Various pages on this Web site have links to articles you can read. This is a concise list of all of them, indicating the format if it is not HTML. The alternative is tyically Adobe Acrobat (PDF).

The list contains full-fledged articles, conference papers and conference tutorials.

The Borland Developer Network site also includes an interview with me by Clay Shannon.

• Borland Delphi articles
• Borland Delphi for .NET Preview Compiler articles
• Borland Delphi for .NET articles
• Miscellaneous .NET articles
• Borland C++Builder articles
• Borland Kylix articles
• Borland Kylix tutorial series
• Undocumented stuff in Borland products
• Borland product reviews

Click here to see some comments by readers of these articles.

If you find useful information in these articles please consider making a donation. It will be appreciated however big or small it might be and will encourage Brian to continue researching and writing about interesting topics in the future.

Borland Delphi articles

• ActionBands, from Issue 81 (May 2002) of The Delphi Magazine.
  A look at the extra action support in Delphi 6 that allows up-to-date menus and toolbars to be built, as in Windows 2000/XP and Office 2000/XP.

• Actions, Action Lists and Action Managers, a BorCon 2003 (CD only) paper.
  How to use actions, action lists and action managers to simplify UI management in VCL applications. Covers custom actions, standard actions and ActionBands (including some unofficial support for them). Updated to cover Delphi 7.

• Actions, Action Lists and Action Managers, a BorCon 2002 paper.
  How to use actions, action lists and action managers to simplify UI management in VCL applications. Covers custom actions, standard actions and ActionBands, new in Delphi 6. Updated to include unofficial ActionBands support.

• Actions, Action Lists and Action Managers, a DCon 2001 paper.
  How to use actions, action lists and action managers to simplify UI management in VCL applications. Covers custom actions, standard actions and ActionBands, new in Delphi 6.

• Apache Shared Modules, This article is a successor to the Kylix-based Apache for Linux article (see below), and points out the key issues that you need to know when setting up an using Apache on a Windows operating system (updated to cover Apache 2 issues). Republished by devnewz.com (click here to read it).

• Calling 16-Bit Code From 32-Bit In Windows, from Issue 12 (August 1996) of The Delphi Magazine.
  This article looks at how to use the undocumented thunking mechanism present in Windows 95 and 98, to call legacy 16-bit code from 32-bit applications.

• CORBA and Delphi, a DCon '99 paper.
  This paper looks at how to develop CORBA objects in CORBA server applications, using the older (deprecated) type library model. It also looks at how you build client applications to use those objects.

• Debugging With More Than Watches And Breakpoints (or How To Use The CPU Window), a BorCon UK 2001 and DCon 2001 paper.
  This paper looks at the dreaded CPU window, trying to demystify it and show how it can be a useful debugging aid.
  This is based on the paper below, but updated for Delphi 6 and Kylix.

• Debugging With More Than Watches And Breakpoints (or How To Use The CPU Window), a DCon 2000 paper.
  This paper tries to demystify Delphi's CPU window.

• Deep Sea Fishing In Delphi (VCL Secrets And The Practical Use Of The Win32 API), a DCon 2000 tutorial.
  This paper is essentially a follow-on from the VCL Sourcery paper below. It uncovers more gems from the VCL/RTL that are less well known, but potentially very useful.

• Delphi and C++Builder Tips and Techniques, a BorCon 2002 and DCon 2002 paper.
  A fast-paced array of tips & tricks as used by experts. These are the things that are hard to find in manuals, and often omitted from training courses, typically learned from hard-earned experience. This is an updated version of the IDE/RTL/VCL/ObjectPascal Tips paper listed below.

• Delphi and C++Builder Tips and Techniques, a BorCon 2001 paper.
  This paper focuses mainly on how to be more productive withing the Delphi, C++Builder and Kylix IDEs.
  This is an updated version of the IDE/RTL/VCL/ObjectPascal Tips paper listed below.

• Delphi 6 Code Completion Feature Missing.
  This article describes how to enable a great, new Code Completion feature in Delphi 6, whereby Code Completion will list identifiers from units not in your uses clause. Moreover, if you select such a symbol, the corresponding unit is added to your uses clause automatically. Unfortunately the Delphi 6 installation program does not set this up correctly, so it doesn't work by default.

