Yet another EurekaLog bug. How many until now?

I stepped last week in a multiple-bug situation with EurekaLog for Delphi. I again wasted MORE than a day with this buggy "exception tracer tool".

My DRP file is like this:

PROGRAM MyProgram;
uses
  {$ifdef win32}fastmm4,{$endif}
  EurekaLog_units_come_here

This worked fine until I compiled the program to 64 bits.
On 64 bit, EurekaLog refused to work. After lots of emails exchanged with their (slow) customer support I got NOTHING.
In the end I have found the problem: a bug (oh yes, another one) in EurekaLog. Eureka v7.4 could not properly parse the DRP file when it contains conditional directives like {$ifdef}.
So, because EurekaLog parse my dpr file was like this

 
PROGRAM MyProgram;
uses
  {$ifdef win32}fastmm4,
  EurekaLog_units_come_here
  {$endif}

Solution? None. The support guy from EurekaLog (Alex) invided me to pay for a new license on order to get a small update (same version, so update, no upgrade) to v7.5 which allegedly works. I won't do that. I should receive the UPDATE to the non-bugged version for free AT LEAST for the reason that I have invested time to help them locate the bug.

________________

Maybe they should write a bug tracker tool for their one bug tracker tool :)

Another bug in EurekaLog 7

I wanted to send an email ("Send via SMTP client") from EurekaLog v7.4.8.0 RC 1 but I was getting this error:

FAILED: Error code = -2146885613
The revocation function was unable to check revocation because the revocation server was offline
 
EurekaLog 7.4.8.0 RC 1
Testing send with TELMailSMTPClientSender
Options:
_BugAppVersion="21.0.17707.5020"
_BugID="73D40000"
_BugIDSource="bds.exe

 
My email is hosted by BlueHost but knowing how buggy EurekaLog is and considering the fact that all my accounts work flawlessly in Thunderbird I think the bug is not related to the BlueHost server.

I had to give up using "SMTP client" and user "SMTP server" instead.



 

How to set paths (library, debug, BPL, DCP, search) in Delphi XE7 (for multiplatform use)

So, Delphi's help doesn't tell us much about how to set up paths for DPK packages. It is ok. We got all used with Delphi's sloppy manual.

So, I will tell you how I do it so they work both on 32 and 64 Win platforms:

My packages

I have these major packages/folders:

• Graphics32
• Drag and Drop (Melander)
• 3rd  Party (many small packages put together in a big package)
• CommonPackages (these are my own packages)

I always build 'Graphics32', 'Drag and Drop' and '3rd  Party' packages only in Release mode. So, there is no DCUs and BPLs complied in Debug mode, therefore we don't set a path for $(Config).

Package setup 

Double click the DPK file to load it in Delphi. Go to project's settings and set xxxxxxxxxxxx.
This will ensure that the IDE and app that use this package don't have access to the package's PAS files. If the IDE has access to the PAS file it will recompile the files every time you complile the app.Even worst, if the IDE recompiles package's files, it will put the DCUs in app's folder!

Also unckeck 'Build as needed'. xxxxxxxxxxx

IDE setup 

IDE setup - Package output directory

• For Win32 platform set it to: $(BDSCOMMONDIR)\Bpl
• For Win64 platform set it to: $(BDSCOMMONDIR)\Bpl\$(Platform)

Do the same for 'DCP output directory'.


IDE setup - Library path settings

In Delphi options -> Library -> Library path, I set these paths for Win32 platform:

• c:\MyProjects\Packages\DragDrop\$(Platform)
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\Graphics32\$(Platform)
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\Third party packages\$(Platform)
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\CubicCommonControls\$(Platform)_$(Config)

Please note that Graphics32, Drag and Drop and 3rd  Partyonly have the $(Platform) set.

CommonPackages are multi-platform (Win32/64) and multi-config (debug, prerelease, release). Therefore, we use $(Config) in the path.
If the control uses *.res files you need to manually copy them in the $(Platform) folder (the folder where the DCU are written)

This is Delphi's help page for Browsing path: Specifies search paths where the compiler can find the required files for the package, such as .dcp and .bpi files.
This is the Delphi global library path. The compiler can find only those files that exist on the Library path. If you try to build your package with a file that is not on the Library path, you receive a compiler error.
Some resource files (such as controls.res) are only available in the Release folder (not the Debug folder), so you should ensure that your project Release directory either is specified in the Library path or will be resolved by at least one variable in the Library path.

Browse path

In Delphi options -> Library ->:
Enter the path to package's source code so the IDE will able to reach the code (for example to be able to open a file when you control+click a method in IDE):

• c:\MyProjects\Packages\DragDrop\
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\Graphics32\
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\Third party packages\
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\CubicCommonControls\

This is Delphi's help page for Browsing path: Specifies the directories where the Code Browsing feature of the Code Editor looks for unit files when it cannot find an identifier on the project search path or source path. The Code Editor searches for unit files used for code browsing in the following order:

1. The project Search path for Delphi ( Project > Options > Delphi Compiler ) or the Include path for C++ ( Project > Options > Directories and Conditionals).
2. The global browsing path (this option) for Win32 Delphi language projects; the directories specified with this option are appended to the debug source path for the project. Therefore, the debugger search order for unit files is determined by the following path settings:
   • The Browsing path (this option).
   • The project Source path (the directory in which the project was saved).

