Dimensional Data

Dashboards, a graphical visualization of data, seem to be everywhere, especially in these pandemic times where daily and weekly trends take on a very personal significance. In this article we are going to look at a beautiful dashboard which you can very easily customize to suit your own needs. Visualization is the art of making the useful, beautiful. There is only so far you can get with tables of facts and figures. Sooner or later there comes a time when you will need to create a graphical visualization of your data. Pictures really do save a thousand words, but they also help your users get a grasp of the information in a more easily consumed way. Most Delphi programmers are probably familiar with the basic TChart component which has been bundled with nearly every version of Delphi. For more recent versions of RAD Studio such as Sidney, you had to tick an optional checkbox to get the TChart component to appear on your component palette. That bundled version of the TChart component is provided by Steema Software based in Spain. The dashboard we are writing about here is also produced by Steema to demonstrate the power of their Pro versions of TeeChart as well as their TeeGrid. More on that in a moment. What does the dashboard visualization look like? It’s beautiful! Where can you get the dashboard visualization? The great news is the Steema dashboard example is freely available for download from GitHub here: https://github.com/Steema/TeeChart-FireMonkey-samples/tree/master/Dashboard I used the cross-platform GitHub desktop project to download the sample directly from the repository. What components do you need? To work with Steema’s dashboard visualization example you’re going to need a copy of their Pro TeeChart component. This is NOT the same as the bundled version. In fact, if you have the bundled version installed you will need to completely uninstall it first because it will clash with the Pro version. You will also need to install Steema’s TeeGrid component too. What if I don’t have the TeeChart Pro or TeeGrid component packs? Not a problem – Steema’s website has a download for a fully functional 30-day trial of both component libraries. I used the trial versions to write this article and they worked without any problems. Go to this link to download them: https://www.steema.com/product/vcl Just make sure you uninstall the bundled version of TeeChart that came with RAD Studio FIRST because I didn’t remember and got myself into a bit of tangle. If that happens to you, uninstall both the new component packs using their uninstaller. Then go into the IDE, select “component” from the menu, then “install packages”. Now scroll down and make sure all references to the TeeChart and TeeGrid components are gone. Click on any that are there, and then “remove”. Now close the IDE and install the TeeChart Pro and TeeGrid components using their installers, and all will be well. I make these mistakes, so you don’t have to! What does the dashboard visualization do? Well, the source code reads from an included SQLite database. Almost all the data retrieval is done using LiveBindings. All the data access components use the FireDAC query components. There are a few areas in the program where the data is read and manipulated in code but overall, it’s nearly all the LiveBindings […]

RunIt Pulse mobile app provides owners and managers of retail chains with a real-time “on-the-go” dashboard and it’s made possible by the perfect partnership of Delphi coupled with developer skill.  This powerful and featured-packed app allows them to view critical, real-time metrics about their stores.  Written by Run It Systems based in New York, the app is available on just about any kind of hardware users might need including Windows, maxOS, iOS and Android. Also, Run It targets a number of different types of hardware too not only desktops and laptops but also tablets and mobile phones.  In fact, wherever Run It’s users are or whatever they are doing they can have a retail dashboard at their fingertips updated in real-time. RunIt Systems Website What sort of real-time data can RunIt Pulse display? RunIt Systems tell us the real-time RunIt Pulse allows the user to view: The latest sales statistics, broken down by store Number of receipts, voids etc. Top selling items, including on-hand and on-order Sales results by employee Sales trending graphs Google Play RunIt Pulse Apple App Store ‎RunIt Pulse on the App Store Screenshot Gallery Reduce development time and get to market faster with RAD Studio, Delphi, or C++Builder. Design. Code. Compile. Deploy.Start Free Trial   Upgrade Today    Free Delphi Community Edition   Free C++Builder Community Edition

