What new features would you like to see in Delphi 13?

[yonghu058 1]

top request

1.IDE improvement.   code formatter.denbuger[like interface can not see menber,mutithread]

LSP codeinsght code imp.

2.RTL ,improvement..[base tcp component then can develop all above tcp do not use Indy!]

high performance socket base->HttpClient/HttpServer/websockets/others

encrypt base-->common like aes des and so on.

RTL performance.today delphi 'code performance(use many buildin RTL function)even lower then  .net

3. More Languane future like  async(await like ),generic function(not class),interface can have field(C# imp it many years ago),more language suger.

4VCL some layout component

[hsauro 40]

I do Windows/Mac tools, so for me I’d like to see improvements to FMX, particularly the grid so that it had some of the same functionality as the VCL version. Some small improvements to the FMX TMemo would be nice as-well. I wish they would open the FMX to others so that the community could help since it seams Embarcadero is resource limited. The last thing that would be nice to have is the ability to generate webassembly. I’m starting to develop more and more client side web tools. I’ve used pas2js with success but Delphi must be one of the last major compilers not to support webassembly.

[karls 2]

- A 64-bit IDE (from community to architect version), as with Lazarus/Visual Studio 2022 - this avoids buffer overflow problems in apps and also database drivers that only exist in 64 bits (it's more difficult find 32-bit drivers for mariadb/mysql);
- Automatic code indentation and formatting;
- Automatic inclusion of units in the headers, as used;
- Community version, lifetime, without registration key or with a key that can be inserted several times, without activating or blocking problems; and also more features such as enabling command line compilation and other possible features for the IDE community to be 64 bits).

[gioma 20]

I wish the IDE would work!

- I wish word searches would not crash the IDE and cause my unsaved work to be lost.
- I wish the IDE would not freeze for no apparent reason and cause my work to be lost
- I wish Code Insight would finally work
- I wish the IDE would not go out of memory after using it for a while

 

To sum up: I want a stable IDE that doesn't waste my time and finally fixes the bugs that have been around for years!

 

am I asking too much?

[JonRobertson 76]

13 hours ago, karls said:

A 64-bit IDE (from community to architect version), as with Lazarus/Visual Studio 2022 - this avoids buffer overflow problems in apps

The only way to avoid buffer overflow problems is to write code that doesn't overflow buffers. That won't change with a 64-bit IDE. 

[JonRobertson 76]

3 hours ago, gioma said:

To sum up: I want a stable IDE that doesn't waste my time and finally fixes the bugs that have been around for years!

 

am I asking too much?

As been said elsewhere, most of us have a stable IDE environment. As long as the Delphi IDE executes code that is written by a third-party, there will be a chance that a third-party component or expert is the cause of instability.

 

And in some cases, the user is the cause. I've written components that were buggy and caused instability until I took the time to find the defect and correct it.

[ToddFrankson 3]

Android Auto built in

Apple CarPlay Built In

IOS Debugging (not on emulator)

Ability to select multiple Getit Packages and install at once instead of having to select and install each one

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2024 by ToddFrankson

[corneliusdavid 220]

5 minutes ago, ToddFrankson said:

Ability to select multiple Getit Packages and install at once instead of having to select and install each one

Take a look at AutoGetIt.

[ToddFrankson 3]

8 minutes ago, corneliusdavid said:

Take a look at AutoGetIt.

While that is awesome, it should have been provided, and in the future, should be provided by the producer of the software.  No one there ever thought, "I bet people will love installing 200+ addons one at a time, instead of a select a group and install...."  

[corneliusdavid 220]

6 minutes ago, ToddFrankson said:

it should have been provided, and in the future, should be provided by the producer of the software.  No one there ever thought, "I bet people will love installing 200+ addons one at a time, instead of a select a group and install...."  

I agree, but until then...

 

I believe it's in the works. There's a "Load Multiple Packages" link at the bottom of the GetIt Package Manager but the only clue on how to use it is in the "What's New" section of the latest release stating you can select multiple JSON files. Since most people that use the GetIt Package Manager probably don't know the packages even have a .json config file, I don't consider this very useful--yet.

