Returns an A-Shell version string.

Syntax

Application.Version(VersionType)

Parameters

VersionType

A VersionTypeEnum value that determines the format and section of the A-Shell version string to return.

Return Value

A String value indicating the version of A-Shell. The full version string of  A-Shell conforms to the AMOS versioning format, and is of the form:

”A-Shell Version a.b[c](d)[-e]”

The values of a,b,c,d, and e correspond to the AMOS Version parts VMajor, VMinor, VSub, VEdit and VPatch.

Remarks

The following table shows the return string for each possible value of the VersionType parameter for A-Shell Version 4.7A(480)-1:

VersionTypeEnum Value	Return String
jbvtFullString	A-Shell Version 4.7A(480)-1
jbvtVerString	4.7A(480)-1
jbvtVMajor	4
jbvtVMinor	7
jbvtVSub	A
jbvtVEdit	480
jbvtVPatch	1

 

Checking the A-Shell version is particularly important in implementation of the Ping function on the IXcallBlock interface when developing COM-based XCALL routines.

Because the various A-Shell interfaces may be continually extended, presence of a particular interface does not guarantee implementation of all properties, methods and functions on that interface. The A-Shell version should therefore be checked in order to ensure that the version of A-Shell in use does support all the required automation (and any other) features.

Although not maintaining full interface compatibility between versions contravenes the normal COM and Microsoft conventions, it removes the need to introduce sequences of similar, but extended interfaces each time new methods are added. A particularly good example of this ‘interface mess’ is the Microsoft HTML Object Library, which contains the IHTMLWindow, IHTMLWindow2, and IHMTLWindow3 interfaces, as well as numerous other examples.