What are the new features of RB7 beside being compatible with Delphi7 ? Will it be compatible with Delphi 5 ? What is the upgrade fee from RB6 entreprise ? Thanks for your answer. Ben
ReportBuilder 7 will definitely support Delphi 6 and 7. We will see how it goes with Delphi 5. Delphi 4 is not going to be supported. The last version of RB for Delphi 4 is RB 6.03.
Most notably, the main new feature is going to be the Server Edition itself. For the other editions of RB there are enhancements and all of the bug fixes for 6.03 will be included. New features include an outline in the preview. This will make it easy to navigate the pages. It is also supported in the Server Edition's web tier. There is also going to be a DBArchive reader component to simplify loading of archives stored in a database. It uses a datapipeline to read the archives from a blob field. A very popular question is how do I maximize the preview? This has been answered with a PreviewFormSettings property on the Report and Archive Readers. Your old OnPreviewFormCreate event handlers will also work as they did before to create the maximized window when you load a report, as described in our TechTip article.
I know this is coming: "So, how about Teechart?" Many customers need Teechart support, so I'll briefly elaborate. It looks like Teechart 4.04 is being included in Delphi 7. Using RB 7, you'll be happy to hear that you do not have to build with runtime packages to preview a teechart report. We changed our source to not include runtime editor support when you wanted only to preview a teechart report at runtime. However, if you are going to use RB Teechart editor support at runtime in the RB designer, then you'll have to build with runtime packages or purchase Teechart for D7, which we will have to support once Teechart releases a version of Teechart for D7 (final).
The upgrade pricing is available on our website's order page. www.digital-metaphors.com
Hi Jim, Thanks for your response. That's all good. I am interested to upgrade to RB7, but if you ask me to upgrade to Delphi 6 or Delphi 7 to be able to use RB7, I am going to stick with RB6.03.
> The upgrade pricing is available on our website's order page.
Hey, an idea: why don't you have a promotional week price for pre-orders of the upgrade? Can be a good way to catch new customers and have even happier old clients -- Guillermo Castaño Acevedo Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com http://www.GrupoMillennium.com
Does sound good, but please continue support for D5. Like Ben I won't buy D6 or D7 and so would have to stick with RB6.03 if you don't. Then get frustrated as bugs are no longer fixed...
If there was a promotional week I would buy 2 updates immediately but personnally I think companies need to get out of promotional price mentality. It always causes sour grapes for people not aware or available, plus one fair price for all and competing on quality instead of price is a better way to go in my opinion.
We are waiting on the full version of Teechart to be released for sale for D7. Once we have that version, then we can build a wrapper so that you can use it in RB. Teechart 5.02 for D6 is not going to work in D7 as far as the Teechart website is saying. Teechart is going to build a new release for D7, so you will have to upgrade to the D7 version of Teechart. We will support the latest version of the best charting tool (Teechart) in the best (and your favorite) reporting tool (ReportBuilder) for Delphi 7!
So essentially you would NOT buy the upgrade if you were not moving to D7, right? (Since it would be silly for you guys to release a new product - and charge for it - that just contained bug fixes). An outline control in the preview is hardly worth $275.
As far as I am concerned it is a no brainer, I will give you the money, but only because it has been so long since you guys asked for any money - however, many people are alot more frugal and if you are going to charge them to upgrade to a 7.0, then features are what they want.
ReportBuilder 7 includes support for Delphi 7, 6 and possibly 5, plus new features such as the Outline, DBArchiveReader and PreviewFormSettings, and also the bug fixes for 6.03. If you want all the cool stuff in RB 7, then upgrade to RB 7. When you purchase RB, not only do you get features, but you get gold star support service as well.
Jim, i'm ready to upgrade. But the page only have information about upgrading to 6.5 professional, not 7 professional. The RB7 is only server version? thanks -- Guillermo Castaño Acevedo Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com http://www.GrupoMillennium.com
Ah! Gold star support....yes, that is important and you guys do a good job.
1) What is the pricing to go from 6.03 Enterprise to 7.0 Enterprise if I purchased LONG ago? 2) Considering 'bug fixes' should be free, are your new features enough to warrant the $$ from #1?
Like I said, I will buy it even if they are not, cause I want to support you guys and the product, but I do not like it when companies put out an 'upgrade' that contains bug fixes to prior versions and do not make the bug fixes available for the previous version.
I have been hoping for and looking for new features for RB for quite some time, this server edition is a great new PRODUCT, but when are we going to get GREAT NEW FEATURES for RB so you guys can keep being product of the year, etc? ;-)
Good products, good support, good stuff, put me down for the upgrade to the server edition.
