How to Connect to MySQL in Delphi with MyDAC: A Comprehensive Guide

Connecting to MySQL databases from Delphi is crucial to many software development projects. This article will explore how to achieve this using MyDAC, a powerful component for Delphi developers. We will provide step-by-step instructions on installing MyDAC, demonstrate its usage with practical examples, and compare it with FireDAC to highlight its advantages.

Installing MyDAC

About the product

MyDAC is a set of database components for Delphi, C++Builder, and Lazarus that provides native connectivity to MySQL databases. Devart develops MyDAC and offers a wide range of benefits and features, making it a popular choice for developers working with MySQL databases in the Delphi environment. 

Benefits of MyDAC:

• High Performance: MyDAC is optimized for performance, ensuring efficient data access to MySQL databases. It utilizes native MySQL client libraries, which means it can perform better than generic database components.
• Stability and Reliability: MyDAC is known for its stability and reliability. It undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it works seamlessly with MySQL databases, reducing the risk of application crashes or data corruption.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: MyDAC supports multiple Delphi and C++Builder versions and platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. This cross-platform compatibility allows developers to create applications for various operating systems.
• Full MySQL Compatibility: MyDAC provides comprehensive support for MySQL-specific features and data types, ensuring you can fully utilize MySQL’s application capabilities.
• Advanced Connection Pooling: MyDAC includes built-in connection pooling, which can significantly improve the efficiency of database connections in multi-user applications. Connection pooling helps manage and reuse database connections, reducing overhead and improving performance.
• Unicode Support: MyDAC fully supports Unicode, making it suitable for applications that require internationalization and localization.
• Rich Data Access Components: MyDAC includes many components for working with MySQL databases, including TMyQuery, TMyTable, TMyStoredProc, and more. These components simplify database operations and provide a consistent and intuitive API.
• Visual Query Builder: MyDAC includes a visual query builder allowing you to graphically create SQL queries. This feature is handy for developers who are not SQL experts.
• Detailed Documentation: Devart provides comprehensive documentation, including user guides, tutorials, and reference materials, to help developers get started with MyDAC and make the most of its features.
• Responsive Support: Devart offers responsive customer support to assist developers with any issues or questions they may have while using MyDAC.

Features of MyDAC:

• Direct Connectivity: MyDAC establishes direct connections to MySQL servers, eliminating the need for additional middleware or database drivers.
• SQL Support: MyDAC supports SQL for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting data in MySQL databases.
• Transaction Support: MyDAC allows you to work with transactions, ensuring data consistency and integrity in your applications.
• BLOB Streaming: MyDAC provides efficient support for working with binary large objects (BLOBs) and allows for streaming of BLOB data.
• Data Compression: MyDAC offers data compression options, reducing the amount of data transferred between the application and the database server, which can lead to improved performance.
• Database Encryption: MyDAC supports MySQL server encryption features, enhancing the security of data stored in the database.
• DataSet Integration: MyDAC seamlessly integrates with Delphi’s TDataSet-based data access architecture, making it easy to work with data-aware components in your user interface.
• Event Handling: MyDAC includes event handlers that allow you to respond to database events, such as data changes or errors.
• Automatic Error Handling: MyDAC provides automatic error handling and reporting, simplifying the debugging process.
• Data Export and Import: MyDAC allows easy export and import between MySQL databases and various data formats.

Installation

1. To get started with MyDAC, visit the official Devart website and download the latest version of MyDAC for Delphi.
2. Run the MyDAC installer and follow the installation wizard.
3. During installation, select the Delphi versions you want to integrate MyDAC with.

Integration with Delphi

1. Open Delphi IDE.
2. Navigate to “Component” > “Install Packages” in the IDE menu.
3. Click the “Add” button and browse to the MyDAC package (e.g., “MyDACXE12.dpk”) located in the installation directory.
4. Click “Open” and then “Compile.”
5. After successful compilation, click “Install.”

MyDAC will now be integrated into Delphi.

Connecting to MySQL with MyDAC

Now that we have MyDAC installed, let’s explore how to connect to a MySQL database.

Step 1: Create a New Delphi Application

Launch Delphi and create a new VCL Forms Application.

Step 2: Add MyDAC Components

1. Go to the “Tool Palette” on the Delphi form and locate the “MyDAC” tab.
2. Drag and drop the TMyConnection component onto the form. This will be used to establish a connection to the MySQL database.

Step 3: Configure MyDAC Connection

1. Select the TMyConnection component on the form.
2. In the Object Inspector, set the Server property to the MySQL server’s address.
3. Set the Username and Password properties to your MySQL credentials.
4. Specify the Database you want to connect to.

Step 4: Establish the Connection

1. Create a button on the form for connecting to MySQL.
2. Double-click the button to open the code editor.
3. Use the following code to establish the connection:

procedure TForm1.ConnectButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  MyConnection1.Connected := True;
  if MyConnection1.Connected then
    ShowMessage('Connected to MySQL!')
  else
    ShowMessage('Failed to connect.');
end;

Step 5: Disconnecting from MySQL

You can also add a button to disconnect from the MySQL server. Here’s an example of how to do it:

procedure TForm1.DisconnectButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  MyConnection1.Connected := False;
  ShowMessage('Disconnected from MySQL.');
end;

MyDAC vs. FireDAC: Advantages of MyDAC

• Performance: MyDAC is known for its high performance, making it suitable for demanding applications that require efficient database access.
• Stability: MyDAC offers stable and reliable database connectivity, reducing the risk of unexpected crashes.
• Cross-Platform Support: MyDAC supports various Delphi versions and platforms, ensuring flexibility in development.
• Rich Feature Set: MyDAC provides many features, including advanced connection pooling, data compression, and support for MySQL-specific features.
• Support and Documentation: Devart, the company behind MyDAC, offers excellent support and comprehensive documentation, making it easier for developers to get assistance and learn.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored the numerous benefits and features of MyDAC, a robust and efficient set of database components designed for Delphi, C++Builder, and Lazarus. MyDAC offers native connectivity to MySQL databases, ensuring high performance, stability, and cross-platform compatibility. With advanced features like connection pooling, Unicode support, a visual query builder, and comprehensive documentation, MyDAC is an excellent choice for developers seeking seamless MySQL integration in their applications.

It’s important to note that while MyDAC is a powerful DAC solution for MySQL, other DAC products are also available in the market, each tailored to specific database systems. When choosing a DAC for your project, it’s essential to consider the particular requirements of your database and development environment.

Devart, the company behind MyDAC, offers a range of DAC products for different databases, so you can explore their offerings and select the one that best fits your needs. Whether you’re working with MySQL or other database systems, DAC components can significantly simplify database interactions and enhance the efficiency of your applications. Besides, Devart is also the creator of the dbForge product line comprising professional database tools that allow you to connect to MySQL and other major database systems and perform all kinds of tasks on database development, management, and administration.