Easy Native Windows Development Using Traditional Bindings

Following the video where Jim McKeeth demonstrated how to create a simple Database Application using FireDAC and Interbase in C++ Builder is a follow-up demo. This time, he will show us how to create a VCL application using the traditional bindings and data-aware components. Visual Component Library or simply VCL has always been part of native windows development specifically for developing user interfaces for Microsoft applications. Unlike FireMonkey which is designed for building multi-device cross-platform apps, VCL only supports Windows-based development. However, the framework still comes with a huge library of visual components and a robust collection of 3rd party components.

Native Windows development with data-aware components

Similar to FireMonkey, VCL also supports LiveBindings but it also comes with traditional bindings which will be used as an example for this short demo. It generally follows the same procedure as the previous demo. To get started, open the Windows VCL Application – C++ Builder in RAD Studio. Once launched, drag all the necessary components in the form. For this example, InterBase sample components are being used. Similar to the previous demo, users can freely edit the Query Editor or better yet add Field Editor for convenience.

This time, McKeeth will be using a TDBGrid, a Data-Aware component. Delphi’s data-aware components are components that normally reside on a Standard palette tab but have been modified to display and manipulate the content of data in a dataset (table or query). These components know how to talk to a data source (a connection between a dataset and data-aware control). You also have the option to add the Navigation Bar.

To learn more about how to easily create VCL Application using Data Aware components in Delphi, feel free to watch the demo below.