Sorry for so many big posts, but here's a cut from the Whats New help
file
My comments are in []'s
Delphi 5 introduces the following new features and enhancements.
Note Some of the features are not available in all versions of Delphi.
ADO Dataset (Enterprise and add-on to Professional edition)
The ADO dataset provides an alternative technology to the Borland
Database
Engine (BDE) to gain access to data in a variety of formats using
Microsoft’s Active Data Objects (ADO) technology.
Data Module Designer (All editions)
The Data Module Designer is a new visual design tool that makes it
easy to
create and maintain data modules.
[quite similar to VB6's designer, ie a tree view with heirachial 'what
owns what' type relationships. BTW, the ADO stuff also allows for
datashaping (essentially nested result sets)]
InterBase Express (Professional and Enterprise editions)
InterBase Express (IBX) components integrate InterBase with Delphi
better
than any other database access components and do not require the
Borland
Database Engine (BDE).
MIDAS enhancements (Enterprise edition)
The architecture to support multi-tier database (MIDAS) applications
now
supports stateless remote data modules and the new InternetExpress
components let you create Web applications where browsers interact
with
data from a MIDAS application server.
CORBA changes (Enterprise edition)
CORBA has been upgraded to work with the VisiBroker for C++ ORB
version
3.32. In addition, message traffic is reduced because the CORBA client
no
longer pings messages to the server to maintain the client connection.
Connections time out automatically if they are inactive for too long.
New debugging features (All editions)
The Integrated debugger has new features, including the ability to set
debugging options for specific processes, new Run menu items, and
additional debugging options.
[... like BPgroups - enable and disable X number of BPs in one go,
etc.
BP actions (break, ignore subsequent exceptions, log messages, enable
group, disable group etc, FPU window, along with the old CPU window,
Run|Attach to process, Run|Run until return (F7/8 on steriods), function
calls option for watches]
VCL enhancements (All editions)
The VCL has many new objects, properties, and events incorporating new
technology and responding to developer’s requests.
[loads of stuff in here]
Frames (All editions)
Frames are a special kind of form that can be nested within a form or
another frame. You create frames by choosing File|New Frame, or by
choosing
File|New and double-clicking Frame on the New tab of the New Items
dialog
box.
[These are VERY cool]
Customizable desktop settings (All editions)
You can customize various desktop layouts, then name and save them
globally. Select the desktop layout you want from the Desktop toolbar
or
using View|Desktops. You can also specify a debugging desktop to load
during runtime.
To-Do Lists (Professional and Enterprise editions)
A to-do list maintains a list of tasks to be completed for the
project. You
can add items in the source code or directly to the list.
Property categories in the Object Inspector (All editions)
The Object Inspector allows you to display and filter properties and
events
by category.
[filter by category, alphabetic listing, just to the value of a
component property, eg if it point to a TDataSource, you can just to
that component with a keypress]
Images in drop down lists in the Object Inspector (All editions)
Owner draw support has been added to the Object Inspector so you can
view
images such as cursors, image lists, and colors in drop down lists.
New Project Manager features (All editions)
The Project Manager simplifies project management by allowing you to
drag
and drop files from Windows folders or other projects into your
current
project. You can also copy project items from one project to another
and
add any type of file to a project. Resource files that you add to your
project are compiled into RES files and linked to the project.
TeamSource (Enterprise edition)
TeamSource is a new integrated workflow management tool. For more
information, see TeamSrc.hlp in the Help directory. Note: TeamSource
is a
separate product and a separate installation, and is not provided with
all
versions of Delphi. It can be purchased separately.
ActiveX Enhancements (Professional and Enterprise editions)
Imported COM servers can be implemented as components to for visual
development. Other features have been added to simplify ActiveX
development.
[asp wizard!, free threading support, OLEAUTOMATION option getting rid
of the need for a proxy DLL for custom interfaces, support for sparse
vtables created in VB]
New application wizards (Professional and Enterprise editions)
Two new wizards help with creating control panel applets (File|New
then
select Control Panel Application or Control Panel Module) and console
applications (File|New then select Console Wizard).
Editor enhancements (All editions)
Editing preferences are now centralized under a separate command
(Tools|Editor Options). It is now easier to customize editor key
binding
with the Key Bindings tab on the Editor Options and Open Tools API
enhancements.
New project browser (All editions)
A new project browser can browse symbols in your project
(project-wide) or
it can browse all symbols (VCL-wide).
Forms now saved as text (All editions)
Form files (DFMs) are now saved as text rather than binary, by
default.
Right-click on a form and uncheck Text DFM to save that form as
binary.
Uncheck the New forms as text on the Preferences page of the
Tools|Environment Options to save forms in binary.
Option to auto create forms (All editions)
An option on Tools|Environment Options Preferences page lets you
choose
whether or not to automatically create forms. You must have at least
one
auto-created form to use this option. When unchecked, forms added to
the
project are put into the Available Forms list rather than the Auto
Create
list. You can change where forms are listed using the Forms tab of the
Project|Options dialog box.
IDE command line options (All editions)
You can start the IDE from the command line using several new options
particularly useful for debugging.
[eg, autobuild, automake, initiate remtoe debug, process attach, load an
exe into the debugger, no project, no splashscreen, heap veryify, heap
monitor]
International tools (Enterprise edition)
A new suite of tools called the Integrated Translation Environment
(ITE) is
now provided to simplify software localization and simultaneous
development
for different locales.
NetMasters components (Professional and Enterprise editions)
The NetMasters components now appear on a separate page (called
FastNet) in
the Component Palette. Note that the TWebBrowser component on the
Internet
page, which imports the Internet Explorer ActiveX component, replaces
the
THTML component.
Help menu changes (All editions)
--
Nic Wise - Inprise New Zealand / Brocker Technologies Web Monkey.
mob:+64.21.676.418 - wk:+64.9.481.9999 x9753 - wk-em:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
hm: +64.9.277.5309 - hm-em:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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