Rad Studio Delphi XE and PostgreSQL

Question

I'm starting a new project, and this must be done in Delphi, so we get Rad Studio XE (not XE2). I have never wrote code in Delphi, I'm a C#.NET-MSSQL experienced programmer, that's why this project is exciting.

For DB, we cannot afford MSSQL, but the Express Edition is not leaved. So, we choose PostgreSQL, we have very excellent references about it. And I found it quite interesting.

But here comes the problem, the provider for the connection. I began research for this problem, and I found many options, there are some products with commercial license (AnyDac, and others). But we can't afford them. Then I found Zeoslib. Maybe it is what we're looking for, however, I can't find it and install it for XE. In the sourceforge portal, the latest version (it's an alpha), only works until Delphi14 (XE is Delphi15).

I've read too, that it requires to be compiled for the install (I need a step by step for dummies manual :D). But, this makes me doubt. How it will be deployed on the client. Is it a dll?

The project is a desktop application which connects to a server (DBMS), using CRUD statements, maybe some sprocs, ans that's all. Of course there will be more than 1 client. Just reading, updating deleting, etc..., but not at the same time, so traffic, concurrency is not a big problem.

In NET, I use the sqlclient namespace create connections, commands and that's all. I've found in Delphi the TSQL, TADO, and other objects like that. So it will be not hard at all.

So we're planning to use MSSQL Express instead.

But before that:

Is there another option to connect my RAD XE app with Postgres? If someone knows how to enable zeoslib, can u tell me? How is zeoslib distributed with my app in many PC's?

or

Is MSSQL Express a good choice for this project? (It's not big after all)

After reading, MySQL uses zeoslib too, and of course, the commercial providers. That's why we discarded it, among other reasons.

Answer 1

1. A component library, like ZeosLib or AnyDAC, requires to compile it into binary packages (BPL) to install into RAD Studio IDE. A libray itself may be either statically linked into EXE (nothing from library to deploy), or EXE may be built with run-time packages (you need to deploy library run-time packages). Additionally you will need to deploy libpq.dll - PostgreSQL client software.
2. If you know SQL Server, then use SQL Server Express edition. And probably stay with dbGo (ADO) components. PostgreSQL is quite different from SQL Server in many aspects, so you will need to spend the time to learn PostgreSQL. Which will be far more expensive than commercial libraries.

Answer 2

Zeos trunk works fine with Delphi XE. Don't let the "trunk" bit scare you. The mutation count is not that high.