, where objects can be loaded and augmented at runtime, automatic memory management, a comprehensive standard library, and three compiling methodologies: dynamic (comparable to PHP-Python), just-in-time compilation (comparable to Java or .NET Framework), and pre-compiled (comparable to C). Lasso also supports Query Expressions,[4] allowing elements within arrays and other types of sequences to be iterated, filtered, and manipulated using a natural language syntax similar to SQL.[5] Lasso includes full Unicode character support in the standard string object, allowing it to serve and support multi-byte characters such as Japanese and Swedish, and supports transparent UTF-8 conversion when writing string data to the network or file system.
Lasso is often used as a scripting language, and also used in a wide range of non-scripting contexts. Lasso code can be packaged into standalone executable programs called "LassoApps", in which folder structures are compiled into single files.[6]
The Lasso Server application server runs as a system service and receives requests from the web server through FastCGI. It then hands the request off to the appropriate Lasso Instance, which formulates the response. Multiple individual instances are supported, allowing one server to handle multiple sites, each as separate processes. The server uses a high performance IO-based green threading system designed for multi-core systems.
Free for development, Lasso allows partial access to its source code,[11] enabling developers to add or change major components of the language (for example, Ke Carlton's DS implementation of the Lasso Inline[12]). Licensing comes in both SAS and stand-alone versions.[13]
History
Lasso began in the mid-1990s when early web developers were attempting to build database-backed websites using Apple's FileMaker Pro. On the Mac platform, there were two solutions: Eric Bickford's WEB-FM, and Russell Owens' FileMaker CGI (ROFM) - both built in AppleScript and requiring the use of FileMaker Pro calculation fields for formatting. (WEB-FM was subsequently rewritten in C).
In the fall of 1995, independent developer Vince Bonfanti wrote a new CGI based on ROFM, using C/C++ for improved performance, and using the notion of HTML-based "templates" instead of relying on calculation fields. This proved very popular in the FileMaker community, and was brought to the attention of Bill Doerrfeld, owner of Blue World Communications Inc., a print and website development firm based out of Issaquah, Washington, who bought the source code.[14]
At this time, Blue World experimented with improvements for the CGI in the Frontier scripting environment, which inspired the name "Lasso". Further need for improvement drove the creation of a C-based CGI which was later released as "Lasso 1.0". At this point Lasso only worked with FileMaker Pro 3.x and WebSTAR, and only ran on AppleMac OS 8 and above.[15]
Lasso's popularity grew most notably from reviews in print publications[16][discuss] and Blue World's hosting of and participation in many email discussion lists, many of which specifically pertained to FileMaker Pro. Blue World also made frequent appearances and was known as a leading company at MacWorld conferences.[17]
Following the release of the Lasso 1.2 lineup in January 1997, Blue World and the Bonfantis entered private talks with Claris, the software division of Apple Computer, and owner of FileMaker Pro. Claris eventually licensed the post-version-1.2 Lasso source code, and with the help of Vince and Paul Bonfanti released the FileMaker Web Companion as a component of FileMaker Pro 4.0. FileMaker Web Companion's language, CDML (Claris Dynamic Markup Language),[18] differed from Lasso 1.2's LDML (Lasso Dynamic Markup Language), but was close enough as to offer an easy transition for developers looking to serve from FileMaker Pro through third-party servers[19] and offered more compelling features.[20]
Including the Lasso-like Web Companion in FileMaker 4.0 helped grow popularity for Lasso in the fast-growing Macintosh web development community. Blue World continued developing Lasso with Kyle Jessup becoming Lasso's lead programmer. Lasso 2.0 was released in July 1997, introducing some fundamental shifts in how Lasso could be used.[21]
On February 26, 2002, Blue World released Lasso 5, a radical departure from the FileMaker-centric language to date. (There was never a Lasso 4 release; the version number skipped from 3 to 5.) Lasso 5 included, among many updates, a completely rewritten architecture (for OS X, Windows, Linux), and an embedded MySQL database.[22] Though Lasso 5 still spoke to a FileMaker database (but not to a FileMaker Server), FileMaker as a data source remained relatively slow compared to an SQL engine, and was prohibitively more expensive. Since v2.0, Lasso was fully multithreaded, allowing many connections at once, but succumbed to FileMaker's latency or lag in certain operations, and there was no way to get around it reliably other than to make major changes to the data source.[23]
Lasso 5 also added support for Apache HTTP Server natively under OS X, Windows, and Linux, joining Webstar 5, AppleShare IP (which was replaced by OS X Server), and iTools (from Tenon[24]). (Mac OS 9, on which Lasso had been used for many years, was unsupported). This drove closer ties to a classic LAMP server architecture.[citation needed]
Blue World Communications released a series of plug-ins for popular Web development packages from Macromedia and Adobe. Lasso Studio 1.5 for Dreamweaver was a runner-up in MacWorld magazine's Editors' Choice Awards for Internet and Development[25] in 2001, losing out to Adobe Dreamweaver 3. Lasso Studio for Dreamweaver 1.5[26] was also reviewed favorably by MacWorld magazine, earning 4+1⁄2 mice. Later version of Lasso Studio supported both Macromedia Dreamweaver and Adobe GoLive including Lasso Studio 7 for Dreamweaver and GoLive[27] on March 26, 2004.
