Bill Meyer

I hid the Procedure List Toolbar, and cannot find how to unhide it. Can you help me recover from that blunder?

1 minute ago, RussellW said:

Slightly off topic. Using a Date of 0 is fine in certain circumstances but sometimes you might need that actual date rather than meaning that no date is set. Developer Express have a NullDate constant which is -700000 ... very useful

A completely unrealistic negative number which is easily recognized -- would  be the sort of flag I would use. Although, in my work, all meaningful dates will be later than 1950, so not really a problem.

2 minutes ago, dummzeuch said:

1. Kick the person who bought this component without source. (Who was / is an idiot, nobody did that even back when Delphi 7 was new.)

In my case, it was worse. All evidence suggested that we had no source because we (probably) had no license.

1 minute ago, Mike Torrettinni said:

Yes, similar thing, it would be a lot of trial and error to replicate the parsing engine, so I thought DLL would be just fin for now. Was there any significant performance penalty or not noticeable?

Not noticeable, but this was years ago, and I don't recall how large the encrypted files were. We were moving from D6 to D2006 at the time.

5 minutes ago, Mike Torrettinni said:

I like the DLL option, but the client is not too happy about it as they don't want to have additional external files for deployment.

 

Are there any other options?

Been there, went with a DLL. The component was unsupported, the vendor gone, and no source. As it was an encryption tool, and not easily reverse engineered because of compatibility issues, we had no real choice. Comparable components using the "same" algorithm delivered quite different results.

If toolbar management is ever consolidated, that would certainly come from a substantial redesign of the IDE, and would certainly be a benefit. Similar to the issue of hotkey centralization. It would be rather silly for any plug-in to try to organize such things, as the various tool vendors would keep doing their own thing, and the task would be endless.

1 hour ago, dummzeuch said:

And I thought these applications were already large...

Large is not only lines of code. It also encompasses legacy code with pervasive unit dependency cycles. Then we are talking minutes to build. Yes, minutes.

20 minutes ago, Stefan Glienke said:

If you work on a large enough application with enough developers that produce builds nonstop rebuilding the same unchanged source code every time is an issue. Especially when Delphi decided that it does not like the "compile" option for whatever reasons and forces you to do "build"

It's been a very long time since I trusted much in the "compile" option. I don't recall (later than Delphi 1) that it ever felt very reliable.

Breaking changes always come at a cost, and there will always be complaints. But few of us are prescient, and there comes a time -- as when DevExpress replaced the dxGrid with the cxGrid -- when the need to incur the breakage overpowers the costs. When an architecture proves too limiting, or too brittle, then carrying it forward is no kindness. But as Stefan wrote: "...it then is an important responsibility to document them and if necessary provide some tooling to migrate your code..."

1 hour ago, Uwe Raabe said:

But as you asked for it: The RiverSoftAVG SVG Component Library, which also includes some SVG image list, comes with source for a price of $66. I didn't compare the feature list, though.

I note one big difference: RiverSoftAVG clearly states their engine is static, while SVG Magic claims dynamic (animation) support.

Collecting from the uses clauses will yield the list of all units referenced in the project modules, but parsing the map file is the simplest way I know to discover which units participate in the finished executable.

46 minutes ago, jeanmilost said:

We are still considering the release of the source code. For now the status is "on demand". You as users, what is a fair premium price you are ready to pay to have also the source code?

Having worked in Delphi since D1, and twice having had to deal with the issue of components without source, I would say that the value without source is essentially zero, as the risk factor is not worth any benefits in the short term. So I would suggest that the question as you ask it is simply wrong. 

On 3/7/2019 at 7:16 AM, Lars Fosdal said:

Grammarly is a nice Chrome plugin for spell-checking in any edit box.

But does it work with those pink lenses?

6 hours ago, Rudy Velthuis said:

Of course I have. But first I don't like the old-style IDE (Lazarus) and FPC is not nearly on the same level as Delphi, despite Delphi's bugs and other shortcomings.

The IDE can be set up in the new docked style, much like Delphi. Just a matter of installing the packages for it.

Got my ebook edition yesterday. Reading eagerly, and really appreciate the clarity of presentation!

While I agree with your comments about the structure pane's utility when in code, and agree as well that MMX is far better, I would think it much better to lodge a feature request with Embarcadero. This would be merely another checkbox in Tools, Options, and ought not to be terribly difficult for them to implement.

1 hour ago, Dalija Prasnikar said:

I cannot find it either... I don't think it was a blog post... maybe some post on G+ or somewhere else...

This?
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10768152/delphi-application-leaking-ansistrings

There have been a number of components which attempted to address this issue, but none of them worked very well, in my experience. To be fair, the problem is not in the component design, but in the reality that integer points makes font scaling impractical. If we had font sizes -- and scaling -- in floating point values, then scaling would be straightforward. With integer font sizes, we have proportionally large incremental change at the small sizes, and proportionally small incremental changes at large font sizes.

3 hours ago, Dalija Prasnikar said:

If I had a dime for every time some "simple test code" ended in production... 😋

Then you would need a very large truck! 

