Altova announced the release of Version 2017 of its MissionKit desktop developer tools and server software products. This release delivers powerful new tools for development and data integration, including support for Apache Avro big data files, additional databases and drivers, two new XBRL specifications, a new way to build and process fillable PDF forms, and more.

“Along with ever-changing Big Data and data integration trends, developers’ jobs are evolving – and our tools are keeping pace,” said Alexander Falk, CEO and President of Altova. “The new tools in Version 2017 ensure that they have access to rich functionality for working with the latest standards, whether those are XML, JSON, XBRL, Avro, EDI, and so on – all in a single toolset. With new support for Apache Avro, as well as support for additional databases and XBRL specifications across the Version 2017 product line, Altova developers are armed with all the tools they need to build today’s cutting edge, data-centric applications.”

Here are a few highlights of the newly released features:

  • Modernized XML find/replace dialog: In XMLSpy the new, modeless dialog stays open as you work, highlighting all instances of a search term immediately, as you type, allowing you to identify and navigate to each instance much more quickly than before.
  • Apache Avro support: There has long been an unfilled need for working with binary Avro data in a user-friendly way – until now. Avro support includes:
    • Avro View for visualizing and searching Avro binaries in XMLSpy
    • Intelligent Avro schema editing in XMLSpy
    • High performance Avro validation and processing on RaptorXML Server
  • Enhanced database connectivity across the product line includes new support for:
    • ADO.NET database drivers
    • Native support for PostgreSQL
    • Progress OpenEdge databases
    • SQL Server 2016
  • New features for data integration in MapForce and MapForce Server include:
    • Dynamic mapping of the names of nodes
    • Executing Database Table Actions as SQL merge for improved performance
    • Support for new EDIFACT versions and the VERMAS message
  • Fillable PDF forms: StyleVision, well known for generating attractive, multi-channel reports in PDF and other formats just got important new functionality for designers building fillable PDF forms. All of StyleVision’s user-friendly design tools are now available for PDF Forms, making it easy to build these functional tools for capturing user data. Then, StyleVision Server can be utilized to process user-entered data to save it, generate reports, and more.
  • Enhanced XBRL support: Altova’s XBRL-enabled products now provide additional support for working with XBRL Taxonomy Packages and Inline XBRL.

These and many additional features are available in Version 2017 of MissionKit desktop developer tools and server software products. For a complete list of new features, supported standards, and trial downloads please visit: (http://www.altova.com/whatsnew.html)