Delphi and OS X

There are more posts and articles coming out illustrating how to work with cross-platform native aspects (OS X and iOS).

Accessing special folders both on Windows and on OS X are looked at by Malcolm Groves in ‘Cross-platform special folders in FireMonkey’

Looking at how to convert from an NSString to a Delphi String is examined by Chris Rolliston in ‘Converting from a Cocoa string to a Delphi string.’ Chris is also sharing some general Mac tips for Delphi programmers in ‘A few Mac tips.’

Rudy Velthuis has looked into how to build an OS X application in Delphi without FireMonkey. Details of his progress are in this thread on the Embarcadero Discussion Forums.

There are more articles out there and more will be forthcoming. I’ll post more links as I find interesting write-ups.

Mono for Android 2.0 preview released

Xamarin have released a beta for their 2.0 series Mono for Android. Full details are at http://android.xamarin.com/Releases/Mono_for_Android_1/Release_1.9.0 but key points are:

• support for Honeycomb (Android API Level 12)
• interface constant binding improvements
• Java 7 support
• smaller application packages
• better incremental builds
• bug fixes

Update 1 released for Delphi XE2, C++Builder XE2 and RAD Studio XE2

Over 120 fixes are made in the recently released Update 1 for the XE2 product range from Embarcadero. There’s also an important licensing issue remedied in it.

Full details are at http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/41650.

C++Builder and FireMonkey

I don;t think I’d seen any posts on the new C++Builder release (C++Builder XE2) and so was pleased to see Bob Swart address this with a post on C++Builder XE2 and FireMonkey, originally from the C++Builder Developer’s Journal.

The article looks at creating a simple FireMonkey HD application, building and running it on Windows and on Mac OS X. He also looks at deployment and LiveBindings.

It’s good to see coverage of C++Builder topics out on the web.

Delphi Roadmap

Whilst Delphi and RAD Studio users await the next release of the official roadmap, JT (aka John-Ray Thomas) has posted a list of technology areas where work is actively on-going in the Embarcadero labs.

• Frequent and regular FireMonkey updates
• A Next Generation Delphi Compiler with multiple hardware/OS targets
• Next Generation RAD C++ Compiler with multiple hardware/OS targets
• 64bit RAD C++
• Delphi and C++ iOS support
• Expanded Mobile UI and Device support like Location, Camera, Accelerometers etc.
• Delphi and C++ ARM Support
• Extended iOS Support
• Android Support
• Win8/Metro Support - Intel and ARM

In-depth Delphi programming articles/posts

I’ve just bumped into a great list of resources for Delphi programmers using a version from Delphi 2005 onwards. It’s a directory called TIndex and has been put together by Lachlan Gemmell.
It’s not your usual ‘how to get started’ type resources. It covers much more in-depth and advanced topics, such as the new(-ish) $POINTERMATH and $STRINGCHECKS compiler directives, enhanced RTTI, Win64 and OS X posts, anonymous methods, generics, and of course posts on FireMonkey.
Check TIndex out at http://www.tindex.net.

Oxygene 5

RemObjects Oxygene product line has now reached version 5 and is now written in itself to ensure continued quality as the product develops further.

Oxygene is a Delphi-like modern Object Pascal language, designed to work well with managed systems such as .NET, Mono and the Java runtime, and not worry too much about out-dated constructs that do not sit well with them. The language supports many up-to-date constructs and concepts, such as sequences, class contracts, nullable types, asynchronous methods, parallelised loops, future types and more besides.

Delphi XE2 and RAD Studio XE2 have arrived

There’s been quite a bit of noise about it of late, and if you have any interest in Delphi you will almost certainly have heard that the new version has come along and has a lot to offer. RAD Studio XE2 is the product that includes Delphi, C++Builder, Delphi Prism (Oxygene for .NET) and RadPHP, Targeting 32-bit and 64-bit Windows and also targeting Apple’s Mac OS X and iOS (i.e. iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch) using the new cross-platform FireMonkey library.
I haven’t yet had much of a chance to explore the new additions to this product so I thought I’d collate a bunch of blog posts and articles/resources on the new release that cover a lot of the major new aspects and so help you know what’s been cooking in the Embarcadero labs over the last year and more.

