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- ----------------------------------------
- RELNOTES.TXT
- ----------------------------------------
-
- Welcome to Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 Release Notes.
- This file contains information about new features, last-minute
- details about the current release, and additional technical
- information.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- ----------------------------------------
- 1. OLE/OCX
- 2. ENHANCED DEBUGGING LIBRARIES
- 3. BORLAND DATABASE ENGINE (BDE)
- 4. INSTALLSHIELD EXPRESS
- 5. UPDATED HELP FILES
- 6. INTERNET SOLUTIONS PACK HELP
- 7. BORLAND PASCAL 7.0 COMPATIBILITY
- 8. DELPHI COMMERCIAL VIDEOS
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 1. OLE/OCX
- ----------------------------------------
- OCX support has been expanded in this release to support the
- recently announced Microsoft ActiveX specification. When you
- install OCXs into the Delphi IDE, new OCX interface units are
- generated. OCX interface units generated with older versions
- of Delphi will not be able to take advantage of any of the new
- features.
-
- The OCX import unit generator now uses the base part of the OCX
- file name as the suggested import unit name instead of deriving
- the import unit name from the ProgID. This fixes problems with
- controls that have the same base name in their ProgIDs (such as
- MSICP), and also generally ensures that import unit names are
- unique and have no more that eight characters.
-
-
- IPerPropertyBrowsing interface
- ----------------------------------------
- The Object Inspector now supports the IPerPropertyBrowsing
- interface to obtain the list of valid values for a particular
- OCX property. Some OCX controls use this interface instead
- of enum types to indicate valid values for a property.
-
-
- Context sensitive (F1) help
- ----------------------------------------
- Context sensitive F1 help for OCX controls is now available
- in the form designer and Object Inspector. Some OCX controls do
- not provide help context information in their type libraries.
-
-
- Component methods which call OLE object methods
- ----------------------------------------
- Passing null or "missing" parameters to component methods which
- directly call an OLE object method (for example, TSMTP.Connect)
- can be done in one of two ways:
-
- 1) Refer to the component's OLEObject property.
-
- For example, if a method takes five parameters, and you
- want three of them null:
- MyComponent.OLEObject.Method(,,Param3,,Param5);
-
- 2) Define a function called None, then pass that directly to the
- component's method:
- function None: Variant;
- begin
- TVarRec(Result).VType = varError;
- TVarRec(Result).VError := DISP_E_PARAMNOTFOUND;
- end;
- ...
- MyComponent.Method(None, None, Param3, None, Param5);
-
- There is a slight performance advantage to the latter method,
- although it is minor compared to the overhead of actually
- dispatching the OLE method itself.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 2. ENHANCED DEBUGGING LIBRARIES
- ----------------------------------------
- When an exception occurs in a program that is being debugged, the
- debugger attempts to locate and display the line of source code
- nearest to the machine instruction that raised the exception.
- The debugger uses stack frames (markers placed on the stack) to
- walk back through the call stack looking for a routine with
- source code. The VCL core units are not compiled with stack
- frames enabled, so if an exception is raised in a VCL core unit,
- the debugger may have difficulty determining the nearest line of
- source code that caused the error.
-
- The SLIB directory contains a recompiled version of VCL with
- stack frames enabled. You can compile your applications with the
- SLIB units to improve the debugger's ability to locate the source
- code corresponding to runtime exceptions.
-
- To use these files, add the directory containing the SLIB DCU
- files to your project's search path. In the Delphi IDE, select
- the Project Options menu, open the Directories/Conditionals page
- and add the SLIB path to front of the Directories Search Path
- list. In the Compiler page of the same dialog, enable the Stack
- Frames option. Finally, recompile your program.
-
- Code compiled with these libraries will be slightly larger and
- slightly slower. If you wish to restore the original libraries
- before deploying your application, remove the path to these
- libraries from the Directories/Conditionals page, disable the
- Compiler Stack Frames option, and rebuild your application.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 3. BORLAND DATABASE ENGINE (BDE)
- ----------------------------------------
-
- Updated 16-bit BDE
- ----------------------------------------
- An updated version of the 16-bit BDE is included with this
- version of Delphi. Users of previous releases of the
- 16-bit BDE must install the updated version if they wish
- to use both 16-bit and 32-bit versions of the BDE. The
- updated 16-bit version of the BDE can be found on the CD
- in the DELPHI16\REDIST\BDEINST directory.
-
- BDE Configuration Compatibility Resolution
- ----------------------------------------
- The previous version of Delphi included two BDE configuration
- files (SYB32.CFG and MSS32.CFG) that avoided
- incompatibilities in the 16-bit and 32-bit configurations,
- allowing concurrent installation of both versions. This
- incompatibility has been resolved in the current 16-bit and
- 32-bit releases of the BDE.
