tiOPF
Free, Open Source Object Persistence Framework for
Free Pascal & Delphi

Installing the tiOPF


tiOPF2: Delphi 7, 2006, 2007, 2009

  1. Download the latest version of tiOPF from Sourceforge:

    http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=62469

  2. Unzip the installer and run.

  3. After clicking through a few screens, you will be asked where you want to install tiOPF to. The default location is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\tiOPF as shown below.



    This will make the tiOPF available to all users of the PC from the directory \Shared Documents\tiOPF\tiOPF2

  4. Next, you will be asked which components you want to install.



    Select to install "tiOPF2, Demos and third party code" Although you may already have some of these components installed, installing them again will make your first build of tiOPF much easier.

    (The 3rd party libraries are installed into \tiOPF\tiOPF2\3rdParty - so they are easy to remove after you have completed your first build of tiOPF2.)

  5. By default, the tiOPF2 source will be installed into \Shared Documents\tiOPF\tiOPF2

    If you installed into another directory, you will need to change the paths described in this document.

    The installed directory tree looks like this:



  6. Open the project group from tiOPF\tiOPF2\Compilers corresponding to your compiler of choice.

    Note, tiOPF2 will probably compile with other version of Delphi & BDS, but we have dropped support for the less popular versions to simplify our build process.

    You will see a project group like this:



  7. Build all projects. This should be possible as all search paths in the packages and unit test application are relative.

  8. Install the package tiOPFGUIDsgn???.bpl into the IDE. Do not attempt to install the other packages.

    Three tabs should be installed into the component pallet as shown below:



  9. By default, the unit tests will attempt to run against the following persistence layers:

    tiOPF2's XMLLight;
    MS XML;
    tiOPF2's CSV;
    tiOPF2's TAB;
    BDE Paradox;
    ADO Access;
    IBX - running against either Interbase or Firebird;


    ADO and IBX can have dependencies on what you have installed onto your PC. You may turn testing of these persistence layers off editing Project | Options | Conditionals. You will see a screen like this:



    Remove the references to LINK_XXX for the persistence layer you do not want to compile into the application.

    (Note, the last three with an "x" in the name will not be linked.)

  10. Run the unit test application DUnitTIOPFGUI to confirm all is working.

    You will be presented with a dialog like this:



    The unit tests connect to the databases using default username and passswords (sysdba & masterkey for Firebird, scott & tiger for Oracle, etc) Click the <Edit local consts> button to change the username and passwords for testing if required.

    The tiOPF will check some OS API calls such as GetCurrentUserName & GetTempDirectory. These tests require knowlege of the installed environment and these are set in the <Edit local consts> INI file. For example:

    [MachineSettings]
    AppDataDirPrivate=C:\Documents and Settings\tipwh\Local Settings\Application Data\DUnitTIOPFGui
    AppDataDirPublic=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\DUnitTIOPFGui
    TempDir=C:\Temp
    WindowsSysDir=C:\WINDOWS\system32
    UserName=tipwh
    ComputerName=TECHINSITEVM-01


    On Win32 systems, the DUnit INI file can be found here:

    C:\Documents and Settings\tipwh\Local Settings\Application Data\DUnitTIOPF\DUnitTIOPF.ini

  11. Add the following search paths to your Tools | Options | Library path

    \Shared Documents\tiOPF\tiOPF2\Core
    \Shared Documents\tiOPF\tiOPF2\Options
    \Shared Documents\tiOPF\tiOPF2\GUI


  12. The tiOPF should now be installed, and you can work through the tiOPF Quick Start or read the Concepts Manual.

  13. Owners of the BDS/200X product line should copy the live templates found in the "code_templates" folder found under the appropriate Compiler folder in tiOPF\tiOPF2\Compilers to C:\My Documents\RAD Studio\code_templates. (Unless you've overridden BDSUSERDIR which is typically C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\My Documents\RAD Studio.)

    You can find more on Live Templates, their design and use at delphi.wikia.com

    If you had problems with the install, please report them to the news group and ask for help.