Dimensional Data

On 18 December in Osaka, Japan, there is an event for Japanese Delphi developers interested in using TMS WEB Core and creating REST APIs for use from a TMS WEB Core web client application. The event is offered as a hands-on event, where Delphi developers can bring their laptop and work on projects with TMS WEB Core shown during the event and create REST APIs to be used by the web client app. Some more background information about the organizer of the event and the experience with TMS WEB Core and REST API backends can be found here.  It is of course a great opportunity to meet fellow Delphi & TMS WEB Core developers and exchange tips & tricks among each other. We kindly invite everyone to this upcoming event! Event information and registration is available here: https://ishuprog.connpass.com/event/233617/  TMS customers in Japan will receive an email with information for free entry for this event!

TMS Analytics & Physics library is a set of classes that provide functionality for building powerful math applications with Delphi. In the new version 3.2 of the library, we introduced special FNC math components. The components bring new possibilities to develop and tune your math application in design-time with standard IDE tools. In this article, we’ll consider the base concepts of the FNC math components and provide information on how to work with functions, derivatives, and integrals. All FNC math components are nonvisual. Each component implements some math concept and provides properties to manipulate and tune it in design- and run-time. Let’s consider the following components: TFNCProvider – creates math environment; allows introducing variables and parameters for function evaluations, symbolic derivatives, and integrals. TFNCFunction1D – introduces a symbolic function of one variable; allows evaluating the function for the specified variable value. TFNCDerivative1D – introduces a symbolic derivative of a math expression; allows evaluating the derivative for the specified variable value. TFNCIntegral1D – introduces a symbolic integral of a math expression; allows evaluating the integral for the specified variable value. To begin any FNC math application we first need to put a TFNCProvider component on the form. The component has two published properties: Variables (TVariableCollection) – a collection of variables that can be used as arguments of functions. Parameters (TParameterCollection) – a collection of parameters that can be used in the math environment to build functions, derivatives, integrals, and other math expressions. When you put a TFNCProvider on the form in design-time, it automatically creates a default variable ‘x’ for your math application. You can change the name of the variable or add/delete variables at design- and run-time. For the simplest math application, the default environment with one variable ‘x’ is enough. So, let’s go forward and consider the next FNC component TFNCFunction1D and its properties: Provider (TFNCProvider) – a math environment for the function. Variable (TVariableProperty) – a variable specifying the argument of the function. Formula (TFormulaProperty) – a formula specifying the math expression of the function. Placing a TFNCFunction1D on the form, it assigns the default value ‘x’ to the Variable property. We need to set up the Provider property and the expression for the Formula property, say ‘5*sin(6*x)’ in the Object Inspector. The resulting properties are shown in the picture below:  The function is ready to use. What can we do with it? The first idea is to draw the function and see what it looks like. We have the TFNCFunction1DPlotter component especially developed for this purpose: TFNCFunction1DPlotter – a binding for an FNC function component and an FNC Chart; allows drawing any FNC function on the chart. The component has several published properties that we can use to tune it and show a function on the FNC Chart: Provider (TFNCProvider) – a math environment for the component. Min (TValueProperty) – the minimal value of the variable range to plot the function. Max (TValueProperty) – the maximal value of the variable range to plot the function. PointCount (Integer) – number of points to plot the function. AFunction (TFNCBaseFunction1D) – a FNC function to plot. AssignLegend (Boolean) – if true, assigns the function’s expression to the serie’s legend. Chart (TTMSFNCChart) – an FNC chart to draw the function. First, we need to assign the appropriate Provider property. The Min […]