-
- Updated SQL Links
- ----------------------------------------
- The updated Delphi 2.0 Client/Server Suite contains updated
- versions of both 32-bit and 16-bit SQL Links. The 16-bit
- SQL Links includes a DB2 driver.
-
- To install the new 16-bit SQL Links, run SETUP.EXE in the
- \SQL16\DISK1 directory. This installs both the updated
- 16-bit BDE and the updated 16-bit SQL Links.
-
- Delphi 1.0 and 16-bit BDE Installation
- ----------------------------------------
- Delphi 2.0 includes an installable version
- of the last release of Delphi 1.0. It can be found on
- the CD in the \DELPHI16 directory. It includes the
- 16-bit BDE version that was shipped with that release of
- Delphi.
-
- If you have a more current version of 16-bit BDE
- installed, the Delphi 1.0 installation program will
- detect this and allow you to forgo installing the
- previous version of BDE.
-
- If you install Delphi 1.0, and it installs 16-bit BDE,
- you should then also install the latest version of 16-bit
- BDE, which can be found on the CD in the
- DELPHI16\REDIST\BDEINST directory.
-
-
- All BDE Applications
- ----------------------------------------
- There is a problem when running a BDE application from a
- directory without "write" access under the Windows NT operating
- system. If there is no "temp" directory defined for the system,
- the error DBIERR_OSACCESS (OS Permission Denied) will occur
- during the call to DbiInit. To continue, a "temp" directory will
- need to be created. Consult your Windows NT manuals for
- instructions on how to specify a "temp" directory.
-
-
- All SQL Drivers
- ----------------------------------------
- If an Index is added to any SQL table, this may change the
- record buffer size. If the cursor is live, make sure to
- close and then reopen the table.
-
-
- ODBC Driver
- ----------------------------------------
- Version 2.0 of the MS-SQL ODBC driver provided by Microsoft
- does not support DECIMAL or NUMERIC field types
- (TTable.CreateTable will fail). However the version 2.11
- MS-SQL driver supplied by InterSolv does support the above
- field types.
-
-
- Schema Cache for SQL Drivers
- ----------------------------------------
- The schema cache option (i.e., "Enable Schema Cache" set to
- true with BDECFG32) is designed to be used with static
- databases. Changes to the database while this option is
- enabled may cause errors.
-
- You should not have the schema cache enabled if you
- frequently:
- - add columns to a table
- - add/drop indexes from a table
- - change validity checks on fields (i.e., "not null"
- added or removed)
-
- A good sign that a database is not static enough to use schema
- cache is if "Unknown SQL Errors" are returned whose error context
- refers to:
- - "Unknown Column"
- - "Invalid Bind Type"
- - "Invalid Type"
- - "Invalid Type Conversion"
- - "Column Not a Blob"
-
- If these types of error contexts are encountered, try disabling
- schema cache.
-
-
- ORACLE DRIVER
- ----------------------------------------
- Live queries for Oracle tables require a table qualifier or an
- alias name if the field names are quoted. The following line of
- code will produce an error:
- select * from someTable where "fieldname" = someValue
-
- Instead use one of the following statements:
- select * from someTable T1 where T1."fieldname" = someValue
- or:
- select * from someTable where "someTable"."fieldname" = someValue
-
-
- Database Notes
- ----------------------------------------
- o SQL Database floating point precision - Servers that
- support a single-precision floating point type typically
- offer only seven significant digits. If no
- TField.DisplayFormat is specified and the precision of
- the underlying field is less than 15 digits, you should
- set the TField.Precision property accordingly.
-
- o When using Cached Updates on a TQuery that is the detail
- of a master/detail relation, make sure to apply updates
- to the detail query before scrolling the master.
-
- o In order to delete a data dictionary attribute set that
- is based on another or has another set based on it, use
- the SQL Explorer to set the child's "based on" relation
- to none before deleting.
-
-
- Updateable SQL queries
- ----------------------------------------
- o The online help on Syntax Requirements for a Live Result Set
- should state that ORDER BY clauses are allowed in
- updateable queries.
-
- o The online help on Syntax Requirements for a Live Result
- Set incorrectly states that a unique index must exist on
- Sybase servers. Only the original column values implied
- by the setting of TQuery.UpdateMode must be unique.
-
- o All Oracle column names are case sensitive (as if they
- were quoted explicitly). Oracle table names are never
- quoted (and thus must be uppercase).
-
- o Quoted columns must be prefixed with a table alias.
-
- o Tables owned by another user must be qualified by owner
- name. Use quotes around the owners and around the table,
- for example "OWNER"."TABLE".
-
- o Dataset synchronization on SQL Databases - Whenever supported
- by the server, Delphi supports inserts against updateable
- queries, views, non-indexed Sybase and InterBase tables.