On 12/25/2018 at 4:45 PM, dummzeuch said:

Looks good. I wouldn't mix result with exit(..), but that's probably a matter of taste.

The compiler encourages that mix, as it warns of the Result not having been initialized otherwise.

15 minutes ago, Uwe Raabe said:

You can edit the registry entry of your Delphi version to specify another version of MMX. Look for MidexExpert in the Experts subkey.

Perfect, thanks!

I had MMX 12.3 installed in XE7, and later installed 13.0.2. Because of the errors on reports issue I already reported, I am wondering whether there is a way to make the 12.3 installation active again, or is that only possible through a new installation? I've recently moved, and my 12.3 installable is on a machine which is still not set up. Thanks.

I discovered an error this morning in MMX in D2007. The project is large, with many unit dependency issues. When I open the tool, and then on the menu, select either the Uses Report or the Cycles Report, I get an error, with these details:

(000159A9){mmx_bds5.dll} [0BE769A9]
[2013C130]{vcl100.bpl  } Controls.TControl.DoConstrainedResize (Line 5002, "Controls.pas" + 18) + $14
[201406A7]{vcl100.bpl  } Controls.TWinControl.WndProc (Line 7304, "Controls.pas" + 111) + $6
[2013CBF7]{vcl100.bpl  } Controls.TControl.CheckNewSize (Line 5291, "Controls.pas" + 4) + $8
[042B5275]{DelphiSpeedUp105.dll} SystemOptimize.DMTSearch (Line 198, "SystemOptimize.pas" + 4) + $7
[042B52B6]{DelphiSpeedUp105.dll} SystemOptimize.GetDynaMethod (Line 236, "SystemOptimize.pas" + 20) + $0
(0011748B){mmx_bds5.dll} [0BF7848B]
(001174E1){mmx_bds5.dll} [0BF784E1]
[2013CA2C]{vcl100.bpl  } Controls.TControl.Click (Line 5229, "Controls.pas" + 9) + $8
[200FCD8B]{vcl100.bpl  } StdCtrls.TRadioButton.SetChecked (Line 4048, "StdCtrls.pas" + 11) + $13
(00117000){mmx_bds5.dll} [0BF78000]
[20158AC9]{vcl100.bpl  } Forms.TCustomForm.DoCreate (Line 2947, "Forms.pas" + 3) + $C
[201586A8]{vcl100.bpl  } Forms.TCustomForm.Create (Line 2856, "Forms.pas" + 13) + $11
[201586C4]{vcl100.bpl  } Forms.TCustomForm.Create (Line 2859, "Forms.pas" + 16) + $9
(00210DE1){mmx_bds5.dll} [0C071DE1]
[200EF966]{vcl100.bpl  } CommCtrl.ListView_GetNextItem (Line 10154, "win\CommCtrl.pas" + 0) + $E
[20199985]{vcl100.bpl  } ComCtrls.TCustomListView.GetNextItem (Line 15837, "ComCtrls.pas" + 18) + $B
(0011786B){mmx_bds5.dll} [0BF7886B]
[201D1BCE]{vcl100.bpl  } AppEvnts.TMultiCaster.DoActionExecute (Line 356, "appevnts.pas" + 5) + $E
(001D4C0A){mmx_bds5.dll} [0C035C0A]
(001D4D42){mmx_bds5.dll} [0C035D42]
[2004018B]{rtl100.bpl  } Classes.TBasicAction.Execute (Line 11081, "common\Classes.pas" + 3) + $7
[20151359]{vcl100.bpl  } ActnList.TContainedAction.Execute (Line 388, "ActnList.pas" + 1) + $2C
[201520BC]{vcl100.bpl  } ActnList.TCustomAction.Execute (Line 1000, "ActnList.pas" + 7) + $8
[20040057]{rtl100.bpl  } Classes.TBasicActionLink.Execute (Line 11010, "common\Classes.pas" + 2) + $7
(0003C041){mmx_bds5.dll} [0BE9D041]
(0003BF43){mmx_bds5.dll} [0BE9CF43]
[20040E4C]{rtl100.bpl  } Classes.StdWndProc (Line 11583, "common\Classes.pas" + 😎 + $0
[201625F0]{vcl100.bpl  } Forms.TApplication.ProcessMessage (Line 8105, "Forms.pas" + 23) + $1
[2016262A]{vcl100.bpl  } Forms.TApplication.HandleMessage (Line 8124, "Forms.pas" + 1) + $4
[2016291F]{vcl100.bpl  } Forms.TApplication.Run (Line 8223, "Forms.pas" + 20) + $3
(00003312){IDEFixPack.dll} [07D64312]
[0042297A]{bds.exe     } bds.bds (Line 195, "" + 7) + $7

On further testing, I get the same sort of error in XE7 with a project which is much cleaner. This report:

(0001A0C1){mmx_bds15.dll} [1452B0C1]
[505A0667]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Graphics.TCanvas.RequiredState (Line 4199, "Vcl.Graphics.pas" + 12) + $7
[505E25BE]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.StdCtrls.TCustomLabel.DoDrawThemeTextEx (Line 2200, "Vcl.StdCtrls.pas" + 9) + $3D
[505C27C5]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Controls.TControl.DoConstrainedResize (Line 6985, "Vcl.Controls.pas" + 18) + $16
[26815C17]{WO_Common_DXE7.bpl} Dchook.TCustomActiveNotifier.HookProc + $66F
[26815D70]{WO_Common_DXE7.bpl} Dchook.TCustomActiveNotifier.HookProc + $7C8
[268160DE]{WO_Common_DXE7.bpl} Dchook.dcRemoveFreeNotification + $212
[2C435170]{WO_LMD_RXE7.bpl} Lmdsctmemmgr.InternalObjectWrapped + $CC
[50059C58]{rtl210.bpl  } System.@FreeMem (Line 4439, "System.pas" + 20) + $0
[5006132C]{rtl210.bpl  } System.@UStrClr (Line 24117, "System.pas" + 14) + $0
[50063678]{rtl210.bpl  } System.@FinalizeArray (Line 31376, "System.pas" + 80) + $0
[26815C17]{WO_Common_DXE7.bpl} Dchook.TCustomActiveNotifier.HookProc + $66F
[505C76E2]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Controls.TWinControl.WndProc (Line 10038, "Vcl.Controls.pas" + 153) + $6
[2C435170]{WO_LMD_RXE7.bpl} Lmdsctmemmgr.InternalObjectWrapped + $CC
[50059C58]{rtl210.bpl  } System.@FreeMem (Line 4439, "System.pas" + 20) + $0
[50064A77]{rtl210.bpl  } System.@DynArrayClear (Line 34176, "System.pas" + 49) + $0
[50064740]{rtl210.bpl  } System.DynArraySetLength (Line 33858, "System.pas" + 9) + $6
[505E7C20]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.StdCtrls.TButtonControl.WndProc (Line 5163, "Vcl.StdCtrls.pas" + 13) + $4
[505C2850]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Controls.TControl.Perform (Line 7010, "Vcl.Controls.pas" + 10) + $8
(0014B39F){mmx_bds15.dll} [1465C39F]
(0014B3F5){mmx_bds15.dll} [1465C3F5]
[505C3183]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Controls.TControl.Click (Line 7348, "Vcl.Controls.pas" + 9) + $8
[505E98AB]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.StdCtrls.TRadioButton.SetChecked (Line 6205, "Vcl.StdCtrls.pas" + 11) + $13
(0014AEF0){mmx_bds15.dll} [1465BEF0]
[5070BB89]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Forms.TCustomForm.DoCreate (Line 3746, "Vcl.Forms.pas" + 3) + $C
[5070B6E1]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Forms.TCustomForm.Create (Line 3609, "Vcl.Forms.pas" + 25) + $5
(0014B78F){mmx_bds15.dll} [1465C78F]
[50776B56]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.AppEvnts.TMultiCaster.DoActionExecute (Line 390, "Vcl.AppEvnts.pas" + 5) + $A
(00234066){mmx_bds15.dll} [14745066]
(00234ED2){mmx_bds15.dll} [14745ED2]
[5016D517]{rtl210.bpl  } System.Classes.TBasicAction.Execute (Line 16099, "System.Classes.pas" + 3) + $3
[505AC25A]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.ActnList.TCustomAction.Execute (Line 259, "Vcl.ActnList.pas" + 19) + $35
[0B6A7E26]{IDEFixPack.dll} RefactoringActionUpdateFix.CustomActionExecute + $22
[5016D39B]{rtl210.bpl  } System.Classes.TBasicActionLink.Execute (Line 16010, "System.Classes.pas" + 2) + $3
(00047E2C){mmx_bds15.dll} [14558E2C]
(00047D1F){mmx_bds15.dll} [14558D1F]
[5016E20C]{rtl210.bpl  } System.Classes.StdWndProc (Line 16598, "System.Classes.pas" + 6) + $1
[5071634F]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Forms.TApplication.ProcessMessage (Line 10349, "Vcl.Forms.pas" + 23) + $1
[50716392]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Forms.TApplication.HandleMessage (Line 10379, "Vcl.Forms.pas" + 1) + $4
[507166C5]{vcl210.bpl  } Vcl.Forms.TApplication.Run (Line 10517, "Vcl.Forms.pas" + 26) + $3
 

I do appreciate the "lazy" analysis in the most recent version, as it used to take 20+ minutes to produce the analysis before. I expect much the same, if I ask for a report in this version, but for interactive exploration, the lazy analysis is very nice.,

Thanks,

Bill

1 minute ago, Kryvich said:

@Bill Meyer That's the whole point: if Embarcadero can get the IDE to work on a such project, then CodeInsight will work flawlessly on projects with a well-designed architecture.

And after all these years, the chances seem slim.

12 hours ago, Kryvich said:

Very good library to test the CodeInsight and ErrorInsight features.

Not with such massive unit dependency cycle issues, which are known to cripple the IDE.