With its second release of the product, Borland International Inc is splitting the Delphi development environment into three products targeted at three types of developer. Delphi Client- Server Suite 2.0 is for client-server developers, Delphi Developer 2.0 is aimed at professionals working on local area networks and Delphi Desktop 2.0 is for individual programmers. The most important feature of this new release is that native 32- bit applications can be generated for both Windows NT and Windows95, as well as 16-bit for Windows 3.1. Delphi was introduced in February 1995 and combined what the Scotts Valley, California company claimed to be an Object Pascal-based compiler with scalable database technology and a component-based rapid application development environment (CI No 2,612). It has been one of the major forces behind the slimmed-down company’s recovery over the last three quarters (CI No 2,834). Delphi Client-Server Suite is aimed at companies wishing to build applications that need to access data in Oracle, Sybase, Informix, InterBase or Microsoft Corp SQL Server databases. New features include an object repository for storing re-usable applications, forms and database information, an SQL Monitor to optimise client-server performance, and an SQL Explorer that acts as a focal point for database development including browsing meta data such as stored procedures, triggers and alerts. The Datapump Expert enables developers to migrate data from different databases, such as Paradox tables to an Oracle or Sybase database. This, Borland says, makes upsizing and application scaling easier to carry out. Also included is Intersolv Inc’s Package Version Control System version manager. Each copy of Client-server Suite comes with an InterBase NT two-developer licence. Delphi Developer is for rapid application development in local network environments. It includes the object repository and other new tools, including a Data Dictionary that enables developers to define and re-use extended field attributes with named attribute sets such as minimum and maximum values, edit labels or control associations specific to that object, to retain a certain look and feel. Buttons and text boxes There is also a Multi-Object Grid, which enables that include buttons and text boxes, as well as just text forms to be stored. Visual Form Inheritance centralises changes made to the code. It comes with a single InterBase local server licence and a copy of ReportSmith 3.0. Delphi Desktop 2.0 bears a close resemblance to the first version of Delphi. The new features here, which are duplicated in the other two versions, include a full set of Windows95 controls and Object Linking & Embedding controls. The company reckons that the new 32-bit compiler can compile more than 350,000 lines per minute. The Client-Server suite will cost $2,000, or #1,280 for a new licence with upgrades available; Delphi Developer will cost $800, or #400 for a new licence, or $300 for an upgrade, and Delphi Desktop will go for $500, #250, or $200 for those upgrading. Borland plans to put all three versions into full manufacturing by February 14 and be in shops before March 1.