Jarrod Davis has been using Delphi ever since Turbo Pascal 3.03. He registered his application (GameVision Toolkit) to the Delphi 26th Showcase Challenge and asked for his thoughts on using Delphi. More information of his application is on GameVision. When did you start using RAD Studio/Delphi and have long have you been using it? I have use every version starting with Turbo Pascal 3.03 back in the day through to the most recent version of Delphi What was it like building software before you had RAD Studio/Delphi? I’ve always used Object Pascal/Delphi, but in those times when I had to use a different development tool for whatever reason, I was never nearly as productive as I am using Delphi. How did RAD Studio/Delphi help you create your showcase application? I was able to take advantage of my knowledge using Delphi, source code, utilities and libraries I have accumulated over the years. What made RAD Studio/Delphi stand out from other options? Object Pascal is just a nice and expressive language for me and the Delphi IDE has all the features for rapid application development What made you happiest about working with RAD Studio/Delphi? Ease of use, rapid application development. Everything “just works.” What have you been able to achieve through using RAD Studio/Delphi to create your showcase application? Take my version 1.x and add all the features I had been planning in a impressively short period of time. What are some future plans for your showcase application? Continue to improve and add features. Thank you, Jarrod! The showcase entry for his software can be found below. Showcase

Manuel Lopez started using Delphi in 1997. He presented a showcase entry (A Fantastic Portrait Program From Craps Dice Is Made With Delphi) into the Delphi 26th Showcase Challenge and we talked to him about his Delphi mastery. More of his application Portraits With Craps on his website. When did you start using RAD Studio/Delphi and have long have you been using it? I started using Delphi from the version, which was presented in 1995 in Orlando, Florida, at the Borland conference at that time. Over time I used versions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the latter being the best in my opinion. There were new versions but I did not test them. I got funding for an academic project and bought the Seattle version. Without a doubt, the development and evolution of Delphi represents an extraordinary work. Being able to program with practically the same code for Linux, Mac Os, Pc and Android makes it, in my opinion, one of the best RAD development tools. I had the opportunity to go to more than one Borland convention. There I met David I, one of Delphi’s most enthusiastic programmers. Later, I even had the opportunity to interview Anders Heilsberg, the creator of Turbo Pascal and the Delphi compiler. What was it like building software before you had RAD Studio/Delphi? The idea of visual and non-visual components makes programming much more effective. The fact of dedicating more to solving the problem that we have already using components that do the routine tasks, is without a doubt one of the most attractive things about Delphi. In addition, for years Delphi has maintained the open source philosophy and there is a lot of source code, components and tools, which can be used very easily. For my PhD thesis I developed a program that uses a series of open source components that solves a significant number of problems for the results I needed to obtain. How did RAD Studio/Delphi help you create your showcase application? Portraits using Craps is a program that creates images with dice. In May 2020, I wrote about a dice image created by cyber artist Barbara Lynn Helman. Apparently the creator put the dice according to the shade of gray that she visually found in each bit of the image. The photographs he submitted seem to indicate this. However, visually making a box made with dice like this would have been too complicated a task and probably too easy to make mistakes. I want to assume that Barbara used some program that told her which die to put in which position. This would be, in any case, the smart way to do this task. So I wrote a program that precisely generates images with dice, like the ones Miss Lynn Herman does. In fact, the program is a modified version of other software that I wrote (for a Digital Image Processing university course), which allows making images with halftones, which seeks to simulate shades of gray for printing black and white photographs (see Computer Graphics. Principles and Practice in C, James D. Foley, Andries van Dam, Steven K. Feiner, John F. Hughes, Addison-Wesley, 1995; chapter 13.1.2 Halftone Approximation). I quickly got a program that generated the final images, putting virtual dice (dice images), instead of putting real dice on a […]

I have been showing complete, industry-ready solutions built with RAD Server. For instance, the Field Services Industry template contains REST endpoints which the Field Service Admin and Field Service App connect to. It uses InterBase on the backend for its database storage.  Or the Hospitality Industry template that includes a mobile client application for collecting survey data, a back-end server to store data and administer surveys, and a web client for viewing survey data. Includes RAD Server multi-tenancy support. To easily deploy your solutions, Embarcadero Technologies provides ready-to-use installers to deploy RAD Server on Linux and Windows servers. How can I install easily RAD Server on Windows and Linux? Be sure to head over and check out the RAD Server Windows & Linux installers on the GetIt portal and download them in the IDE!