- However, a newly inserted record is not present in the
- current cache (dataset) when it is no longer the current
- record. The table must be reopened or the query executed
- again to refresh the cache and retrieve the inserted
- record.
-
-
- InterBase
- ----------------------------------------
- Delphi Client/Server comes with the InterBase Server running on
- Windows NT with a two user license. For information about
- installing the InterBase Server, refer to "InterBase Server running
- on Windows NT" located in the Delphi Help under "What's New in
- Delphi." The InterBase Server files are located on the Delphi
- CD-ROM in \NT_IBSVR
-
- The InterBase Server requires Windows NT 3.51 or higher, an 80486
- or better processor, and 8Mb of system memory. A full
- installation of InterBase Server requires approximately 8 Mb of
- hard disk space free during installation, 2 of which are used for
- install purposes and will be freed upon completion.
-
- NOTE
- ----------------------------------------
- Local InterBase Server for Windows 95/NT should not be
- installed on the same PC as InterBase Server for Windows
- NT. Please refer to the READIB.TXT in the
- BORLAND\INTRBASE directory for further information.
- ----------------------------------------
-
- The InterBase Server included with Delphi Client/Server Suite 2.0 is
- for development purposes only. No deployment of this server is
- permitted. To have more than two users connect to this server, or
- to deploy Delphi/InterBase applications, contact Borland for server
- and user pricing.
-
-
- DataPump Expert Tool (International Users)
- ---------------------------------------------------------
- Before upsizing tables, ensure that the language driver setting
- for the server alias in BDECFG32 matches the servers language
- driver and character set. Contact your database administrator
- for details about your server configuration.
-
- Some servers have certain restrictions when using extended
- characters in metadata (table names, index names and field
- names). To avoid these server limitations, the DataPump gives
- you the ability to modify the names of fields, indexes and tables
- before upsizing. On the final stage of the DataPump, you can
- modify the table name, index names or field names by selecting
- the option "Modify Mapping For Selected Item". Please see the
- on-line help topic "Inspect or modify Items" for more
- information.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 4. INSTALLSHIELD EXPRESS
- ----------------------------------------
-
- BDE/SQL Links
- ----------------------------------------
- We highly recommend that when deploying SQL Links you deploy a full
- BDE, not a partial BDE.
-
- InstallShield Express may ask for the location of any BDE files
- that are needed. This will only happen if you install the BDE and
- SQL Links in separate directories during your application's install
- process.
-
- In a Partial BDE install the BDE and SQL Links files will be placed
- in the same directory as your program files.
-
- A Default Full BDE install will place the files in the \Program
- Files\Borland\Common Files\BDE directory.
-
-
- Partial BDE install
- ----------------------------------------
- Please note that Borland recommends a Full BDE install but allows a
- partial BDE install in cases where minimization of disk space is a
- requirement.
-
- If you choose to distribute an application using a partial install
- of the BDE, Borland is not responsible for supporting this
- application or ensuring that the user is getting updated versions of
- the BDE.
-
- Note: Please ensure that these files are installed in a manner that
- will not affect other installed BDE applications.
-
- A Partial BDE install imposes the following limitations:
-
- o No two BDE Client applications can run on the same machine at
- the same time. If a BDE Client application is already running
- on your system you will receive the following error message on
- startup:
-
- "An Error occurred while attempting to initialize to Borland
- Database Engine (Error $210C)"
-
- o A Partial BDE install must place BDE DLL files in your
- program's run directory.
-
- o BDE files will not be automatically updated with the latest
- version when other BDE Applications are installed.
-
- A Full BDE install will help insure compatibility with future
- releases of the Borland Database Engine and BDE applications.
-
- Paradox for Windows, Visual dBASE for Windows, Delphi,
- ReportSmith and other programs using the Borland Database
- Engine may not run properly with other applications that
- have been installed using a partial install of the BDE.
-
-
- InstallShield Un-install issues
- ----------------------------------------
- o InstallShield Express will not check to see if your
- application is running when you try to un-install, and may leave
- some files on disk. To avoid this problem, make sure that you
- shut down your application prior to un-installing.
-
- o When testing the un-install feature, make sure you are on a
- test machine and not your production machine. An un-install may
- remove registry entries and files that are needed by other
- applications.
-
-
- InstallShield Known Problems
- ----------------------------------------
- o The install script is updated when you move off a project
- step. In order to make changes in a step you have already left,
- you first need to remove prior settings for that step and save
- the project. You will then be able to return to that step and
- make the changes.
-
- For example: You have selected General Options on the Setup
- Checklist and specified a partial BDE install that includes two
- of the drivers. Later, you wish to add a third driver. You
- must select General Options, un-select the InstallShield BDE
- Object and click OK to remove your prior BDE settings.
-
- o Selecting a folder in the Choose Folder dialog box in large
- projects may cause the application to perform numerous actions
- in the background without any notification to the user before
- the Destination Location dialog appears.
