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JEDI Code Library
Release 2.4
Build 4571
05-September-2012


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Content of this file
About this release 
Supported tools 
Installation notes 
Manual installation 
Distribution content 
Giving your feedback 
Reporting bugs 
Downloads of stable sources 
Development sources 
Getting involved in JCL development 

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About this release
JCL release 2.4 provides support for RAD Studio XE3 (including Delphi XE3 and C++Builder XE3) an updated support for all targets.

Multiple bugs have been fixed; for detailed change logs, use the facilities of our Subversion repository at Sourceforge.net  http://sourceforge.net/projects/jcl/ , see below.

Head changes: 

Speed improvements in string conversion functions and in TJclSimpleXml; new option to enable case sensitivity 
New function FileDateTime and FileHistory in JclFileUtils.pas 
JclPeImage can now read string tables 
Speed improvements in JclDebug when parsing MAP files and generating JCL Debug information 
JclSysUtils.Execute: Custom priority for spawned processes 
JclCompression: information about which file is being extracted or compressed 
bzip2.pas, pcre.pas, zlibh.pas and sevenzip.pas: new option to customize the name of the DLL to load, full support for Win64 
JclHashSets.pas reimplemented from scratch 
JclPrint.pas: major update to prevent corruption of printer settings 
Experts: various fixes to prevent access violations on invokes and on unloads 
SVN 1.7 support in JCL Version control integration 
zlibh.pas and JclCompression.pas: new option to use RTL zlib 
JclUnicode.pas and others: the RTL Unicode database is now fully supported and does not require the JCL Unicode database anymore 
JclUnicode.pas: update to Unicode Character Database (UCD) 6.0 
pcre.pas: update to PCRE 8.31 with JIT and 16-bit character support 
favorite combobox and custom open dialog: support with Vista new-style open dialogs 
Exception dialog: 64-bit compatibility 
Stack tracking now supports Win64 
Important: 

As of JCL 2.0, the library does not support Delphi 5, C++Builder 5, Kylix 3 and Delphi.net anymore;

Due to many internal failure, we do not provide full support for Delphi 2005: JCL for Delphi 2005 should compile, it may work or not.

(Windows only) Installation options:

Packages compiled by the JCL installer don't contain any debug informations to keep their size as small as possible.

The JEDI Code Library packages are required by some 3rd party packages (including the JEDI Visual Component Library - JVCL), the installer generates them if the "Packages" node is checked.

The installer can generate MAP informations for each package. These informations can be linked into binaries to become JCL debug data or be converted to .jdbg files. Once linked MAP files could be deleted. These options are subnodes of the "Packages" node.

For BDS 2006, RAD Studio 2007, RAD Studio 2009, RAD Studio 2010, RAD Studio XE, RAD Studio XE2 and RAD Studio XE3 the compiler introduced a new option to make the same packages available in C++, by checking the "Dual packages" option of the "Packages" node, you will be able to call functions of the JCL from C++ code.


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Supported Tools
The JEDI Code Library can be compiled and installed in the following environments

Only runtime support:

FreePascal (tested with 2.2.2 and 2.2.4). 
Only design-time support (only experts):

C#Builder 1 (cf Installation notes); 
Delphi 8.net (cf Installation notes); 
Both supports (run time and design time):

Delphi 6, Delphi 7 and Delphi 2005; 
C++Builder 6; 
Delphi 2005 (without unit versioning support); 
Borland Developer Studio 2006 (Delphi for Win32, C++Builder Win32, Delphi.net and C#Builder personalities); 
Turbo Delphi (explorer and professional - cf Installation notes); 
CodeGear RAD Studio 2007 (Delphi for Win32 and C++Builder for Win32 personalities); 
Delphi 2009 and C++Builder 2009; 
Delphi 2010 and C++Builder 2010. 
Delphi XE and C++Builder XE. 
Delphi XE2 and C++Builder XE2. 
Delphi XE3 and C++Builder XE3. 

