A Guide to Using the TClientDataSet in Delphi Applications

A Guide to Using the TClientDataSet in Delphi Applications Looking for a single-file, single-user database for your next Delphi application? Need to store some application specific data but dont want to use  the Registry / INI / or something else? Delphi offers a native solution: The TClientDataSet component located on the Data Access tab of the component palette represents an in-memory database-independent dataset. Whether you use client datasets for file-based data, caching updates, data from an external provider (such as working with an XML document or in a multi-tiered application), or a combination of these approaches in a briefcase model application, take advantage of the  broad range of features that client datasets support. Delphi Datasets A ClientDataSet in Every Database ApplicationLearn the basic behavior of the ClientDataSet, and encounter an argument for the extensive use of ClientDataSets in most database applications. Defining a ClientDataSets Structure Using FieldDefsWhen creating a ClientDataSets memory store on-the-fly, you must explicitly define the structure of your table. This article shows you how to do it at both runtime and design-time using FieldDefs. Defining a ClientDataSets Structure Using TFieldsThis article demonstrates how to define a ClientDataSets structure at both design-time and runtime using TFields. Methods to create virtual and nested dataset fields are also demonstrated. Understanding ClientDataSet IndexesA ClientDataSet does not obtain its indexes from the data it loads. Indexes, if you want them, must be explicitly defined. This article shows you how to do this at design-time or runtime. Navigating and Editing a ClientDataSetYou navigate and edit a ClientDataSet in a manner similar to how you navigate and edit almost any  other dataset. This article provides an introductory look at basic ClientDataSet navigation and editing. Searching a ClientDataSetClientDataSets provide several different mechanisms for searching for data in its columns. These techniques are covered in this continuation of the discussion of basic ClientDataSet manipulation. Filtering ClientDataSetsWhen applied to a dataset, a filter limits the records that are accessible. This article explores the ins-and-outs of filtering ClientDataSets. ClientDataSet Aggregates and GroupStateThis article describes how to use aggregates to calculate simple statistics, as well as how to use group state to improve your user interfaces. Nesting DataSets in ClientDataSetsA nested dataset is a dataset within a dataset. By nesting one dataset inside another, you can reduce your overall storage needs, increase the efficiency of network communications and simplify data operations. Cloning ClientDatSet CursorsWhen you clone a ClientDataSets cursor, you create not only an additional pointer to a shared memory store but also an independent view of the data. This article shows you how to use this important capability Deploying Applications that use ClientDataSetsIf you use one or more ClientDataSets you may need to deploy one or more libraries, in addition to your applications executable. This article describes when and how to deploy them. Creative Solutions Using ClientDataSetsClientDataSets can be used for much more than displaying rows and columns from a database. See how they solve application problems including selecting options to process, displaying progress messages and creating audit trails for data changes.

Selling Your Novel Without an Agent

Selling Your Novel Without an Agent Many authors mistakenly believe you must have a literary agent to sell your novel to a publisher – especially one of the big New York publishers. While it’s true that the right agent can help you find a publisher and negotiate a contract, it’s also possible to have a flourishing career without an agent. If you’re interested in selling your novel without an agent, here are some tips and guidelines to help you: 1.  Ã‚     Research Your Market – While many people rely on their agent to match them up with the right publisher, my experience has been that I knew as much about my chosen market as most of the agents I talked to. You, too, can become an expert in your genre. Read editor and agent blogs. Visit publisher websites. Follow publishers and agents on Twitter. Read publications devoted to your genre. Read the dedications and acknowledgments in your favorite books in your genre and note the names of editors – these are the pros you want to work with. 2.  Ã‚     Perfect Your Pitch – Your manuscript or proposal is a product you’re trying to sell to a publisher, so polish your one-to-two sentence pitch. You’ll use this pitch in query letters and as an â€Å"elevator pitch† when you meet editors at conferences. Your pitch should tell what your book is about, but it should also â€Å"sell† the project, making it sound intriguing and marketable. For instance, my pitch for my November release, The View From Here, was â€Å"Northern Exposure in the Rocky Mountains.† This immediately conjured up the idea of a small, rugged town filled with quirky characters. 3.  Ã‚     Know Publisher Policies – Though some publishers say they’ll take only agented manuscripts, plenty of publishers are still open to unagented submissions. Smaller presses such as Bell Bridge Books are open to unagented authors, as are most digital publishers and many larger publishers, including Kensington Books,   St. Martin’s Press, Berkley Books, Harlequin Books and many others. Read the publisher’s guidelines on their web sites and in market guides, but go a step further. Make a phone call and ask if they’ll accept a query from an unagented author. The worst that can happen is they’ll say no. And many will say yes. 4.  Ã‚     Attend Conferences – Even publishers with policies against unagented material will   send editors to conferences to take pitches. If you’re targeting a particular publisher and an editor you’d like to work with is attending, the price of the conference fee could be a good investment in your career. Pitch your project to the editor and they may request you send them the manuscript. I sold The View From Here to Kensington 5.  Ã‚     Enter Contests – Contests are another way to get your work in front of editors even if you don’t have an agent. Most contests will list the names of final judges. Select contests with judges who are editors you want to work with. (You’ll know this because you’ve been doing   your research – see #1). 6.  Ã‚     Find a Literary Attorney – Once you’ve successfully sold your novel, you’ll need to hire a literary attorney to review the contract for you. Be sure you get a literary attorney, and not just any lawyer. You want someone familiar with the contract terms used in publishing. You can find a literary attorney through a Google search or from referrals from writer’s organizations. Expect to pay several hundred dollars for the contract review, but it’s a one-time fee and well worth the money.