The PBNI SDK

When you install PowerBuilder, the Software Development Kit (SDK) for PBNI is installed in the %AppeonInstallPath%\PowerBuilder [version]\SDK\PBNI directory. The SDK tools, pbsig220 and pbx2pbd220, are also installed in the %AppeonInstallPath%\PowerBuilder [version]\IDE directory so that they are available in your path.

The SDK contains the components shown in the following table.

Component

Description

pbx2pbd220.exe

A tool that generates a PBD file from a PowerBuilder extension file. The extension file is a DLL file that must export a set of PBNI functions. The DLL is usually called a PBX and can be given the suffix .pbx.

pbsig220.exe

A tool that generates a set of strings representing the return type and arguments of each function in a PBL. Use these strings to call PowerBuilder functions from external modules.

include\pbni.h

A header file that defines the structures and interfaces used to build PowerBuilder extensions.

include\pbarray.h

A header file that contains helper classes that make it easier to create arrays and access data in them.

include\pbfield.h

A header file that contains helper classes that make it easier to access data in fields.

include\pbtraits.h

A header file used by pbarray.h and pbfield.h that provides specializations for the pbvalue_type enumerated types.

include\pbext.h

A header file that defines the functions that PowerBuilder extension functions must export.

include\pbevtid.h

A header file that maps the PowerBuilder event IDs to event names for use in visual extensions.

include\pbnimd.h

A header file that defines machine-dependent datatypes used in pbni.h.

include\pbrsa.h

A header file that defines interfaces and structures used to access DataWindow and DataStore data.

src\pbarray.cpp

A source file that must be added to your project if you want to use the following helper classes defined in pbarray.h:

PBArrayAccessor

PBObjectArrayAccessor

PBBoundedArrayCreator

PBBoundedObjectArrayCreator

PBUnboundedArrayCreator

PBUnboundedObjectArrayCreator

src\pbfuninv.cpp

A source file that must be added to your project if you want to use the following helper classes defined in pbni.h:

PBGlobalFunctionInvoker

PBObjectFunctionInvoker

PBEventTrigger

src\pbobject.cpp

A source file that must be added to your project if you want to use the following helper class defined in pbni.h: PBObjectCreator.

wizards\VCProjects 16.0

A Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 wizard that makes it easier for you to create PBNI projects.

wizards\VCProjects 8.0

A Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 wizard that makes it easier for you to create PBNI projects.

wizards\VCProjects 7.1

A Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 wizard that makes it easier for you to create PBNI projects.

wizards\VCProjects 7.0

A Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2002 wizard that makes it easier for you to create PBNI projects.

wizards\VCWizards

Files required by the Visual Studio wizards.

pbni.chm

Help file for PBNI.