What's new/improved in DiamondbackIDEMultiple personality IDEThe IDE now allows you to create projects and manage for multiple languages and platforms.
C#Full support for developing C# applications is included in the IDE
Delphi/Win32Full support for developing Delphi for Win32 applications is included in the IDE
Delphi.NETFull support for developing Delphi for .NET applications is included in the IDE
Current personality indicatorAn icon appears to the right of the menu, indicating which personality is currently active for that project.
General IDE changesObject Inspector New look and feelBetter context managementTool PaletteNew look and feelBetter context managementIncremental search improvedOptionally display gallery/repository items in Tool Palette when no project is activeProject managerProject manager now displays folder structure of project itemsDelphi/Win32, Delphi/.NET and C#Builder projects in the same project group.Alphabetical sorting optionAdditional context menu itemsWelcome page enhancementsIntegrated News feedBetter lookingDebuggingWin32 & .NET debuggers working simultaneously.Debugging .NET code hosted in a Win32 process.AppDomain support in the Module view for managed apps (App Domains show up in the module panes and in the scope browser pane)Sorting in the modules viewBetter stack traces in Win32 apps (for frames that don't have debug info)Locals view allows for changing frames in Win32Exception notification dialog enhancements
Break/continue buttonsIgnore exception type checkbox.NET exceptions now show the exception message on dialog
Breakpoint viewSupports in-place editingCheck box to quickly enable/disable breakpointToolbar"Log call stack" breakpoint actionCPU view showing IL disassembly for .managed processesFull SSE support including disassembly and SSE register viewUnicode enabling views that show program data (watch, locals, inspector, stack, etc.)RefactoringRenameExtract methodExtract Resource string.Sync EditFind unit/namespaceDeclare fieldDeclare variableUndoCurrently, Undo uses a local stripe. Changes since the file has been refactored are not monitored. So, before the Undo is applied, a warning comes up asking if you want to perform the Undo. Applying the Undo, your source file will revert changes back to before the refactoring was applied in all files that were modified. This means you will oose any changes that happened in those files since before the refactoring was done.
Note: Undo only does stripes for “Rename” since that is the only refactoring that affects multiple files. The “Extract Method” refactoring is undone in the IDE via Ctrl-Z (regular Undo). Same with declare field and declare variable.
C# & Delphi (Win32 & .NET)VCL designer (.NET & Win32)Embedded/non embeddedLeft/Top properties can be independently set and persisted with embeddedCan now drag-n-drop from paletteDemand loading of Win32 design-time packagesPersistent bookmarksVersioningMulti-level backups with History viewStarTeam integrationMain menu itemStarTeam Project managementCreateCheck in/outcreate directoriesEmbedded clientExternal client launchingProject ManagerProject groupsManage associations for project groupsStructure paneItems pane files open in IDEHistory view StarTeam awarelocking/unlocking/mergingChange requestsFile renames are trackedSCC API improvements?Error insightExpanded real-time error information for sourceIntegration into the structure view.Help insightTooltip from XML doc informationUpdated/consolidated new component wizardCombines all functions of New VCL component/import AX Type library/controlOpen APINew Open Tools API servicesStructure View API (native and managed)History View API (native and managed)Property Inspector API (native and managed)Tool Palette API (native)Better main Toolbar/menu servicesSplash Screen and About Box services (native and managed)Syntax highlighting services (adding new syntax highlighting styles)Code-insight services (for adding new code-insight handlers)CompilerXML doc option for compiler in IDEThis compiler option will generate an XML file with the same "first name" as the original source file, in the same directory as the source file. All comments beginning with /// will be extracted into the XML file.
For example, if your source file is named "myfile.pas" the output file will be named "myfile.xml".
New for Win32 and .NETfor..in..do enumeration syntaxThis enumeration syntax is commonly referred to as "foreach" syntax.
