Steve Wales
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Database options for Delphi hobbyist ?
Years ago, I used to develop freeware programs using Delphi 5 for hobby / gaming use - little assorted database programs that stored assorted information about whatever hobby I had going at the time.
I'd write the program using Delphi 5 Professional and stored the data in Paradox tables. When someone else wanted the program, they could install the BDE and download the program and data files and be away.
I bought a copy of Delphi XE3 a little while back and have thought about delving into this again - updating some of my old programs just for the sake of learning with the updated tools.
I want to be able to use standard SQL to query the database.
From the point of view of ease of redistribution (I know a few people who would use updated versions of the programs if I ever got around to updating them), what's the easiest DB software to deal with ? If someone wanted to play with the updated program, what's the easiest solution for someone else to install so they could use the program ?
The version of XE3 I have supports ODBC (and I think it even has support for some other databases, I think the version of XE3 I have is Enterprise or Ultimate, I'd have to check what it was I bought).
Have not toyed with Dephi much in years (still have Delphi 5 installed and when I need a quick programmatic solution for a problem I still use it) but figured I should use the newer version I went to all the trouble of buying rather than sticking with the old one :)
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.
I'd write the program using Delphi 5 Professional and stored the data in Paradox tables. When someone else wanted the program, they could install the BDE and download the program and data files and be away.
I bought a copy of Delphi XE3 a little while back and have thought about delving into this again - updating some of my old programs just for the sake of learning with the updated tools.
I want to be able to use standard SQL to query the database.
From the point of view of ease of redistribution (I know a few people who would use updated versions of the programs if I ever got around to updating them), what's the easiest DB software to deal with ? If someone wanted to play with the updated program, what's the easiest solution for someone else to install so they could use the program ?
The version of XE3 I have supports ODBC (and I think it even has support for some other databases, I think the version of XE3 I have is Enterprise or Ultimate, I'd have to check what it was I bought).
Have not toyed with Dephi much in years (still have Delphi 5 installed and when I need a quick programmatic solution for a problem I still use it) but figured I should use the newer version I went to all the trouble of buying rather than sticking with the old one :)
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.
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Actually, I will throw one other question out related to this.
Do any of the above offer the equivalent to a formatted memo that Paradox had ? One of the columns in the application I plan on trying to upgrade contained bolded or italicized text at times.
Do any of the above offer the equivalent to a formatted memo that Paradox had ? One of the columns in the application I plan on trying to upgrade contained bolded or italicized text at times.
You can store large strings in a Text or nText column in Firebird. If you limit the length below that, you have a few more variable length character fields from which to choose. You can store HTML in the field and render the formatted text in a tHTMLviewer component (or equivalent).
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formatted memo ?
i use synedit to display formatted text, the database in this case doesn't matter
http://sourceforge.net/projects/synedit/
i use synedit to display formatted text, the database in this case doesn't matter
http://sourceforge.net/projects/synedit/
I've been using embedded Firebird in my hobby project www.PictoSelector.eu and that works great. The nice thing of firebird embedded is that it can also connect to a server, which makes it very flexible. Most of my users are parents and not aware that they are using a database except for a few system administrators which have installed it in schools and other institutions.
I'm using Unified InterBase to talk to firebird: http://sourceforge.net/projects/uib/
I'm using Unified InterBase to talk to firebird: http://sourceforge.net/projects/uib/
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Thanks for all for the input. Started playing with SQLite. We'll see how that goes.
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I will definitely look into the other three options presented though. Thanks!