Oregon Delphi User Group

In October, we introduced WebBroker in Delphi. Now, we’ll move those projects over to Kylix. We’ll go a little further in developing the ODUG web site using custom tags in a web template and will have time for general Q&A. Download: PowerPoint Slides Delphi project PRESENTER David Cornelius has been using Borland’s software tools for over 15 years, using mostly the Object Pascal language. He is the current coordinator of the Oregon Delphi Users Group and cofounder of Sohlius, Inc.

A lot has changed with Elevate Software’s popular database engine since we last looked at it. With server procedures, scheduled server events, online backup and restore, Kylix support, custom SQL and filter functions, improved documentation, and much more, DBISAM 4 takes a great database product and makes it incredible! Winning awards year after year, it is often touted as the best BDE replacement for Delphi. But even if you aren’t looking to move up to something more stable and easier to deploy than Paradox or Access, it’s reliability, speed, small footprint, SQL language, and royalty-free distribution license and many other features are reasons enough to choose it over other products.

The votes are in–a new template for the web site has been chosen! The new HTML pages will have WebBroker tags throughout and the resulting pages generated by OdugWebBuilder, a Delphi/Kylix application. The Pascal code contains a reusable base class that can be extended for a variety of databases. In fact, it was first designed to work with DBISAM a couple of years ago, but tonight’s presentation will describe the Firebird version.

Borland will be presenting Delphi 8 in locations throughout the US. We’ll show you all the reasons why you should make Delphi 8 part of your .NET plans. Here’s a very brief taste of what we’ll be looking at: ECO (Enterprise Core Objects) WinForms WebForms (ASP.NET) BDP for .NET (Borland Data Providers) VCL for .NET IDE features Compiler/language feature There will be a special discounted offer at these meetings. You do not want to miss out on the substantial savings!

Here’s your chance to participate in an interactive discussion with Pervasive Software experts Chip Izard and Jim Beecher as they discuss Pervasive’s Data Management Security and Data Integration solutions. What’s in it for you? Just by showing up you’ll learn how to: Reduce the security risks to the data in your apps Manage and integrate data across or beyond your enterprise Deliver timely access to corporate information Don’t know Pervasive? You should.

This month’s presentation will be an interactive discussion on Good Coding Practices. David Cornelius will launch the discussion covering the following topics: Indentation and spacing Good naming conventions Writing robust code And why everyone needs version control! Some example code, both personally written and commercially sold, will be shown–and you’ll get to help decide how well it was written! A free tool for quickly formatting poorly-written code will be shown and a few IDE tricks for speeding up development while preserving readable style will be revealed.

How do users perceive the difference between a rich application and an online resource? What processes should developers use to capture these differences? How are projects affected by the results of these processes? Leo Frishberg, a software developer, usability consultant, and user-centered designer, will talk about user-centered design in the context of the Web vs. the desktop. Using examples from projects in both environments, Leo will point out the similarities and differences in users’ expectations, approaches, and behaviors when faced with an application or online resource.

Many times when people talk about open source, they talk about Linux or having to download source archives, read lengthy HOWTOs and follow cryptic installation instructions. And when people want really easy-to-install and user-friendly tools, they often look first to high-priced ones from big-name companies. But there are two nearly indispensible products that many Delphi developers use which are not only user-friendly and easy to install, but also completely free! The two products discussed tonight are InnoSetup and GExperts.

Given the fact that I don’t have time to put together another presentation and that people are probably tired of listening to me anyway, I’m just going to host a general question-and-answer period, a networking session if you will. We can combine that with attempts stump-the-programmer where anyone can give or take a challenge, man the keyboard and test their Delphi skills. I’ll bring my laptop with Delpi 6 Professional, Firebird, DBISAM, Access, and several third-party components including the TurboPower libraries, Rave Reports, Raize Controls 3, InfoPower 3000, Indy, CodeSite, WPTools, and some custom components I’ve developed.

This year’s Borland Conference was, as usual, packed full of information and previews. Diamondback and SDO were just two of the buzzwords used this year. This presentation will bring you up-to-date on the latest technology from the Borland world. Some specific items that will be presented include: DiamondBack (the next release of Delphi) hear about the new IDE and compiler features see Diamondback in action Is Kylix dead? The Borland Roadmap and SDO PRESENTER Phyllis Helton is the Information Services Manager, Analyst, Designer and Lead Developer for The JESUS Film Project where she has been programming for the past 10 years.