Release the new version of FastCube .NET 2025.2

In this update, we focused on speeding up calculations, improving compatibility with .NET 9, and making changes easier to understand.

Transition to invariant mathematics – up to 2 times faster!

One of the most significant improvements was the abandonment of the "variant" type in favor of invariant mathematics. This change led to a significant acceleration of the make and recalculation of the cube, in some cases - more than 2 times!

In addition, the cube now works correctly in various localizations, including non-standard ones (other than Latin), which expands its application for international users.

Splitting changes by product

FastCube .NET updates are now split into different products (WinForms, Web, Mono, and general FastCube .NET). This makes the update process more transparent – you can immediately see what changes affect the version you need.

Fixed error reading stream from compressed file

Previously, in some cases, compressed files were not processed correctly, which could cause data to load incorrectly or not load at all.

Now this bug is fixed and the mechanism for working with compressed files is completely fixed. This means:

• Correct reading of data from archive files.
• More stable performance when loading large files.
• No errors in multithreaded mode, which is especially important for Web applications.

If your project makes heavy use of data compression, we recommend upgrading to version 2025.2 to avoid potential issues.

The file signature for the cube is now immutable (const instead of static)

Previously, the file signature was declared as static, which allowed it to be changed during program execution. In some cases, this could lead to errors related to data structure changes or even file corruption.

New version:

• The signature is now declared as const, making it immutable at the code level.
• The integrity of the file structure is guaranteed, regardless of changes in the program code.
• Improved stability of working with cube files in different environments, including Web and Mono.

This is especially important for developers who work in multi-user and distributed systems.

Compatibility with .NET 9

One of the key improvements was the addition of .NET 9 support. FastCube .NET is now fully compatible with the latest version of the platform, allowing you to take advantage of new features and improvements offered by Microsoft. This is an important update for developers who are port to .NET 9 or planning to use it in their projects.

We would like to point out that support for new versions ensures stable operation of the product and integration with the latest technologies.

Updating supported versions of .NET

The main version is now .NET 8, which is the current standard for most enterprise projects. However, support for .NET 6 is retained, which is a long-term version with extended support.

Additionally, as mentioned, .NET 9 support has been added, giving you flexibility in choosing the platform to work with FastCube .NET, whether it's stability (via .NET 6) or the latest features and performance improvements (.NET 9).

Fixes and improvements in the demo example

In the demo for the boolean format, a bug was fixed that caused the data to be displayed incorrectly. Now this format works correctly and does not cause errors, which improves the experience of users working with demo examples.

In the "Sales by months" demo cube, there were previously situations where the headers were displayed incorrectly. Now this error has been fixed, and the field names are displayed correctly, ensuring accuracy and ease of working with data.

Improving data serialization

One of the important improvements is the optimization of the data serialization process. New methods have been added and properties have been set, due to which default values are now serialized less frequently.

Reducing the amount of serialized data reduces the load on the system when saving and loading information. In addition, these changes contribute to improved performance, which will be especially noticeable when working with large data sets.

List of changes

FastCube .NET WinForms

[Common]
- fixed a bug where the stream from a compressed file was read incorrectly;
* the file signature for the cube now has a const modifier instead of static and cannot be changed;

FastCube .NET Web

[Common]
- fixed a bug where the stream from a compressed file was read incorrectly;
* the file signature for the cube now has a const modifier instead of static and cannot be changed;

FastCube .NET Mono

[Common]
- fixed a bug where the stream from a compressed file was read incorrectly;
* the file signature for the cube now has a const modifier instead of static and cannot be changed;

FastCube .NET

[Common]
+ added compatibility with .NET 9;
+ .NET versions have been updated, the main version is now .NET 8, and supported target platforms include .NET 6, .NET 8, and .NET 9;
* some properties are hidden from the user in the WinForms editor;
* the "variant" type was replaced by variant mathematics;
* improved serialization, added methods and set properties, due to which default values are serialized less often;
- corrected display of the field name in the "Sales by months" demo cube;
- fixed bug in demo example for boolean format.

Other critical changes

General changes for FastCube Web, FastCube WinForms and FastCube Mono

Deprecated delegates. They were replaced with compatible ones, because the Variant type was removed and now boxing via Object is used instead:

Deprecated fields. The following fields have been replaced with the corresponding properties:

Deprecated methods. Replaced with compatible methods, but instead of the Variant type, data boxing is now used via Object, which allows passing not values with memory copying, but a reference to an object.

Deprecated properties. The following properties have been replaced by using boxing instead of the Variant type:

Deprecated Types. The following types are deprecated and have been removed entirely because they are no longer used.

• FastReport.Olap.Utils.Variant
• FastReport.Olap.Types.IVariantable
• FastReport.Olap.Types.UnAssigned

The new delegates replace the old ones, which used the Variant type.

• FastReport.Olap.Slice.Value2Delegate(System.Int32, System.Int32, System.Object, System.Object, System.Int32)
• FastReport.Olap.Slice.ValueDelegate(System.Int32, System.Int32, System.Object, System.Int32)
• FastReport.Olap.Slice.SliceChartDataHandler(FastReport.Olap.Slice.Slice, FastReport.Olap.Slice.ChartParams, System.String[], System.String[], System.Object[], System.Int32)

The new field replaces the existing ones, now boxing via Object is used instead of the Variant type.

• FastReport.Olap.Slice.MeasureCell -> public System.Object Value

The new methods replaced the old ones, which used the Variant type. Now, boxing is used instead, and data is transferred by reference, not by value, which has significantly increased the speed.

New properties have replaced or expand the deprecated ones:

New types:

• FastReport.Olap.Utils.VMath - replaced the Variant type, now mathematics occurs through invariant calculations using boxing and type conversion.
• FastReport.Olap.Types.IValueStruct``1<T> - interface for implementing own boxing type.
• FastReport.Olap.Types.SimpleCompareAction - enumeration for types of invariant mathematics actions.

Changes for FastCube WinForms and FastCube Mono

The deprecated field has been replaced with a technically compatible one.

• FastReport.Olap.Controls.SizingInfo -> public FastReport.Olap.Utils.Variant Data

New field:

• FastReport.Olap.Controls.SizingInfo -> public System.Int32 Data