Let’s come straight to the point. Writing unit tests is a chore and having unit tests is a blessing. We all want to have the blessing, so with integrated unit testing in TMS WEB Core, we tried to minimize the chore. For unit testing to cover real usage scenarios, it is necessary to run the unit tests on the ‘operating system’ where the web application will run, that is the web browser. After all, all TMS WEB Core apps, and thus your code, will run in the browser, will involve dealing with the browser DOM and browser APIs, it is only logical that a TMS WEB Core unit test runs as a web app in the browser. It also means having the ability to deal with a typical web app world phenomenon and that is asynchronous behavior.  Introducing unit testing now integrated from TMS WEB Core v1.9.5.0. To start a new unit test project, create this from the Delphi IDE wizard and it creates a test project with one unit containing one test class with one test method. It allows you to fully focus on writing the test classes with their test methods. In the project manager, it looks like: and the code generated is: Notice in the code the attribute [TestFixture] on the test classes and the attribute [Test] on the test methods. A class can obviously contain as much test methods as you want and you can register as much test classes as you want with a call to TTMSWEBUnitTestingRunner.RegisterClass(). For the feedback when running the test application, use the Assert class.  When running this application, the test application in the browser behaves in the following way: Asynchronous behavior in the browser Now, how can we deal with typical asynchronous behavior in the browser and still test it properly? Well, for any asynchronous behavior in the browser, decorate the test method using it with the [Async] attribute. Then you can use the await() function to wait for the asynchronous response of the call.  This sample code demonstrates this: TMyTestClassUnit1 = class(TObject) published   //This is an async test method   [Test] [async]   procedure TestAsync; end; procedure TMyTestClassUnit1.TestAsync; var   wr: TWebHttpRequest;   res: TJSXMLHttpRequest;   js: TJSONObject; begin   wr := TWebHttpRequest.Create(nil);   wr.URL := ‘https://download.tmssoftware.com/tmsweb/1.json’;   res := await(TJSXMLHttpRequest, wr.Perform);   js := TJSONObject(TJSONObject.ParseJSONValue(res.responseText));   // response value for userId should be ‘1’   Assert.AreEqual(js.GetJSONValue(‘userId’),’1′); end; Testing JavaScript directly When you use external JavaScript libraries that you also want to involve in a test, there are several ways you can do this. You might have an Object Pascal wrapper class for JavaScript objects that you use in your test method but it could be as simple as calling the JavaScript directly from an ASM code block (a block with embedded JavaScript code within your Object Pascal code).  This is a very simple example of directly calling the JavaScript window prompt function to get a user input: procedure TMyTestClassUnit2.TestIntToStr; var   s: string; begin   asm     s = window.prompt(‘Please give your name’);   end;   Assert.AreEqual(‘Bruno’, s); end; The result in the browser when running this test becomes: A video introduction Follow unit testing step by step as our colleague Holger Flick explains in this YouTube video: Get started Go to the next level of […]

Let’s celebrate this holiday season and end the year on a positive note. During December 2021 only, TMS is doing an extra effort and offers everyone special upgrade prices. Upgrade your licenses to TMS ALL-ACCESS bundle today, before 2022 price adaptions! Get full access with:  Easy plan: All current and new products for 1 price! Easy renewal: Yearly renewal only for 495 EUR! Easy install: all products accessible via TMS Subscription Manager tool Easy support: Full online support center access to all areas Easy up-to-date: Early access to product betas Easy learning: Access to TMS WEB Academy Act now! If you would like to continue to benefit from our priority support services and development on new and existing components, we have special upgrade offers for you! Contact sales@tmssoftware.com for the best discount upgrade offer for TMS ALL-ACCESS, depending on your currently purchased products. Take advantage of upgrade discounts now and be safe against future price adaptions!Please note this offer is valid until December 31, 2021!

