Installing

Below it will be described how to install EhLib in RAD Studio XE12.

Unpacking EhLib archive

After unpacking you will have next list of directories:

Common

Contain source files which are common for all versions of Delphi and C++ Builder.

DataDrivers

Contains additional components that inherit from TDataDriverEh generators to support data access third party.

DataService

Contain files that contain objects that allows to sort data in various types of datasets.

Demos

Demonstration projects

Hlp

Contain help Files and Documentation.

Installer

Constains EhLibInstaller.exe

Lazarus

Constains Instruction, Demos and Source files for Lazarus IDE

RADSpecific

ContainContains files for specific versions of RAD Studio including package files.

ZipProviders

ContainContains source files that provide to create Zip files version 2 using extrernal library FWZip in Delphi XE or lower.

Installing packages

Automatic installing

Run Installer\EhLibInstaller.exe program from EhLib archive to install library in Delphi/C++ Builder IDE automatically. In time of installation the program creates folder, copies files, compile required packages and registers packages in the IDE.

Manual installing

Manual installation of the library is considered using the example of installing the library in RAD Studio 12.

Removing a previous version of the library

Here is described how to install the library in RAD Studio XE12. Installation in other versions of Delphi is performed by analogy.

Before installing this version of the library, you must remove packages and references from the previous version.

In the menu "Component" - "Install packages" find and remove ("Remove" button) all packages that contain the EhLib substring.
Most likely these will be packages with names such as EhLib 11.1 Components, EhLib 11.1 DataDrivers for ADO, EhLib 11.1 DataDrivers for DBX, EhLib 11.1 DataDrivers for IBX.

In the C:\Users\Public\Documents\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\Bpl folder, delete all packages that contain the EhLib substring

Most likely these will be packages with names like:

DclEhLib290.bpl
DclEhLibADODataDrivers290.bpl
DclEhLibDBXDataDrivers290.bpl
DclEhLibIBXDataDrivers290.bpl
EhLib290.bpl
EhLibADODataDrivers290.bpl
EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.bpl
EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.bpl
Win64\EhLib290.bpl
Win64\EhLibADODataDrivers290.bpl
Win64\EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.bpl
Win64\EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.bpl

For RAD Studio 2009 – RAD Studio XE5, package files are located in the C:\Users\Public\Documents\RAD Studio\XX.0\... folder.

In the C:\Users\Public\Documents\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\Dcp folder, delete all files that contain the EhLib substring

Most likely these will be packages with names like:

DclEhLib290.bpi
DclEhLib290.dcp
DclEhLib290.lib
DclEhLibADODataDrivers290.bpi
DclEhLibADODataDrivers290.dcp
DclEhLibADODataDrivers290.lib
DclEhLibDBXDataDrivers290.bpi
DclEhLibDBXDataDrivers290.dcp
DclEhLibDBXDataDrivers290.lib
DclEhLibIBXDataDrivers290.bpi
DclEhLibIBXDataDrivers290.dcp
DclEhLibIBXDataDrivers290.lib
EhLib290.bpi
EhLib290.dcp
EhLib290.lib
EhLibADODataDrivers290.bpi
EhLibADODataDrivers290.dcp
EhLibADODataDrivers290.lib
EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.bpi
EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.dcp
EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.lib
EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.bpi
EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.dcp
EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.lib
Win64\EhLib290.a
Win64\EhLib290.bpi
Win64\EhLib290.dcp
Win64\EhLibADODataDrivers290.a
Win64\EhLibADODataDrivers290.bpi
Win64\EhLibADODataDrivers290.dcp
Win64\EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.a
Win64\EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.bpi
Win64\EhLibDBXDataDrivers290.dcp
Win64\EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.a
Win64\EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.bpi
Win64\EhLibIBXDataDrivers290.dcp

In the settings Tools – Options – Language – Delphi – Library – Windows 32 – bit and Windows 64 – bit.

In the Library Path section, delete the lines containing a reference to the folder that contained the modules (dcu files) of the EhLib library.

Most likely it will be a link to a folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\Components\EhLib\Lib\Win32\Release (Win64\Release)

In the Browsing path section, delete the lines containing a reference to the folder that contained the EhLib library source code.

Most likely it will be a link to a folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\Components\EhLib\Lib\

If you have a version of the library without source codes, then the data may not contain the specified line.

In the Debug DCU path section, remove the lines containing a reference to the folder that contained the debug version of the EhLib library modules..

