Any active Bold for Delphi users ?

Question

What are you using as a persistance framework when programming in Delphi? If the application is growing it soon became really complicated to handle the model in SQL ? Bold is a persistance framework for Delphi win32 that really deserve more attention. I use it daily and using OCL instead of SQL to get data from the database saves a lot of time and debugging. When the model is changed Bold translate this to an SQL script and change the database.

EDIT: For those that are interested in Bold for Delphi I have spend this evening on create a site on Google about it. I'm not a guru in html so the design is maybe not so exciting. But I want comments and reactions about the site. You can leave the comments in this thread or at the bottom on the subpage.

And the address is... http://sites.google.com/site/boldfordelphi/

Answer 1

I can't make any promises, but we are working with the CapableObjects guys to move Bold forward to Delphi 2009.

Nick Hodges Delphi Product Manager Embarcadero

Answer 2

Yes, It was also from Nick's blog I found this site. And it is great news that work is done to move Bold forward. It has some disadvantages but in overall it is an fantastic framework. To good to be forgotten.

I really hope something happen to spread Bold to more users!

Answer 3

Hi d98rolb,

Im inheriting a big bold project, I hope Nick can get CO people to update Bold to 2009.

Regards,

Answer 4

Cesar,

It's not a matter of "nick getting the CO people to update Bold". The code base is owned and controlled by Borland/Embarcadero. There is simply no way CapableObjects can make a move without getting a go-ahead from Embarcadero.

--Jesper

Answer 5

re: "What are you using as a persistance framework when programming in Delphi?" - what else is out there, and what do folks think if it? (Thinking in particular of InstantObjects and tiOPF, but are there others?)

Answer 6

CM,

Im using my own frameowrk Jazz sdk http://jazz-sdk.googlecode.com

With: - Value Type Framework - OPF - MVP Framework

Answer 7

As Borland / Embarcadero seems incapable to develop BOLD on Delphi 2009 why they have no wisdom to give back the BOLD source code to CapableObjects. Is Nick still blind or he is finally going to begin to make good decisions...

Answer 8

I have used Bold for Delphi for four projects, starting in D7. Two of them large projects (one > 400K LOC, one > 800K LOC [that we wrote]).

I can tell you: Bold is amazing. I have never had such a productive team... ever. Two of these projects continue to be in active use by users and very active development.

Answer 9

A few uncoordinated thoughts:

• The source code of ECO could be migrated to Delphi Prism using cs2pas.
• With the enhanced RTTI in Delphi "Weaver", ECO can then be adapted to support Delphi for Win32 as well.
• Extended RTTI support in BCC finally brings ECO to C++Builder.

Just dreaming :)

Answer 10

Any news on this?

Answer 11

I don't use BOLD, but the idea thatBorland (then CodeGear, later Embarcadero) created a technology which got dropped cold from the product, leaving users stranded on an old version of the main product (Delphi 2007) and unable to use Delphi 2009, 2010 creates a dangerous precedent.

How am I to feel safe with using some New Thing coming in Rad Studio 2010/Delphi 2010 if the same fate befell it. One expects this to happen with third party components, but not with a technology that was shipped "in the box" to "enterprise" and "architect" SKUs.

This is a "bellwether" issue, in my opinion. Let's hope Nick finally gets this one done.

Answer 12

I don't use Bold either, but after more then 14 months after the original comments of Nick i would not hold my breath anymore and move away to other suitable products (if possible). That also reminds me not to use anything exciting from codegear except for the ide and the normal mainstream classes or i could find myself in the same boat when the next update hits the street (for example 64 bits) or whatever is dumped on the street next time.

It was the total package of third party components that make delphi strong and now it has become more or less its weak point.

Answer 13

Nick, any motion on getting Bold updated to work with newer versions of Delphi?

Answer 14

I have been using Bold for all apps I wrote since 2002, and can't imagine working without it. Fortunately, I have the source, and since about 2006, when it became obvious that there will be no updates, I have started modifying it. The code was very good already but I managed to fix some bugs and improve performance quite a bit.

It is amazing how much ahead of it's time it was given the development started in 1996. Even today it is still way ahead of anything that I am aware of (except ECO), and that's not only considering Delphi frameworks. Most other frameworks are OPFs, which is only a small part of what Bold provides.

I remember being excited when it was acquired by Borland. How wrong was I to expect Borland to make good use of it. Instead they put it on ice and started ECO, only to drop that too few years later. To make matters worse, they kept the ownership of both Bold/ECO. It is fascinating how they managed to kill the golden goose.

Technically it is impressive and many of it's features are unique. For example OSS (Object Space Synchronization) allows changes to propagate to other users. In one of my apps, a call center, managers have a view of all operaters, phonecalls in progress, amount of sales, subtotals, etc. This is all "live" and the data updates in real time. I also have the same feature for charts. Seeing a chart update live to reflect changes never fails to impress my clients.

Sadly this goes to show that even the best of technologies can be no match for incompetent management.

Answer 15

Nick Hodges, etc.

Any motion on getting BOLD maintained?

We want to migrate to Delphi XE, but are stuck on Delphi 2006 until Bold gets maintained....