• Event Properties, from the November 1995 issue of Delphi Developers Journal.
  This article is no longer available online.

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), a DCon '99 paper.
  This paper contains some commonly asked Delphi questions along with their answers.

• IDE/RTL/VCL/ObjectPascal Tips, a DCon 2000 paper. This paper uncovers more gems from the VCL/RTL that are less well known, but still potentially very useful. It also shows a variety of tips to make you more productive in the IDE.

• Implementing Professional Drag and Drop Support in VCL/CLX applications, a BorCon 2001 and BorCon UK 2001 paper.
  This paper explores simple VCL/CLX drag & drop, before progressing into more troublesome tasks, such as adding custom drag images to the drag cursor (as done by Windows Explorer when dragging files and folders around.

• More Automation In Delphi, an ICon UK 2000 paper.
  This is a follow-on paper from Writing And Controlling Automation Servers In Delphi, covering more advanced Automation techniques.

• Multi-Threading and COM, from Issue 60 (August 2000) of The Delphi Magazine.
  This article explores the terminology and principles used in multi-threaded COM applications, primarily to demystify what is otherwise a complicated subject.

• .NET Internals: The Profiling API, a DCon 2003 and BorCon Europe 2003 paper.
  In this paper we look inside .NET applications using the Profiling API to see the rich volume of information made available, allowing you to build flowtrace analysers, hotspot identifiers, exception recorders coverage analsis tools and so on.

• Non-obvious Debugging Techniques, a BorCon 2002 paper.
  We all have to debug applications, and there are many common techniques available to help things along. This session reveals a number of techniques that can be useful to aid the debugging task, but which are not of a particularly obvious nature.

• Paradox File Corruption, from Issue 42 (February 1999) of The Delphi Magazine.
  Corruption of Paradox tables and index files is quite commonplace in multi-user applications. This article looks at some of the many possible reasons for this, and how to limit the chances of it happening.

• Run-Time Type Information (RTTI) In Delphi 3 - Can It Do Anything For You?, a BorCon UK '98 paper.
  RTTI can be used to simplify a number of comon programming tasks. This paper explains why RTTI exists and how you access it, and then looks at what you might want to use it for.

• Speech Synthesis And Speech Recognition, a DCon 2002 and BorCon UK 2002 paper.
  This paper looks at how to add speech synthesis and speech recognition capabilities to Delphi applications using the Microsoft Speech API. It consists of four sub-articles:
  
  • Speech Synthesis & Speech Recognition Overview
  • Speech Synthesis & Speech Recognition Using SAPI 4 High Level Interfaces
  • Speech Synthesis & Speech Recognition Using SAPI 4 Low Level Interfaces
  • Speech Synthesis & Speech Recognition Using SAPI 5.1
  
  
• Using The Windows API In Delphi, a BorCon UK '97 paper.
  This paper looks at issues involved in using the Windows API from within Delphi applications

• VCL Sourcery, a BorCon UK 2001 paper.
  This is an updated version of the paper below, with additional coverage of Delphi 6.

• VCL Sourcery, a DCon '99 paper.
  This paper uncovers gems from the VCL/RTL that are less well known, but still potentially very useful.

• VCL versus CLX - A Comparison, a DCon 2001 paper.
  This paper compares the two component frameworks, focusing on the differences behind the visual components.

• Writing And Controlling Automation Servers In Delphi.
  This article explores how to control Automation servers and also how to write them in Delphi.

Borland Delphi for .NET Preview Compiler articles

• .NET Interoperability with the Preview compiler: .NET <-> Win32, a BorCon UK 2002, DCon 2003, BorCon 2003 and BorCon Europe 2003 paper.
  This article uses the Delphi for .NET Preview compiler (as provided in the Delphi 7 product box) to show how .NET managed code can interoperate with unmanaged Win32 code using the P/Invoke and Inverse P/Invoke mechanisms. In particular, it focuses on:
  • .NET applications using unmanaged Win32 APIs and entry points exported from your own DLLs
  • Win32 applications using managed methods exposed from managed .NET assemblies
  