Google Cloud offers a Natural Language API which allows a developer to take unstructured text as an input and utilize Google’s machine learning capabilities to derive insight from it. They have a number of different operations that can be performed on a piece of text including syntax analysis, entity analysis, custom entity extraction, sentiment analysis, custom sentiment analysis, content classification, custom content classification, custom models, and spatial structure understanding. The Google Natural Language APIs feature multi-language support, large dataset support, and give you access to Google’s AutoML models. RAD Studio and Delphi gives you easy access to all of this Natural Language processing capability via Google’s REST API. RAD Studio includes a tool called the REST Debugger where you can configure all of your REST API settings and then export them as components into your Delphi application. This includes wiring up the incoming data automatically to an in memory database table (TFDMemTable). It literally takes only a few minutes to get up and running with Google Cloud’s powerful Natural Language API from within Delphi and RAD Studio. Additionally, the application built and the source code available at the end of this blog post uses Delphi’s cross-platform/multi-platform FireMonkey framework which supports Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS with a single codebase and single responsive UI. Let’s dive into the Google Cloud Natural Language API and how to build a desktop and mobile application utilizing it’s REST API. What can I do with the Google Cloud Natural Language API? On Google’s website the full REST reference for the Natural Language API is available. Here are the different endpoints available in the API: analyzeEntities POST /v1beta2/documents:analyzeEntities analyzeEntitySentiment POST /v1beta2/documents:analyzeEntitySentiment analyzeSentiment POST /v1beta2/documents:analyzeSentiment analyzeSyntax POST /v1beta2/documents:analyzeSyntax annotateText POST /v1beta2/documents:annotateText classifyText POST /v1beta2/documents:classifyText How can I set up the Natural Language API credentials? An API key is needed in order to use the above REST APIs. You will need to visit the following URL which will walk you through creating a project and enabled the Natural Language API on your Google Cloud account. https://cloud.google.com/natural-language/docs/quickstart-client-libraries Once you have the Natural Language API enabled on your account you can visit the Credentials page to create an API Key. https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials How do I connect to the Google Cloud Natural Language API REST end point with Delphi? I built a sample application in Delphi using the REST Debugger which utilizes the analyzeEntities end point. There is also a video tutorial for using the RAD Studio REST Debugger available to automatically create the REST components and paste them into your app. The analyzeEntiries endpoint breaks down the content of the text into entities that are contained within Google’s machine learning database. Entities have their own id (called mid), a type classification (like ‘ORGANIZATION’), and contain additional meta data like a Wikipedia URL and the like to provide context to that entity. Here are the three components in Delphi that make the API call. They are the TRESTClient, TRESTRequest, and TRESTResponse. You will notice that the API URL is set on the BaseURL of TRESTClient. On the TRESTRequest component you will see that the request type is set to rmPOST, the ContentType is set to ctAPPLICATION_JSON, and that it contains one request body for the POST which is set to: You will also notice that on the TRESTResponse component the RootElement […]

How does Delphi power this flexible Android application? The power of Delphi’s multi-platform compiler allows the app to run on Android natively.  The app allows users to easily master the power of the IDEA YACHT flexible and scalable database of the IDEA.NET system. SpecTec’s management solution is developed in Delphi for luxury yachts. The developer says “the brains of IDEA YACHT are a flexible and scalable database that can be configured to meet your needs. Information pertaining to the vessel’s equipment and spare parts can be easily input, updated, and retrieved, providing a comprehensive overview of the vessel, ensuring you are fully in command.” SpecTec’s management full solution for luxury yachts, IDEA.NET, is entirely web-based.  SpecTec say it “keeps you in full control of your equipment and all related maintenance and procurement duties“. Website IDEA.mobile Google Play IDEA.mobile Screenshot Gallery