Search path

I am not sure you really need the thing below (I think you don't):

The project's 'Search Path' is set like this (for all platforms):

• c:\MyProjects\Packages\DragDrop\$(Platform)
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\Graphics32\$(Platform)
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\Third party packages\$(Platform)
• c:\MyProjects\Packages\CubicCommonControls\$(Platform)_$(Config)

You have to do the same for 32 and 64 bit platforms (in the 'Selected Platform' dropdown menu).

The applications

For applications (DPR) that are using the packages specified above I set the 'Unit output directory' like this (for 'All configurations/All platforms'):

• .\$(Platform)_$(Config)

__________


Update: I had problems making a project to work when when I used a combination of $(Platform)_$(Config) and $(Platform) in the paths. It worked after I replaced $(Platform)_$(Config) with $(Platform).

Delphi bug: Exception EAccessViolation in module rtl210.bpl at 00016A9C [SOLVED]

I keep getting this error at Delphi shut down:

Application Error - Exception EAccessViolation in module rtl210.bpl at 00016A9C.
Access violation at address 50066A9C in module 'rtl210.bpl'. Read of address 06152AF8.

Solution 1:

The problem is fixed by restoring this registry key to its original state: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\15.0\Known IDE Packages]

Here is the pristine value for this key:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\15.0\Known IDE Packages]
"$(BDS)\\bin\\htmide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\comptoolbar210.bpl"="Component Toolbar Package"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\mlcc210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\tgide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\delphiosx32210.bpl"="Delphi OSX32 Platform"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\macosxdebugide210.bpl"="MacOS"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\delphiwin64210.bpl"="Delphi Win64 Platform"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\win64debugide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\GuidedTour210.bpl"="Embarcadero Guided Tour Package"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\ModernTheme210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\asmview210.bpl"="Assembly Browser Package"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\dbkdebugide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\delphiwin32210.bpl"="Delphi Win32 Platform"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\dotnetcoreide210.bpl"=".NET Core IDE Package"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\exceptiondiag210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\fileexplorer210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\historyide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\htmlhelp2210.bpl"="HtmlHelp Viewer"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\idefilefilters210.bpl"="IDE File filters"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\plugview210.bpl"="Pluggable Tree View Package"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\projpageide210.bpl"="Value Data: Project and template library package"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\startpageide210.bpl"="Start Page IDE Package"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\tlbview210.bpl"="TypeLibrary Browser Package"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\codetemplates210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\coreproide210.bpl"="Core IDE Pro Package"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\dbkdebugproide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\profiledeployide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\profilemgride210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\sdkmgride210.bpl"="Embarcadero SDK Manager"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\refactoride210.bpl"="Core Refactoring Package"
"$(BDS)\\bin\\todoide210.bpl"="ToDo"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\comcore210.bpl"="HtmlHelp Viewer"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\projecttargets210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\vclmenudesigner210.bpl"=".NET Core IDE Package"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\DataExplorerIDE210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\unittestide210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\iteidew32210.bpl"="(Untitled)"
"$(BDS)\\Bin\\VisualizationServiceIDE210.bpl"="Visualization IDE Service Package"
"C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\Embarcadero\\Studio\\15.0\\Experts\\IDEFixPackStartup.bpl"="IDE Fix Pack Startup"


[UPDATE]
SOLUTION 2 (and cause):

After some work I discovered what caused this: The 'FMX controls' package was disabled (probably I disabled it since FMX is still infantile and I don't intend to use it right now). Re-enabling this package solved the problem.

Also removing "$(BDS)\\Bin\\delphiwin32210.bpl"="Delphi Win32 Platform" helped.

Delphi: Access violation in module 'bindcomp210.bpl'

I keep getting an "Access violation at address 1204F872 in module 'bindcomp210.bpl'. Read of address 1423C764" message during Delphi startup.

After poking around I have found the solution: delete the
"Project" and/or "SaveFileDirectory" keys in [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Embarcadero\BDS\15.0\Session]

Delphi developers are now charged for bug fixes [via Update Subscription]

Starting this year Embarcadero has a new plan to milk money from its customers. With the new 'Update Subscription' plan, Embarcadero wants to charge 30% from original purchase price, each year, each customer that wants access to product bug fixes (that were not supposed to be there anyway).
Eve more, there is no warranty that the customer will actually get the bug fixes. Embarcadero clearly states that: "All fixes, updates and hotfixes are purely at Embarcadero's discretion."
Actually it states that twice. So, don't miss to read it :)

Ongoing Maintenance and Hot-Fixes for Previous Versions*

In the middle of a development cycle on an older IDE version? The RAD Studio team will now continue to release critical updates and hotfixes for up to two (2) years and three (3) major versions, improving your investment and enabling you to upgrade to the latest version on your schedule. All maintenance updates and hotfixes will only be available to users on an active Subscription and cannot be downloaded or purchased separately. Versions currently under Ongoing maintenance include XE7, XE6, and XE5 versions. Active subscribers will also have immediate access to beta hotfixes, providing the most timely access to critical fixes. All fixes, updates and hotfixes are purely at Embarcadero's discretion.
Link


Some stores are already selling upgrade subscriptions for 2000 pounds + VAT.



There is another way to get updates?
No. The FAQ clearly states it:

Can I obtain updates and hotfixes without a subscription?
An active update subscription is the only way to obtain updates and hotfixes for current and prior (up to 2 years) releases.

I see a big incoming wave of programming towards Lazarus.