This is a short recap of the video.

In order to have other platforms connecting and interacting with your DataSnap Server you need to enable the REST Interface, and for mobile platforms you can use the DataSnap Connectors that generate proxy classes for Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and iOS. In the video I’m showing how to create the Server, let’s take a look at the Server Method implementation.

The first server method called InsertCountry, connect on my InterBase database and add a new record to the Country table, see the implementation below:

function TServerMethods1.InsertCountry(Country, Currency: String;
  out Error: String): Boolean;
var
  Comm: TDBXCommand;
begin

  Result := False;

  DBConn.Open;
  Comm := DBConn.DBXConnection.CreateCommand;
  Comm.CommandType := TDBXCommandTypes.DbxSQL;
  Comm.Text :=
    Format('Insert Into Country (COUNTRY, CURRENCY) Values ( ''%s'', ''%s'')',
    [Country, Currency]);

  if not Comm.IsPrepared then
    Comm.Prepare;

  try
    Comm.ExecuteUpdate;
    Comm.Free;
    Result := True;
  except on E: Exception do
    Error := E.Message;
  end;

end;

The second server method is called GetCountries, and returns all the records I have in the COUNTRY table on my InterBase database. This method returns a DBXReader and DataSnap will convert this automatically to JSON at the moment the Android app calls this method, but since we will use the new DataSnap Connector to generate the proxy class, we won’t need to handle the JSON object and I will explain that after.

The following code represents the GetCountries implementation.

function TServerMethods1.GetCountries: TDBXReader;
var
  Comm: TDBXCommand;
begin

  DBConn.Open;
  Comm := DBConn.DBXConnection.CreateCommand;
  Comm.CommandType := TDBXCommandTypes.DbxSQL;
  Comm.Text := 'Select * from Country';

  if not Comm.IsPrepared then
    Comm.Prepare;

  Result := Comm.ExecuteQuery;

end;

The next step is to create the proxy class for Android using the DataSnap connectors, which is a new feature in Delphi XE2. The generation can be done through command line or via HTTP request on your DataSnap server, and in the video I’m showing how to do that.

The proxy generator generates only the DSProxy.java, all the other files part of the DataSnap Connectors are the representation of DataSnap Framework in Java, for example you won’t need to parse the DBXReader as JSON object in Java, just because we have the DBXReader class in Java and it parses the JSON object for you.

The first step to create a REST connection with your DataSnap Server, which will give me a instance of DSRESTConnection. If your DataSnap Server requires authentication you can use the methods SetUserName and SetPassword to define the credentials.

	private DSRESTConnection getConnection() {
		DSRESTConnection conn = new DSRESTConnection();
		conn.setHost("192.168.254.128");
		conn.setPort(8080);
		return conn;
	}

Now, let’s take a look and see how to execute the server methods, starting with the InsertCountry method as you can see in the following code.

After instantiation of the DSRESTConnection, we pass the REST connection object to the TServerMethods1’s instance, which is the client representation of TServerMethods1 on the server, and from there just call InsertCountry.

Since InsertCountry returns Boolean and also the Error message parameter is passed as reference, InsertCountry methods will return a InsertCountryReturns, which is a static class with two parameters: error that represent the error message and returnValue which represent the value return by InsertCountry.

protected void Insert() {

	DSRESTConnection conn = getConnection();

	TServerMethods1 sm = new TServerMethods1(conn);

	try {
		InsertCountryReturns ret;
		ret = sm.InsertCountry(editCountry.getText().toString(), editCurrency.getText().toString(), "");

		if ( ! ret.returnValue ) {
			System.out.println(ret.error);
		}

	} catch (DBXException e) {
		e.printStackTrace();
	}

	// Hide keyboard
	InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager)getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
	imm.hideSoftInputFromWindow(editCountry.getWindowToken(),0);

}

The next method is GetCountries. We start as before by getting the DSRESTConnection instance. The GetCountries method returns a DBXReader and the way we work with the DBXReader class in Java is very similar the way we work in Delphi, use the Next method to interact through the result, and getValue/GetAsXXXXX to get the column value. See the following code:

protected void Refresh() {

	DSRESTConnection conn = getConnection();