Function inliningDiamondback has an INLINE compiler directive and compiler option {$INLINE AUTO|ON|OFF}. The INLINE directive can be specified at end of function declaration. and longname option {$INLINE ON/AUTO/OFF} can be specified before compiling function body (not for per statements).
{$INLINE ON} is the default. Inline function declared with INLINE directive will be expanded at the call site.
{$INLINE AUTO} is ike {$INLINE ON}, except the compiler tries to make an inline function even if the INLINE directive is not specified, if the function code size is less than or equal to 32 bytes. With {$INLINE OFF}, the inline directive is ignored for function declarations and inline functions are not expanded at the call site.
Here is a simple example.
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}
procedure Sum(N :Integer): Integer; inline;
var
I: Integer;
begin
Result := 0;
for I := 1 to N do
Inc(Result, I);
end;
procedure Test;
begin
WriteLn(Sum(10));
end;
begin
Test;
end.
// procedure Test is equivalent to:
procedure Test;
var
t1, t2, t3, t4: Integer;
begin
t1 := 10;
t2 := 0;
for t3 := 1 to t1 do
Inc(t2, t3);
t4 := t2;
WriteLn(t4);
end.
Inlining rules
Don't rely on $INLINE AUTO when you're trying to measure the performance or code differences of inlining. $INLINE AUTO is more restrictive / less likely to select your routines for inlining than when you declare the function with the inline directive.Look out for cross-unit effects. Inlining a routine at a call site within its own unit is a very different situation than inlining a routine imported from another unit. Also, compiling the other unit at the same time as compiling the call site (build all) is a different situation than inlining a function that was loaded from a precompiled.dcu.$INLINE AUTO is considerably more experimental than declared inlines. Our primary objective with $INLINE AUTO right now is to verify that your programs continue to work as they do without inlining, and maybe some functions get inlined here and there as well. $INLINE AUTO will not be the default setting, will probably never be the default setting, and will not be recommended for general coding scenarios. $INLINE ON is the default and recommended path. $INLINE AUTO is the corner case.It's acceptable for this release for the compiler to refuse to inline a routine in seemingly trivial situations. We can sort out the corner cases on a time permitting basis as long as inlining works in specific useful cases.When diagnosing a case that does not inline, carefully whittle down the contributing factors until the test case does inline: parameters and local variables of the inlined function, parameters and local variables at the call site, same unit or cross-unit, build all or load from dcu, compiler options such as range checking or overflow checking, and so forth.Functions are not inlined across package boundaries. Functions can be inlined between units within a package, though.Virtual methods are not inlined. This includes methods declared virtual, dynamic, or message, and all methods of interfaces and dispinterfaces.Functions are not inlined between circularly dependent units. The interface and implementation sections of unit A must be fully compiled before unit B calls to functions in unit A may be inlined.The RTL and VCL will receive light inlining (by explicit declaration) where the benefits are the greatest. The "macro" functions in Windows.pas, for example, will be marked for inlining. VCL in general, though, will not be marked for extensive inlining, partly for schedule reasons and partly because the VCL core units are heavily circular.Functions implemented using asm blocks are not inlinable.Functions with open array parameters are not inlinable. (dynamic arrays and static arrays are ok)Functions that refer to private or protected members of a class are not inlinable except within methods of that class itself (or possibly descendents, in the case of protected)Functions that refer to symbols declared in the implementation section of a unit are not inlinable. Such types are not addressable outside of their unit of definition.This list is not complete and may contain errors or omissions.support for compiling Unicode and UTF8 source filesMulti-unit namespacesUnicode identifiersThe Delphi compiler now supports Unicode characters in source code identifiers, and in symbols imported from assembly metadata.
