Cross Ref > Tool Basics

With ASP Classic, you simply copy your files to a web server that is capable of running ASP pages. This includes your .ASP pages along with supporting files such as images, include files, and database files.

Optionally, you can also deploy a global.asa file which is used to code certain events like application start, application end, session start, and session end.

Delphi creates native code Windows applications so you can create an EXE with no dependencies that will run on any Windows computer. If you add dependencies (reports, database libraries, DLLs, etc.) use a Windows installer to build an installation program.

D2007 and D2009 are bundled with InstallAware Express CodeGear Edition installer.

Microsoft Visual Interdev was popular for several  years but isn't used as much any more. Any good editor such as Microsoft Expression Web, etc. will work but debugging is left up to interactive skills.

CodeGear Delphi is the primary tool of choice for most developers but other Object Pascal language development tools do exist and some are quite good.

.asp is the default extension for Active Server Pages (ASP) although some developers will change the default extension in an effort to add an additional security level. Although there is no clear standard for include files, using .INC is common but you must make sure that .INC files are not executed nor displayed.

Common source code file extensions include:

• .BDSPROJ - Project, Borland Developer Studio project file holds compiler options, etc. This is the file you open.
• .DCU - Delphi Compiled Unit file.
• .DFM - Delphi Win32 form file (a text resource file).
• .DPR - Delphi project file. Primary project "source" file.
• .PAS - Delphi unit source file.

Note: Delphi 2009 changed the project file to acommadatte new features. When you open a project file from a previous version, it will be upgraded. In addition to .bdsproj, D2009 also uses a .dproj project file.

 Delphi File Extensions

 Ref: http://delphi.wikia.com/wiki/Delphi_File_Extensions

Language Overview: Class-based language. Although you can create classes, ASP is not fully OOP. It is a traditional language with a few OOP extensions. You code in a traditional approach using functions, procedures, and global data, and you can make use of simple classes to help organize your reusable code.

Target Platforms: ASP Classic is most suitable for creating websites targeting any browser (IIS Web Server with ASP Classic installed or equivalent).

Language Overview: Delphi programming language is a type-safe language consisting of hybrid traditional Pascal and OOP features. You code either in a traditional approach using functions, procedures, and global data, or you code using an OOP approach, or a mixture of both.

Target Platforms: Delphi for Win32 is most suitable for creating native code Win32 applications that run on Microsoft Windows.

No built-in report writer but because ASP Classic targets a client browser (a document interfaced GUI), a common solution is to simply output an HTML formatted page with black text and a white background (not much control but it does work for some situations).

Rave Reports comes closest to a Delphi standard now but historically there has been no real standard in Delphi development. Do-it-yourself developers sometimes like to use TPrinter for very simple reports. ReportSmith was bundled with the first few versions of Delphi.

Delphi has offered many embedded VCL component report options. Quick Reports has been a part of Delphi since Delphi 2.0 and has been the default report writer for many Delphi developers. Ace Reporter, ReportBuilder and Rave Reports are also very popular. During the time of Kylix, FastReports was popular because of it's cross-platform nature.

Crystal Reports is very common because of it's overall popularity as a stand-alone report writer that integrates well with many different tools.

 Delphi Report Tools Overview