[Dave Nottage 571]

5 hours ago, ToddFrankson said:

Apple CarPlay Built In

Just curious: what do you plan to do with CarPlay? Incidentally, I just updated the import for the framework in Kastri.

[Die Holländer 50]

22 hours ago, gioma said:

am I asking too much?

No, but sadly enough, you are not able to figure out what is the cause of all these problems.

You have an unstable IDE setup and because you use some incompatible

components (without source..) you can not install a newer IDE, so you don't

know if these problems are still in version 12 or in even in your version 11 (.3?) that I've used

for one year without any of such problems you mentioned.

 

There must be something you installed in you IDE that is causing these problems or

maybe some hardware/connection problems.

Install the latest Delphi version on a clean machine or in a virtual machine

open some of the example projects and develop some extra features on it and 

see if you have all these problems you mentioned. 

[ToddFrankson 3]

15 hours ago, Dave Nottage said:

Just curious: what do you plan to do with CarPlay? Incidentally, I just updated the import for the framework in Kastri.

Dave, it would be best to have a private conversation regarding why.  I actually have been thinking of reaching out to you....

I'll PM you.

[P@Sasa 3]

1. improve IDE stability (we have to remove refactoring from delphi menu (rename refactoride290.bpl to something else in BIN directory) and that is the only way we can work with some large projects without Out Of Memory violation)

2. concentrate more that current features work as intended

3. faster building (add multi threading building for one project like they did for C++)

4. repair showing of Local variables in debugger

5. decrease EXE size (32 and 64 bit versions), like in other languages where runtime versions have less MB than debug versions

6. install options for not installing anything for FireMonkey (or to separate RadStudio VCL and RadStudio FireMonkey)

[Jason Nelson 0]

For context, I use Delphi in my day job, but I also use it for: Audio/DJ Applications, Simple 3D Visualizations, Back-end applications and middleware.
What I DON'T use Delphi for (because it's way to behind the times) is: Complex 3D visualizations (I'll use Unity or Unreal for that).
I'm planning to STOP using delphi for all Web-Server applications and adopt the Svelte framework instead.

