Data Abstract™ Samples for Delphi

Please keep the following things in mind when working with the samples:

ADO / Northwind Database. Most samples work on the Northwind database that comes with Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 and 2003. For simplicity, the samples assume that MSSQL is running on the local machine and using an empty "sa" password*.
If your setup differs, ensure that you adjust the samples accordingly before trying to run them; locate and double-click the Schema component, select the ADO connection in Schema Modeler and change the connection string.
*an empty "sa" password is NOT recommended on production systems.
InterBase (or FireBird) / Employee Database. Those samples working with Borland InterBase will usually work against the EMPLOYEE.GDB database that is provided with InterBase. They will expect this database in the default location (c:\Program Files\Borland\InterBase\Examples).
If your setup differs,ensure that you adjust the samples accordingly before trying to run them; locate and double-click the Schema component, select the IBX or DBX connection in Schema Modeler, and change the connection string.
SDAC. Some of the sample applications provide the option to use an SDAC based connection instead of ADO to talk to MSSQL. Please note that to use this option, you will need to drop a SDACDriver on the sample's form manually and rebuild the sample; you will also need a valid license for SDAC from Core Lab for this.
Report Builder Sample. This sample will require ReportBuilder 7 from Digital Metaphors.

Getting Started

Most of the samples provide a project group containing server and client projects. The standard procedure for testing these is as follows:

Build or compile both projects.
Ensure that the server is the current project. Note: if there is only one RemObjects SDK server contained within the project group, this step is not needed because the next step will still work even if the lient is the current project.
Launch the server (IDE menu: RemObjects | Launch Server Executable).
Examine the server window. Some samples require that you activate one or more channels.
Make the client the current project.
Run the client.

Having tested the sample, next examine the database schema and the services provided. Do this by examining the Schema Modeler and Service Builder tools provided:

Schema Modeler
- locate the server form or datamodule containing the TDASchema component
- double click on the TDASchema
Service Builder
- Ensure that the server is the current project.
- Open the Service Builder (IDE menu: RemObjects | Edit Service Library).

Note: the Schema Modeler item available via the IDE's main menu (RemObjects | Schema Modeler) will open a fresh instance, not the one already referenced by the other components.

Sample Categories

Some samples are shown below in more than one category.

Category	Samples
Introduction	First Sample Login Sample Calculated Fields Custom User Logon MegaDemo Local Schema Quick Open
Intermediate	Briefcase Business Processor BusinessRulesScripts Data Streamers Fetch Memory Data Multi Level Detail SQL Access Stored Procedures Strongly Typed
Architecture	Connection By User Local Schema Service Methods Strongly Typed
Advanced	Connection By User Connection Pooling Dynamic SQL Regular Expressions Service Methods XSLT
Third Party	QuantumGrid 4 Report Builder

Sample Descriptions

Name	Category	Description
Briefcase	Intermediate	This example shows how to create a briefcase model using a Data Abstract Client.
Business Processor	Intermediate	This is a good example to show the advantages of a multi-tier architecture: systems can be updated via a server re-deploy without the need to update any client. Also, the sample shows advanced handling on the client of any errors returned from the server.
BusinessRulesScripts	Intermediate	This example demonstrates how client side scripts can be modified on the server and then downloaded to the client via a simple call. When you compile and launch the server, it displays a memo containing various client side rules executed within event handlers such as BeforePost.
Calculated Fields	Introduction	This example shows how to handle calculated fields on the server side and client side.
Connection By User	Architecture Advanced	Shows various methods how a standard application (i.e. not a RemObjects server or client) can obtain a database connection at runtime. The application uses four Data Abstract components: TDAADODriver, TDADriverManager, TDAConnectionManager and TROInMemorySessionManager.
Connection Pooling	Advanced	Shows how connections can be managed via a pool (ADO/Northwind & IBX/Employee connections).
Custom User Logon	Introduction	A very simple example showing two methods of opening a connection at runtime: creates and opens the connection in a single call passing the UserID/Password values supplied. creates the connection and opens it afterwards.
Data Streamers	Intermediate	This example shows how a dataset can be written to a stream and read from it using the TDABinDataStreamer class. When you compile and launch this example it displays two grids, the sources for which are datasets dynamically read using TStream.
Dynamic SQL	Advanced	This demo shows how to retrieve schema and/or data via SQL generated at runtime. When you compile and run the server, you will see it contains a memo displaying "SQL details generated for Update will be displayed here". The demo does not actually attempt to update server data but merely displays the fields that would be updated by processing the delta.
Fetch	Intermediate	This demo shows how to fetch paged orders and also master/detail via single server call.
First Sample	Introduction	This sample illustrates the basic functionality of Data Abstract. The application, which shows how to receive data from a remote database, was created using the Data Abstract 4.0 Combo Server wizard.
Local Schema	Introduction Architecture	A simple demo showing the use of several Data Abstract components to select/update a range of Customer records.
Login Sample	Introduction	This example shows how to provide a simple Login. The login data is held in Northwind's Employees table, with the FirstName and LastName fields used for UserName and Password respectively.
MegaDemo	Introduction	The sample shows: How we can work with several connections to different databases (Northwind - MS SQL and Employee - Firebird). How we can implement security and access rights in our application. Master-detail relations between tables is implemented via a service that provides a list of orders by user id.
Memory Data	Intermediate	This example shows how to create and populate a virtual dataset dynamically. The client displays two grids: Top Grid: this displays the primary keys of one or more datasets from Northwind. Bottom Grid: this displays the names and sizes of files contained in the specified disk folder.
Multi Level Detail	Intermediate	This sample shows how to implement master/detail/detail updates as simply as possible.
QuantumGrid 4	Third Party	This example demonstrates how to use the QuantumGrid4 (or QuantumGrid5) product from Developer Express (contact www.devexpress.com. for licensing information if you do not already have the product).
Quick Open	Introduction	This example shows how to load TDACDSDataTable data using the TDABinDataStreamer.
Regular Expressions	Advanced	This sample illustrates the support provided for regular expressions.
Report Builder	Third Party	Requires ReportBuilder 7 from Digital Metaphors. This example shows how to create the report on the server, stream it to the client and then display to the client.
Service Methods	Architecture Advanced	This example illustrates the methods of the IDataAbstractService base service. It shows the options available to change the server's operations and also shows the order in which server methods are invoked.
SQL Access	Intermediate	This example treats two different SQL queries as if they are the same one. One takes data from the SHIPPERS table and the other from the CUSTOMERS table. The field mappings used when building the where clause isolate the developer from the SQL details and so allow the building of fairly complex where clauses without the need to do string concatenations in code. This sample also illustrates the use of various macro processors (TMSSQLMacroProcessor, TIBMacroProcessor, TOracleMacroProcessor, TDBISAMMacroProcessor).
Stored Procedures	Intermediate	This example shows how to use the IDAConnection's GetStoredProcedureNames method to retrieve a list of stored procedures for the connection. It also shows how to use IDAConnection's NewCommand to access the IDASQLCommand interface
Strongly Typed	Architecture Intermediate	This example shows usage of business rules. It enforces additional rules that might change over time. This is a good example to show the advantages of a multi-tier architecture: systems can be updated via a server re-deploy without the need to update any client.
XSLT	Advanced	This example shows how to import dataset data into an .xml file by using the TDAXmlDataStreamer. Exporting dataset changes to an .xml file is also shown.

Support

If you encounter any problems or have questions regarding the Samples, please feel free to ask on our newsgroup at news://news.remobjects.com/remobjects.public.dataabstract.delphi.

Thank you very much,
Your RemObjects Team
http://www.remobjects.com