Once your Delphi application is up and running, you can deploy it. That is, you can make it available for others to run. A number of steps must be taken to deploy an application to another computer so that the application is completely functional. The steps required by a given application vary, depending on the type of application. The following sections describe those steps for deploying applications:
Beyond the executable file, an application may require a number of supporting files, such as DLLs, package files, and helper applications. In addition, the Windows registry may need to contain entries for an application, from specifying the location of supporting files to simple program settings. The process of copying an application's files to a computer and making any needed registry settings can be automated by an installation program, such as InstallShield Express. These are the main deployment concerns common to nearly all types of applications:
Delphi applications that access databases and those that run across the Web require additional installation steps beyond those that apply to general applications. For additional information on installing database applications, see "Deploying database applications". For more information on installing Web applications, see "Deploying Web applications". For more information on installing ActiveX controls, see "Deploying an ActiveX control on the Web". For information on deploying CORBA applications, see "Deploying CORBA applications".
Simple Delphi applications that consist of only an executable file are easy to install on a target computer. Just copy the executable file onto the computer. However, more complex applications that comprise multiple files require more extensive installation procedures. These applications require dedicated installation programs.
Setup toolkits automate the process of creating installation programs, often without needing to write any code. Installation programs created with Setup toolkits perform various tasks inherent to installing Delphi applications, including: copying the executable and supporting files to the host computer, making Windows registry entries, and installing the Borland Database Engine for database applications.
InstallShield Express is a setup toolkit that is bundled with Delphi. InstallShield Express is certified for use with Delphi and the Borland Database Engine. InstallShield Express is not automatically installed when Delphi is installed, and must be manually installed to be used to create installation programs. Run the installation program from the Delphi CD to install InstallShield Express. For more information on using InstallShield Express to create installation programs, see the InstallShield Express online help.
Other setup toolkits are available, however, you should only use those certified to deploy the Borland Database Engine.
Besides the executable file, a number of other files may need to be distributed with an application.
The following types of files may need to be distributed with an application.
If the application uses runtime packages, those package files need to be distributed with the application. InstallShield Express handles the installation of package files the same as DLLs, copying the files and making necessary entries in the Windows registry. Borland recommends installing the runtime package files supplied by Borland in the Windows\System directory. This serves as a common location so that multiple applications would have access to a single instance of the files. For packages you created, it is recommended that you install them in the same directory as the application. Only the .BPL files need to be distributed.
If you are distributing packages to other developers, supply both the .BPL and the .DCP files.
Certain components bundled with Delphi are ActiveX controls. The component wrapper is linked into the application's executable file (or a runtime package), but the .OCX file for the component also needs to be deployed with the application. These components include
ActiveX controls of your own creation need to be registered on the deployment computer before use. Installation programs such as InstallShield Express automate this registration process. To manually register an ActiveX control, use the TRegSvr demo application or the Microsoft utility REGSRV32.EXE (not included with all Windows versions).
DLLs that support an ActiveX control also need to be distributed with an application.
Helper applications are separate programs without which your Delphi application would be partially or completely unable to function. Helper applications may be those supplied with Windows, by Borland, or they might be third-party products. An example of a helper application is the InterBase utility program Server Manager, which administers InterBase databases, users, and security.
If an application depends on a helper program, be sure to deploy it with your application, where possible. Distribution of helper programs may be governed by redistribution license agreements. Consult the documentation for the helper for specific information.
You can install .DLL files used only by a single application in the same directory as the application. DLLs that will be used by a number of applications should be installed in a location accessible to all of those applications. A common convention for locating such community DLLs is to place them either in the Windows or the Windows\System directory. A better way is to create a dedicated directory for the common .DLL files, similar to the way the Borland Database Engine is installed.
Applications that access databases involve special installation considerations beyond copying the application's executable file onto the host computer. Database access is most often handled by a separate database engine, the files of which cannot be linked into the application's executable file. The data files, when not created beforehand, must be made available to the application. Multi-tier database applications require even more specialized handling on installation, because the files that make up the application are typically located on multiple computers. Two ways of including database access are
Database access for an application is provided by various database engines. An application can use the Borland Database Engine or a third-party database engine. SQL Links is provided (not available in all versions) to enable native access to SQL database systems. The following sections describe installation of the database access elements of an application:
For standard Delphi data components to have database access, the Borland Database Engine (BDE) must be present and accessible. See BDEDEPLOY.TXT for specific rights and limitations on redistributing the BDE.
Borland recommends use of InstallShield Express (or other certified installation program) for installing the BDE. InstallShield Express will create the necessary registry entries and define any aliases the application may require. Using a certified installation program to deploy the BDE files and subsets is important because:
It is possible to install only as much of the BDE as an application actually needs. For instance, if an application only uses Paradox tables, it is only necessary to install that portion of the BDE required to access Paradox tables. This reduces the disk space needed for an application. Certified installation programs, like InstallShield Express, are capable of performing partial BDE installations. Be sure to leave BDE system files that are not used by the deployed application, but that are needed by other programs.
You can use third-party database engines to provide database access for Delphi applications. Consult the documentation or vendor for the database engine regarding redistribution rights, installation, and configuration.
SQL Links provides the drivers that connect an application (through the Borland Database Engine) with the client software for an SQL database. See DEPLOY.TXT for specific rights and limitations on redistributing SQL Links. As is the case with the Borland Database Engine (BDE), SQL Links must be deployed using InstallShield Express (or other certified installation program).