Delphi 13... needs... BUG FIXES!
1. In my large project, code insight just loops over and over and over taking up CPU any time the project is open.
2. VCL is fundamentally broken.  They need to ACTUALLY fix high-dpi... it flat-out doesn't work.  I tried using it for about 2 years and eventually gave up on my high-dpi laptop, opting to replace it with a standard DPI setup. Almost every time I'd open my project, all of my forms would be rescaled, causing me to redo a whole bunch of work, especially if Remote Desktop was involved.   I got really tired of battling it. They should change the way the VCL works fundamentally at the TControl/TWinControl level, ditching the old "top" "left" "width" and "height" properties, for newer, modern ones that respect things like %-based widths, point-based-widths etc.
3. Properly implement GDI+ we don't need Windows 95 support anymore FFS.
4. Last I checked (which was a while ago), the 64-bit compiler was horribly unoptimized and if you look at the ASM generated, it constantly refetches the "self" pointer over and over and over when it could easily have put that in a register for reuse.  There's hardly any brains in the ASM about what's already in what register... I use delphi because I want it to be fast... and it just isn't fast anymore... in fact C# can be just as fast or faster in some scenarios.
5. There's so much garbage code in the Apple submission process.  It would be lovely if I didn't have to waste a week every single year trying to resubmit apps to the app store with new provisioning profiles... if they could make it "just work" that would be lovely.
6. Themes are horribly shoddy.  All you have to do to verify this is add a simple TListView to a form and watch as the strobing refresh induces seizures causing you to choke on your vomit and die... then Jesus will explain to you what you did wrong.  I have to put in special functions in my forms to "FixListViews()" ffs.   This is just unprofessional.  
7. Double buffering is not rocket science, and would work better if you actually properly implement GDI+. Computers have way more RAM than they used to ... people figured out this issue ages ago.... ChatGPT could probably fix your code.
8. These new AI tools are running laps around Delphi.  This supposed AI integration in 12.3 was a joke... like did they put the new intern on coding it?  Ameture hour.  AI is a huge frontier and they shouldn't be sweeping it under the rug or using it as a marketing bullet-point.  I bought a Quadro GPU in 2024 so I can keep on top of things.
9. 64-bit IDE.... like NOBODY builds 32-bit apps anymore... unless you're a complete noob.
10. I've been using Delphi for 31 years and I am convinced that during those 31 years there's never been a single scalable TCP Server class.  I don't know how I can continue to use this if I can't rely on the most basic of TCP Servers... I suspect the handling of Half-open/Half-Closed connections is faulty, which in my experience is about a 1 in 14000 event that really bites you in production environments. I'd love to see my servers stop leaking threads due to improper TCP handling.  Rewrite the TCP Server to be reactive, now that you have all that stuff... and GUARANTEE that the thing will be fundamentally stable.
11. Touch support in Delphi remains unfinished... EVEN FOR FMX.  I just spent 3 weeks writing a custom list-view class because the FMX listview couldn't do basic stuff like drag-drop reordering.... nor could it support custom frame layouts.  On the VCL side... I had to build my own button classes to get touch working properly.  I mean... guys... TButton doesn't have proper touch support!  This is like day-one stuff! To verify this, try and build yourself a little "piano" app like you would see in an Apple commercial but using TButtons.... can't be done. I had to build a new button class I call "TTouchButton" to get proper touch-down and touch-up events.
12. Phones and tablets, including windows tablet, like the Surface, often have pens.  Delphi has some OLD pen code that sorta works, however, the whole codebase does not isolate or identify the different between a touch, a mouse, vs. a pen.  I actually GOT THIS TO WORK in an FMX app, but I literally had to modify the VCL source and rewrite a bunch of it.  Unfortunately with every new Delphi release... I would have to go back in and re-implement those changes, so I was forces to abandon that project for Delphi... missed opportunities, kids.  Fix the distinction between Pen, Touch, Multi-touch, and Mouse... it is important if you're going to build an app that behaves, for example, like  Microsoft oneNote where you need to scroll and zoom with fingers and write with a pen.
 

 

[Ian Branch 129]

50 minutes ago, Jason Nelson said:

64-bit IDE.... like NOBODY builds 32-bit apps anymore... unless you're a complete noob.

I build 32 bit Apps exclusively because my Customers refuse to update their 32 bit Windows 7 PCs.

Yes, I develop on a 64bit PC.

 

[corneliusdavid 220]

1 hour ago, Jason Nelson said:

This supposed AI integration in 12.3

Delphi 12.3 has not yet been released. The AI integration in 12.2 was the first version and will certainly be improved as this new frontier is explored further and they receive feedback.

1 hour ago, Jason Nelson said:

like NOBODY builds 32-bit apps anymore

I build plug-ins and integrations for an old 32-bit retail POS system. There's still a LOT of 32-bit apps out there--and they work just fine.

1 hour ago, Jason Nelson said:

I've been using Delphi for 31 years

Delphi turns 30 next month.

 

1 hour ago, Jason Nelson said:

VCL is fundamentally broken

VCL is (mostly) a wrap-around for Windows API functions. Someone with more in-depth knowledge than I may chime in but my understanding is that there are so many apps out there already that rely on the VCL the way it is that changing anything would break a lot of stuff. Instead, people can create new apps using FireMonkey or use any of the several third-party GUI component sets that take advantage of new capabilities.

[Jason Nelson 0]

18 minutes ago, corneliusdavid said:

Delphi 12.3 has not yet been released. The AI integration in 12.2 was the first version and will certainly be improved as this new frontier is explored further and they receive feedback.

I build plug-ins and integrations for an old 32-bit retail POS system. There's still a LOT of 32-bit apps out there--and they work just fine.

Delphi turns 30 next month.