  
• .NET Interoperability with the Preview Compiler: COM Interop, a BorCon UK 2002 and BorCon 2003 paper.
  This article uses the Delphi for .NET Preview compiler (as provided in the Delphi 7 product box) to show how .NET managed code can interoperate with Win32 COM clients and servers using the COM Interop mechanism. In particular, it focuses on:
  • .NET client applications using unmanaged COM objects
  • COM client applications using managed .NET objects
  
  
• Object Destructors and Finalizers in .NET Using C# and Delphi for .NET.
  This in-depth article looks at the role and usage of destructors (or equivalent) in the managed world of .NET. It examines in detail the areas of garbage collection, finalizers, the dispose pattern and language specifics, and uses both C# and Delphi for .NET for source examples.
• README for Digger for .NET.
  You can download the Digger for .NET sample application from Borland's Delphi for .NET Preview Web site. This README introduces the application and explains a couple of ways to build it, and some compiler issues it works around.

Borland Delphi for .NET articles

• .NET Interoperability with Delphi 8 for .NET: .NET <-> Win32.
  This article uses Delphi for .NET to show how .NET managed code can interoperate with unmanaged Win32 code using the P/Invoke and Inverse P/Invoke mechanisms. In particular, it focuses on:
  • .NET applications using unmanaged Win32 APIs and entry points exported from your own DLLs
  • Win32 applications using managed methods exposed from managed .NET assemblies
  Note: This article is an update of the one above to cover the Delphi 8 for .NET shipping product.
  
  
• .NET Interoperability with Delphi "Diamondback": .NET <-> Win32, a BorCon 2004 and BorCon Europe 2004 paper.
  This article uses Delphi for .NET to show how .NET managed code can interoperate with unmanaged Win32 code using the P/Invoke and Inverse P/Invoke mechanisms. In particular, it focuses on:
  • .NET applications using unmanaged Win32 APIs and entry points exported from your own DLLs
  • Win32 applications using managed methods exposed from managed .NET assemblies
  Note: This article is an update of the preceding one to cover the Delphi "Diamondback" preview product, including mention of the new Virtual Library Interfaces feature.
  
  
• .NET Interoperability with Delphi 8 for .NET: COM Interop.
  This article uses Delphi for .NET to show how .NET managed code can interoperate with Win32 COM clients and servers using the COM Interop mechanism. In particular, it focuses on:
  • .NET client applications using unmanaged COM objects
  • COM client applications using managed .NET objects
  Note: This article is an update of the one above to cover the Delphi 8 for .NET shipping product.
  
  
• .NET Interoperability with Delphi "Diamondback": COM Interop, a BorCon 2004 and BorCon Europe 2004 paper.
  This article uses Delphi for .NET to show how .NET managed code can interoperate with Win32 COM clients and servers using the COM Interop mechanism. In particular, it focuses on:
  • .NET client applications using unmanaged COM objects
  • COM client applications using managed .NET objects
  Note: This article is an update of the preceding one to cover the Delphi "Diamondback" preview product.
  
  
• Object Destructors and Finalizers in .NET Using C# and Delphi for .NET.
  This in-depth article looks at the role and usage of destructors (or equivalent) in the managed world of .NET. It examines in detail the areas of garbage collection, finalizers, the dispose pattern and language specifics, and uses both C# and Delphi for .NET for source examples.

Miscellaneous .NET articles

• .NET Internals: The Profiling API, a DCon 2003, BorCon Europe 2003 and BorCon Europe 2004 paper.
  In this paper we look inside .NET applications using the Profiling API to see the rich volume of information made available, allowing you to build flowtrace analysers, hotspot identifiers, exception recorders coverage analsis tools and so on.

• Object Destructors and Finalizers in .NET Using C# and Delphi for .NET.
  This in-depth article looks at the role and usage of destructors (or equivalent) in the managed world of .NET. It examines in detail the areas of garbage collection, finalizers, the dispose pattern and language specifics, and uses both C# and Delphi for .NET for source examples.

