How To Convert Your VCL Database Software To Mobile & Cross Platform Apps

VCL has always been part of native windows development specifically for developing user interfaces for Microsoft applications. While this GUI framework comes with a huge library of visual components and a robust collection of 3rd party components, it only supports Windows-based development. The FireMonkey framework, on the other hand, is designed for building multi-device cross platform apps including all the supported platforms such as Windows, OS X (Mac), Android, and iOS. Interestingly, in this presentation from the recently concluded DelphiCon, Miguel Angel Moreno will show us how to transform your data centric VCL application to mobile and multi-platform using the FMX framework.

What are the differences between VCL and FireMonkey cross platform apps?

In this presentation, Miguel will initially highlight the main differences and similarities between the two aforementioned frameworks. Here, he will compare the structures of both the VCL Database application and the FMX database application. Interestingly, FireMonkey is somewhat similar to the VCL library in many aspects. For instance, they have some similar classes, components, controls, and functions but despite some superficial similarities with VCL, FMX still has numerous differences and some of which will be highlighted in this presentation. Here, we will learn all the important components of a VCL database application including the Database Engine, data source, and data navigator.

How to successfully convert a VCL Database applications to multi-target cross platform apps with FireMonkey?

This session will dive into many important details concerning VCL and FireMonkey database applications. We will learn how to access different database engines including Local databases, thick database clients (the traditional way to connect to corporate databases like Oracle, SQL server), and REST client which is the modern way that most applications are being developed nowadays, especially for mobile applications. Miguel will demonstrate the process of converting a traditional VCL application to a FireMonkey database application from creating a Multi-Device Application in Delphi to Live Bindings, and more.

With the help of the Firemonkey multi-platform framework and RAD studio’s powerful database components, this non-trivial process becomes a child’s play! If you want to learn more about these database frameworks, feel free to watch the video below.