 

VCL is (mostly) a wrap-around for Windows API functions. Someone with more in-depth knowledge than I may chime in but my understanding is that there are so many apps out there already that rely on the VCL the way it is that changing anything would break a lot of stuff. Instead, people can create new apps using FireMonkey or use any of the several third-party GUI component sets that take advantage of new capabilities.

Yes maybe I should care enough to check whichever version I (so enthusiastically) downloaded... I think I forgot if it was 12.2 or 12.3 because at this point it's difficult to GAF.  1995 yes, I thought 1993... I'm old now... a year isn't what is used to be. I also misplaced VCL/FMX in one sentence.  But we're delphi devs, we're used to seeing half-assed effort lol 😉  let's not split hairs.

Here's my challenge to Embarcadero... completing the challenge will GREATLY increase your product quality. 

Internally/Externally higher a few small teams and give them a "build challenge"... this will be a sobering experience.  Take the feedback from these teams and make your product better until all of these build challenges can be completed.

1. Build a reactive TCP Server that can dish out 10-million or even 100-million connects and disconnects in one day.  It must run on all platforms, including linux.
2. Build a touch organ app with buttons in VCL and FMX.  For sound, just have it play a sinewave when a button is down and stop when the button comes up.

3. Recreate Microsoft OneNote, with pen support, pinch-to-zoom, and finger scrolling.  Make it work on all devices (FMX).  And and make a VCL version special for windows.
4. Create an application with a variable zoom functionality (like most modern apps are capable of these days).  
5. Create a Delphi/Pascal script interpreter runtime.  once it is finished.... Use it to allow for dynamic loading and unloading of component libraries and custom form classes. This will make building custom Delphi components just as easy as it is in C#.  Allow the users to integrate the script interpreter into their own applications or AOT compile, as is traditional.  Create an internal challenge to each of the teams to see who can generate the fastest code.
6. Create middleware that connects to ALL the popular databases without 3rd components (I am forced to use Unidac).  I gave up even trying to get the standard components connecting to EVEN MYSQL long ago and switched to Unidac.  For the record, my intern connected to Mysql in < 10 minutes with some basic googling and C#.  Fundamental failures, kids!

Someone will read this and try to tell me that none of this stuff is needed... but circa 2004 someone over there flamed me for suggesting that Delphi needed cross-platform support at least at the compiler level.  It is IMPERATIVE that BASIC FUNDAMENTALS be met so that this tool doesn't go the way of COBOL. That was my point in 2004 and that's still my point for today.

Edited January 2 by Jason Nelson

[johnnydp 23]

Just start to be realistic and first of all fix bugs

Knock out all platforms expect Windows family (for rest that's what lazarus/fpc is for) and focus only on Windows and VCL + native support for ARM.
Performance is poor, look how much optimization they do in C# in many aspects c#(net 9.0) code is already much faster than Delphi.

 

Don't delude yourself that the shrinking business and extinct delphi programmers(sad but true) will make this a wishful thinking gig....
Sadly, no, either you have a product for everything (that is, for nothing, with 1000 bugs more or less serious), or you focus on a narrow field and polish it like a diamond.
 
Dear coders, stop mas****ating to this extinct product with disastrous management by old dinosaur boomers. Come down to Earth. Maintaining all those features with all new is definetely too much for them. It only looks good in theory and marketing slogans.

 

Edited Sunday at 07:56 PM by johnnydp

[Brandon Staggs 295]

On 1/2/2025 at 10:54 AM, Jason Nelson said:

64-bit IDE.... like NOBODY builds 32-bit apps anymore... unless you're a complete noob.

False.

 

I'm not disagreeing that the IDE should be 64-bit by now, but there are still major applications that need to build 32-bit targets. But all that means is that we still need 32-bit compilers, it has nothing to do with the bitness of the IDE.

[Tommi Prami 131]

On 1/2/2025 at 7:50 PM, Ian Branch said:

I build 32 bit Apps exclusively because my Customers refuse to update their 32 bit Windows 7 PCs.

Yes, I develop on a 64bit PC.

 

And Delphi 64bit compiler is slow (at compiling) and resulted ASM is not too fast either.

Edited Wednesday at 06:04 AM by Tommi Prami