	TServerMethods1 sm = new TServerMethods1(conn);

	TDBXReader reader;
	try {
		reader = sm.GetCountries();

		ArrayList COUNTRIES = new ArrayList();

		while (reader.next()) {
			COUNTRIES.add(reader.getValue("COUNTRY").GetAsString());
		}

		// Add the COUNTRIES array in to the list view
		list.setAdapter(new ArrayAdapter(this, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, COUNTRIES));

	} catch (DBXException e) {
		e.printStackTrace();
	}

}

This is just a short tutorial explaining how to use DataSnap Connector with Android, take some time and watch the video where I’m going through more details.

The source code is available for download here and download the video from here.

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

This is a short recap of the video.

In order to have other platforms connecting and interacting with your DataSnap Server you need to enable the REST Interface, and for mobile platforms you can use the DataSnap Connectors that generate proxy classes for Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and iOS. In the video I’m showing how to create the Server, let’s take a look at the Server Method implementation.

The first server method called InsertCountry, connect on my InterBase database and add a new record to the Country table, see the implementation below:

bool TServerMethods1::InsertCountry(String country, String currency,
	String &error) {
	TDBXCommand *comm;

	bool result = false;
	DbConn->Open();
	comm = DbConn->DBXConnection->CreateCommand();
	comm->CommandType = TDBXCommandTypes_DbxSQL;

	TVarRec vr[] = {country, currency};
	comm->Text =
		Format("Insert Into Country (COUNTRY, CURRENCY) Values ( '%s', '%s')", vr, 2);

	if (!comm->IsPrepared) {
		comm->Prepare();
	}

	try {
		comm->ExecuteUpdate();
		result = true;

	}
	catch (Exception* e) {
		error = e->Message;
	}
	delete comm;
	return result;

}

The second server method is called GetCountries, and returns all the records I have in the COUNTRY table on my InterBase database. This method returns a DBXReader and DataSnap will convert this automatically to JSON at the moment the Android app calls this method, but since we will use the new DataSnap Connector to generate the proxy class, we won’t need to handle the JSON object and I will explain that after.

The following code represents the GetCountries implementation.

TDBXReader* TServerMethods1::GetCountries() {

	TDBXCommand *comm;

	try {
		DbConn->Open();
		comm = DbConn->DBXConnection->CreateCommand();
		comm->CommandType = TDBXCommandTypes_DbxSQL;
		comm->Text = "Select * from Country";

		if (!comm->IsPrepared) {
			comm->Prepare();
		}
		return comm->ExecuteQuery();
	}
	catch (Exception* e) {
		return NULL;
	}
}

The next step is to create the proxy class for Android using the DataSnap connectors, which is a new feature in C++Builder XE2. The generation can be done through command line or via HTTP request on your DataSnap server, and in the video I’m showing how to do that.

The proxy generator generates only the DSProxy.java, all the other files part of the DataSnap Connectors are the representation of DataSnap Framework in Java, for example you won’t need to parse the DBXReader as JSON object in Java, just because we have the DBXReader class in Java and it parses the JSON object for you.

The first step to create a REST connection with your DataSnap Server, which will give me a instance of DSRESTConnection. If your DataSnap Server requires authentication you can use the methods SetUserName and SetPassword to define the credentials.

	private DSRESTConnection getConnection() {
		DSRESTConnection conn = new DSRESTConnection();
		conn.setHost("192.168.254.128");
		conn.setPort(8080);
		return conn;
	}

Now, let’s take a look and see how to execute the server methods, starting with the InsertCountry method as you can see in the following code.

After instantiation of the DSRESTConnection, we pass the REST connection object to the TServerMethods1’s instance, which is the client representation of TServerMethods1 on the server, and from there just call InsertCountry.