Unicode characters are accepted in identifiers only when the source file encoding is UTF8 or UCS2. High-ascii chars in an identifier in locale-based source will produce an “invalid character” error message just as it did before. Note that source code given to the compiler by the IDE is always encoded in UTF-8. You’ll see differences with the command line compiler since it has to read the files directly. The compiler is oblivious to the actual content of the Unicode chars. It sees them only as an opaque UTF8 payload. There is no analysis to see if a Unicode char is a special whitespace or punctuation char that probably shouldn’t be allowed in a program identifier. Validation of the unicode chars may be added in the future. Unicode identifiers are handled as case-insensitive strings, just as with traditional Pascal identifiers This should have no effect on existing source code. There will probably be glitches in the food chain downstream of the compiler (code insight, error insight) but those can only be reached by using source code that was previously invalid. Unicode characters are not allowed in published property, field, or method names. This is to prevent “funny chars” from showing up in the RTTI and upsetting third party VCL code that uses RTTI. Applies to Delphi for .NET and Delphi for Win32New wild-card "uses" syntax (a.b.*)Win32 onlyUnit initialization consolidation optimization?.NET onlyCF supportDCCIL codegen targeting the .NET Compact Framework should work in Diamondback.
Delphi relies on a .NET function “RunClassConstructor” to touch the unit type and induce initialization if it has not already been done. This function is not implemented in .NET CF.
If the compiler can’t locate the RunClassConstructor function, it will emit a warning and skip the unit-touching codegen step. This means on CF the order in which your units are initialized is determined solely by when your code touches symbols in those units. The order is not determined by the order of the units in the uses clause.
For the desktop .NET platform, unit initialization sequencing is the same as before.
Forward declared record typesRuntimeCOM/InteropWizardsCOM+ ObjectCOM+ Event ObjectCOM+ Subscription ObjectRemote Data ModuleType libraryActiveX libraryVirtual Library InterfacesImport .NET control for Win32Register/Unregister ActiveX serverVCLNew components (TButtonGroup and TCategoryButtons; used as basis for new palette).Better encapsulation of IE WebBrowser componentNew TCaptionedDockTree (Dock tree used in IDE).Various Windows "macro" functions now inlined.New design time support for Help text in OINew design time support for hot-link pane in OISupport for enumerator syntaxVCL.NETNow supports Weak Packaged unitsSecurity audits done to allow GUI VCL applications to run in < full trust environments for 20% faster performanceVarious Windows "macro" functions now inlined.Support for enumerator syntaxInternet/ASP.NETASP.NET/ECOProject manager improvementsDirectory managementShow all filesContext-sensitive new filesweb configpageASP.NET/HTML Error InsightDeployment manager wizardASP.NETIntraWebDesignersRubber band (mouse drag) control selection in the designerImproved Tag Editor support (editing of outer html for most tags)Edit | Select All ControlsImproved pastingTemplate EditorRun as Server controlEditorsCSS syntax highlightingCSS code completionHTML Structure paneHTML Tidy has been updated to the latest versionLots of bug fixesWeb Control wizard improvedImproved TWebBrowserBetter code reformattingIf your page has an <HTML> and <BODY> tag and you use the designer and modify the page when you click back to the code editor we will reformat the entire contents of the file excluding any <@ xxx ...> directives.If you have a BODY tag and are missing the <HTML> tag and you modify the page from the designer you will get back a page that includes both an HTML and BODY tag. Additionally, the entire contents of the file will be formatted (including the <HTML> tags and any tags between HTML and BODY which is different from D8).If you don't have either an <HTML> or a <BODY> tag and you use the designer and modify the page you will get back only your markup without <HTML> or <BODY> tags. Again, this formatting excludes the <@ xxx> directives they will remain at the top of the file. This makes it possible to work with XML files (like RSS feeds) in the designer and it will not add additional <HTML> or <BODY> tags around your markup however it will format your markup.Previously, we were attempting to format the smallest amount of text possible and trying to find/replace the body tags but with the nature of HTML (that being inherently broken <g>) it caused various problems and resulted in jumbled .aspx files. The new mechanism will be reformatting the entire contents of the file and therefore we won't be doing any tag replacement thus avoiding the previous problems.FYI, these changes will show up in a post Borcon build.