• Reverse Engineering To Know .NET Better, a DeveloperDeveloperDeveloper 2 session.
  This article looks at various mechanisms that can be used to reverse engineer .NET applications and libraries for the purpose of learning the platform better.
  This is a 2005 update to the 2003 paper below

• Reverse Engineering To Learn .NET Better, a DCon 2003 paper.
  This article looks at various mechanisms that can be used to reverse engineer .NET applications and libraries for the purpose of learning the platform better.
  A 2005 update to this paper is listed immediately above

Borland C++Builder articles

• C++Builder For Delphi Users, a BorCon UK '97 paper.
  This paper shows how easy it is to use C++Builder, assuming you have a working knowledge of Delphi (or Kylix for that matter).

• C++Builder for Delphi Users, from Issue 19 (Mar 1997) of The Delphi Magazine.
  This article shows how easy it is to use C++Builder, assuming you have a working knowledge of Delphi (or Kylix for that matter).

• Delphi and C++Builder Tips and Techniques, a BorCon 2002 and DCon 2002 paper.
  A fast-paced array of tips & tricks as used by experts. These are the things that are hard to find in manuals, and often omitted from training courses, typically learned from hard-earned experience.

• Delphi and C++Builder Tips and Techniques, a BorCon 2001 paper.
  This paper focuses mainly on how to be more productive withing the Delphi, C++Builder and Kylix IDEs.

• Hidden Borland C++Builder Feature.
  This old weblog entry describes how you can entice C++Builder into supporting Delphi forms in its form designer. It normally treats Delphi forms as unknown quantities and only offers support for C++Builder forms, but all this can be changed...

• How To Do COM In C++Builder 5, a BorCon 2001 paper.
  This is an updated version of the paper below, with additional coverage of some of the classes used by C++Builder.

• How To Do COM In C++Builder, an ICon UK 2000 paper.
  COM involves a lot of terminology and concepts. This paper introduces the subject to those for whom it is new.

• Interfacing C++Builder 1 With The World Using OLE Automation, a BorCon UK '97 paper.
  This article explores how to control Automation servers and also how to write them in C++Builder.

• OLE Automation With C++Builder 1, from the September 1997 Issue of EXE Magazine.
  This article is no longer available online.

• Problems Printing from C++Builder 6 CLX Applications.
  This article looks at a problem preventing CLX applications created in C++Builder 6 from being able to use the printer, and how to overcome it.

• Problems with Programming Qt from C++Builder 6 CLX Applications.
  This article looks at a showstopper of a bug in C++Builder 6 that prevents you using the CLXDisplay API (in the Qt.hpp header file) that underlies VisualCLX components and the CLX printing support. It also looks at how to resolve the issue and offers a replacement Qt.hpp file that works.

• Run-Time Type Information (RTTI) In C++Builder 5 - What Can It Do For You?, a BorCon 2001 paper.
  RTTI can be used to simplify a number of comon programming tasks. This paper explains why RTTI exists and how you access it, and then looks at what you might want to use it for.

• Run-Time Type Information (RTTI) In C++Builder 4 - Can It Do Anything For You?, an ICon '99 paper.
  RTTI can be used to simplify a number of comon programming tasks. This paper explains why RTTI exists and how you access it, and then looks at what you might want to use it for.

• Run-Time Type Information (RTTI) In C++Builder 3 - Can It Do Anything For You?, a BorCon UK '98 paper.
  RTTI can be used to simplify a number of comon programming tasks. This paper explains why RTTI exists and how you access it, and then looks at what you might want to use it for.

• Writing And Controlling Automation Servers In C++Builder 4, an ICon '99 paper.
  This article explores how to control Automation servers and also how to write them in C++Builder.

• Writing And Controlling Automation Servers In C++Builder 3, a BorCon UK '98 paper.
  This article explores how to control Automation servers and also how to write them in C++Builder.

Borland Kylix articles

• Actions, Action Lists and Action Managers, a BorCon 2002 paper.
  How to use actions, action lists and action managers to simplify UI management in VCL applications. Covers both custom actions and standard actions.

• Actions, Action Lists and Action Managers, a DCon 2001 paper.
  This paper examine action objects, which are great mechanisms for building synchronised, smooth, modern looking user interfaces. It also looks at ActionBands, new in Delphi 6.