Since InsertCountry returns Boolean and also the Error message parameter is passed as reference, InsertCountry methods will return a InsertCountryReturns, which is a static class with two parameters: error that represent the error message and returnValue which represent the value return by InsertCountry.

protected void Insert() {

	DSRESTConnection conn = getConnection();

	TServerMethods1 sm = new TServerMethods1(conn);

	try {
		InsertCountryReturns ret;
		ret = sm.InsertCountry(editCountry.getText().toString(), editCurrency.getText().toString(), "");

		if ( ! ret.returnValue ) {
			System.out.println(ret.error);
		}

	} catch (DBXException e) {
		e.printStackTrace();
	}

	// Hide keyboard
	InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager)getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
	imm.hideSoftInputFromWindow(editCountry.getWindowToken(),0);

}

The next method is GetCountries. We start as before by getting the DSRESTConnection instance. The GetCountries method returns a DBXReader and the way we work with the DBXReader class in Java is very similar the way we work in C++, use the Next method to interact through the result, and getValue/GetAsXXXXX to get the column value. See the following code:

protected void Refresh() {

	DSRESTConnection conn = getConnection();

	TServerMethods1 sm = new TServerMethods1(conn);

	TDBXReader reader;
	try {
		reader = sm.GetCountries();

		ArrayList COUNTRIES = new ArrayList();

		while (reader.next()) {
			COUNTRIES.add(reader.getValue("COUNTRY").GetAsString());
		}

		// Add the COUNTRIES array in to the list view
		list.setAdapter(new ArrayAdapter(this, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, COUNTRIES));

	} catch (DBXException e) {
		e.printStackTrace();
	}

}

This is just a short tutorial explaining how to use DataSnap Connector with Android, take some time and watch the video where I’m going through more details.

The source code is available for download here and download the video from here.

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

I know you are curious to see all of the great stuffs coming on RAD Studio XE2 and to give you an idea; I prepared a 5 minutes preview video. It shows a Delphi XE2 HD FireMonkey application running on Windows (64-bit), Mac and iOS, the use of 3D components and animations.

There are lot of possibilities with FireMonkey and all of the other new features in Rad Studio XE2, we are presenting all of them during the World Tour, reserve some time and register for the World Tour near you.

[button link=”http://www.embarcadero.com/world-tour” size=”large” style=”note” color=”red” border=”white” text=”light” window=”yes”]Register today for the RAD Studio XE2 World Tour[/button]

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

Presentation Slides

Webinar Replay

All the Certification Program information is available at the Certification Center, as well as the study guides and FAQ.

• Delphi Developer
• Delphi Master Developer
• Certification FAQs
• Free Exam Offer for Delphi XE and RAD Studio XE Users
• Purchase an Exam Code – here
• Contact a Delphi Certification Center to take the Delphi Master Developer Certification exam, find one here

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

Let’s start with David’s Keynote where he talks about Embarcadero products, RAD Studio RoadMap, shows a preview of Delphi for Mac, 64bit compiler and more. Tomorrow we will publish the Daniele Teti session.

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

The Web browser source code sample is available here

Watch more CodeRage replay videos

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

For more information about RAD Studio 2010 click here

Also I recommend you to watch the new sneak peek video about other new database features and DataSnap 2010.

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

You get not only the same layout, but some of the other new features like:

• Search box for the component toolbar
• Look at the structure panel window, you will see the Project Manager, Modeling and Data Explorer

Also, hundreds of new features since Delphi 7.

Here a video explaining how to configure your Delphi 2010 to look, work, and feel like Delphi 7

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

To activate the Component Toolbar just right click on the main toolbar and select Component. After that you can right click on the Component Toolbar to see the list of all categories available or just navigate through the tabs and chose one.

The configuration of the Tool Pallete and Component Toolbar are independent, for example you can reorder the categories, and the most cool feature is the search box for the components on the Component Toolbar.

Also, you have a new way to find components through the IDE Insight.

More to come, stay tuned.

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse

Andreano Lanusse | Technology and Software Development Follow me on Twitter: @andreanolanusse