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Installation notes
Free Pascal (http://www.freepascal.org/) support has been updated for this release; most units fromsource/common work with FP 2.2. 
Installation for Turbo Delphi

The JEDI Code Library can be compiled targetting Turbo Delphi Explorer and Turbo Delphi Professional. Turbo Delphi Professional is recognized as BDS 2006, you have to download its command line compiler from CodeGear website at http://www.codegear.com/Default.aspx?tabid=160  to install the full JCL on this tool.

To install the JCL targetting Turbo Delphi Explorer, consider the following checks:

If you have an other supported version of Delphi/C++Builder on this computer, it should automatically be detected and the installer will process as usual. 
If you only have Turbo Delphi Explorer (and no other tools) on the computer, the installer cannot be compiled. You have to use the Turbo Explorer flavor of the JCL that contains a precompiled installer. However, you will not be able to install any experts. 
Installation on C#Builder 1 and Delphi 8:

These products cannot be used to build the JCL installer, you need an other supported product to install JCL experts on these products. 
These products are not able to use the JCL library as a runtime library. You cannot write managed applications and managed packages based on the JCL. 
These products are not shipped with their native compilers, you have to download it from codecentral (http://cc.codegear.com/). The item (http://codecentral.codegear.com/Download.aspx?id=21333)  contains the native compiler to be installed in Delphi 8. The item (http://codecentral.codegear.com/Download.aspx?id=21334)  contains the native compiler to be installed in C#Builder 1. These zip files have to be extracted in the products directory using the standard pattern: 
		   Executable files (exe and dll)      - BDS\X.0\bin		   Compiler files (dcp and dcu)        - BDS\X.0\lib		   Toolsapi source files               - BDS\X.0\source\ToolsAPI
Default installation

For all others versions of Delphi, C++Builder and BDS, simply launch Install.bat and the installer window will let you configure options and install the library.


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Manual Installation
Although it is not recommended, a manual installation is possible. You will have to manually configure options for the library. That is done by modifying an included file. 


For each tool you want to install the JCL in, repeat the following steps:

Open and edit included file to customize options: 
For C++Builder 6: source\include\jclc6.inc 
For Delphi 6: source\include\jcld6.inc 
For Delphi 7: source\include\jcld7.inc 
For Delphi 2005: source\include\jcld9.inc 
For BDS 2006 (Delphi and C++Builder): source\include\jcld10.inc 
For CodeGear RAD Studio 2007 (Delphi for Win32 and C++Builder): source\include\jcld11.inc 
For Delphi 2009 and C++Builder 2009: source\include\jcld12.inc 
For Delphi 2010 and C++Builder 2010: source\include\jcld14.inc 
For Delphi XE and C++Builder XE: source\include\jcld15.inc 
For Delphi XE2 and C++Builder XE2 Win32: source\include\jcld16win32.inc 
For Delphi XE2 Win64: source\include\jcld16win64.inc 
For Delphi XE3 and C++Builder XE3 Win32: source\include\jcld17win32.inc 
For Delphi XE3 and C++Builder XE3 Win64: source\include\jcld17win64.inc 
For FreePascal: source\include\jclfpc.inc 
In the IDE, open and compile package Jcl.dpk (or Jcl.bpk for C++Builder) located in a subdirectory of the "packages" directory matching your version of the IDE. This package doesn't have to be installed since it doesn't provide any components. 
If you want to install experts, open package JclBaseExpert.dpk and compile it, then you can install all the experts you want (packages are located in the same directory). 