• Apache Shared Modules, from Issue 69 (May 2001) of The Delphi Magazine.
  Setting up Apache on Linux for the creation of shared modules can be something of a tricky task. This article covers all the pitfalls along the way to successful installation.

• Debugging With More Than Watches And Breakpoints (or How To Use The CPU Window), a BorCon UK 2001 and DCon 2001 paper.
  This paper tries to demystify Kylix's CPU window.

• Deep sea fishing in Delphi (VCL secrets and the practical use of the Win32 API), a DCon 2000 tutorial.
  This paper is essentially a follow-on from the VCL Sourcery paper below. It uncovers more gems from the VCL/RTL that are less well known, but potentially very useful.
  This is not specific to Kylix but contains quite a few tips and tricks which are applicable to Kylix developers.

• Delphi and C++Builder Tips and Techniques, a BorCon 2002 and DCon 2002 paper.
  A fast-paced array of tips & tricks as used by experts. These are the things that are hard to find in manuals, and often omitted from training courses, typically learned from hard-earned experience.

• Delphi and C++Builder Tips and Techniques, a BorCon 2001 paper.
  This paper focuses mainly on how to be more productive withing the Delphi, C++Builder and Kylix IDEs.
  This does not mention Kylix in its title, but does apply to Kylix and mentions Kylix regularly through the text.

• Implementing Professional Drag and Drop Support in VCL/CLX applications, a BorCon 2001 and BorCon UK 2001 paper.
  This paper explores simple VCL/CLX drag & drop, before progressing into more troublesome tasks, such as adding custom drag images to the drag cursor (as done by Windows Explorer when dragging files and folders around.

• Kylix Tips From Under The Hood.
  This is a series of questions and answers on using Kylix, including Kylix Open Edition.

• Problems with Programming Qt from Kylix 3 C++ CLX Applications.
  This article looks at a problem preventing Kylix 3 C++ programmers from writing code that accesses the Qt library (the CLXDisplay API in the Qt.hpp header file) in a cross-platform friendly fashion.

• Run-Time Type Information (RTTI) In Delphi 3 - Can It Do Anything For You?, a BorCon UK '98 paper.
  RTTI can be used to simplify a number of comon programming tasks. This paper explains why RTTI exists and how you access it, and then looks at what you might want to use it for.
  This is written with Delphi in mind, but all the principles apply equally to Kylix.

• VCL Sourcery, a BorCon UK 2001 paper.
  This is an updated version of the paper below.

• VCL Sourcery, a DCon '99 paper.
  This paper uncovers gems from the VCL/RTL that are less well known, but still potentially very useful.
  Clearly this paper is based around the VCL, but focuses mainly on the RTL, which is the same as the BaseCLX portion of the CLX library.

Borland Kylix tutorial series

• Part 1 : Installing And Using Kylix Open Edition, (LXF 19, October 2001). In this first part of a tutorial series on Borland's Kylix visual development systems, we get to grips with installing Kylix and building GUI applications.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 2 : Creating a text processor with Kylix, (LXF 20, November 2001). In this second instalment of our Kylix Open Edition tutorial series, we develop a text editor application.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 3 : Polishing your Kylix application windows, (LXF 21, December 2001). This month we add some polish to our text processing application and give some tips on how to improve your use of Kylix.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 4 : Lights, Camera... Action!, (LXF 22, Christmas 2001). This time we look at how action components can simplify User Interface (UI) development.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 5 : Inter-Form Interaction, (LXF 23, January 2002). This time we look at how units and forms work in Kylix projects.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 6 : Dynamic Object Creation, (LXF 24, February 2002). This month we look at how to dynamically create objects in code instead of using the Component Palette and Form Designer.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 7 : Building A CSV Reader, (LXF 25, March 2002). This month we see how the new product info browser for Linux Format cover disks was written.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 8 : Exception Handling, (LXF 26, April 2002). This instalment we look at how to add error handling to your Kylix applications.

• Part 9 : More Exception Handling, (LXF 27, May 2002). This month we continue looking at exceptions and exception handling.
  You can see the article in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• Part 10 : Graphics Programming, (LXF 28, June 2002). This time we take a tour of the TCanvas class to see how you can do simple graphics in your Kylix applications.

