Since we launched TMS Component Pack back in 1998, till now at version TMS VCL UI Pack 10, it has been our flagship product for user interface controls for VCL based Windows application development with Delphi & C++Builder. In the past 21 years, a lot happened. Unicode support was introduced, Win64 support added and more recently, VCL got support for (per monitor) high DPI and VCL Styles (including extra VCL styles from the DelphiStyles company). Embarcadero started offering in 2011 the FMX framework for cross-platform development for which we meanwhile also developed a large number of cross-platform user interface components and it became crucial to differentiate products by technology, like TMS FMX components, TMS FNC components, … and more recently also TMS WEB components…

After 21 years, we thought it was time to better align the VCL user interface components with our other product ranges and naming convention and therefore proudly introduce its successor product TMS VCL UI Pack v10.0. But there is much more to it than a name change for aligning it with other product lines. Internally we also completely moved the TMS Component Pack to a new build process that was already in use for our cross-platform FMX & FNC products.

The benefits of TMS VCL UI Pack 10 are:

• Moved to a new build & installer generation process allowing more frequent releases, faster rollout of improvements and fixes and also beta builds
• Builds of full trial versions for all supported Delphi & C++Builder versions
• In short term we will also submit a version for GetIt to facilitate download & install from the IDE itself
• Faster migration & support to upcoming new Delphi & C++Builder versions
• Better install/uninstall experience
• Consistent & clear product naming
• Focus on improvements for high DPI and VCL styles support across the entire TMS VCL UI Pack components
• New components: Kanban board UI VCL control and TableView UI VCL control
• Updated PDF generation library with new features
• Keep components backwards compatible with TMS Component Pack v9.x components

A glimpse at what is new:

In TMS VCL UI Pack v10.0, we have not only 2 new VCL components but also several improvements to existing components:

• TAdvKanbanBoard component, a highly configurable workflow visualization component

• TAdvTableView component, a versatile & modern supercharged list control

• PDF generation library improvements such as the capability to add rotated text
• Support for VCL Styles

What does it practically mean?

Let there be no misunderstanding. We paid the utmost importance to make the step for you as easy as possible while moving the TMS Component Pack to our new build platform. Normally, it should be as simple as uninstalling TMS Component Pack + download and install TMS VCL UI Pack and recompile your applications with the new version. Some notes though:

• If you use runtime packages, you will need to change the package name dependencies
• If you use TAdvTreeView, we moved this component from using TCanvas to TAdvGraphics. When opening form files using TAdvTreeView, ignore possible property errors, save the form file and recompile.
• If you use C++Builder, you will need to change the linked library name references in your project

We have summed up these steps in detail in a file migrate.txt that is included in the TMS VCL UI Pack install folder.

Moving to TMS VCL UI Pack 10

TMS VCL UI Pack v10.0 is the new product name for TMS Component Pack v10.0. This means all users entitled to get TMS Component Pack v10.0 automatically receive TMS VCL UI Pack v10.0. Also, users with an active subscription to TMS ALL-ACCESS, TMS VCL Subscription or TMS Component Studio receive TMS VCL UI Pack v10.0 automatically.

For your convenience, for a while, we will simultaneously keep offering access to TMS Component Pack v9.x. So, users with an active TMS Component Pack license will get both TMS Component Pack v9.x and TMS VCL UI Pack v10.x and users purchasing a TMS VCL UI Pack license or upgrading to TMS VCL UI Pack will also still get access to TMS Component Pack v9.x. Of course, as it concerns mostly the same components, these cannot be simultaneously installed in the IDE. But if for one of the reasons above, a migration would require some work on your side to change package name references, for example, you can freely choose when to plan this change and continue to use TMS Component Pack v9.x till you have time and are ready to switch to TMS VCL UI Pack.

What’s next with TMS VCL UI Pack 10.0

First of all, with our processes streamlined here, we will be even more efficient & productive to roll out new TMS VCL UI Pack versions with new features, new components, and improvements more frequently and faster. The new naming convention should bring more clarity as to what technology the product can be used with. Similar work has been started here already for other TMS VCL products and all will get the TMS VCL xxx product name nomenclature in the coming months.