With the release of FileMaker Server and FileMaker Server Advanced version 7 in 2004 FileMaker signaled a major change in their strategy for serving data to Web sites. They emphasized XML-XSLT, ODBC, and JDBC connectivity, but only through the more expensive FileMaker Server Advanced product.[28] Blue World began to distance the Lasso language from FileMaker and Apple. In 2005, Lasso Pro received MySQL Network certification[29] demonstrating the importance of the popular open source database to the future of Lasso.
On August 1 of 2004, Bill Doerrfeld officially sold the Lasso product line to OmniPilot Software, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Lasso 7.0.3 was the last version of Lasso released by Blue World.[30]
On October 25, 2004, OmniPilot officially announced the release of Lasso 8, a version including sandboxing for multiple sites on the same server and connectivity to many new datasources.[31] This also included the first "free" version of Lasso limited to IP addresses.[32] OmniPilot followed this release with a number of complementary products, including Lasso Studio 8 for Dreamweaver and GoLive[33] on March 28, 2005, Lasso Studio for Eclipse, ChartFX integration and a number of free Lasso-based solutions.[34]
In 2007, three OmniPilot employees, Kyle Jessup (the original developer of Lasso 1.0), Fletcher Sandbeck (an early employee of Blue World known for regular Tips and Tricks) and Kerry Adams (an employee of OmniPilot) created a new company, LassoSoft LLC, to purchase the intellectual property of Lasso from OmniPilot and continue development.[35][36] Recognizing the need to be competitive against much more popular languages such as PHP and ASP, radical changes in architecture, syntax and structure were made and released as Lasso 9.0. Technical challenges caused by these changes, coupled with limited marketing resources, led to significant community decline as the company struggled to release documentation and support for the new language.[37][38]
In December 2010 a new Canadian company LassoSoft Inc. was formed, which bought and invested heavily in the Lasso 9.0 language, marketing and documentation. Kyle Jessup agreed to stay on as both Lasso's Lead Developer and Benevolent Dictator for Life. Several releases (9.1 and 9.2) have released further developments in recent years.[39]
Release history
Key
Color
Meaning
Development
Red
Old release
No development
Yellow
Stable release
Security fixes
Green
Stable release
Bug and security fixes
Blue
Future release
New features
Version
Release date
Notes
ROFM
>1994-03-14
Russell Owens' FileMaker CGI, early AppleScript-based connector for FileMaker Pro databases
0.1
Sep-1995
CGI connector written by Vince Bonafonti in C/C++ to connect FileMaker Pro to the web
1.0
27-Sep-1996
Connector for FileMaker Pro 3.x and WebSTAR[40][41]
Source code licensed to Claris (Apple Computer Inc), named CDML, installed in Claris Homepage
2
17-Jul-1997
Included mathematical calculations, variables, complex data types, server side includes, client header information, advanced conditional statements, a Java-client interface, Apple Events control for other applications on the web server, multiple database actions, and Instant Web Publishing[43]
2.5
1-Dec-1997
Added tag standardization and interoperability, ability to communicate with the WebTen web server (a port of Apache HTTP Server to the Mac OS by Tenon Intersystems)[44]
3.0
07-Oct-1998
Added data validation filters, macros, file/directory management, date/time controls, list variables, multiple named tokens, robust error handling, MIME email, email attachments, extended math routines, enhanced string functions, enhanced encoding controls[45]
3.5
14-Apr-1999
Added WYSIWYG authoring using Macromedia Dreamweaver 2 and Adobe GoLive 4, multithreading, LJAPI, optional HTTP server, support for Netscape server, JavaScript, XML and advanced tag parser with built-in debug controls[46]
