Delphi 2009 RAD Studio - Desktop Selector not Working - delphi

In the Delphi 2009 RAD Studio, there is a drop-down combo box where you can select the desktop configuration, i.e. "Default Layout", "Debug Layout, "Classic Undocked", etc. This has stopped working for me, i.e. when I select a desktop, nothing happens. I think I once "customized" the toolbar, by removing the drop-down combo box, and then I added it again, and ever since it has been dead. Is this a known bug? Is there a cure?

Create a new user account on your computer, call it "Testing" and log in there. Now load up delphi and try this desktop layout button. If it's now working in this alternative desktop account, then it's something in your registry settings under this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CodeGear\BDS\6.0
Try setting the keys named DesktopName and RuntimeDesktopName under the Session key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CodeGear\BDS\6.0\Session\DesktopName=Default Layout
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CodeGear\BDS\6.0\Session\RuntimeDesktopName=Debug Layout

Is it still switching configurations when you run the project or when you go back to coding?
Have you tried to create new custom configurations, save them and switch manually with the combo?
My guess is it's something wrong saved in the Registry. You could try (after saving your current registry) to get a (good) D2009 registry from another install where it works, and apply it to your machine. If it works again you'll have a way to figure it out by diffing the regs. If not you may have to reinstall D2009 (or at least try"repair").
DISCLAIMER: yadda yadda about touching the Registry...

Related

Delphi Executable starts in debug mode

Whenever a Executable is opened, the delphi IDE opens as like debug mode. what settings has changed in my IDE?
Can any one help me!
Update: 1. Build taken in other machine also causing this issue.
How come a opening an EXE, starts the IDE?
Default debugger was modified from vcjitdebugger to delphi debugger. So in case of exception delphi instance was started. It can me modified as below:
You need to delete the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AeDebug\Debugger
On a 64 bit system delete this key also:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AeDebug\Debugger
At the top of your IDE, you have a combo box with the available layouts of the IDE.
You probably have ‘Debug layout’ selected instead of ‘Default layout’ or so...
When you have opened a project, select 'Default layout' and then it will persist that choice for the next time you open a project.

Delphi IDE is not visible

I double click the Delphi icon on the desktop, but the IDE does not show up. Looking into the Task Manager list, the BDS.exe appears under the Processes list, while it should appear under the Applications list. Has anyone any idea why this is happening? Note: the IDE version I'm currently using is XE3, but the 2010 version, wich is also installed, behaves the same way. Windows version is 8.1. I really appreciate any help.
Often this happens because you've got either a poorly behaving third-party component installed, or you've set the IDE to load the last project when it opens and it can't do that for some reason.
There are a few things that can help resolve this; they involve editing the shortcut to Delphi temporarily (or creating a new shortcut and modifying it instead, of course).
Edit the shortcut and add the -np parameter to the command line; it tells the IDE to not load a project on startup. If this works, you can try opening your project. If the IDE hangs again, rename your .dproj file to a different extension and open it with just the .dpr; the IDE will create a new .dproj file;
If the above doesn't work, edit the shortcut again, remove the -np, and replace it with -rFoo. This tells the IDE to load the Foo configuration from the registry on startup instead of the normal Delphi configuration. (Foo doesn't exist, so the IDE will create an all-new configuration in the registry named Foo, with no third-party components installed and all of the default settings for folders and options.) If this works, you can reinstall your third-party component sets one at a time to identify the problem package, and the edit the registry to remove it from your normal Delphi configuration.
Note: Foo in the second bullet point item above is just a name. It has no special meaning; it's just something that's commonly used as a dummy type or variable content. The parameter can be set to anything that doesn't already exist as a configuration in the Delphi registry settings; Bar, Dummy or Zombie will work just as well.
Once you've tried these (whether they fix the issue or not), don't forget to go back to remove the no longer needed command line parameter.
If none of the above works, a reinstall may be in order.
If you want to try a reinstall, uninstall the existing version (using the usual Control Panel Uninstall Software applet).
Doing an uninstall does not remove the registry keys, and a new install will see it exists and not create a new one, so you'll need to use RegEdit to delete the HKCU\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\10.0 tree (or rename it to something different like Old 10.0), and then reinstall Delphi. (As you're using other Delphi versions, make sure you leave those keys alone so you don't damage those installs. Only alter or delete the 10.0 tree.)
In Delphi 4 and 5 it was the delphi32.dsk file. You can delete this file but you can also edit the file, section 'Main Window'. First kill the process in the taskmanager before you edit/delete this disk file.
[Main Window]
Create=1
Visible=0 <-- This value must be **1**
State=0
......
......
Start Delphi - et viola! It is back again.
Offtopic: Still running Delphi 5 on Windows 7, blazing fast, yes!