-
- o Occasionally InstallShield will report an erroneous
- insufficient disk space error when copying files to a network
- drive when none exists. If you receive this error, and have
- determined that there is sufficient disk space, build the
- project locally and use the Copy to Floppy option on the Setup
- Checklist to copy the disk images to the network drive.
-
- o If your project installs files to the root directory of a
- drive, and it needs to create sub-directories it will fail.
-
- For example, if a user directs your SETUP.EXE program to install
- the application to C:\, it will fail when SETUP.EXE tries to
- create a sub-directory. Installing to C:\TEST\ will work.
-
- o Using the Copy to Disk option to copy files to a network drive
- will fail on NTFS.
-
- A known problem exists in Windows 95 when deploying a
- partial BDE with SQL Link drivers. Under certain
- conditions, such as deployment using InstallShield
- Express, partial deployment of the BDE causes improper
- running of any existing full BDE deployment.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 5. HELP FILES
- ----------------------------------------
- Updated help files:
- o DELPHI.HLP
- o VCL.HLP
- o OBPASCAL.HLP
- o CWG.HLP
- o WIN32.HLP
-
-
- F1 AND HELP BUTTON SUPPORT IN THE IDE
- -----------------------------------------
- Many broken context-sensitive help jumps have been corrected and
- many missing topics for help buttons in the IDE have been added.
-
-
- WIN32.HLP PATH
- -----------------------------------------
- Many products install the WIN32.HLP file, including Delphi. If some
- other product has installed these files and subsequently been
- un-installed, there may be entries in the WINHELP.INI file (in your
- Windows directory) specifying a non-existent path to these files.
-
- If this is true and you press F1 in the code editor while a Windows API
- function is selected, an error dialog may be presented with no message.
- If you press Cancel in the dialog twice and help comes up normally, you
- should edit WINHELP.INI and either:
-
- o change any path specifications for WIN32.HLP to
- C:\PROGRAM FILES\BORLAND\DELPHI 2.0\HELP or
-
- o delete entries in the WINHELP.INI file that refer to
- WIN32.HLP
-
-
- JUMPS AND LINKS
- ----------------------------------------
- The updated Delphi 2.0 help files contain numerous fixes to previously
- known broken jumps and links. For some existing topics and all new
- topics, additional jumps and links have been added.
-
-
- NEW TOPICS
- ----------------------------------------
- A significant number of new topics have been added to Delphi help.
- Including information on DBLogDlg Unit, DBPWDlg Unit, Queries
- (and other query topics), TApplication, TBatchMove, TBits
- object (and related entries), TChangeLink object,
- TColorDialog, TConversion object (and related entries),
- TDatabase, TDataModule, TDataSet, TDBGrid (and related
- entries), TDBLookupComboBox, TDBLookupListBox,
- TDragControlObject object, TDragObject object (and related
- entries), TField and TFieldDef, TFontDialog, TForm,
- TImageList (and related methods), TNumericField component,
- TOleContainer control (and related entries), TOpenDialog,
- TPanel, TParam, TPrintDialog, TQuery, TRegIniFile, TRegistry,
- TReport, TRichEdit, TSession, TStoredProc, TTable, TThread
- object (and related entries).
-
-
- WIN32.HLP
- -----------------------------------------
- Browse sequences are added to the WIN32.HLP file.
-
-
- DELPHI.HLP
- -----------------------------------------
- The topic "Declaring Interface Routines," under "Reusing
- Forms as DLLs," includes an extensive, updated example.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 6. INTERNET SOLUTIONS PACK HELP
- ----------------------------------------
-
- The following help files for the Internet Solutions Pack are
- installed in the Windows system directory:
- APPA.HLP
- CONVENT.HLP
- FTPCLINT.HLP
- GENERIC.HLP
- GETSTRT.HLP
- HTML.HLP
- NNTP.HLP
- OCXSDK.HLP
- POP.HLP
- SDGLOSHL.HLP
- SMTP.HLP
- TCP.HLP
- UDP.HLP
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 7. BORLAND PASCAL 7.0 COMPATIBILITY
- ----------------------------------------
- o Passing Borland Pascal 7.0 style object variables as
- arguments in an open array constructor is not supported.
-
- o Don't use the Borland Pascal 7.0 Fail procedure with Delphi
- classes.
-
- o ObjectWindows Library (OWL) code cannot be compiled using
- Delphi 2.0.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------
- 8. Delphi Commercial Videos
- ----------------------------------------
-
- We have added two new, uncompressed AVI files. They can both be
- found in the INFO\BORLAND directory.
- o Delphi morphing race car (DELCAR2.AVI)
- o Delphi Oktoberfest commercial (DELCOM2.AVI)
-
- ----------------------------------- END -----------------------------------
-