Note: SQL Links only connects the BDE to the client software, not to the SQL database itself. It is still necessary to install the client software for the SQL database system used. See the documentation for the SQL database system or consult the vendor that supplies it for more information on installing and configuring client software.
Table 11.2 shows the names of the driver and configuration files SQL Links uses to connect to the different SQL database systems. These files come with SQL Links and are redistributable in accordance with the Delphi license agreement.
Install SQL Links using InstallShield Express or other certified installation program. For specific information concerning the installation and configuration of SQL Links, see the help file SQLLNK32.HLP, by default installed into the main BDE directory.
Multi-tiered Distributed Application Services (MIDAS) consists of the Business Object Broker, OLEnterprise, the Remote DataBroker, and the ConstraintBroker Manager (SQL Explorer). MIDAS provides multi-tier database capability to Delphi applications.
Handle the installation of the executable and related files for a multi-tier application the same as for general applications. Some of the files that comprise MIDAS may need to be installed on the client computer and others on the server computer. For general application installation information, see See "Deploying general applications". See the text file LICENSE.TXT on the MIDAS CD and the Delphi file DEPLOY.TXT for specific information regarding licensing and redistribution rights for MIDAS.
MIDAS.DLL must be installed onto the client computer and registered with Windows. On the server computer, the files MIDAS.DLL and STDVCL40.DLL must be installed and registered for the Remote DataBroker and DBEXPLOR.EXE for the ConstraintBroker. Installation programs such as InstallShield Express automate the process of registering these DLLs. To manually register the DLLs, use the TRegSvr demo application or the Microsoft utility REGSRV32.EXE (not included with all Windows versions).
The MIDAS deployment CD provides install programs for the client and server portions of OLEnterprise and the Business ObjectBroker. Use only the Setup Launcher on the MIDAS CD to install OLEnterprise.
Following is a list of the minimum required files to be installed onto the server machine.
Following is a list of the required files to be installed onto the client machine.
Some Delphi applications are designed to be run over the World Wide Web, such as those in the form of Server-side Extension (ISAPI) DLLs, CGI applications, and ActiveForms.
The steps for installing Web applications are the same as those for general applications, except the application's files are deployed on the Web server. For information on installing general applications, see See "Deploying general applications".
Here are some special considerations for deploying Web applications:
Due to the nature of the Windows environment, there are a number of factors that vary with user preference or configuration. The following factors can affect an application deployed to another computer:
The size of the Windows desktop and number of available colors on a computer is configurable and dependent on the hardware installed. These attributes are also likely to differ on the deployment computer compared to those on the development computer.
An application's appearance (window, object, and font sizes) on computers configured for different screen resolutions can be handled in various ways:
If the forms and visual controls that make up an application are not dynamically resized at runtime, design the application's elements for the lowest resolution. Otherwise, the forms of an application run on a computer configured for a lower screen resolution than the development computer may overlap the boundaries of the screen.
For example, if the development computer is set up for a screen resolution of 1024x768 and a form is designed with a width of 700 pixels, not all of that form will be visible within the Windows desktop on a computer configured for a 640x480 screen resolution.
If the forms and visual controls for an application are dynamically resized, accommodate all aspects of the resizing process to ensure optimal appearance of the application under all possible screen resolutions. Here are some factors to consider when dynamically resizing the visual elements of an application:
To account for all deployment computers not being configured with the same color availability, the safest way is to use graphics with the least possible number of colors. This is especially true for control glyphs, which should typically use 16-color graphics. For displaying pictures, either provide multiple copies of the images in different resolutions and color depths or explain in the application the minimum resolution and color requirements for the application.
Windows comes with a standard set of TrueType and raster fonts. When designing an application to be deployed on other computers, realize that not all computers will have fonts outside the standard Windows set.
Text components used in the application should all use fonts that are likely to be available on all deployment computers.
When use of a nonstandard font is absolutely necessary in an application, you need to distribute that font with the application. Either the installation program or the application itself must install the font on the deployment computer. Distribution of third-party fonts may be subject to limitations imposed by the font creator.
Windows has a safety measure to account for attempts to use a font that does not exist on the computer. It substitutes another, existing font that it considers the closest match. While this may circumvent errors concerning missing fonts, the end result may be a degradation of the visual appearance of the application. It is better to prepare for this eventuality at design time.
To make a nonstandard font available to an application, use the Windows API functions AddFontResource and DeleteFontResource. Deploy the .FOT file for the nonstandard font with the application.
When using Windows API functions or accessing areas of the Windows operating system from an application, there is the possibility that the function, operation, or area may not be available on computers with different versions of Windows. For example, Services are only pertinent to the Windows NT operating system. If an application is to act as a Service or interact with one, this would fail if the application is installed under Windows 95.
To account for this possibility, you have a few options:
The distribution of some files associated with Delphi applications is subject to limitations or cannot be redistributed at all. The following documents describe the legal stipulations regarding the distribution of these files where limitations exist:
DEPLOY.TXT covers the some of the legal aspects of distributing of various components and utilities, and other product areas that can be part of or associated with a Delphi application. DEPLOY.TXT is a text file installed in the main Delphi directory. The topics covered include
README.TXT contains last minute information about Delphi, possibly including information that could affect the redistribution rights for components, or utilities, or other product areas. README.TXT is a Windows help file installed into the main Delphi directory.
The Delphi no-nonsense license agreement, a printed document, covers other legal rights and obligations concerning Delphi.
Redistribution rights for third-party components, utilities, helper applications, database engines, and other products are governed by the vendor supplying the product. Consult the documentation for the product or the vendor for information regarding the redistribution of the product with Delphi applications prior to distribution.
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