Software Science

Installation will take a few minutes. You will need to copy and unzip one ZIP compressed file to a directory on your hard disk. After that you are ready to run Delphi and install the components within the IDE. Please follow the detailed installation instructions in the readme.900 file that is included with the product.

3. Do Windows Registry, WIN.INI, SYSTEM.INI, or any of the system files get modified when I install TOPAZ or applications written using TOPAZ ?

TOPAZ does not modify any of your system files.

4. Does TOPAZ copy any DLLs into my WINDOWS or SYSTEM directory during installation?

TOPAZ does not write any DLLs into your Windows root or Windows system directory. TOPAZ applications do not require any DLLs or extra files to run. You will need to distribute only the final EXE and necessary database (DBF and DBT) files.

5. How hard is it to un-install the trial version of TOPAZ?

To uninstall TOPAZ all it takes is to erase the TOPAZ directory. The procedure is the same for both trial version and the distribution version of the product.

6. How many distribution floppies will my complete application require?

Most of your applications will fit on one 3.5" floppy disk. You do not need to distribute or install any extra third party DLLs or files. Just put your newly compiled EXE and the databases on a floppy disk and you are ready to ship your product.

7. How much hard disk space do I need to install TOPAZ?

You will need about 5 MBytes to install TOPAZ.

8. Do I need to install the BDE on my client's computer?

TOPAZ does not require the presence of the BDE. Therefore you do not need to distribute or install the BDE on your client's computer.

9. How do I test my application without the BDE (I have the BDE installed on my development computer)?

You can test your final application without the BDE by simply following the instructions in the TOPAZ manual. This is very helpful if you want to make sure that your application does not have any references to the BDE before you start duplicating disks.

10. How can I order TOPAZ?

You may order TOPAZ directly from our WEB page. Click here.

11. Is there a trial version I can download?

The trial version is available to download from our web site. You can download it now.

12. Is there any sample applications written using TOPAZ I could look at?

You may download precompiled samples from our web page. You will also get a lot of samples (as source) with the trial version and the distribution version of TOPAZ.

13. Do I get the source code when I buy the product?

When you buy TOPAZ you get the complete source code.

14. What versions of compiler does TOPAZ support? Do I need separate versions for different compilers?

The current version of TOPAZ is 9.0. It can be compiled and used with Delphi 3 and later Delphi compilers upto and including Delphi 2010. The same copy of TOPAZ can be used with C++Builder 3 and later, and with Borland Kylix 1, 2 or 3 under Linux. You do not need to buy separate copies of TOPAZ to support multiple compilers [NOTE: TOPAZ is a Delphi product, so we offer limited support for Kylix and C++Builder]. If you need support for earlier compilers you may request earlier version of TOPAZ code for free once you bought the most recent version of the TOPAZ library.
[TOPAZ version 7.5: The same source code can be compiled with Delphi versions 1 thru 5. It can also be compiled and used with C++Builder 3 and 4. If you are planning to write DOS applications you can also create TPUs (DOS real mode units) for Turbo Pascal 6.0 and TPUs (DOS real mode units), TPPs (DPMI units) and TPWs (Windows units) for Borland Pascal 7.0 using the same source code.]

15. How long has your company been making software?

This year we celebrated the 26th anniversary of our company.

16. Where can I find a review of TOPAZ?

"Developers Review" carried a very extensive review of TOPAZ 6.5 in its October 1997 issue (www.itecuk.com). Download an Acrobat version here. Download the zipped version of the same file here. A review of 7.0 can be found in the June 1998 issue of Developers Review. Also TOPAZ has been chosen one of the top ten Products of the Year by the readers of Delphi Informant magazine (see April 1999 issue)

17. Can I use TOPAZ with QuickReport?

You can use TOPAZ with QuickReport. We provide samples of using TOPAZ with QR under Delphi 1 and 2. Since TOPAZ 7.0 provides cross-component support, you can use TOPAZ and QR freely without any code modifications or special considerations (i.e., just the same way as when using QR with the BDE) when compiling with Delphi 3,4 or 5. You may download QR samples for TOPAZ and all Delphi versions by clicking here.

18. Can I use TOPAZ with any other third party component libraries?

Starting with the Delphi 3 Borland provides standard interface for third party data aware components and data access components through Delphi's abstract TDataSet class. This standard interface is called 'support for open dataset architecture' or 'cross-component support'. All third party components that comply to this standard interface can see and interact with each other without writing any additional code. TOPAZ, as well as many of the third party libraries, conforms to the standards of the open dataset architecture. Therefore, you may use TOPAZ with the third party component library, providing that you compile with Delphi 3 or later, and the third party library can also link or access Delphi's standard TDataSet or TDataSource component (e.g. Orpheus, AceReporter, QuickReports, ReportPrinterPro, etc). Some third party component libraries that still use their own proprietary DataSet types will require special code patches to link them to TOPAZ. These patches are available for download from third party manufacturers' or SSI's web site (e.g. InfoPower from Woll2Woll Software, etc.).