Flavius Fernandes has been using Delphi since Borland Delphi 5. His showcase entry (ERP Sirius +Mobile) is featured at the Delphi 26th Showcase Challenge and we interviewed him to learn more about his Delphi journey. You can learn more about his application at the ERP website. When did you start using RAD Studio/Delphi and have long have you been using it? I have been using Delphi since Borderland Delphi 5, developing various types of business applications since 2000. Our business application is developer in RAD Studio 10.3.3 What was it like building software before you had RAD Studio/Delphi? I started developing software using COBOL, RPG, Basic, and Clipper. I looked at many developed languages at the time (and still do). Nothing comes close to my requirements that included ease to use, code editor, visual designer, an integrated debugger, and support for third-party plugins. RAD Studio allows me to develop rapidly, from prototypes to a stable progressive state. It greatly reduces development time, allowing me to spend more time on other objectives. How did RAD Studio/Delphi help you create your showcase ERP application? Delphi has been critical to me in developing ERPSirius +Mobile. DataSnap is used for our client-server functionality. FireDAC is used to allow us to offer all the major enterprise databases with our application. I like the way DataSnap and FireDAC work together. FireDAC JSON Reflection with TFDMemTable is great for creating desktop or mobile frontend using REST. Using TFDConnection and TFDQuery is great for the back-end. It’s important that our applications are aesthetically pleasing to the users and VCLStyle/FireMonkey styles allow me to do that. The visual designer is great for prototype faster. One can evolve UI/UX as the application matures very easily. Many components can be used to further reduce development time and add great functionality. What made RAD Studio/Delphi stand out from other options? Object Pascal is easy to learn and the Delphi IDE just keeps improving. RAD Studio/Delphi has everything one would need to develop great applications, a code editor, a visual designer, an integrated debugger and native Component Object Model (COM) support. It’s just a great tool for cross-platform development. Database support is a key feature. Delphi has a fast compilation speed and complies to native code. What made you happiest about working with RAD Studio/Delphi? Its rapid product development ability, the new features being added, cross-platform support. RAD Studio/Delphi allows me to build simple and improve in time. The RAD Studio online community is great for help and ideas. The debugging facilities are great. The Windows UI and VCL components keep improving and this allows me to make limited use of 3rd party components. There is always something interesting and new that makes me want to keep up with the latest version of RAD Studio/Delphi. I am at my best when I use RAD Studio to develop solutions on the fly, collaborate with business stakeholder in real time. What have you been able to achieve through using RAD Studio/Delphi to create the ERP Sirius +Mobile application? To be able to develop and offer a downloadable ERP with all its advanced features is a great achievement. ERP Sirius offers modules that other ERP lacks, and the list of modules to be added will just grow, improve, and evolve. This is down to the way the application is […]