3.6
5-Jan-2000
Support for FileMaker 5 Data Sources, SQL wizard for interactive SQL queries, customizable global error pages and Studio for MacroMedia DreamWeaver[47]
3.6.5
1-Oct-2000
Added connector for MySQL, Red Hat and OS X support[48]
5
26-Feb-2002
Rewritten architecture for OS X, Windows, Linux, with embedded MySQL; added sessions, file manipulation, native connector for Apache, and LassoScript (adding "scripting" methodology to the language)[49]
6
17-Sep-2002
Added imaging, PDF manipulation, native XML, FTP integration, date math, durations[50]
7
30-Aug-2004
MySQL externalized (due to licensing), FileMaker closed connector
Added full AJAX integration, multiple data source connectors pre-installed for FileMaker, FileMaker Server Advanced, MySQL, SQLite, MS SQL Server, Sybase, Oracle, PostgreSQL, OpenBase, ODBC, and Apple's Spotlight engine[53]
9
29-Jan-2010
Major architectural change: more syntax, strong-typing vs. weak-typing, JIT compiling, native serializing, 64-bit support[54]
Square brackets are reserved in Lasso, so HTML entities must be used to show square brackets on Lasso pages for other purposes than marking Lasso tags. Alternatively, printing square brackets can be by Lasso or be disabled by including [no_square_brackets] at the file top.
Inlines
// Find all records in a tableinline(-database='db_name',-table='table_name',-findall)=>{// Iterate through and process each rowrows=>{// Output each row to the current web requestcontent_body+='<a href="'+column('url')+'">'+column('title')+'</a>'}}
Inlines are the basic Lasso tool for database actions. Database commands can be issued as above, in Lasso's db-independent metalanguage, in which case the same search code works for MySQL, FileMaker Pro or for any other database backend with which Lasso can connect.
If needed, a SQL statement can of course be embedded in the inline when using a database server that supports SQL:
// Execute SQL statementinline(-database='db_name',-sql='SELECT * FROM table_name')...
In the above example, the dashes (-) before commands denote optional parameters. These can be specified in any order and generated dynamically; the last of any duplicate parameters take precedence. The inline command supports a large range of parameters[59] allowing developers to interact with databases that they may not have intimate knowledge of.
Custom database connectors can be created which allows leveraging the abstracted nature of the inline command.
99 Bottles of Beer
The next procedural example prints out the lyrics for the song "99 Bottles of Beer".
// Define a couple of useful methodsdefinebr=>'<br/>'definebottles(n::integer)=>#n!=1?' bottles'|' bottle'// Declare the local that will store the lyrics as a stringlocal(out='')// Use Lasso query syntax to generate the lyricwithnin99to1by-1do{#out+=#n+bottles(#n)+' of beer on the wall, '+br#out+=#n+bottles(#n)+' of beer; '+br#n--#out+='Take one down, pass it around, '+br#out+=#n+bottles(#n)+' of beer on the wall. '+(br*2)}// Output result#out
The next example uses an OOP approach to print out the lyrics when the object is represented as a string:
// Define typedefinebottles_of_beer=>type{// Define internal datadataprivatebottles=99// Define private methodsprivatebr=>'<br/>'privates=>.bottles!=1?'s'|''// Generate lyrics when object represented as a stringpublicasstring=>{local(out='')// Use Lasso query syntax to generate the lyricswithnin99to1by-1do{.bottles=#n#out+=.bottles+' bottle'+.s+' of beer on the wall, '+.br#out+=.bottles+' bottle'+.s+' of beer; '+.br.bottles--#out+='Take one down, pass it around, '+.br#out+=.bottles+' bottle'+.s+' of beer on the wall. '+(.br*2)}// Return resultreturn#out}}bottles_of_beer
HyperCard is a software application and development kit for Apple Macintosh and Apple IIGS computers. It is among the first successful hypermedia systems predating the World Wide Web.