Comments
goes with Delphi 5. Delphi 4 is not going to be supported. The last
version of RB for Delphi 4 is RB 6.03.
Most notably, the main new feature is going to be the Server Edition itself.
For the other editions of RB there are enhancements and all of the bug fixes
for 6.03 will be included. New features include an outline in the preview.
This will make it easy to navigate the pages. It is also supported in the
Server Edition's web tier. There is also going to be a DBArchive reader
component to simplify loading of archives stored in a database. It uses a
datapipeline to read the archives from a blob field. A very popular
question is how do I maximize the preview? This has been answered with a
PreviewFormSettings property on the Report and Archive Readers. Your old
OnPreviewFormCreate event handlers will also work as they did before to
create the maximized window when you load a report, as described in our
TechTip article.
I know this is coming: "So, how about Teechart?"
Teechart support, so I'll briefly elaborate. It looks like Teechart 4.04 is
being included in Delphi 7. Using RB 7, you'll be happy to hear that you do
not have to build with runtime packages to preview a teechart report. We
changed our source to not include runtime editor support when you wanted
only to preview a teechart report at runtime. However, if you are going to
use RB Teechart editor support at runtime in the RB designer, then you'll
have to build with runtime packages or purchase Teechart for D7, which we
will have to support once Teechart releases a version of Teechart for D7
(final).
The upgrade pricing is available on our website's order page.
www.digital-metaphors.com
Cheers,
Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com
info@digital-metaphors.com
Ed Dressel
Thanks for your response.
That's all good. I am interested to upgrade to RB7, but if you ask me to
upgrade to Delphi 6 or Delphi 7 to be able to use RB7, I am going to stick
with RB6.03.
Hey, an idea: why don't you have a promotional week price for pre-orders of the
upgrade? Can be a good way to catch new customers and have even happier old
clients
--
Guillermo Castaño Acevedo
Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda
GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com
http://www.GrupoMillennium.com
Like Ben I won't buy D6 or D7 and so would have to stick with RB6.03 if you
don't. Then get frustrated as bugs are no longer fixed...
Sarah
personnally I think companies need to get out of promotional price
mentality. It always causes sour grapes for people not aware or
available, plus one fair price for all and competing on quality
instead of price is a better way to go in my opinion.
Thanks.
D7. Once we have that version, then we can build a wrapper so that you can
use it in RB. Teechart 5.02 for D6 is not going to work in D7 as far as the
Teechart website is saying. Teechart is going to build a new release for
D7, so you will have to upgrade to the D7 version of Teechart. We will
support the latest version of the best charting tool (Teechart) in the best
(and your favorite) reporting tool (ReportBuilder) for Delphi 7!
Cheers,
Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com
info@digital-metaphors.com
Our favorite development tool
--
Guillermo Castaño Acevedo
Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda
GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com
http://www.GrupoMillennium.com
right? (Since it would be silly for you guys to release a new product - and
charge for it - that just contained bug fixes). An outline control in the
preview is hardly worth $275.
As far as I am concerned it is a no brainer, I will give you the money, but
only because it has been so long since you guys asked for any money -
however, many people are alot more frugal and if you are going to charge
them to upgrade to a 7.0, then features are what they want.
Wayne
features such as the Outline, DBArchiveReader and PreviewFormSettings, and
also the bug fixes for 6.03. If you want all the cool stuff in RB 7, then
upgrade to RB 7. When you purchase RB, not only do you get features, but
you get gold star support service as well.
Cheers,
Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com
info@digital-metaphors.com
6.5 professional, not 7 professional.
The RB7 is only server version?
thanks
--
Guillermo Castaño Acevedo
Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda
GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com
http://www.GrupoMillennium.com
thanks
1) What is the pricing to go from 6.03 Enterprise to 7.0 Enterprise if I
purchased LONG ago?
2) Considering 'bug fixes' should be free, are your new features enough to
warrant the $$ from #1?
Like I said, I will buy it even if they are not, cause I want to support you
guys and the product, but I do not like it when companies put out an
'upgrade' that contains bug fixes to prior versions and do not make the bug
fixes available for the previous version.
I have been hoping for and looking for new features for RB for quite some
time, this server edition is a great new PRODUCT, but when are we going to
get GREAT NEW FEATURES for RB so you guys can keep being product of the
year, etc? ;-)
Good products, good support, good stuff, put me down for the upgrade to the
server edition.
Wayne