5

Should I upgrade from Delphi 2009 to delphi XE?

As I don't use all the technologies, such as mobile, cloud computing, profiling, 64 bit, new database drivers, I don't need to change to the new XE?

What would change my mind?

Does the new Delphi IDE help me to write less code? Is the package management better?

Do you feel that the IDE gives more automation? And is it worth the upgrade?

Improve this question
4
  • 2
    Delphi XE is still 32-bit only. Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 13:12
  • 1
    I took the liberty of improving the language of your post. Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 13:19
  • The trial is free. Why are you asking a question about something you HAVEN'T tried? Try it and then ask a question about what you tried. Commented Mar 29, 2011 at 12:27
  • @Warren P the time that it takes for people to answer a question here from there expirence is one to three minutes. downloading installing the ide, will leave junk at the computer, and takes hour or more. now tell me, does the up sides sounds better? Commented Mar 30, 2011 at 12:24

6 Answers 6

Reset to default
5

I use Delphi XE all day every day, and I wouldn't use anything else.

It is the most stable version of the IDE that I have ever used. The compiler has had a huge amount of attention paid to it, and it works, and doesn't have the many internal failures, internal access violations, or other ways that compilers fall down, that every Delphi release since Delphi 2005 has. So the main feature that makes Delphi XE the best version ever is stability. It is even more stable than my old standby - Delphi 7. And delphi 7 is pretty stable, but working all day in Delphi 7, I did experience regular crashes, something that is finally a thing of the past, with Delphi XE. Okay, I've crashed XE's IDE a couple times, but it's rare.

The second reason is that it comes with great tools; A version of final builder, a version of CodeSite, and a version of AQTime are included. CodeSite was new to me with XE, but I love it, and now that I have used it I couldn't live without it. AQTime is an old friend of mine, and the version included with XE does most of the things that the full standalone AQTime will do, that I need it to do. The final builder version included, is also a huge time saver, especially if you have complex builds to do, including several Delphi application compiles, and an installer script to run, and perhaps other steps.

I like the code-formatter. I am not a big fan of Generics, but you can use them now, and they don't kill the compiler. I still prefer simple readable code, to a morass of generics, and I don't like the way that you do constraints with generics using IUnknown-style reference counted interfaces. Not nice, and not fun.

I don't use much of the database, cloud, or multi-tier application development features. I can't report on that aspect, but I do know that there's a lot more in the RAD XE product than any single developer, however intrepid, can probably even discover.

(Ethical Disclosure Footnote; I work for embarcadero. But even if I didn't, I'd still say everything above. Perhaps, I'd state it even more strongly.)

Improve this answer
Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

stability is not a reason for upgrate for 6 strait relases! its a reason to change IDE.
yes it is. I am more productive in an unstable delphi IDE, than I am in a stable visual studio IDE, not that there have been very many "stable" Visual Studio releases. When you add stability, you incrementally bump productivity, by the time that you lost getting back to the state you were in just at the crash. The mental context switch of a crash is a very expensive thing.
3

Does the new Delphi IDE help me to write less code? Is the package management better? Do you feel that the IDE gives more automation?

No real changes there I think.

The area with possibly the most noticeable differences is generics. If you use generics at all then you should upgrade. The versions that followed 2009 have far fewer bugs and wrinkles in the implementation of generics.

Improve this answer

4 Comments

Fewer bugs is an understatement. With 2010 generics become usable. With 2009 they where a source of new swear words.
@Gamecat: There were still a bunch of annoying corner case Generics bugs in D2010. Most of them were fixed in XE. There are a few obscure ones lurking about, but it's basically usable by now.
I have spent a lot of time swearing at the Generics bugs in the compiler, in 2009 and 2010. It's hugely improved in XE.
@Mason Wheeler, thanks. Unfortunately we are stuck at 2010. But I'm the only one using generics right now (going to teach the coworkers soon).
3

In addition to what David said, there also is the new RTTI in Delphi XE which might make the upgrade worthwhile.

Improve this answer

Comments

3

Besides the generics improvements, there are new features in the IDE. The addition of a code formatter, IDE Insight improvements to help you find things, integration of SVN, the reworking of the configuration manager, custom build tools, form designer changes, and more. There's also a bunch of new stuff in RTTI.

See this page for a list of what's new in XE, and go up a level from there to see a listing of what's changed specifically from 2009 to XE.

Improve this answer

Comments

1

I think it's worth it...

  • Many bug fixes - they have focused alot on closing out issues. You cannot discount this...you'll never get any more fixes in your current version and the time saved by not having to work around just a single bug or two certainly pays for the upgrade cost if your time is valuable.
  • SVN integration is handy.
  • "Show In Explorer" from the project manager. (I don't know if it's just me, but I use this alot and it saves me time.)
  • If you like code formatters, there's a new option to format all sources in the project.
  • Debugger visualizers are kinda cool
  • Third Party Tools included: somewhat crippled, but very usable versions of: AQTime, Beyond Compare, CodeSite, IPWorks, Finalbuilder (depending on Pro/Enterprise)
  • Online help updated quite a bit

Can it help you write less code? Yes, as you can now rely on generics more due to many fixes from 2009, 2010 and XE. There's also some additional live templates added if that's what you are after.

What would change your mind? I'd say the bug fixes, additional Third party tools, and Online Help improvements make it a no-contest upgrade for the Pro edition. If you are going for Enterprise upgrade, and not using dbExpress, or other enterprise features, then it might be a little less convincing of an update depending on your budget.

Improve this answer

1 Comment

Oh yea, SVN integration. Cool stuff. Some day I'm going to write a Perforce plugin. (not because I like perforce, but because I have to use it every day.)
1

The Help has been improved a great deal in XE - in 2010 it was a (bad) joke.

'Show in Explorer' is also great, although not enough reason to lay out that much money.

Also much better support for REST, JSON etc.

And XE just feels very mature and stable - I don't work for Embarcadero, but I use XE every day, as much as possible - unfortunately I am currently working on a project that uses components compiled for Delphi 5 without source code so I can't use XE for everything.

There are some VS guys in my shop who think 'Delphi is Dead' and give me some grief - I am proving them wrong with XE...

Improve this answer

2 Comments

Actually Delphi XE help is worst than Delphi 7 !
Certainly true! But it's better than 2010. Best help was in Delphi 7 - after that it's been downhill.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.