Delphi 2005 and Database Access

[Delphi-Lover]

Hello All,

I'm about to upgrade my Delphi 5 to the newest Delphi 2005 (finally I'm very confused about the different versions of Delphi Borland creates (Pro-Ent-Arch) The only thing what is important for me is the access to databases. The rest (NET, Starteam, MIdas, ECO II, Intraweb, ..) I don't need. As long I can type Pascal in the editor and can compile it, I'm happy. The database I use now is MS Access and soon I'm going to use MS SQL server (or the free MS SQL Server Express 2005) I see now that in Delphi 2005 the following is supported: ADO, dbGO, dbExpress and maybe more.. I still use the BDE with ODBC right now, but I like to get it out, because Borland stopped the developement and I like to see if I can speed up the database connections with my applications.

Questions: What Delphi version do I need? I like to buy the Pro version, because the others are very (very) expensive. Do I need the dbExpress to connect to MS SQL Server? (I saw that it is not in the Pro versions...) Has the Pro version all the things to connect to MS Access and MS SQL-Server?

Thanks and Greetings,

Delphi Lover.

[Bernhard Geyer]

For DB-Access the Pro-Version is enough.

For access to MS Access and MS SQL-Server, the best connection ist ADO (in Win32) and ADO.NET (in .NET).
So use ADOExpress/dbGo for Win32 and ADO.NET for WinForms. For VCL.NET (only recommendet for Porting old applications to .NET) you can use dbGo or ADO.NET.

[Delphi-Lover]

Hello,

Thanks!

Can you tell me what this dbExpress is all about?
(like compared with ADO...)
dbExpress is extensive supported in the Enterprise edition.
Can you later upgrade the Pro version with these dbExpress things?
(without the Enterprise upgrade version of 1500 Euro!!)

Greets,

Delphi-Lover

[Robert_G]

You want to get rid of MS Jet and BDE?
You would find yourself rewriting some vital parts and hundreds of minor segments of your project.
Changing to SQL Svr 2005 is changing to a new DBMS that supports CLR Code.
Since you cannot write stored procedures or triggers for SQL Svr 2005 within D2005, it won't be a wise choice.
So before changing half of your project... why not start over on a new technology, like .Net?
Using VisualStudio 2005 & SQLSvr 2005 you can create Database projects -> writing and debugging Database Code within the same IDE and language of your Application. (would be C# )

[Bernhard Geyer]

Zitat von Robert_G:

You would find yourself rewriting some vital parts and hundreds of minor segments of your project.

Depends on the quality of your current implementation. We implement a big application that supports MS-SQL, MySQL and Oracle and the DB-Dependend Code is conzentratet in a few 100 Lines of Code (<< 10% of the Code). And if he only wants to use VCL.Win32, there are only few changes

Zitat von Robert_G:

Changing to SQL Svr 2005 is changing to a new DBMS that supports CLR Code.

But still not released. The first release-date for the new SQL-Server was 2002! So depending your software on a Beta-Version isn't a good choice.

[Delphi-Lover]

Hello,

Robert_G, I thought this is a Delphi Forum

When I started the project I've split the application-source in 3.

1) A Data Layer (with dataobjects/queries) every dataobject in a seperate Unit.
2) Business Layer (with Business objects/business rules (inherited from the dataobjects))
3) GUI-Layer (with the visual components and using the Business Objects)

So to change the database I only have to Change the DataObjects. The only Data-components in the GUI layer is the DataSource component. The TQuery/TTables are in the DataLayer, runtime created. So I don't have 1000 forms with TQuery components with the query inside. I just have to change in the DataObjects the Database connection and probably the Query Syntax.

If ADO can access the MS Access tables and the MS-SQL tables I'll be fine.

Question: The choice going to MS-SQL is not done yet, maybe someone has an advise for another Database that is nice to use? What will work good with TQuery. What will work good with ADO? (appart from Oracle, that is just tooooo much ) But is must be better than MS-Access.

Thanks,

Delphi-Lover.

[Bernhard Geyer]

Zitat von Delphi-Lover:

Question: The choice going to MS-SQL is not done yet, maybe someone has an advise for another Database that is nice to use? What will work good with TQuery. What will work good with ADO? (appart from Oracle, that is just tooooo much ) But is must be better than MS-Access.

MySQL, Firebird are also nice Databases. And for all you get native Components (e.g. Core Labs).
It depends on your needs:
- Size of the Database
- Security/Backup
- Running on Windows/Linux/...
- Replication-Support
- Cost per User
- Support of the Multi-Version-Conzept
- ...