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gmStudio Release News: Wednesday, 29-April-2026

gmStudio Release News: Wednesday, 29-April-2026

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gmBasic: Upgrade Engine

gmBasic is a computer language processor that reads, interprets, and rewrites VB6/ASP/COM systems for the .NET platform (using C# or VB\.NET). Based on feedback from our clients and real-world modernization projects, we continuously improve gmBasic to help developers produce cleaner, more correct results and to successfully manage and complete large-scale upgrade projects. Most recently, this work includes work automatically produce a build-complete C# translations of large VB6/COM/.NET codes from clients in the engineering and utility/telecom industries. The distribution,Version 50.35, includes several technical enhancements:

 

What’s New

  • Improves recognition/migration of VB6 line/scale-style syntax

  • Improves lifecycle/cleanup of form terminate/dispose patterns

  • Improves handling for missing output/deploy folder behavior

  • Removes NotImplemented behavior for specific control fill-style handling

  • Improves reserved words handling

  • Adds new registry-backed DynamicSymbol resolution migration

  • Improves 2D/3D string array initialization to emptystring rather than null

  • Improves Erase string array translation

  • Corrects parameterized property-get assignment handling

  • Improves omitted-parameter handling (CreateObject contexts)

  • Improves Form/UserControl default instance logic and adds support for migStatus=NeedsDefInstance

  • Improves ability to detect and migrate non-standard NewEnum implementations

  • Improves twips-division precision handling corrected (context-aware double promotion)

  • Improves FileAttribute.System/SystemFile reserved-word collision strategy.

  • Improves Shape.FillStyle Translation

  • Improves Form.ZOrder Translation

  • Corrects TAB insertion in Write# translations

  • Corrects Write# semicolon behavior (Write vs WriteLine)

  • Improves implicit string to double in mixed-type arithmetic and comparisons

  • Adds support for ASP.Response.LCID

Why It Matters

  • Greater than 95% probability of build-complete translations right out-of-the-box (OOTB)

  • More accurate runtime behavior: Generated code better preserves source intent in edge-case arithmetic and comparison logic.

  • Less manual cleanup: Fewer post-conversion edits needed for common migration pain points.

  • Faster stabilization: Improved first-pass build outcomes accelerate validation and handoff.

  • Lower delivery risk: Greater consistency across legacy patterns improves predictability at scale.

  • Better maintainability: Cleaner output and fewer workaround patterns improve long-term supportability.

gmStudio: Upgrade Solution Development Environment

Powered by gmBasic, gmStudio is a platform for analyzing code and developing custom VB6/ASP/COM-to-.NET upgrade solutions. We continuously add functionality to gmStudio and make it easier to use. This distribution includes several enhancements:

  • Improves behavior of the .NET IDE Launch Toolbar button

  • Improves support for upgrade projects having more than 10000 tasks (e.g. huge ASP sites)

  • Improves support for batch-only project tasks

  • Corrects problem with resolving source folders after moving a project workspace

  • Corrects problem with COM reference analysis when a computed ProgID is used in CreateObject statements

gmAPI: A .NET API for Developing Advanced Upgrade Solutions

gmAPI is a .NET API for automating our upgrade engine and accessing its semantic models. gmAPI also includes classes for managing complex upgrade rules and integrating external migration tools into the upgrade process. gmAPI is central to our platform and gmAPI dlls are used to implement several advanced features: analytics reports, shared files consolidation, custom codestyle, support framework generation, migration to WPF, and more. This release improves the gmAPI components to keep them in sync with the other platform changes.

Advanced Metrics Reporting

The gmStudio platform includes advanced reporting services that allow you to gather extremely detailed information about your legacy system. The advanced reports include Symbol Tables, Symbol References, Symbol Definitions, Model Audits, and more. We maintain and enhance these reporting services to keep them in sync with the model schema and to add new features. See Semantic Reportsfor more information.

  • Corrects Unused Symbol Analysis Report to suppress gmSL symbols

gmStudio Extensions

gmStudio ships with a collection of sample upgrade rules that can be used to add custom features to your upgrade solution. These XML documents and gmSL scripts are distributed as source code that you may modify to fit your unique requirements. The sample rules have been updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. See also additions and changes in the gmStudio Extensions Repository.

  • Improves Common Dialog to gmRTL.CommonDialog migration

  • Adds MSForms Stub Base Classes to Environment.std.xml

  • Adds MSMask Control migrations

  • Improves the mig.vb7lang_PictureBox.xml to migrate PictureBox to Drawing Enabled PictureBox

  • Improves migration of msxml6.dll IXMLDOMDocument.async

gmRTL: Great Migrations Runtime Library

gmRTL is a sample runtime library that contains classes allowing for more readable, functional translations. We continuously improve this library through real-world project work. A subset of this library is distributed with gmStudio Trial edition. Learn more here.

Sample Upgrade Solutions

Great Migrations publishes several sample VB6/ASP upgrade solutions that illustrate various upgrade features. The sample upgrade solutions and results have been updated to reflect the latest product improvements and conventions. Learn more here.

  • Improves FileExplorer samples to demonstrate integrating hand-written code

  • Improves FileExplorer samples to demonstrate referencing external assemblies

  • Improves FMStocks samples to demonstrate shared files consolidation

gmStudio Documentation portal

Great Migrations publishes FAQ articles and other information to help teams learn and use gmStudio on our documentation portal. The documentation portal was updated to reflect the latest features and details of the gmStudio Platform.

COMING SOON: We are moving our documentation from Atlassian/Confluence to Astro. This will make the information more easier to search, easier to read, and more accessible for training the AI-enhanced gmStudio product being develop for release later this year. Who wants to read all that documentation anyway? (the AI Does!) See the preview on our www site.