Darian Miller

I would assume your system has been compromised.

+1. I use a manual batch file or an automated script. Part of the batch file: echo add LiveBinding set of packages to list of globally disabled packages as they slow down form editing and am currently not using reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Disabled Packages" /v "$(BDSBIN)\dclbindcomp270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "Embarcadero LiveBindings Components" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Disabled Packages" /v "$(BDSBIN)\dclbindcompfmx270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "Embarcadero LiveBindings Components FireMonkey" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Disabled Packages" /v "$(BDSBIN)\dclbindcompvcl270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "Embarcadero LiveBindings Components VCL" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Disabled Packages" /v "$(BDSBIN)\dclbindcompdbx270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "LiveBindings Expression Components DbExpress" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Disabled Packages" /v "$(BDSBIN)\dclbindcompfiredac270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "LiveBinding Expression Components FireDac" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Disabled Packages" /v "$(BDSBIN)\dclbindcomp270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "Embarcadero LiveBindings Components" /f echo Prefix description with an underscore to disable known IDE packages - added suffix signifying intentionally disabled reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Known IDE Packages" /v "$(BDS)\Bin\GuidedTour270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "_Embarcadero Guided Tour Package (Intentionally Disabled)" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Known IDE Packages" /v "$(BDS)\Bin\startpageide270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "_Start Page IDE Package (Intentionally Disabled)" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Known IDE Packages" /v "$(BDS)\Bin\TrackingSystem270.bpl" /t REG_SZ /d "_Embarcadero Tracking System Package (Intentionally Disabled)" /f pause reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Editor\Options" /v "Visible Right Margin" /t REG_SZ /d "False" /f reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\21.0\Debugging\Embarcadero Debuggers" /v "Break On Language Exceptions" /t REG_SZ /d "0" /f

I believe the team is probably given a very specific time window by upper management - i.e., you should target shipping 10.4.1 sometime in August but no later than the first week of September (as you also need to support Sales/Marketing department time schedules.) The final date came, and they shipped it as-is. Combine that with the problem Stefan mentioned earlier about the difference between an Alpha and Beta test, you end up with pretty big issues that make it into the finished product. I do think many are trying hard to produce a quality product but the internal environment has to continue to evolve and improve. We don't get to see the internals, so we have to take it on faith that they are doing this. With this last release being dedicated mostly to quality issues, I think it helps establish their desire. But the quality of the 10.4 release clearly demonstrated that it's still a major problem. I think they simply tried to jam too much into the 10.4 release and the calendar ran out. 10.4.1 was a major improvement, but again the calendar dictated the ship date as it likely needed another few weeks to mature. It's definitely a hard balance to achieve. I suggest they start implementing more feature toggles. Only the rock solid features should make it into sales/marketing material and the rest remain available only to the more adventerous types that can enable it on their own (and disable it as needed.) They did put the option to disable the LSP based CodeInsight in 10.4 but they surely knew it wasn't quite ready to ship, so it should have been off by default and not in the marketing material. Or maybe introduce different levels of releases. Devs can choose to be in the fast-track release with all the new features, or in the mature release. This more than doubles the efforts of each release, and they seem to be short-staffed already so it likely won't happen. It also confuses the marketing around major features. One thing that I know from experience - you cannot possibly solve these major problems by simply working harder. If that's what the team is trying to do, they'll burn themselves out before the situation changes. Throwing more bodies of it may seem to help in the short run (but typically only delays greater future pain), but it's a management issue. The old way of building and releasing products needs to be overhauled. Given that there may be 20+ year old practices, tools, and mindsets it's going to take some major effort. I'm pretty hopeful that they are in the process of making this change.

Ah, ok. I didn't try that yet.

It's a common question: https://www.ideasawakened.com/post/about-binary-compatibility-on-new-versions-of-delphi

The new drop down inserts $(Auto) Have you tried that text?

I agree and repeated it twice in my blog - always buy the source. I've been stuck with the task of replacing a component as we didn't have the source...it's horrible. The reason you buy a component is so you don't have to write that code, and you end up having to write that code or rewrite what you have in place in order to use a different component. And, your upgrade of Delphi waits until that task is done. I haven't tried that tip on a single project group for all components. I'll have to try to start doing that, thanks! A little work up front, but then saves the big hassles later.

I started a rambling reply here and it started to get long, so I put it up on my blog as it's a common question: https://www.ideasawakened.com/post/about-binary-compatibility-on-new-versions-of-delphi Note: if there any additions/corrections/clarifications needed, please let me know.

Marco's announcement on the new blogs site: https://blogs.embarcadero.com/rad-studio-10-4-1-has-been-released/ Updated my wiki page with info on 10.4.1: https://github.com/ideasawakened/DelphiKB/wiki/D27.SYDNEY.10.4.1.0 RAD Studio 10.4.1 has a strong focus on quality improvements. Key quality focus areas include: IDE Delphi Code Insight (LSP) Parallel Library SOAP & XML C++ Toolchain FireMonkey VCL Delphi Compiler iOS Deployment New Features Packages can now have an automatic version suffix (instead of manually updating and specifying the right version suffix with each new release) New reader-write lock implementation via the new TLightweightMREW record Faster and more lightweight than the TMultiReadExclusiveWriteSynchronizer (TMREW) Works across all platforms (TMEW was a simple critical section on some) Much improved support for multi-monitor desktop layouts and 4k monitors The floating form designer has been removed The Broadcast to devices option is now off by default Platform Support Deployment to Windows Server 2019 now supported The LSP based Code Insight much improved from its initial 10.4 release

Related StackOverflow topic: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10305634/ctrlbackspace-in-delphi-controls (Be aware of side effects.) Some history on the topic: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20071011-00/?p=24823

You could research how the Delphi IDE handles GIT commands for its integration. https://sourceforge.net/p/radstudioverins/code/HEAD/tree/branches/git-hg/gitide/

nsoftware.com has IPWorks S3, IPWorks Cloud component packages that would work. I'd suggest the full Red Carpet Subscription.

Look for more traffic here soon as they are discontinuing their public forums. (Their current forums are horrid to use...maybe they should replace the forum software instead...) https://blogs.embarcadero.com/august-2020-gm-blog/

I have a TMS All-Access Subscription so I get all their cool tools. I haven't played with WebCore much yet, as there is just too much other stuff on the plate at the moment. I agree it's very forward-looking, and their VS Code target is quite impressive. Kudos to TMS for sure.

I think the team that originally took the bite had a shot, but then the R&D team was hobbled during the process of 'improved efficiencies' (aka, much more of the MRR hitting the bottom line due to much less payroll.) It was likely a business decision to quickly improve recurring income versus a lower percentage chance of Delphi taking back huge market share in the future. Developers can be an optimisitic group, money people typically aren't. On the flip side, since it likely greatly improved income, and the general desire is to keep that increased income coming in, the action probably improved the long term viability of the Windows platform support by Delphi which is where the majority of their money is derived.) The dev side of me cringed when reading that post. The money side of me said that was the risk and the lowest producer took the hit. With SWAG* math: 100 people using RAD Studio, 75% Delphi only, 15% Delphi/C++Builder Mixture, 10% C++ Builder only. 35% C++ Builder using FMX with 75% of those targeting both Android/iOS and 50% of those relying on public play stores (vs enterprise apps.) Therefore, keep the 95+ people happy at the expense of the rest. (I assume macOS could drop the 95 number by a few.) * SWAG = Scientific Wild-Ass Guess. I have no internal perspectives/sources for these numbers. Does anyone know the actual numbers?