Introducing Google Places and polyline symbols support in TMS FNC Maps v2.4. Google Places AutoComplete The AutoComplete function provides suggestions based on a partial keyword search, usually provided by the end user. The results can be updated and displayed on the fly while the user is typing.The following example uses the TTMSFNCEdit component, available separately in TMS FNC UI Pack, to display the AutoComplete results in a dropdown panel. Thanks to the powerful combination of the TTMSFNCEdit and the synchronous GetAutoCompletSync call from TTMSFNCPlaces this can be achieved with a single line of code: procedure TForm1.TMSFNCEdit1LookupNeedData(Sender: TObject; Value: string; List: TStrings; var ItemIndex: Integer); begin List.Assign(TMSFNCPlaces1.GetAutoCompleteSync(Value)); end; Note: The AutoComplete functionality from Azure, Bing, Here and GeoApify is supported as well. Places Search The TTMSFNCGooglePlaces nearby search allows to search for specific places near a given location.This example displays a subset of the pharmacies found in the center of New York city. This is how the code looks: procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject); var c: TTMSFNCMapsCoordinateRec; begin c.Latitude := 40.7127753; c.Longitude := -74.0059728; TMSFNCGooglePlaces1.SearchNearby(c, ‘pharmacy’); end; procedure TForm1.TMSFNCGooglePlaces1SearchNearby(Sender: TObject; const ARequest: TTMSFNCPlacesRequest; const ARequestResult: TTMSFNCCloudBaseRequestResult); var I: Integer; begin for I := 0 to ARequest.Items.Count – 1 do begin m := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.AddMarker(ARequest.Items[I].Coordinate.ToRec); m.AddOverlayView(ARequest.Items[I].Description); m.IconURL := ARequest.Items[I].Icon; m.DefaultIconSize := False; m.IconWidth := 32; m.IconHeight := 32; end; end; Polyline Symbols Another often requested feature was to have an option to add a direction indicator to a polyline. Polyline symbols provide a fully customizable way to achieve this. Here are a few examples that demonstrate how polyline symbols can be used in combination with Google Maps. This example shows a red closed arrow repeated every 50 pixels on a blue polyline. var ar: TTMSFNCMapsCoordinateRecArray; p: TTMSFNCGoogleMapsPolyline; ps: TTMSFNCGoogleMapsPolylineSymbol; begin TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.BeginUpdate; SetLength(ar, 3); ar[0].Latitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLatitude – 0.1; ar[0].Longitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLongitude – 0.1; ar[1].Latitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLatitude + 0.1; ar[1].Longitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLongitude + 0.1; ar[2].Latitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLatitude – 0.1; ar[2].Longitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLongitude + 0.1; p := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.AddPolyline(ar); p.StrokeColor := gcBlue; ps := p.Symbols.Add; ps.Path := spForwardClosedArrow; ps.StrokeColor := gcRed; ps.RepeatSymbol := 50; TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.EndUpdate; end; This example shows how to use multiple symbols simultaneously including a symbol defined with a custom SVG path. var ar: TTMSFNCMapsCoordinateRecArray; p: TTMSFNCGoogleMapsPolyline; ps: TTMSFNCGoogleMapsPolylineSymbol; begin TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.BeginUpdate; SetLength(ar, 3); ar[0].Latitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLatitude – 0.1; ar[0].Longitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLongitude – 0.1; ar[1].Latitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLatitude + 0.1; ar[1].Longitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLongitude + 0.1; ar[2].Latitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLatitude – 0.1; ar[2].Longitude := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.Options.DefaultLongitude + 0.1; p := TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.AddPolyline(ar); p.StrokeColor := gcBlue; ps := p.Symbols.Add; ps.Path := spCustom; ps.CustomPath := ‘M -2,-2 2,2 M 2,-2 -2,2’; ps.Scale := 3; ps.Offset := 50; ps.RepeatSymbol := 50; ps.StrokeOpacity := 0.5; ps := p.Symbols.Add; ps.Path := spCircle; ps.Offset := 0; ps.RepeatSymbol := 100; ps.RepeatSymbolUnits := unPercentage; ps.Scale := 10; ps.StrokeWidth := 2; ps.StrokeColor := gcRed; ps.FillColor := gcRed; ps.FillOpacity := 1; TMSFNCGoogleMaps1.EndUpdate; end; Note: Polyline symbols are currently only available for the Google Maps mapping service. Available Now The TMS FNC Maps v2.4 update is available now for Delphi & Visual Studio Code (with TMS WEB Core). You can download the latest version and start using the new features right away!