Can't find Code Explorer Window in Delphi 6 running on Windows 7 64-bit. How to get it back?

I'm having a really strange problem with the Delphi 6 IDE running on Windows 7 (64-bit edition). I just can't find the Code Explorer window pane. Usually it's docked against the left side of the Code Editor window. If not there, then you can find it by opening the View menu and selecting Code Explorer. But the Code Explorer is not docked to the Code Editor and when I drop down the View Menu the Code Explorer option is simply not there. All the other options are: Project Manager, Object Inspector, Object TreeView, etc. but just not the Code Explorer. Everything else about the IDE works great. Has anybody else had this problem and if so, what can I do to get it back? I rely on that view quite heavily.
Also, once I undock a view it doesn't seem to want to dock again. I hover over the usual areas in the edit window and it won't accept it the orphaned view as a docking client.
-- roschler
I can't reproduce the missing Code Explorer menu item. It works fine for me.
Regarding the non-dockable windows have you tried right clicking on the troublesome floating window and making sure that Dockable is ticked?
One thing to try when Delphi's IDE is giving you grief is to delete any .dsk files.
Finally, Delphi 6 pre-dates UAC and assumes that you can write to the installation directory. Have you made sure that Delphi is able to do this one way or another?
Sorry I don't have a definitive answer, but this is all I can think of.
For the record,
I had the same problem as you Robert.
Configuration:
Delphi 6 Enterprise, installed to a custom location.
Update Pack 2
Several Third Party Components
Windows 7, Spanish and English languages in Regional and language settings, and keyboard layout settings. Default language 'spanish',
default keyboard distribution 'english'.
Issues:
No 'code explorer' context menu item,
In editor, no 'complete class at cursor'.
Ctrl+Shift+C not working
Ctrl+Shift+Up/Down Arrow not working.
I uninstalled Delphi, uninstalled English language, removed keymappings to change keyboard layout (Ctrl+Shift).
Then I installed Delphi again, custom location, execute the installer as administator -> no issues.
I installed the third party components -> no issues
To install the update pack, this time, I opened the exe with winrar, decompressed the file, changed the files 'setup.exe', '_ISDel.exe' and '_BDEL.EXE' to execute always as administrator for all users. Run 'setup.exe' as administrator.
I don't know exactly which step did the trick but now I have no Issues.
I just tried with Delphi 6 on Win64, and have all the windows. And all expected menu items. Sometimes, there is some problems of refresh, but when I restart the IDE, everything is back there.
But I've installed:
Delphi 6 Suite Entreprise;
Update pack 2;
DDevExtension;
Delphi SpeedUp;
CnPack.
All is installed not in C:\Program Files but in a custom C:\Progs directory, which has all security rights set for all authenticated users. You should not install Delphi 6 under C:\Program Files, in all cases.
Works like a charm. Perhaps one of the add-ons fixed the issue.

