Version 2.2.0 of IBX for Lazarus is now available for download

[tonyw]

MWA Software is pleased to announce that release 2.2.0 of IBX for Lazarus is now available for download from https://mwasoftware.co.uk/ibx. This is an important update to IBX and all users are recommended to upgrade to the new release. Please read the changelog before upgrade.

The main intent behind the release is to add support for the remaining Firebird 3 features (and some from earlier Firebird releases) that were not supported in release 2.1. This includes:

1. Support for SQL Statements INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE...RETURNING. The first two cases are now able to update the current row for all TIBCustomDataset descendents including TIBTable, using data returned following a row insert or update.

2. INSERT...RETURNING is used to provide support for Firebird "Identity" columns. For example, when used to provide auto-increment primary keys.

3. Firebird "Packages" are now supported by TIBStoredProc and by the SQL Component Editors.

4. Additional Firebird 3 properties are now supported by TIBDatabaseInfo and by the Services API components (e.g. TIBConfigService).

5. Alternative Security Databases are now supported by the Services API Components.

6. TIBExtract now supports DDL Grants and triggers on database objects.

7. A new IBServices component to support online validation of a database (TIBOnlineValidationService).

8. A major new example application (DBAdmin) is now included. This illustrates the use of IBX for Day-to-Day Database Administration tasks including User Management, Backup/Restore and Database Validation and Repair. It is also intended to provided a useable application that users may use directly or incorporate into their own toolsets. It also demonstrates User Management using Firebird 3 virtual tables and SQL statements. Note: this application also requires the standard Lazarus package MemDSLaz.

This release also incorporates recent bug fixes and includes a 33 page guide to the use of IBX for Firebird DBA activities.

IBX for Lazarus may be downloaded from: https://www.mwasoftware.co.uk/ibx

or by subversion from:

https://svn.mwasoftware.co.uk/public/ibx/tags/R2-2-0

[tonyw]

It's worth noting two issues that have come to light from feedback so far:

1. It really is important to do as the changelog says and to remove any previous versions of IBX before installing this one. The unit directory layout has changed in order to avoid duplicate ppu warning messages, and, if you do not remove the ppu files from older versions, you can get unpredictable results.

2. Firebird 3 Users: Do not use with the compiler command line switch -CR unless you modify the Firebird.pas file to include {$OBJECTCHECKS OFF} (located in ibx/fnintf/client/3.0/firebird/Firebird.pas). Firebird.pas comes from the Firebird source code distribution and provides a way to call C++ methods from Pascal. You will always get a runtime error in these calls when Object checks are on. The Firebird.pas file will the patched to add this directive in the next release.

Note that this switch is set in Lazarus from the Project->Project Options->Debugging page.