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Distribution content
Install.bat                   - Compile and run VCL version of the JCL Installer (Win32)
bin                           - Common place for sample application EXE files
lib                           - Common place for compiled units.
docs                          - Readme (this file) and other documents
docs\Readme.html              - This file
docs\Experts.html             - Readme file about the experts
docs\MPL-1.1.txt              - The Mozilla Public Licence (MPL) version 1.1
docs\MPL FAQ.html             - Frequently Asked Questions about the MPL
docs\cps.html                 - Cross Platform Strategy
experts                       - JCL IDE experts source code
experts\debug                 - JCL Debug IDE expert for using JclDebug unit
experts\debug\simdview        - Low-level debug window for XMM registers
experts\debug\threadnames     - IDE expert showing class names for debugged threads
experts\favfolders            - Favorite folders combobox in IDE open/save file dialogs
experts\projectanalyzer       - Project Analyzer IDE expert
experts\repository            - Repository expert
experts\repository\ExceptionDialog - Repository expert for exception dialogs
experts\repository\ExceptionDialog\StandardDialogs - standard exception dialogs
experts\stacktraceviewer      - stack trace expert
experts\useswizard            - JCL uses wizard
experts\versioncontrol        - Integration of TortoiseCVS and TortoiseSVN in the IDE
examples                      - JCL example applications
examples\common               - CLX and Win32 example applications in Delphi
examples\windows              - JCL example applications for Delphi.Win32
examples\windows\delphitools  - Collection of system tools using JCL
examples\windows\debug\tools           - Tools for creating files with JCL debug information
help                          - Help file (distributed in a separate archive)
install                       - Installer source code
packages                      - JCL package sources
source                        - JCL source code


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Giving your feedback
If you have any comments or suggestions we would appreciate it if you drop us a note. There are several ways to get in contact with us: 
Newsgroup is the recommended way to contact other JCL users and the team itself. They are hosted at news://news.delphi-jedi.org/jedi.jcl. 
Write to jcl@delphi-jedi.org  or to jcl-testing@delphi-jedi.org  This email account should not be used for support requests. If you need support please use either the newsgroups or the mailing list. 
If you want to keep up to date about JCL then you can join the JCL mailing list by going to http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/JEDI-JCL/ You can also use this list to voice your opinion, comments or suggestions. 

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Reporting bugs
The general rule is: If you want to get a bug fixed you need to log it!

An issue tracking tool can be accessed via ('Code Library' category): http://issuetracker.delphi-jedi.org/

Please be aware that you are allowed there to enter feature request and code donations as well.

The JEDI issue tracker is based up on the Mantis BugTracker Open Source project. More background information about it is available on its homepage  http://mantisbt.sourceforge.net


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Downloads of stable sources
These sources are official JCL releases and file status can be considered as stable for use in final applications. During the past years, there have been around 2 or 3 releases per year.

JEDI Code Library: File List on SourceForge:  http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=47514 


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Development sources
These files are under active development and may cause some incompatibilities and some conflicts with existing code. You should not use these files in final applications. The JCL development team provides these files for testing and feedback from users.

You can download snapshots of the Subversion repository updated every day in the JCL daily page  http://jcl.sourceforge.net/daily/

To always have access to the most recent changes in the JCL, you should install a Subversion client (we recommend TortoiseSVN http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/ and RapidSVN http://rapidsvn.tigris.org/) and download the SVN repository files to your computer as explained in the repository page of the JEDI Wiki at http://wiki.delphi-jedi.org/index.php?title=Repository  With the SVN client, you can update your local repository at any time. You can also view the repository online via the web interface at http://jcl.svn.sourceforge.net/


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Getting involved in JCL development
If you want to help out making JCL better or bigger or just plain cooler, there are several ways in which you can help out. Here are some of the things we need your help on: 
Donate source code 
Donate time writing help 
Donate time writing demos 
Donate time fixing bugs 
Share your experience by helping users in newsgroups and mailing lists 
JCL accepts donations from developers as long as the source fullfills the requirements set up by the JEDI and JCL teams. To read more about these requirements, visit the page http://jcl.delphi-jedi.org/

You can also donate your time by writing help for the source already in JCL. We currently use Doc-o-Matic to create the finished help files but the actual help sources are plain text files in a simple to understand format. We can provide you with auto-generated templates with all classes, properties, types etc already inserted. The "only" thing left to do is fill in the actual help text for the help items. If you are interested in writing help, contact us.

If you want to help fix bugs in JCL, go to Mantis and check the bug report there. You can post replies as well as fixes directly in the bug report. One of the JCL developers will pick up the report/fix and update the Subversion repository if the fi is satisfactory. If you report and fix a lot of bugs, you might even get developer access to SVN so you can update the JCL files directly.