Most likely it will be a link to a folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\Components\EhLib\Lib\Win32\Debug (Win64\Debug)

Installing a new version

Here we will describe the installation of the library with source codes.

Create a new folder where the source, compiled codes and Demo projects of the library will be stored.

We recommend creating a Components folder in the C:\Users\Public\Documents\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\ section

Create a folder EhLib in the Components folder.

Files for installing the library in the IDE will be written to the folder C:\Users\Public\Documents\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\Components\EhLib

Create a subfolder Src in the specified folder.

In the future, the path to the folder C:\Users\Public\Documents\Embarcadero\Studio\23.0\Components\EhLib will be called <EhLib BaseDir>

Copy the contents of the <EhLib Archive>\RADSpecific\RADStudioXE12 folder to the <EhLib BaseDir>\Src folder.

Copy the contents of the <EhLib Archive>\Common\ folder to the <EhLib BaseDir>\Src folder.

Copy the <EhLib Archive>\Demos folder to the <EhLib BaseDir>\ folder

In the IDE, open the file <EhLib BaseDir>\Src\EhLibProjGroup290.groupproj

In the project toolbar, select Release Configuration and Win32 Platform.

Compile all projects for the selected Configuration/Platform combination.

Compile all projects for the following Configuration/Platform combination:
Debug\Win32
Release\Win64
Debug\Win64

Packages that start with the abbreviation Dcl* must be compiled in Release\Win32 mode only.

These are Design-Time packages that only work in Win32 mode under RAD Studio (x32).

If you plan to develop for other platforms, then compile Release+Debug configurations of the EhLibRtl and EhLibFmx packages for the selected platforms.

Before compiling for platforms other than Win32/Win64, the IDE must create a Software Development Kit (SDK) for the desired platform.

SDKs are created in the RAD Studio IDE section – Tools – Options – Deployment – SDK Manager.

The EhLibRtl and EhLibFmx packages support the following platforms: Windows 32-bit, Windows 64-bit, Android 64-bit, Linux 64-bit, macOS 64-bit.

To compile the EhLibFmx package for the Linux 64-bit platform, you need to install the GetIt FMXLinux package.

To compile the EhLibBDEDataDrivers package, you must install the BDE (Borland DataBase Engine) base package.

After compiling the packages, you need to install the Design-Time packages in the IDE:

Select the package DclEhLibFmx, DclEhLibRtl, DclEhLibVcl, DclEhLibADODataDrivers, DclEhLibBDEDataDrivers, DclEhLibDBXDataDrivers, DclEhLibIBXDataDrivers and select Install in the context menu.

The DclEhLibRtl package is a basic package. Its installation is mandatory for the library to work. Other packages can be installed as needed.

It is necessary to specify the paths to the compiled binaries in the Library settings:

Open the section Tools – Options – Language – Delphi – Library – Select Platform (Windows 32-bit)
In the Library path line, add the following paths:
<EhLib BaseDir>\Lib\Win32\Release\
<EhLib BaseDir>\Src\Incl\

The path <EhLib base>\Src\Incl\ contains the path to some library sources that were not compiled into packages. They will be compiled into binaries when the project is compiled..

In the Browsing path line, add the following paths:
<EhLib BaseDir>\Src\Data
<EhLib BaseDir>\Src\Fmx
<EhLib BaseDir>\Src\Rtl
<EhLib BaseDir>\Src\Vcl

In the Debug DCU path line, add the following paths:
<EhLib BaseDir>\Lib\Win32\Debug\

Similar changes must be made for all platforms for which you plan to develop.

To check the correct operation of the installed library, open, compile and run the following Library Demo Projects.

<EhLib BaseDir>\Demos\Vcl\Project1.dproj
<EhLib BaseDir>\Demos\Fmx\EhLib.Fmx.MainDemo.dproj

Multi-platform compilation capabilities in different library editions

Multiplatform compilation is supported in EhLibRtl and EhLibFmx packages for Win32, Win64, Android32, Android64, iOS64, OSX64, Linux64 platforms.

Multiplatform compilation is available in EhLib Professional (Source Included) edition for RAD Studio 11 and RAD Studio 12.

Multiplatform compilation is also available in the EhLib Evaluation edition for RAD Studio 12 for Win32, Win64, Android64, OSX64, Linux64 platforms.

Uninstalling packages for IDE.

You can use Installer\EhLibInstaller.exe program to unistall EhLib packages from RAD Studio IDE.