Delphi/Paradox Database desktop DBD32.exe settings for Windows 7

Does anyone have any suggestions on the compatibility setting on Windows 7 for the Delphi/Paradox Database desktop program so that it displays properly in Windows 7 (x64)?
We've tried quite a few combinations of selections on the Compatibility tab on the .exe's Properties screen. But, none of them have eliminated fixed our problem:
It runs fine, but the buttons on the structuring screens are missing their text and are not clickable. The work-around is to use the keyboard shortcuts for these buttons, but obviously, although workable, that's not ideal.
Pre-emptive prose: Yes, we know we're on risky ground and need to migrate away from Paradox, which in some future version of Windows will not be supported. (But, we've got a million+ lines of code and migration won't be easy...)
I can confirm that disabling UAC and moving Database Desktop out out C:\Program Files makes buttons work again.
Before:
After:
A few points:
Try running it with UAC disabled.
Make sure you have all the BWCC-dlls and stuff in the right places too.
On Windows XP, check which fonts is uses, make sure those fonts are installed too.
Nothing worked for me with Delphi 5 Database Desktop on Windows 8, until I realized that I had also installed it through the Delphi 4 setup - and that version of DBD opens fine for me. Hope this helps!
so easy answer :
don't use delphi menu to open desktop database but just navigate to this directory
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Borland Shared\Database Desktop"
and run DBD32.EXE
you can also create a shortcut to it on desktop or quick launch on taskbar
i use delphi 7

Delphi 2010 remote debugging - unable to get breakpoints working

I recently posted this question about my inability to get Delphi 2010 working with remote debugging. I have not had any success and decided to post up a simple step-by-step test technique that might highlight what I'm doing wrong. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT to me - I've used Delphi since V1.0 and earn my living from it. Being stuck like this is a pain and its keeping me on Delphi 7.
Anyway, here goes.
Ensure that Delphi 2010 has updates 4&5.
Fire up Delphi 2010, then File | New | VCL Forms App. Put a button on the form, put 'ShowMessage( 'hello' ) in the button OnClick event. Save the project and its unit in a local folder "C:\scratch". Build the project, run it, click the button, 'hello' appears, all fine.
On a networked PC (194.168.1.64), create a new folder "c:\DebugTest" and share it with R/W access.
On 194.168.1.64 install the Remote Debugger from the latest download on the Embarcadero Website (RemoteDebugger_upd2.exe). CLick rmtdbg140.exe to run. Accept the 'un-block' message from the firewall.
Edit the DEBUG build configuration compiler settings with Output directory=\192.168.1.64\DebugTest and unit output directory = c:\scratch - see
Edit the Linking settings to set Debug Information=True, Include remote debug symbols=True. See
Leave compiling settings at defaults. See
Do a full build. The relevant project exe 'project2.exe' and 'project2.rsm' appear in the remote folder \192.168.1.64\DebugTest. Blue dots are visible in Unit2 in the IDE.
Set a breakpoint on the 'ShowMessage' line (the button OnClick event).
Use 'Run' | 'Load Process' with Remote path=c:\DebugTest\Project2.exe, Remote Host=192.168.1.64 and Working directory=c:\DebugTest see
Click 'Load'. The visible breakpoint is immediately disabled, the project starts running and opens the CPU window and stops. Pressing f9 cause the exe to run fully on the remote machine, the button works, you just cannot debug it.
I've tried various 'obvious' things like firewall off but all to no avail. Could some kind person suggest further ideas?
Many thanks.
Well, for me the problem has now been solved, although as a 'work around' and after significant interaction with Embarcadero and an upgrade to XE (which also did not work).
It would appear that the remote debugger is flaky (or possibly just picky) in its ability to load rsm (remote symbols) files - they are still looking into why mine wont load. My rsm file is big at around 50Mb although this is no problem for Delphi 7's remote debugger.
The work around involved upgrading to Delphi XE and then choosing the compiler link option 'Place Debug Information in separate TDS file'. This seems to create a tds file onthe remote target instead of a rsm file and breakpoints then work fine.
I've submitted my rsm and tds files to Embarcadero for investigation as to why this happens.
What Windows OS? Maybe run rmtdbg140.exe as admin.
I run D2010 remote debugging on XP versus XP. My How-To is at http://blog.runbits.com/post/Remote-debugging-Delphi.aspx
I had this problem. Installing Update 4 for Delphi 2010 solved my problem. It is also listed in the list of fixed problems of Update 4.
It is imperative to have correct time zone and clock on remote system. In my case I set up remote debugging and when I load process the breakpoints turned green. I checked remote system timezone and clock, set it right and remote dubugger worked again.

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