DBWeb controlsECO supportDBWeb control wizardDBWebDataSource improvementsOnAutoApplyRequestCascadingDeletesCascadingUpdatesXML file supportXMLFileXMLSchemaFileAutoUpdateCacheUseUniqueFileNameNavigation APIRegisterNextControlRegisterPreviousControlRegisterFirstControlRegisterLastControlRegisterInsertControlRegisterDeleteControlRegisterUpdateControlRegisterCancelControlRegisterUndoControlRegisterUndoAllControlRegisterApplyControlRegisterRefreshControlRegisterGoToControlNew & Improved ControlsEcoDataSourcedbWebNavigationExtenderDBWebAggregateControldbWebSounddbWebVideoDBWebImage enhancement for external linksLocate SupportLookup SupportDatabase BDPMetadata servicesSchema creationCreate table, view, indexAlter tableDrop table, view, indexData migrationbdpCopyTable componentStored procedure dialogAutoUpdatemulti-table resolvingerror handlingProvider improvementsInterBase BooleanOracle packageslocalized table name supportSchema Name list retrievalSybase 12.5 supportData remotingDataHubDataSyncRemoteConnectionRemoteServerData ExplorerData migrationDrag and drop stored procedures, and automatic parameter populationMetadata servicesCreate tableAlter tableDesigners & WizardsStored procedure dialogTable mapping dialogStored procedure drop down listSchemaName drop down listTyped datasets (.NET)Compile to standalone assemblySupport datasets from Web ServicesRelations and table editorsProperties dialogSQLConnection string editordbExpressMetadata improvementsTSimpleDataSet for .NETCommandText editorSchemaName discoveryTSQLStoredProc performance improvementsTDataSet consumes IListSourceDriver enhancementsMySQLDB2Oracle numeric parameter bindingBDE for .NETDynamic loading of DLLs w/o pathBlob performance improvementsTUpdateSQLTNestedTableTStoredProcdbGo for .NETDataSnap for .NETRemotingDCOMSocketTLocalConnectionTConnectionBrokerTSharedConnectionUnit TestingNUnit (.NET) supportDUnit (Delphi/Win32) supportNew test case (Delphi & C#)New test project (Delphi & C#)Deployment servicesXCopy deploymentFTP deploymentPluggable architectureComparison engineModeling/UMLECONow supports ASP.NET projectsPluggable ECO tools in EcoDesignersComponent editorshandles now filter out circular referencesToolsBuild an XML mapping file based on default mapping of current modelGenerate code and XML mapping from existing DB schemaGeneral optionsAuto compileActivity help: on EcoDesigners, ECO components have flyover hints explaining what can be done and what has been doneHook up EcoSpace components automaticallyPackage selectorflyover hint for packages now displays all classes in that packagePackages in references DLLs now appear as selectableNew templatesNew ECO ASP.NET applicationPersistenceMapperProvider for PersistenceMapper poolingECO.WebServicesECO run-time enhancementsThread safe persistence mapperPersistence mapper pooling (local and remote)ObjectSpace pooling in ASP.NET appsImproved autoformsFull support for arbitrary OR mapping to existing schemasHandles revised for speedSynchronization of object spacesProgrammatic access to conflict resolutionHighly improved access to change framework behaviorTogether modelingGeneral source code diagrammingClass model viewECO integrationTranslation managerQualityCentralTools menu clientIDE incident reportingJ2EE/EJB interop with JanevaDelphi and C# supportC# wizardSelect individual or all EJBs from a J2EE archive (EAR or JAR) to generate the client for Automatically parses vendor-specific (BES, Weblogic and Websphere) Deployment Descriptors for the correct JNDI name to bind toGenerates a ServiceLocator for easy, one step, EJB binding and home interface accessGenerates assemblies (instead of .cs) for .NET language transparencyAutomatically creates an app.config file with the required Janeva parametersIt has cool About box and Splash screen icons :)XMLDoc tool (unsupported)