Delphi 2009

[Margreet]

What feature(s) do you like most in the new Delphi 2009?
For example: Andreano Lanusse thinks Anonymous methods are great. See his blog at: http://blogs.codegear.com/andreanola...ymous-methods/

What do you think?

[pglowack]

My personal list of Delphi 2009 Top Features would be:

1) Full Unicode support throughout the product - from the new UnicodeString type in the compiler, through RTL, VCL and the IDE
2) New Language Features in Delphi (generics and anonymous methods) and in C++Builder (C++0x)
3) New DataSnap architecture, based on DBX4, for light-weight, client/server applications.
4) Improvements in the VCL library including new Ribbon controls. A bunch of brand new VCL components, like TButtonedEdit, TBalloonHint, TCategoryPanelGroup, and improvements to existing ones, like new "Alignment" property in TEdit (finally!), support for images in TButton and many others.
5) Improvements in the IDE: new Class Explorer, new Resource Manager, Named Build Configurations and Option Sets, more flexible Project Manager.

Check (http://dn.codegear.com/article/38478) for ongoing live Delphi and C++Builder 2009 webinars. Times are in the PDT, so if you are in Amsterdam you need to add 9 hours.
Today there are two interesting webinars scheduled: one about DataSnap and one about the new language features.

Also check http://www.codegear.com/cg-videos/ for interesting short videos demonstrating new IDE features, new VCL, new DataSnap and more:-)

[drbob42]

My number one new feature in Delphi 2009 is the Unicode support - we've been waiting a long time for this (in an efficient way, not using the slow COM-based WideStrings).

Apart from that, the enhancements in the DataSnap architecture are great (including the ability to re-use existing remote data modules, preserving your investment in existing multi-tier application architectures, but allowing you to upgrade these to move from the COM-based DataSnap to the new approach).

Third on my list are the language enhancements - finally Generics for Win32, and anonymous methods too!

The VCL enhancements are also good to have. No more need for TRightEdit (which I wrote for Delphi 1), and nice looking Ribbon controls for a modern look and feel.

Last but not least on my short list are the SOAP fixes and improvements. There's no SOAP 1.2 support yet (not even for clients), but some issues have been fixed to make the Win32 SOAP support better than before, and I hope this will be a constant area of attention for CodeGear. Even unofficial fixes and patches are welcome, guys!

Groetjes, Bob Swart

[davidi]

Hello from CodeGear Scotts Valley (actually I am in Guadalajara Mexico right now doing the Delphi and C++Builder 2009 launch here). Bob and Pawel already put in a good list of new features they like. But here are a few more that I really love:

1) The new file type in the COM/ActiveX architecture – the text-based RIDL file (Restricted Interface Definition Language) - allows you to persist the type library data to disk. The binary .tlb file is now an intermediate file (like a .res, .dcu, .obj, and so forth). This means that you can rebuild the .tlb file from the command line (outside the IDE), that you can edit .tlb files using a text editor, and the history is stored by the IDE.
2) Native code Ribbon Control VCL components - for that Office 2007 look that some people like - 2007 Microsoft(®) Office Fluent(TM) User Interface.
3) Compiler warnings that you can turn on as errors and vice versa.
4) PNG support in TImage and TImageList
5) Published DoubleBuffered property for most components
6) Integrated Translation Environment/External Translation Manager for localizing the UI and strings in your applications.

And my MOST FAVORITE thing - Faster Install!!! Delphi 2009 - 15 minute install on my Windows Vista Dell M6300 notebook. D2007 tool more than 1 hour.

David Intersimone "David I" - travelling the globe and also the Internet!

[NickHodges]

My five favorite things:

1. The new Synchronize overload on TThread that takes an anonymous method
2. Server Methods
3. Generics.Collections unit
4. COM that doesn't use the TLB as a storage mechanism.
5. Ribbon Controls

[drbob42]

Originally Posted by davidi

3) Compiler warnings that you can turn on as errors and vice versa.

I like the warnings that can be turned into errors, but the "vice versa" part would be a miracle (turning errors into mere warnings)... ;-)