DelphiX and Windows Vista?!

[Damot]

Has anybody experimented with beta versions of Vista yet? Will our DelphiX games work okay do you think?

Exactly how compatible is DelphiX nowadays? Should I be looking for different components now for maximum compatibility?

[Robert Kosek]

You may wish to try Asphyre (http://www.afterwarp.net/index.php), which is very powerful and easy to use. Even for a relative newbie like me.

Version 4 is in development and currently a few betas are in the hands of specific testers; mine included. You'll like what you see in the next version. ;)

[NecroDOME]

I use omega. However I needed to disable the sound to let it run. although, the frame rate was very low.
Tested on Vista RC1...

[czar]

I have a commericial project consisting of some 30 delphix programs that works fine with Windows Vista.

[Traveler]

No offence, but damot asked whether delphix is performing properly under Windows Vista. A fairly good question, since a lot of games have been made in the past, and quite a few may still be a work in progress. I too am curious to know if they will still work as they do now under XP.

How come 2 out of three 3 replies talk about other wrappers?! Surely, if damot wanted to know, he would have asked about them instead.... :?

[Damot]

That's right Traveler, I really don't want to have to change so much code.

I took a brief look at Asphyre about a year ago but I'm concerned about compatiblity. I know DelphiX has been very good over the years for me, I'm worried if I moved over to Asphyre it might not work on a significant number of machines.

That and I'm only interested in basic 2D operations. I want the smooth tile operations in DelphiX.

I have actually tested my program on a beta version of Vista about 3 months ago, and it worked fine. But I'm wondering if I was just lucky as I've often found DelphiX can cause problems with some graphics cards.

That's really something I've never understood. I thought the whole point of DirectX was it would never matter about the cards, but hey, I guess that's Microsoft for you.

So what would people say is the MOST compatible variant of DelphiX?

I've always been confused by UndelphiX/DelphiX.

[Damot]

I have a commericial project consisting of some 30 delphix programs that works fine with Windows Vista.

That's good news indeed. ut have you had chance to try it on many different machines with different graphics cards yet?

May I ask precisely what version of DelphiX you are using please?

[czar]

It was the basic undelphix - i.e before hardware support was added. We only tried it on a single machine. However, the killer is not the graphics it is access to folders and registry.

For example, you cannot store info in inside an ini file and then store then ini file in the c:\program files area. In fact any data that needs to be written cannot be stored in that area. You cannot write to local machine registry keys.

Those were the two main problems we had.

[Damot]

Are you saying you can't write to your own files in your installation folder? Surely that can't be right.

[Clootie]

Your game can't write to \Program Files\ folder after installation. It should write files to custom User folder. And installation is supposed to happen under Administrator login.
Actually this is no different to WinXP, but under XP almost all users have administrator rights, so... :lol:

[czar]

Once instalation is complete you cannot write data to the directory if that directory is inside program files. If you do then vista asks the user to provide password and the changes files dont actually go into the directory inside "program files" instead they are secretly put into a "users" directory. I found that a bit confusing initially.

[jasonf]

Your game can't write to \Program Files\ folder after installation. It should write files to custom User folder. And installation is supposed to happen under Administrator login.
Actually this is no different to WinXP, but under XP almost all users have administrator rights, so... :lol:

So... it's like Linux then? :wink:

[Clootie]

So... it's like Linux then? :wink:
Almost. Cos Vista still has to be compatible with a lot of old "bad" applications. So, by default, after installation user still has admin rights, but... this is "special" admin, so each time program request something that needs admin rights - Vista pops-up dialog asking user - if he allows program to do this or not. So, at this point behaviour looks really complicated. :roll:

[jasonf]

Ouch!, sounds like a nightmare if a program frequently asks to open a file for write access in a "Secured" place.. I can see a lot of people getting confused/frustrated/psychotic about that.

[Robert Kosek]

That is really bad. Knowing that, unless there are specific work arounds, I think I'll refuse to support Vista for anything I do. Until there is a decent way to avoid it.

[czar]

It just means your software has to be designed differently. Put data files that need changing into the "documents" section. Only use current user registry keys. Put registry info pertaining to all into local_machine during installation.

I think what may happen is that you will see developers avoiding putting their programs into "program files" and instead they will go back to the old ways of storing the lot in their own directory e.g. "c:\games\my game"

I think Vista may end up biting M$ in the bum.

Having said that I have a few friends who use Vista on a daily basis and they are total converts. Then again they develop in .Net

[Clootie]

Pity, but you can't write to X:\Games\ directory too... :roll:
You can write files only to "My documents" folder (or to TEMPorary dir)! 8)

[Robert Kosek]

Having said that I have a few friends who use Vista on a daily basis and they are total converts. Then again they develop in .NetI can foresee that the entire software community may split over this, the devout .Net-ists and the "others" like us. And that's just on windoze. :?


It just means your software has to be designed differently. Put data files that need changing into the "documents" section. Only use current user registry keys. Put registry info pertaining to all into local_machine during installation.

I think what may happen is that you will see developers avoiding putting their programs into "program files" and instead they will go back to the old ways of storing the lot in their own directory e.g. "c:\games\my game" That means a lot of structural changes. Even logs will have to be relocated. That'd be a total mess, what about updating the game's core files? Would they have to enter a password even then? That's just not fair.


I think Vista may end up biting M$ in the bum. I've already taken a good long look at Fedora Core 6, and I like it. 8)

[WILL]

Made a post, but decided to post it in the somewhat more relevant thread here (http://www.pascalgamedevelopment.com/viewtopic.php?p=29804#29804).

[seiferalmasy]

MS should have got rid of the registry years ago..I cannot believe they decided to use it and to keep it in vista for future development. I hate it. I always use ini when writing my own apps and I never install anyway, I prefer standalone EXE:):):)

[WILL]

To get this thread back on topic:

Has anybody experimented with beta versions of Vista yet? Will our DelphiX games work okay do you think?

Exactly how compatible is DelphiX nowadays? Should I be looking for different components now for maximum compatibility?

I believe Damot wants to know what issues with DelphiX conflict with Vista. Can we break it down for him if there are any?


All other issues besides those related to DelphiX/Vista should be posted over in the other thread located here (http://www.pascalgamedevelopment.com/viewtopic.php?t=4037). Thanks. :)

[czar]

I have already said that I have a delphix project of some 30 programs working fine with vista. I feel the question was answered.