Upgrading from 5.56 to Latest Version

rbuser

All,

I have an application that prints several large reports developed using
ReportBuilder Enterprise 5.56 which is the version I currently have
installed. I am still using Delphi 5.01 for the moment. I would like to
upgrade these reports to the latest version (6.02 I believe), however, I
would like to know what issues I need to be aware of when doing this
upgrade. Here are my questions:

1) How does one upgrade? I am a registered user so I will have the
latest version. Do I uninstall ReportBuilder Enterprise 5.56 and then
install the latest version or can the latest version be installed on top of
the old version?

2) What issues when upgrading should I be aware of? Have components
changed? Will my reports disappear? Should I do something to "refresh" the
reports before I recompile them?

Thanks In Advance,

Mark

digitalmetaphors

Contact info@digital-metaphors.com with your full registration information.
We'll provide you with a download link to RB 6.02. Remember to save your
old 5.56 installation exe so you can revert to 5.56 if you run into
problems.

You can uninstall RB if you would like, but it is not necessary as the RB
installation program will uninstall it for you.

Internal implementation objects in RB, which were previously owned by the
form, are now owned by report objects, for example, DADE implementation
objects are now owned by the DADE datamodule object, not the form. There is
a Teechart conversion issue we're currently researching.

Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Jim,

<<Contact info@digital-metaphors.com with your full registration
information.We'll provide you with a download link to RB 6.02.>>

It was already emailed to me. I just haven't downloaded it yet.

<<Remember to save your old 5.56 installation exe so you can revert to
5.56 if you run into problems.>>

If I do run into problems, will I have to unistall 6.02 to reinstall
5.56? What kind of problems are you referring to?

<<Internal implementation objects in RB, which were previously owned by
the form, are now owned by report objects, for example, DADE implementation
objects are now owned by the DADE datamodule object, not the form. There is
a Teechart conversion issue we're currently researching.>>

Thanks for the info, but I'm not sure you answered my original question.
If these changes have been made to the way RB works, how do I refresh my
reports so that they work correctly with RB 6.02? Do I have to make any
changes? What are the ramifications of making changes? will my reports
still work as they were designed? I do not use Teechart in these reports
and am not sure about DADE.

Mark

digitalmetaphors

You shouldn't have any problems with conversion and shouldn't have to make
any changes to the reports. The reports will work in the same way as
before. A report is converted when it is opened. This can be at delphi
designtime or in the runtime report designer. The conversion changes aren't
persistent until you choose to save the report from the designer or the
report template is saved down programatically.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

"Jim Bennett (Digital Metaphors)" wrote in

digitalmetaphors

Vinnie, it is true, there have been some issues in conversion, and we've
provided patches. There are many features in RB and many reports will have
no conversion issues. If the reports don't use DADE and there are no charts
in the report, then most likely there will be no conversion issues.
Thankyou, for the suggestions.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Hi Jim,

Is there a place where I might find *other* patches that are available for
6.02 prior to the release of 6.03?

It might be easier if I could check myself rather than having to contact DM
when a user reports a problem I can't explain or diagnose completely. I'd
love to be able to look through a list of available patches first to see if
it has already been addressed before I spend too much time diagnosing.
Also, it would be great if the patches were actually modified versions of
the entire affected unit(s), rather than a single routine that users would
introduce into their own copy of the source (this assumes your team has
already created a modified version of the affected unit). I'm so paranoid
of screwing up the original source or making changes that won't match the
next official released version!

Thanks,
Vinnie Murdico

digitalmetaphors

Sorry, we don't have anything plans to publish our patches at this time.
The patches we provide to our customers are entire source units. Perhaps
the solution, as you suggested, would be to publish bug fix information, and
for which we would supply a patch upon request. I'll put this on the todo
list.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Hi Jim,

For the conversion fix I reported, I was given several functions and
procedures to resolve it in our application's code, but not an entire RB
replacement unit. Can you tell me if an entire replacement unit "patch" is
available for this issue? (for RB Pro, 6.02)

Thanks,
Vinnie Murdico

digitalmetaphors

We don't have an entire patch unit at this time for the conversion fix,
which another engineer had suggested to you. We're working on the current
conversion issue that you sent us this week. Thanks for your patience.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors