With a new name and a new focus on CORBA, database drivers, and Microsoft Back Office applications, Inprise/Borland Delphi is enjoying a resurgence, with a growing user base of programmers who use Delphi for rapid development of enterprise computing applications. Not to rest on success, the latest version of Delphi, Version 5, includes further expansion and refinement of the 3-tier application framework introduced in Delphi 4 and has resulted in a prize-winning product. Delphi in a Nutshell is the first concise reference to Borland/Inprise Delphi available. It succinctly collects all the information you need in one easy-to-use, complete, and accurate volume that goes beyond the product documentation itself. Delphi in a Nutshell starts with the Delphi object model and how to use RTTI (Run Time Type Information) for efficient programming. The rest of the book is the most complete Delphi Pascal language reference available in print, detailing every language element with complete syntax, examples, and methods for use. The book concludes with a look at the compiler, discussing compiler directives in depth.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 24 Ratings

Oldie but Goodie - 2005-08-20
Reviewer Rating:
This book is a fair reference for the intermediate programmer. However, it stops at Delphi 5, so it's use for those using later versions of Delphi will find a lot missing. The book is organized fairly well and it is easy to find answers to questions that are pertinent up through Delphi 5. It does have some tutorial content, but that is limited and for those seeking programming with Delphi education would be better off with other books. This book is best used as a supplement to an instructional book, like the Cantu books.

A desk reference with in-depth information - 2008-05-03
Reviewer Rating:
This is an excellent desk reference book for Delphi, with great in-depth information of Delphi's Object Model, RTTI, ans SysUtil. Nonthless, be warned that it does not tell you how to write Delphi code specifically; therefore it is really not a book for Delphi beginners.

Meanwhile, this book is comparable to the classic "Inside C++ Object Model" by Stanley Lippman, but with more, let alone the English writting of this book is more concise, accurate, and easy to follow.

In a nutshell, 8 years after this book's first print, still every page, every line, and every word from this book is gem for serious Delphi developers.

Highly recommended!

Too Much Work - 2006-02-16
Reviewer Rating:
Material is presented out of order and not readable to anyone who has not already mastered the subject.

Keep this on my bookshelf - 2002-11-27
Reviewer Rating:
Ray has written an excellent desktop reference for Delphi. I really liked the explanation of the SysUtils unit. I found that there were functions in there that I had written myself, if I had only known I would have saved myself some time. The Language reference with the Tips and Tricks is excellent, helps make more sense of the sometimes archaic online help. My only complaint is that this is the ONLY Delphi book published by O'Reilly, I would love to see a Learning, Programming, or Mastering book!

Classic Language Reference book - 2008-12-17
Reviewer Rating:
This is a must have book for any Delphi developer. I use mine continuously. The others are on the bookshelf. But this book needs an update. The book was written in year 2000 and is at version 5, 4 releases behind current. I still give it five stars because it's indispensable.

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