Fast and simple database application development and deployment to Linux in RAD Studio
The Devart company released UniDAC with support for Linux 64-bit platform. UniDAC makes application development and maintenance easier and simpler because the use of the Direct mode in a custom application does not require the installation of client libraries, additional drivers, etc. This helps to avoid the overhead when accessing a DBMS, hence increasing performance.
So, in this article, we will demonstrate the capability of UniDAC to establish a connection to various DBMSs in the Direct mode:
- ASE
- DBF
- MySQL
- Oracle
- PostgreSQL
- SQLite
- SQL Azure
- SQL Server
How to retrieve data from Dynamics CRM to MS Access using ODBC
Custom relational management is very important once you run a business. It helps to improve marketing strategy, sales and customer service. Today there are many systems providing Cloud-based CRM services on the market. The main benefits of using these systems are scalability, costs, and integration with commonly used office applications (e.g. MS Excel, Access and others).
MS Dynamics is one of the most popular CRM platforms in the world. The system offers a wide range of CRM applications for any business. Using such services will be beneficial for manufacturing, wholesale, financial and IT areas.
As well as Dynamics CRM system, MS Access is a good choice for any business, by virtue of the fact that it can handle external data from various sources. It also provides a possibility to open, modify and update cloud-based databases. But what can connect Dynamics and Access when we need to retrieve data?
Developing applications with Salesforce CRM integration in Delphi
Cloud-based CRM systems are becoming incredibly popular in these days. This trend is quite clear. The usage of cloud services does not require a deployment and costly specialized software domestic support, which ultimately reduces a company’s total expenses. Despite the flexibility and ease of use, it is often necessary to work directly with data stored in the cloud, without using the original Web interfaces or custom APIs. It can be any analytical studies, statistical data processing or creating certain forms of reporting documentation. In this case, a developer will find it more convenient to work with such data using familiar tools. The popular development tool – Embarcadero RAD Studio is no exception here. Various APIs and different access methods to Cloud CRM data can significantly complicate this process, as in most cases, they are not universal. Here comes ODBC technology to help, providing a standard interface to access any databases, including clouds.
UniDAC components allow working in Delphi with any ODBC driver. For this UniDAC includes a special component: TODBCUniProvider. Let’s see how to work with data stored in one of the most popular CRM systems – Salesforce. First, you need to install and configure any ODBC driver working with Salesforce. For example, Devart ODBC Driver for Salesforce. As an example, let’s create a small application that implements a master-detail connection between two standard Salesforce objects: Account and Opportunity. Account will be represented by master dataset and Opportunity by detail dataset. The AccountId field will be used for communication between the entities.
JSON Support in Entity Framework v4 – v6 in dotConnect for Oracle, MySQL, and PostgreSQL
Recent versions of MySQL and PostgreSQL databases provide JSON functionality support. They introduced special data types, storing JSON data – json data type in MySQL (since MySQL 5.7.8), and json and jsonb data types in PostgreSQL (json introduced in PostgreSQL 9.2, and jsonb introduced in PostgreSQL 9.4).
In Oracle, some JSON-related functionality was added in version 12c. Oracle Database currently does not offer a specific data type, and you should store JSON in usual CLOB and NCLOB columns.
Among other improvements, the new versions of dotConnect for Oracle, dotConnect for MySQL, and dotConnect for PostgreSQL offer support of JSON-related functionality of these databases in Entity Framework. In Entity Framework v4, v5, and v6, you can call database-specific JSON-related functions and operators in LINQ to Entities queries.
Let’s see how to do it on a simple examples:
How to import data to Excel using ODBC
In this article, we will discuss how to access data using ODBC driver in Microsoft Excel. We will examine in detail the data retrieving process.
Cloud technologies develop rapidly, more and more data is stored in the cloud. Microsoft provides a great number of tools for data management and for cloud-stored data in particular. Microsoft Excel is one of the most popular products for data management. However, it works locally on a user’s machine. Is there any chance to access data in the cloud? The answer is yes. Here ODBC comes into the action. Let’s see how to use ODBC driver for NetSuite as a connectivity solution between NetSuite ERP and MS Excel.
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Review Assistant Migration Issues
Starting from version 3.5, Review Assistant uses Microsoft’s SQL Server as an engine for its back-end database. The previous versions of Review Assistant have been using SQLite for this purpose. This article describes the problems you may encounter when migrating from SQLite to SQL Server and how to solve them.
Use VirtualDataSet to access objects list via TDataSet interface
TVirtualDataSet is a virtual dataset that can be used as an intermediate between data stored in an application and data-aware controls used in forms. TVirtualDataSet behaves the same way as any other TDataSet descendant and, therefore, it is compatible with all data-aware controls. However, it does not store data in memory. Work with TVirtualDataSet is implemented by means of events occurring during data exchange between an application and controls. As a result, you can choose a variety of entities as a data storage source: arrays, lists, records, XML files, etc.
PASS Summit 2016 Wrap-Up!
A look back at PASS Summit 2016
We were leaving Seattle inspired. PASS Summit 2016 has ended two weeks ago and we are already looking forward to what is next in 2017. By the way, organizers welcome you to register for PASS Summit 2017. Read the rest of this entry »
How to automatically generate SQL Server documentation
In this blog post, we will learn how to quickly create a comprehensive documentation of an SQL Server database using dbForge Documenter for SQL Server, a database documentation generator from Devart.
There are a lot of benefits you get when generating database documentation automatically using dbForge Documenter for SQL Server. You don’t have to spend hours retrieving and writing technical information from scratch. Documenter builds an accurate and error-free documentation in just a few minutes. Besides, the documentation tool from Devart provides a rich set of features for customizing documentation output to meet your specific requirements.
Documenter presents documentation in an easy to view format, so you can share it with your boss or clients, other developers, DBAs, testers, project managers, business executives or other related persons.
The following example demonstrates how to generate documentation for the AdventureWorks2012 sample database.
Devart was the Gold Sponsor of SQLSaturday #538 Sofia
Devart was the GOLD sponsor of SQLSaturday #538, that was held on 15 October 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Mihail Mateev, Genoveva Andreeva, and other team members and volunteers, we would like to say THANK YOU very much for organizing this amazing conference.
We had a great time while communicating with the audience and demonstrating our tools for SQL Server. We also had a great opportunity to share thoughts and ideas, discuss challenges with the community professionals and our friends from Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Ukraine! Read the rest of this entry »