• Want more... RAD Studio XE2, David Intersimone - http://blogs.embarcadero.com/davidi/2011/08/01/41062
• RAD Studio XE2 a new era for Delphi and C++Builder Developers, Andreano Lanusse - http://www.andreanolanusse.com/en/rad-studio-xe2-a-new-era-for-delphi-and-cbuilder-developers
• RAD Studio XE2 and you, Simon Stuart - http://www.simonjstuart.com/2011/08/02/rad-studio-xe2-and-you
• What’s coming in Delphi RAD Studio XE2: more details of 64-bit and Mac announced, introducing FireMonkey, Tim Anderson - http://www.itwriting.com/blog/4720-whats-coming-in-delphi-rad-studio-xe2-more-details-of-64-bit-and-mac-announced-introducing-firemonkey.html
• A little bit about FireMonkey and Delphi XE2, Andreano Lanusse - http://www.andreanolanusse.com/en/a-little-bit-about-firemonkey-and-delphi-xe2
• Delphi for iOS!, Sean - http://sourceitsoftware.blogspot.com/2011/08/delphi-for-ios.html
• RAD STUDIO XE2: Launch Event Report, Jolyon Smith - http://www.deltics.co.nz/blog/?p=735
• Delphi 64bit, OS X and iPhone native, Jon Aasenden - http://delphimax.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/delphi-64bit-os-x-and-iphone-native
• Delphi XE2 Looks Awesome, czar - http://www.pascalgamedevelopment.com/content.php?259-Delphi-XE2-Looks-Awesome
• FireMonkey doesn’t necessarily mean “one size fits all”, Simon Stuart - http://www.simonjstuart.com/2011/08/04/firemonkey-doesnt-necessarily-mean-one-size-fits-all
• Video: Delphi XE2 and FireMonkey app on Windows, Mac and iOS, Andreano Lanusse - http://www.andreanolanusse.com/en/video-delphi-xe2-and-firemonkey-app-on-windows-mac-and-ios
• Waiting for Delphi XE2 with excitement, vcldeveloper - http://vcldeveloper.com/news/waiting-for-delphi-xe2-with-excitement
• Embarcadero Reinvents App Development!, Pawel Glowacki - http://blogs.embarcadero.com/pawelglowacki/2011/08/08/39265
• some reflections on #Delphi #FireMonkey support for #iOS based on the #FPC compiler that caused quite a surprise, Jeroen Pluimers - http://wiert.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/some-reflections-on-delphi-firemonkey-support-for-ios-based-on-the-fpc-compiler-that-caused-quite-a-surprise
• Hydra and FireMonkey – Best Friends Forever, Alexander Krakovskii - http://blogs.remobjects.com/blogs/ejay/2011/08/18/p2909
• Embarcadero’s Upcoming Delphi XE2 Is A Game Changer!, David Schwartz - http://thetoolwiz.com/2011/08/embarcaderos-upcoming-delphi-xe2-is-a-game-changer
• FireMonkey Video Beta Blog, Marco Cantu - http://blog.marcocantu.com/blog/firemonkey_betablog_video.html
• RAD Studio XE2 - Breaking out of 32-bit Windows, Lars Fosdal - http://delphi.fosdal.com/2011/08/rad-studio-xe2-breaking-out-of-32-bit.html
• RAD Studio XE2 - VCL and FireMonkey (FMX) first glance comparison, Lars Fosdal - http://delphi.fosdal.com/2011/08/rad-studio-xe2-vcl-and-firemonkey-fmx.html
• In the core of LiveBindings expressions of RAD Studio XE2, Daniele Teti - http://www.danieleteti.it/2011/08/30/in-the-core-of-livebindings-expressions-of-rad-studio-xe2
• Video: Target FireMonkey applications to both Windows and Mac OS X, Embarcadero - http://youtu.be/NzLCGvpGGAg
• Video: Rich HD and 3D Business Applications with FireMonkey, Embarcadero - http://youtu.be/80hfge8NwCE
• Video: VCL Styles in Delphi, C++Builder and RAD Studio XE2, Embarcadero - http://youtu.be/D2wnmm5nnjs
• Delphi XE2: Seamless Mac OS X Builds, Herbert Sauro - http://blog.analogmachine.org/2011/08/31/delphi-xe2-seamless-mac-os-x-builds
• Trial, Datasheet, Feature Matrix and FAQ for XE2 release available, Andreano Lanusse - http://www.andreanolanusse.com/en/trial-datasheet-feature-matrix-and-faq-for-xe2-release-available
• Links to resources about Delphi XE2 and RAD Studio XE2, Pawel Glowacki - http://blogs.embarcadero.com/pawelglowacki/2011/09/02/39298
• What's new In Delphi and C++Builder XE2 - http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/What%27s_New_in_Delphi_and_C%2B%2BBuilder_XE2
• FireMonkey iOS Applications - http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/XE2/en/Creating_a_FireMonkey_Application#iOS_Applications