19. Can I use TOPAZ with the Delphi standard data aware components?

Yes, you can, providing that you compile with Delphi 3 or later compiler. You might be wondering if this will result in the BDE being dragged into your application. The answer is that starting with Delphi 3, Borland unlinked the connection between the BDE and Delphi's own data aware controls (as part of standard open dataset architecture). Therefore, you can use any Delphi 3 (or later) data aware component with TOPAZ, and still not link any of the BDE. However, the BDE *will* be linked in if you drop a Delphi data access component, like TTable.

20. Do I get a manual when I order the product?

TOPAZ comes with a complete online help system. A printed manual with over 280 pages can be ordered separately.

21. How does the trial version differ from the distribution version?

Trial version of TOPAZ contains precompiled DCUs for all Delphi versions. These DCUs are fully functional, but the final application written using the trial version will not run outside of Delphi IDE. The distribution copy of TOPAZ comes with the full source code, more Delphi samples, DOS samples and utilities, and the full documentation.

22. I had difficulties in the past installing some third party components. My computer 'freezes' when I do the install. Is installing TOPAZ going to do any damage to my Delphi/Windows?

TOPAZ will not do any damage to your Delphi/Windows environment. Usually installation is very straightforward. If for some reason the installation fails Delphi simply will not install the TOPAZ components. The particular problem you have experienced is relatively well known [by now], and we should not blame the manufacturers' of the components you tried out. It may or may not be a problem in the component code. There are reports that some videocard brands may be the cause of this strange behavior in Delphi. In any case the cause of this problem is buried deep into the Windows operating system. Some of our customers have encountered similar problems and are happy to share a few methods for overcoming this problem. Click here for more info (and a possible fix).

23. If I am not completely satisfied can I get a refund?

Software Science Inc. products come with full 60 day money back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied simply return the product and we will give you your money back. No questions asked, but we appreciate any comments you may have.

24. How much do upgrades cost?

The list price of TOPAZ is $99.00. The upgrade price is $39.00.

25. Is TOPAZ Year-2000 (Y2K) compliant?

TOPAZ is Y2K compliant and it will solve the year 2000 problem for you. TOPAZ stores all the years as four digit years, but it still allows you to use two-digit data entries for years throughout the year 2000. This is done automatically. In a grid or in an edit control 02/02/99 will correspond to February 2, 1999 and 02/02/01 will mean February 2, 2001.

26. I do not really like Delphi EditMasks. Can TOPAZ help me out?

You are not alone, many programmers find dBASE style masks more intuitive, and easier to understand and use. However, you don't give up the use of Delphi-style masks in the cases where such masks are an advantage. Using TOPAZ edit controls you may chose between Delphi and dBASE style masks by simply setting a Boolean property. Seemingly little side effects of masks become big problems for end users. For instance, consider the following Zip Code mask:

"99999"

What happens in the edit control when the end user attempts to delete digits (i.e., the end user presses the delete key on a digit). Under Delphi masks, the current digit is deleted, but the remainder of the string is *not* moved to the left. Pressing the delete key a second time will have no effect! The typical end user will not find this behavior proper at all--they expect to be able delete as many digits as they like, just by pressing delete. To see the effect, just try it in Delphi. With TOPAZ's dBASE style masks, however, the behavior is just the same as in a text editor, or any other data control. How about this mask:

"@MLondon;Aberdeen;Paris;New York"?

This is a "menu" mask that allows the user to cycle through 4 cities using the space bar. For these reasons, and many others, TOPAZ programmers choose dBASE-style masks over and over again. Since you may not be aquainted with dBASE-style "picture" and "function" masks, the masks are well-documented in the manual.

27. I am looking for a grid with the titles acting like buttons. Does TOPAZ have anything like that?

TOPAZ database grids already have this feature. TOPAZ grids have many nice features. For example, you might have noticed how inconvenient it can get to change logical fields in DBGrids (you have to type "True" or "False"). In a TOPAZ grid you may double click to toggle the logical values. TOPAZ also gives you the choice of check marks, radio buttons etc in a boolean field.

28. I cannot open more than 32 tables. How can I work with a database that contains lots of tables?

Yes, you cannot access more then 32 tables concurrently. There are 2 reasons for that:

It is micro optimization (or nano optimization, if you prefer).
It is similar to what dBase 4 was like at the early days of Topaz.
This limitation is critical only when you have a transaction that includes more then 32 tables or a GUI form that displays data from more then 32 tables. In a well designed database application, that should never happen. If you have lots of tables in your database, just close TzDbf components when you are done with them.

However, if you have or just want to open N tables simultaneously, you can modify the Topaz source and reserve more memory for work areas. If you want to open N tables:
Change constants in tzcommon.hed:

MaxWorkAreas = N+1; { maximum number of available work areas } HelpWorkArea = N+2; AbsoluteMaxWorkareas = N+3;
Change memory allocation for 2 arrays in tzndx.pas:

procedure SetReadSemaphoreProc(setOn: Boolean); const stack : array[1..MaxWorkAreas] of integer = (0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0, ...... ...... 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0); // N+1 zeros, please begin
and
procedure SetLockSemaphoreProc(setOn: Boolean); const stack : array[1..MaxWorkAreas] of integer = (0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0, ...... ...... 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0); // N+1 zeros, please begin
After that your code will be able to open N databases. You may want to rebuild the Topaz package to be sure that all your Topaz applications use the same code and have the same capabilities.

29. What do other customers say about TOPAZ?

Click here to find out!

Download Trial Version now!