DWScript for Delphi XE3

DWScript (SVN version) should now compile under Delphi XE3, thanks to Steffen Binas for providing a workaround for a compiler bug (internal error URW1147).

The workaround will alas reduce performance, for a proper fix, a futureXE3 update will be required,see QC #109187.
While I’m at it, I might also raise awareness of another XE3 bug, QC #108942 (internal error G9413).

(on a side note, my XE3 trial expired, so any fixes or workarounds for XE3 will have to come from you guys)

Poor EULA clause reverted?

Unofficial information from David Champion

https://forums.embarcadero.com/thread.jspa?threadID=76231

“In fact we do listen to our customers and make representations to our developer group in the USA. Subsequently the EULA changes you were worried about have been dropped altogether.”

From an Embarcadero employee in Europe.

Let’s see if it gets officially confirmed by an Embarcadero representative or a final version of the EULA…

Edit: confirmed and the clause is no longer present in the release XE3 EULA.

Sideloading for Delphi on Windows 8?

Tim Anderson wrote about what Embarcadero are planning for Delphi and Windows 8 after meeting with Embarcadero’s John Ray Thomas and Jason Vokes, I encourage you to go over and read his article about what they’re planning, and his reservations.

In short, since Delphi XE3 can’t pass validation as a WinRT app and be fully accepted on the Windows Store, they aim for a combination of having only a shortcut to the app vendor’s site in the Windows Store (like other vendors will do), and using a PowerShell script to sign the app. As Tim outlines, this isn’t exactly what you would call a smooth ride, and will require the Windows 8 Entreprise SKU apparently (thus ruling out consumer apps, i.e. would it even be possible to write the next Skype in Delphi?).

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Fiddling with L-System (part 2)


Part 1 left us with a large cryptic looking string (a recursively applied grammar applied to an axiom, for the purists).

In part 2 we’ll go from that big string to a visual representation, by making use of that string as a set of commands for a turtle language.

Turtle graphics came to fame in the days of Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos the Logo programming language, and in many ways are the grand-daddy of vector graphics languages like SVG.

For more details, read the turtle graphics article in wikipedia, it’s (at the moment) short and to the point.

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Fiddling with L-System (part 1)

The class of grammar-based fractals known as Lindenmayer system allows generating an interesting variety of geometrical and botanical visuals.

To the right is a representation of a “Fractal Plant”, which is generated from just two simple (if cryptic-looking) rules applied recursively.

In simple terms, L-System starts from a string (called an axiom), to which rules are applied recursively. Rules are a set of substitution strings for characters in the original string.

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