MemTable and DataDriver

This technology is intended for unified way of loading tabular information from the server to the client with afterward processing these data on the client: editing, sorting, filtrations and unloading changed data back to the server.

This technology doesn’t include drivers to access server but it have a set of components and global events to redirect flow of data to/from server using your favorite access engine.

The technology is represented by two main components:

TMemTableEh - is a dataset that hold data in memory. Its possible to consider it as an array of records.

Besides, this dataset:

• Supports a special interface, which allows DBGridEh component to view and scroll data without moving active record.

• Allows to fetch data from TDataDriverEh object (DataDriver property).

• Allows to unload changes back to DataDriver, instantly or postponed (in dependencies of the CachedUpdates property).

• Allows to create a master/detail relations on the client (filtering record) or on the external source (updating parameters [Params] and requiring data from DataDriver).

• Allows to sort data, including Calculated and Lookup field.

• Allows to work in standalone mode. Allows to create structure and fill data at design-time and save data in DFM file of the Form (When DataDriver property is not assigned).

• Allows to keep record in the manner of trees. Each record can have records-branches and it itself can be an element to other parental record. TDBGridEh component supports to show the tree-type structure of these records.

• Allows to connect to the internal array of other TMemTableEh (via ExternalMemData property) and work with its data: sort, filter, edit. Has interface for requesting list of all unique values in one column of records array, ignoring local filter. TDBGridEh uses this property for automatic filling a list in DropDownBox of the subtitle filter cell.

TDataDriverEh - carry out two tasks:

1. Delivers data to TMemTableEh.
2. Processes changed records of TMemTableEh (writes them in other dataset, or call events for processing the changes in program for passing updates to the server).

Furthermore, there are several components that are inherited from TDataDriverEh. These are a TSQLDataDriverEh, that have properties to keep five SQL expressions and parameters to: query data, delete record, insert record, update record and require one record. TSQLDataDriverEh can’t interact with server by itself, but can prepare parameters for request and can call global event to transfer SQL expression for processing in application. There are several components which are inherited from TSQLDataDriverEh and which can send SQL expressions to the server through the corresponding access engine. These are TBDEDataDriverEh, TIBXDataDriverEh, TDBXDataDriverEh and TADODataDriverEh components.