John Hardy has been programming since Turbo Pascal 6. His equation visualization application (Equation Solver) was one of the showcase entries at the Delphi 26th Showcase Challenge and he talked to us about his Delphi adventures throughout the years as a programmer. Visit the Equation Solver website for more information. When did you start using RAD Studio/Delphi and how long have you been using it? I started with Turbo Pascal 6 and only switch over to Delphi when version 2 was released What was it like building software before you had RAD Studio/Delphi? When I was a student in Mechanical Engineering, we were taught Basic as a language. Some time later I became a lecturer at a Polytech (Technikon). The electrical students were being taught Turbo Pascal. At this time the lecturer in the electrical department convinced me to switch to Turbo Pascal 6 which was a huge improvement on Basic especially in terms of de-bugging and the graphical interface. Once Turbo Pascal became redundant I switched to Delphi 2. This was again a jump in technology and took some time to get used to how it worked. However, once I got used to how things worked there was no going back. I particularly liked the code insight which made debugging very simple. How did RAD Studio/Delphi help you create your showcase application? Early on with Delphi I found a book by Ray Kanopka on creating components. Some equations in Mechanical Engineering cannot be directly solved. HP calculators at the time could solve most equations. As one does, I wanted to know how! Delphi’s part in this was the tool that helped me achieve the goal of creating a component that could solve equations for real roots. What made RAD Studio/Delphi stand out from other options? Over time I have tried C# and visual studio. I feel most comfortable with Delphi, probably because I have spent so much time with this software. What made you happiest about working with RAD Studio/Delphi? I think the best thing about Delphi was the ease at which fully functional programs could be created and deployed. What have you been able to achieve through using RAD Studio/Delphi to create your equation visualization application? The type of projects I have been working on are not main stream. For me, as an amateur, the user friendly interface and ability to do anything makes Delphi the perfect choice. What are some future plans for Equation Solver, your showcase visualization application? I want to extend the equation solver to be able to solve for complex roots. Also I am working on an equation writer which allows equations to be entered in a more natural way – not as long string. Thank you, John! Check out the link below to view his application submission in the Delphi Challenge. Showcase

Arsene Ekpini first used Delphi in 1997 and has been working with it since. He introduced his application to (Identify Criminal With Elynceus: Developed In C++ Builder) the Delphi 26th Showcase Challenge and we spoke with him to get a better understanding of his Delphi experiences. When did you start using RAD Studio/Delphi and have long have you been using it? At that time it was owned by Borland and it was Delphi 3. I was working for a Research Institute in Ivory Coast (West Africa). The purpose was to develop an application to manage our research protocols and results. We were working in association with a Research Institute in Montpelier, France. I discovered the great potential of that development tool and since then, each time I have to develop a program, I use it if possible. What was it like building software before you had RAD Studio/Delphi? Before we start using Delphi, we were spending a lot of time writing codes for both the functionalities and the design. How did RAD Studio/Delphi help you create your showcase application? My application is mainly developed using C++ Builder (Rad Studio 10.2.3). But I am using some third party tools, mainly related to biometrics features, which work only with Delphi. So I had to develop a Datasnap server to be able to call biometrics procedures and functions, developed with Delphi in my C++ Builder application. So, in this case interoperability between C++ Builder and Delphi was crucial! What made RAD Studio/Delphi stand out from other options? I prefer to use RAD Studio because visual components make the development of applications easier. My application eLynceus is built with C++ Builder and also connects to a DataSnap server written with Delphi. It is also easier to connect to databases and manipulate their data with components like the ClientDataSet. What made you happiest about working with RAD Studio/Delphi? 1 – Visual components. The fact that they are easy to use and also be able to build my own components. 2 – The Objects Inspector 3 – Database components like ClientDataSet TQuery, TIBQuery, etc… 4 – The possibility to build applications for different platforms: MacOs, Android, Linux from the same source code 5 – The documentation. I learn the software by myself What have you been able to achieve through using RAD Studio/Delphi to create your showcase application? Using Rad Studio, we were able to build eLynceus which is a protection tool and also a web application which uses facial recognition to identify wanted (dangerous criminals and also kidnapping and missing) persons. The application features can be divided in 4 categories: 1 – Search in main criminal databases (FBI USA, RCMP Canada, etc…) using textual search with multiple criteria 2 – Use facial recognition to search in criminal databases by downloading a picture or taking a snapshot 3 – An automatic Facial identification which is a protection tool. Used at home with a webcam or an IP camera, it has the same functionalities as a home security system plus the possibility to identify dangerous criminals. Used from a mobile device, it can provide vital information (locations and pictures) for criminal investigations. 4 – eLynceus has also social media features. Users can find and stay in touch with people they know and they have lost contact with. What are some future plans […]