Microsoft Access is a database management system (DBMS) from Microsoft that combines the relational Access Database Engine (ACE) with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, included in the Professional and higher editions or sold separately.
Mac OS X Server is a series of discontinued Unix-like server operating systems developed by Apple Inc. based on macOS. It provided server functionality and system administration tools, and tools to manage both macOS-based computers and iOS-based devices, network services such as a mail transfer agent, AFP and SMB servers, an LDAP server, and a domain name server, as well as server applications including a Web server, database, and calendar server.
FileMaker is a cross-platform relational database application developed by Claris International, a subsidiary of Apple Inc. It integrates a database engine with a graphical user interface (GUI) and security features, allowing users to visually modify a database. Versions for desktops, servers, iOS and web-delivery have been released.
MacWrite is a WYSIWYG word processor application released along with the first Apple Macintosh systems in 1984. Together with MacPaint, it was one of the two original "killer applications" that propelled the adoption and popularity of the GUI in general, and the Mac in particular.
AppleWorks was an integrated office suite containing a word processor, database, and spreadsheet. It was developed by Rupert Lissner for Apple Computer, originally for the Apple II platform and launched in 1984. Many enhancements for AppleWorks were created, the most popular being the TimeOut series from Beagle Bros which extended the life of the Apple II version of AppleWorks. Appleworks was later reworked for the Macintosh platform.
Claris International Inc., formerly FileMaker Inc., is a computer software development company formed as a subsidiary company of Apple Computer in 1987. It was given the source code and copyrights to several programs that were owned by Apple, notably MacWrite and MacPaint, in order to separate Apple's application software activities from its hardware and operating systems activities.
WebObjects is a discontinued Java web application server and a server-based web application framework originally developed by NeXT Software, Inc.
BBEdit is a proprietary text editor made by Bare Bones Software, originally developed for Macintosh System Software 6, and currently supporting macOS.
4D is a relational database management system and integrated development environment developed by Laurent Ribardière. 4D was created in 1984 and had a slightly delayed public release for Macintosh in 1987 with its own programming language.
XTND was a document import/export system developed by Claris for their products on the Apple Macintosh. Products supporting XTND placed an additional popup menu in the open and save dialogs, allowing users to read and write documents of any supported format. The name is a four-letter contraction of extend, the Mac using four-letter identifiers in its system resource files.
Claris Home Page was one of the earliest true WYSIWYG HTML editors, developed from 1994 on. The project was code-named Loma Prieta. Claris purchased it from San Andreas Systems, reworked it to use the user interface common to all their products, and released it in 1996.
Omnis Studio is a rapid application development (RAD) tool that allows programmers and application developers to create enterprise, web, and mobile applications for Windows, Linux, and macOS personal computers and servers across all business sectors.
Embedded SQL is a method of combining the computing power of a programming language and the database manipulation capabilities of SQL. Embedded SQL statements are SQL statements written inline with the program source code, of the host language. The embedded SQL statements are parsed by an embedded SQL preprocessor and replaced by host-language calls to a code library. The output from the preprocessor is then compiled by the host compiler. This allows programmers to embed SQL statements in programs written in any number of languages such as C/C++, COBOL and Fortran. This differs from SQL-derived programming languages that don't go through discrete preprocessors, such as PL/SQL and T-SQL.
Microsoft SQL Server is a proprietary relational database management system developed by Microsoft. As a database server, it is a software product with the primary function of storing and retrieving data as requested by other software applications—which may run either on the same computer or on another computer across a network. Microsoft markets at least a dozen different editions of Microsoft SQL Server, aimed at different audiences and for workloads ranging from small single-machine applications to large Internet-facing applications with many concurrent users.
Bento is a discontinued database application for Mac OS X made by the former FileMaker Inc., since renamed to Claris. Bento differed significantly from the company's flagship product, FileMaker Pro, in that it relied heavily on templates and integration with other applications. By default, Bento's data sources included Apple's Address Book and Calendar applications, which it could modify directly. FileMaker announced on July 31, 2013, that it would discontinue Bento on September 30, 2013.
The Softwell Maker is an environment development. Designer uses visual forms and reports (WYSIWYG), business rules, and visually representing other actions using flowcharts.
References
↑ Dave, Parkhurst (April 25, 1997), "New Web tools help servers link to legacy data", MacWEEK Magazine
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
