Help! - Borland Developer Studio 2006

This will probably irate some of you guys, so apologies ahead of
time... It should be an entertaining read, if nothing else.

I'm an old Delphi programmer (and I mean old!). At the state agency I
work for, I have used Delphi 3 and 5 for several years and have a
number of Delphi database applications in use throughout the state.

Recently, we upgraded to Developer Studio 2006, mostly because they
want a new application, so it was thought that it would be prudent to
upgrade the development software. Here is where it starts going
downhill....

In installing Borland Developer Studio 2006 (which took a couple of
hours), one is immediately greeted with a bazillion decisions to make
- almost none of which makes a bit of sense, so I just went with
everything available and with whatever the default was, and if I had
to answer a question, I'd fake it... For example, the first thing
that comes up is a screen saying: "Note -
Borland Developer 2006 requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1,
Microsoft.NET FRAMEWORK V1.1
SP1, Microsoft Visual j# .NET V1.1 Redistributable, Microsoft .NET
Framework SDK v1.1 and MSXML (Microsoft XML Core Services) v4.0 SP2 to
be installed on the Machine." !!!!

So what does that mean? I don't even know what those things are! And
will they be installed as part of the Studio install, or do I have to
go out and find them somewhere? Well, it does seem
like they do get installed, but does this also mean that any of the
workstations receiving the developed application also has to have
these things installed....?

So then the on-screen note continues with... "You need either
Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) or Microsoft Cassani to
run ASP.NET applications. If you want to use Microsoft Internet
Information Services (IIS), you must install it before installing the
Microsoft .NET Framework v1.1 for ASP.NET applications to work."

Egad! So which is it!?, which one am I suppose to use - Microsoft IIS
or Cassani!? What the heck are they? Do I need them on each machine
the developed application is installed on? How do I know which one,
if any, will be installed when I click on "Next"? (GROAN...)

Then the install goes on with endless installations of God know what.
Things like Reflection, Wise Owl Demeanor (??), Indy Components,
Several Framework thingies, J# Builder, Rave Reports, and so on.

But now the fun parts begin, once the install is finally done. Ok, I
want to go in and start developing my application. I want it to be a
Delphi Application. Well first, just looking at what was installed
and what shows up in the Start-Programs list, is stuff like: Borland
Developer Studio 2006, ok that makes sense. Then there is Borland Star
Team - still haven't figured out what that is, and if it is something
I want or need. Some guy called me up from CodeGear, to talk me into
something, and since his approach was like that of a used car
salesman, I politely said No Thanks, and hung up.

Back to the Programs listing, then there is Microsoft .Net Framework
SDK, so I go to open it, but discover that there is actually nothing
that you open, it is already a part of the Studio, I guess. There is
a Web Site html to go to which upon quick perusal, makes no sense, but
seems it is important and something I should use.....??

Then of course, there are Programs listing for Borland Interbase,
Component One Studio ASP.NET, Component One Studio.NET (what are the
differences and which one should I use???), Installsheild (More about
that later!), and Rave Reports (which I'm looking forward to using, I
hope). Most of these listing have a slug of options under each, and I
have no idea what they are at this point, but hopefully will someday.

So then I open up the Borland Developer Studio 2006 option, and on
that listing are a bunch of options - My goal is to develop an
application in Delphi, so I can either just go into Borland Developer
Studio 2006 itself, or C# / C++ Builder (no, no, not that), Delphi for
Microsoft Win32 (does that mean Windows Vista?), and Delphi for
Microsoft .NET Framework - Daaaa - well which one do I want? What is
"Delphi for MS.NET Framework"???

Well, so I go into Developer Studio - Oh brother! --- Click on File -
New - (new what?) There is a slug of C#/C++ stuff, so no, none of
them; there is a bunch of Delphi for Win 32 choices. I'm pretty sure
I don't want to go there, but not totally sure. I'm thinking that is
for Windows Vista Apps? Then there are three other Delphi choices:
ASP.NET Web Application - Delphi for .NET
VCL Forms Application - Delphi for .NET
Windows Forms Application - Delphi for .NET

Uhhh, well like I have no idea which one I need to choose....!!?@#$%!?
So, by now your thinking, ".....this turkey needs to go out and get some
training....." Well, ya think?? Of course I do, and I will try to, on
my own, but my Sup's are expecting results with some kind of
application creation progress with demos at various stages of
development, etc. And after all, I'm the programmer, I.T. Tech guy
who is suppose to already know all this stuff.....

Well, maybe it would help some of you guys to help me if I explain
just what it is we need to do in the way of what kind of application
we want to do, so here goes...:

First, it will be a Database Tracking application, that is not really
too complicated. It will have probably 4 or 5 tables, and most of
those will have at least one Memo field.

It is to be used by about 10 workstations, all with access to the
department Server, where it is intended for this application's
database will be located.

So, in other words, it will be run from each of 10 workstations, with
I assume, the Executable file being on each workstation, and the
database being located on the Server. Sort of like a Front end and a
Back end. We are doing that very same thing with a couple of our
Delphi 5 Apps, simply by defining the BDE database as being located on
a server.

So understanding in general what kind of App we need, which way do I
go? Delphi for Win32, ASP.NET, VCL Forms, or Windows Forms..... What!?

And for that matter, what kind of database structure is best to use in
this scenario? Like we have been using Paradox and Dbase tables -
That still good? What is "Interbase"? Would that be better? I've
tried using it so I ran the "IBConsole" but I can't figure out how to
actually create a database/table.... Yes - I know - need training.

THEN.... So just for fun, I chose the Delphi ASP.NET and created a
simple Menu Screen, then compiled it and decided to show it to one of
my bosses. Hmmmm how does one do that? Course, I first took a copy
of the created Exe file and brought it to her PC, and of course it
would not run. So then I tried to use the InstallShield Express
Version 4.0, the free version that came with the package. Good Grief,
what a pain! There are again a Bazillion options and choices and
questions to answer. I tried to compile an install, and got it to
build, but when running the install on any other PC, the app did not
or won't run. Even if it is a simple Menu screen, with no tables in
it or anything complex. So, I'm gonna need big help on the
InstallShield stuff.

Somehow I guess it goes back to that original screen of the install of
the Studio 2006, where it says it needs all these Framework and J# and
IIS and whatever thingies....

In building the install, I had to decide such things as:

.NET Framework Stuff - Do I need and from where
What DotNetfx.exe command switch to use
What Language Pack command switches to use
What kind of .NET Build Configuration to use
J# Stuff - Do I need and from where
What Command line Switch for J# Redist.

If anybody can answer those for me, or direct me to where I can get
answers, that would be appreciated....

Anway, so anybody got anything to say - or any advice or help? Let's
avoid the personal cuts and critiques, ok. That's not helpful...

I'll eventually post more specific questions in the appropriate
newsgroup, but for now....

Thanks For Listening!

RichardW

.

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