Delphi XE7 XML Documentation - delphi

In Delphi XE2, there was an IDE feature which allowed me to create in-line XML code documentation (following Microsoft standards) in an editor window. It would describe each class, type, method, etc. in the interface section of a unit. However, in Delphi XE7, I cannot find it. I've done some searching, but as you can imagine, Delphi XE7 XML Code Documentation does not return the results I'm looking for.
In XE2, I remember the shortcut to toggle this window was either CTRL + SHIFT + D or CTRL + ALT + D. Neither of them do anything in XE7. I know I could manually write this myself, but that's a bit inconvenient. All I can find in the documentation is how to write the text yourself, and nothing about the editor window I was used to in XE2. I never installed any Delphi add-ons other than what came with Delphi itself (besides IDE Fix Pack).
Where can I find this feature in Delphi XE7 Enterprise? Or was it removed for some reason?

The feature you are describing is not directly implemented into Delphi but comes as third party addon that does integrate into Delphi. It is called Documentation Insight.
http://www.devjetsoftware.com/products/documentation-insight/
Documentation insight had come as free third party addon till Delphi XE6 when it was suposingly removed. Don't ask me why as I don't know.
So I'm afraid that you will have to buy this third party IDE extention now.
EDIT: Or you could use newest version of Delphi for development of your program and older version of Delphi like XE2 to generate documentation.

Related

How to find detailed information about FireMonkey?

I have Delphi XE4 Enterprise. How do I find out if I have FireMonkey or FM2 or FM3?
Where does Embarcadero store the detailed information about FireMonkey versions?
As of today, the list of FireMonkey versions, and associated Delphi versions is:
FM1: Delphi XE2
FM2: Delphi XE3
FM3: Delphi XE4/5
The FireMonkey version is more of a marketing designation than a true software version. Principally it's Delphi itself that is versioned.
It's a little debateable as to what FireMonkey version ships with XE5. Following the pattern, it ought to be FM4. But I can find no reference anywhere to Embarcadero using the name FM4. So I rather suspect that this is what happened (all speculation on my part):
The original release with XE2 was named plain FireMonkey.
The release with XE3 removed iOS support and fixed many deep and fundamental flaws with breaking changes So it was branded FM2.
With XE4, iOS returned and more flaws were fixed, again with breaking changes. The library was reaching stability, and named FM3. They even used FM3 in marketing material. Exponentially better than the original was perhaps the message. Or is that just the mathematician in me? Maybe the marketing people thought it looked cool.
XE5 added Android support and had some more, albeit more minor, breaking changes. Somebody at Embarcadero said, if we keep changing FM version then people will get fed up with all our breaking changes. So let's just call the thing FireMonkey and leave it at that.
Going forward I think you'll just see FireMonkey and FM from Embarcadero. The version that counts is the Delphi version.
The version of the FMX framework depends on the Delphi compiler version you use.
Until now, each Delphi version (starting from XE2) contains a somehow different/extended/changed Firemonkey framework.
BTW Delphi XE4 Firemonkey framework is FM3

Windows & Mac XML library for delphi XE2

What is the best (easy to use, performances) library to manage XML on Delphi XE2. Windows and Mac targets in mind.
I usually go for the NativeXML library, it's an XML library completely written in Delphi code and it's free. I'm not sure if the latest version offers compatibility with the Firemonkey platform, but with a few changes to unit names I tested it successfully back when Delphi XE2 was first released.
You can find the component here: http://www.simdesign.nl/xml.html
In case the latest version isn't compatible with XE2 yet, there's a topic on the forums about how to make it compatible: http://www.simdesign.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2110
You can use OmniXML, it is:
100% written in delphi
Has no outer dependencies
Works on XE2, did not test it on OSX
On top of OmniXML you can use SimpleStorage to give you more power and simplicity managing the XML.
Andreano Lanusse has a nice blog post on using XML on Mac. It turns out that:
When you drop a TXMLDocument component on your design the default DOMVendor MSXML, you have to change to ADOM XML v4 to support cross-platform.

Delphi 2010 OXMLDOM

I'm migrating my Delphi 7 app to Delphi 2010. We used the Open XML (from http://www.philo.de/).
In Delphi 2010 it seems to be already built in. In the documentation it says so (ms-help://embarcadero.rs2010/rad/Using_the_Document_Object_Model.html)
"and the unit for the Open XML implementation is OXMLDOM"
But I can not find any OXMLDOM in my installation.
Am I missing something? Or the OpenXML support was dropped?
Daniel
It looks like that changed. The vendors I see support for are MSXML, Xerces, and ADOM v4.
You can still use Open XML; just create the XML document yourself instead of dragging TXMLDocument on to a form. I use OmniXML for most of the stuff I do, and it works fine in D2007, D2009, and D2010.

How do I write a Delphi Galileo IDE Expert?

HI,
I want to write a small Delphi IDE Expert for D2007-D2009 (aka. Galileo IDE) in order to show a window with a TMemo instance on it, with all the component names and classes from the form designer in the above memo. The selected component will be marked with a '*'. The expert should appear on a menu/toolbar and have a shortcut assigned.
How do I do?
Ps: Actually the real code is more complicated than that, but I want to have a general framework to get started.
TIA
I did my first OTA with help of these links:
Erik's Open Tools API FAQ and Resources (The author of GExpert)
Delphi Open Tools API from Jim Kueneman - Mustangpeak
Delphi Open Tools API from RayRay Lischner
They are not updated to the latest versions, but they will you good start point and most of the code will work with the last version, I tried them with D2007.
There are links to articles describing how to write an OTA plug-in here:
http://delphi.about.com/od/objectpascalide/a/wizardsexperts.htm

Delphi IDE - CodeRush visual "connectors" alternative

I used to work in Delphi 6, and got very used to having CodeRush's various helpful IDE additions. Many are now in the IDE itself, or I've managed to replace with something else, but the one feature I REGULARLY find myself wishing I had in Delphi 2007 still, is the ability CodeRush had that added little "connecting lines" between components that were linked to each other (lines showing the connections between TDataSets and TDataSources, for instance).
Does anyone make something that does that in the newer Delphi IDE?
=== * LATER NOTE / Clarification * ===
Andreas is correct in his comments below... "I don't think that he meant structural highlighting which works on the source code. He wants "connection lines" between components in the form designer."
He also says "as far as I know there is no such tool for Delphi 2005 or newer".. which is a bummer if true. (...and if that IS the case, what's the best place to make Delphi IDE feature requests?)
I don't think it exists. The best place to make form designer feature requests is here.
another freeware/opensource option would be to look at CNPack which supports structural highlighting and runs well in Delphi 2009. The library contains many other enhancements to the IDE also, some which are duplicated in other packages such as GExperts. I run both CNPack and GExperts in both 2009 and 2006 without any problems.
You want Castalia, which works fine here on my D2007 for structural highlighting.
Castalia from Twodesk

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