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Every once in a while, I've tried each of Delphi's custom styles in my D11 Windows app. Every time I try them, the result looks a bit "off" to me. Often, it isn't quite good enough to look professional. I'm not a graphics designer; I don't know anything about choosing a color palette. I believe that EMB has improved its custom styles (and its implementation in the VCL) over the years. Perhaps I was soured by the initial versions if they were really bad. But, sit still seems with my app that there are glitches where the coloring isn't quite right. Perhaps one component wasn't ever polished by EMB. Or maybe one of my TPanels on which there's another TPanel doesn't get properly colored, etc. I know some of this might be because of the non-standard, third party visual components that I'm using: Raize, and Mitov, although both vendors produce wonderful tools, so I doubt this is their problem. Perhaps my placement of visual components is broken. Perhaps the Parent property on some visual objects is wrong after 13 years of adding and removing components to forms. I know I can modify custom styles if the problem is cosmetic. I'm trying to avoid that (or at least reduce) the learning curve and piece-work of patching up problems. What's the consensus on custom styles? Do they work? Are you using them? How much trouble did you have? Are there any specific dark styles from EMB or others that you think work best? Did you have to modify them or your forms, or did they work out of the box? Are there some styles that are so ugly or buggy that they're unusable? Are there any "best practices" around styles? What about styles from third parties like DelphiStyles? Have you used them? I have no problem paying for a custom style if it eliminates work. Are custom styles from third parties higher quality aesthetically? More thoroughly implemented? More likely to work without modification? Are there any other 3rd party vendors of custom styles that you've used?

Good, after a long time stressing this forum, especially the Python4Delphi channel, with lots of rookie requests, I got to a good point with the development of my first Python program. Until a few months ago I had always ignored Python and its possibilities as Delphi has always been a tool with which I create all my works and I have never thought of anything else. When Python4Delphi and DelphiVCL showed up I wondered if I could do something interesting with both and I must admit that although Python was completely new land to me, the fact of sticking with Delphi anyway took away any doubt. .. I had to try. Basically, the program is pure Python (after being compiled with Cython), an embedded version, with the addition of DelphiVCL (I've never used FMX so it's better to start from the VCL that I know very well) and some Python modules made in Delphi where I put the more delicate parts and in use real threads and not "crippled" threads by the GIL. I anticipate, it is nothing transcendental, but as a first Python project, I am satisfied with it. Description of video In this short video, we can see the execution of an external program written in Python for the holding of print markers necessary to calculate the zero machining, the rotation of the piece on the work table, and all the scaling needed to compensate for the error of model printing between CAD and plotter printer. The Python program interacts directly with the CNC that moves the XYZ axes for the final cut through an API Client (cnc_api_client_core in PyPi) to the CNC control software API Server, retrieving information and sending direct commands to the CNC System. Image capture is done using a proprietary IP Camera equipped with LED lighting. The Python program is executed through an embedded version of the language prepared with all the necessary tools and allows two UI, vertical and horizontal, to adapt to all types of monitors. NOTE: The below CNC Control Software is 100% made with Delphi 🙂 Many Thanks to forum people for the support!

The VCL styles are getting better after each release...however, it seems like they are nearly always "almost there" For earlier versions of Delphi, I imagine that many devs relied on the fixes found here: https://github.com/RRUZ/vcl-styles-utils However, with the newer versions containing many changes/improvements, it is currently debateable if that repo is applicable to RAD Studio 11 anymore.

I'm not sure if you aware that DelphiStyles also offers services to customize your own personal style. If you have a specific aesthetic style guide I would assume that they can adopt and adapt it to VCL/FMX.

With all this primitive tiles and simplified monochrome UI the OS vendors are enforcing, I doubt styles stuff will ever be actual again like in the times of WinAmp.

Not sure about hooks, but it looks the spooler API has what you need DocumentEvent function (Winspool.h) - Win32 apps | Microsoft Docs FindFirstPrinterChangeNotification function (Winspool.h) - Win32 apps | Microsoft Docs

Not so much, reading good technical success stories is one of my hobbies

Well, I'm not sure if anyone on Embarcadero has really tested the IDE running on a system with multiple monitors and different DPI scaling, especially, if the primary monitor has a different scaling then 96 DPI. There are so many problems (fonts do not scale or scale too large, IDE toolbars getting too large or moving their position, ...) It can be a hard job (I'm currently trying to make our own application to be per monitor aware and I'm still not finished after 4 weeks) but if they promote the IDE to be support High DPI, it should work at least a little bit better.

I had the same issue, we closed our office and went full remote - the address with our DUNS number was still the old office/phone - so I wasn't able to verify via phone call - getting the DUNS details updated outside the US was a nightmare - we eventually got our new certficate a day or so before the old one expired. I won't leave it so late next time. The whole process is very unsatisfactory to say the least - they really need to find a (secure) way to streamline the process. Renewing should not be as hard as getting an entirely new certificate.

But when you are only a handful of trusted contributors you don't have to use the Github workflow but can have them merging (perhaps with rebase and smashing) locally and then have them push the changed branches to Github. And if you work this way with your trusted contributors you can still be open for external contributors with the Github Fork-Merge-Request-Workflow. That's really the best of both worlds. We have to face, that Delphi itself is obscure enough for younger developers. Clinging to outdated tools, hosting options and workflows nobody learns anymore isn't going to help.

The IDE uses separate layouts/desktops for editing and debugging. You have to adjust the debug layout to your requirements, save it under a name of your own, and then make that the default debug layout.

Disagree. I have all my projects in Git (most of them are pretty small as they represent different util collections/libs) and contributed much to multiple Git projects with one or several developers. Nothing complex. Fork the project, pull it, make changes, commit them, push them, press "Make Pull request" button. Owner has convenient UI of reviewing changes - either divided to commits or consolidated. If everything is OK he just presses "Merge" button and that's all. Also nothing prevents several devs from direct committing & pushing a-la SVN. And how contributions are implemented in SVN? Dumb and fragile diff files? Yeah, they indeed are much simpler to review *irony*