• Part 11 : More Graphics: Animation, (LXF 29, July 2002). This month we look at simple animation techniques.

• Part 12 : OOP Syntax In Object Pascal, (LXF 30, August 2002). This part looks at the Object Pascal support for building your own objects in Kylix applications.

• Part 13 : More OOP Support In Kylix, (LXF 31, September 2002). This instalment we look in more depth at the OOP support offered by Kylix's compiler and IDE.

• Part 14 : Systems analysis, (LXF 32, October 2002). In this part we build a Linux process viewer with Kylix.

• Part 15 : Who Needs A GUI Anyway?, (LXF 33, November 2002). This final instalment looks at console applications.

The tutorial series is being translated into Spanish and made available on the Spanish Kylix site http://kylixes.ravenwizards.com:

• Parte 1: Instalación y primeros pasos con Kylix Open Edition. En esta primera parte de una serie de tutoriales sobre el desarrollo de aplicaciones en Borland Kylix, vamos a ver la manera correcta de instalar Kylix Open Edition y crearemos nuestra primera aplicación.

• Parte 5: Interacción con el Formulario. En este capítulo Brian Long explica como trabajar con unidades y formularios en los proyectos con Kylix.

• Parte 6: Creación de Objetos Dinámicos. En este tutorial veremos cómo crear objetos dinámicos mediante código en vez de usar la Paleta de Componentes y el Diseñador de Objetos.

The tutorial series is being translated into French and made available on the French Kylix site http://thegate.free.fr:

• Partie 1 : Installer et Utiliser Kylix Open Edition. Dans cette première partie de la série de tutorials sur Kylix, le système de développement graphique de Borland, nous attaquons avec l'installation de Kylix et la construction d'applications GUI.

The tutorial series is being translated into Dutch and made available on http://kerklied.com/adrie/kylixtutorial:

• Deel 1: Installatie en gebruik van Kylix Open Edition. In dit eerste deel van een cursus over Borland's Kylix ontwikkelingsomgeving maakt Brian Long duidelijk hoe je Kylix moet installeren en hoe je GUI applicaties kunt maken.

  Deel 2: Het maken van een tekstverwerker met Kylix. In dit tweede hoofdstuk van deze cursus Kylix Open Edition ontwikkelt Brian Long een tekstverwerkings programma.

  Deel 3: Oppoetsen van uw Kylix programma venster. In dit derde deel van onze Kylix Open Edition cursus serie voegt Brian Long wat schoonheidsmiddelen toe aan onze tekstverwerker en geeft wat tips over het handiger omgaan met Kylix.

Undocumented stuff in Borland products

• Easter Eggs in Borland products

• Undocumented command-line switches in Borland RAD tool IDEs

• Undocumented features in Borland RAD tool IDEs

• Undocumented registry settings in Borland RAD tool IDEs

• Editing Delphi Forms In C++Builder
  C++Builder 6 and earlier don't allow you to edit Delphi forms. Here's a hack to enable this.

Borland product reviews

• Kylix 3 Review, from Issue 33 (November 2002) of Linux Format.
  You can see the review in its original magazine layout in PDF form here, or more directly here.

• What's New In Delphi 6?, from Issue 71 (July 2001) of The Delphi Magazine.

• C++Builder 5 Developer's Guide review, from the March/April 2001 UK-BUG Developer's Magazine.

• Delphi 3.0 Preview Part 1, from Issue 20 (April 1997) of The Delphi Magazine.
  This review is no longer available online.

  Note: the following reviews are no longer freely available on the Web, following the demise of Developers Review.

• C++Builder 5 review (PDF format), from Issue 15 (April 2000) of Developers Review.

• Delphi 5 review (PDF format), from Issue 11 (August 1999) of Developers Review.

• C++Builder 4 review (PDF format), from Issue 9 (April 1999) of Developers Review.

• Delphi 4 review (PDF format), from Issue 5 (August 1998) of Developers Review.

• C++Builder 3 review (PDF format), from Issue 3 (April 1998) of Developers Review.

• Delphi 3 review (PDF format), from Issue 1 (December 1997) of Developers Review.

• C++Builder 1 review (PDF format), from Issue 1 (December 1997) of Developers Review.