What Is The Best Database For Delphi Desktop Applications That Supports Stored Procedures?

Question

I started with Turbo Pascal 3, went to TP5, Bought TP6 called Borland the next day and downgraded to TP5.5. Bought Delphi 3, and now have Delphi 5 Enterprise. I sort of lost interest in writing code about 4-5 years ago for two reasons;

1. Spent all day writing ASP & SQL for someone else.
2. PC Techniques magazine went away.

I've got a few programs in the shareware market that are solid performers but are in need of serious updating. I love Delphi or did when it was Borland (before Borland bought DBase and all the other crap), I'd like to salvage as much of my D5E code as possible but I doubt I can. I plan on upgrading to Delphi 2010.

My next software release needs to interact with a database. I'm very proficient with MS Sql and like to put all of the database code in stored procedures.

What is the best database choice that interacts well with Delphi, allows stored procedures and is so easy to deploy that even the Geico gecko could deploy it?

10/25/2009 18:53 PM EST
Re-Opened After Reading Install Docs for Delphi 2010

I downloaded a trial version of Delphi 2010 and unzipped the install. I've been reading the install docs included in the package. I started with the install.htm inside the zip package.

install.htm wisely tells you to see the following two articles:

1. Installation Notes: http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/39754
2. Release Notes: http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/39758

the release notes state the following...

MSSQL driver requires the installation of the SQL Native Client. SQL Native Client 2008 is required for dbxmss.dll. SQL Native Client 2005 is required for dbxmss9.dll

I checked my machine to see if SQL Native Client is installed. Nope. I wasn't done reading the docs so I made a note to install SQL Native Client.

I googled dbxmss.dll and dbxmss9.dll and found a very interesting thread on the Embarcadero forums. read thread here.

After reading this thread and some careful thought I don't think I will be using Microsoft SQL Express. I can't rely on my customers having the right drivers installed. So, I'm back to looking for a different solution.

If I'm selling a $40 product to the general masses I need to have a bulletproof solution that doesn't require my brand new customer to update their machine before my software will work.

Answer 1

How about Firebird? It can be used as an embedded database (xcopy deployment).

Other options include DBISAM and ElevateDB.

Answer 2

I have been developing with Firebird for a few years now after about 10 years working for a couple of companies that used VB6 and MSSQL. The transition from MSSQL to Firebird was almost as easy as the transition from VB6 to Delphi. I use the personal version of IBExpert for database administration and I have to say I never saw anything that could hold a candle to IBExpert in the SQL Server world.

On top of that, there have been several times when I have been able to solve problems using UDFs written in Delphi that would have been slow and ugly and awkward in SQL.

Stored procedures can be quite powerful in Firebird PSQL. I think cursors are much more natural in Firebird PSQL than they are in MS SQL.

I use DBExpress to interact with the database. It's fast, light and easy just like Delphi, just like Firebird. If your program will include reporting, check out FastReports. For my purposes, it has more power and is much snappier than Crystal and will require no separate installation for your users.

I don't know about the Geico cavemen, but I am sure the Gecko could do it.

Answer 3

If you're already proficient with MS SQL, just use the Express edition of MS SQL Server 2008. We've used the 2005 edition for several commercial projects, and have started using 2008 now too. It's very, very good; very well supported and there's tonnes of help, documentation and samples out there. There's a lot of good SQL Server expertise right here on Stack Overflow!

Another well supported approach, as others have said, would be Firebird/Interbase. The sproc language is very powerful and in particular I like the way you can use the 'suspend' command in a sproc to return the current state of play to the caller as a row in the result record set, then when the caller asks for the next record, your sproc resumes. This has proved an incredibly useful tool in debugging complex sprocs in the past. :-)

With either of these databases you will be fine using your apps in-house or shipping them commercially.

Answer 4

How about MySql?

It is been actively developed and there is a large user base

Answer 5

Firebird = Best Database for Small Business App.

Answer 6

Just a little recent post about What databases do you use in your Delphi programs?

Firebird is the winner

Answer 7

Take a look at NexusDB, it's compiled in you application so nothing else to deploy. If you are in a budget you can even use the DCU free version.