RAD Studio XE4 Frequently Asked Questions

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General Questions

EmbarcaderoR RAD Studio XE4 is the multi-device, true native app development suite for companies that need to create apps for PCs, tablets, and smartphones, and get them to market and to users fast. Manage one codebase, one team, and one schedule to get apps that deliver great performance, tighter security, and a better user experience.

RAD Studio XE4 is available in five editions - Starter, Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate and Architect. See the RAD Studio XE4 product editions page and feature matrix for details on the differences between the editions.

RAD Studio XE4 is filled with hundreds of new features and enhancements to help you build ultra-rich Windows, Mac, Web and mobile applications ultra-fast.

For more detailed information on what's new in RAD Studio XE4, see the What's New in RAD Studio XE4 page .

  • Delphi XE4 - DelphiR XE4 is the multi-device, easy-to-use app development solution to create true native apps for PCs, tablets, and smartphones and get them to market and to users fast.
  • C++Builder XE4 - C++BuilderR XE4 is the multi-device, standards-based app development solution for Windows and Mac using a single C++ codebase.
  • HTML5 Builder - HTML5 Builder is the developer force multiplier - the fastest way to deliver your web and mobile apps, using a single HTML5, CSS3, PHP and JavaScript codebase.
  • DB PowerStudio XE3.5 Dev Edition (in Ultimate edition only) - DB PowerStudio provides fast SQL database development, database change management, SQL profiling, and SQL tuning.
  • ER/Studio 9.5 Developer Edition (in Architect edition only) - ER/Studio helps data architects discover, document, and re-use data assets and gives you the power to easily reverse-engineer, analyze, and optimize existing databases.
  • InterBase XE3 Developer Edition and InterBase XE3 ToGo (in Professional edition and above) - InterBase Developer Edition provides developers with the best cross-platform database to build and test database applications for embedded and SME applications.
  • IBLite database for iOS with free deployment license (in Professional with Mobile Add-On, Enterprise, Ultimate and Architect editions) - Use this new edition of InterBase in your iOS apps and deploy free. InterBase ToGo for iOS is also available (sold separately) for developers who want a more feature rich database to embed in their apps.
  • Additional Tools - RAD Studio includes a comprehensive set of additional tools to help you do more than ever before:
    • FastReport VCL 4 RAD edition from Fast Reports so you can quickly design and generate reports
    • Documentation Insight Express from DevJET Software helps you visually read and write XML documentation in the Delphi IDE
    • TeeChart Standard from Steema provides quick and easy-to-use charting components
    • VCL for the Web (IntraWeb) from AtoZed is a complete RAD Web Application framework
    • CodeSite Express logging tools for building quality applications
    • AQtime Standard from SmartBear for performance profiling
    • Beyond Compare Text Compare lets you view differences between source files
  • Partner Software - RAD Studio users have access to a variety of free and trial editions of tools and components from Embarcadero Technology Partners accessible online from the Embarcadero developer network.

Embarcadero Prism was available in earlier versions of RAD Studio. It is not included in RAD Studio XE4. 

All editions of RAD Studio support mobile development for iOS with Delphi and web-based mobile app development with HTML5 Builder.

DataSnap Mobile Connectors are available in Enterprise edition and above.

When developing for iOS, you will also need a Mac computer for development and running in the simulator. You will need an Apple Developer account to test and deploy to iOS devices. Additional details are available in the online and product documentation.

Yes, the new 64-bit compiler is now included in RAD Studio XE4.

FireDAC provides easy-to-use, high performance, multi-device enterprise database connectivity for Delphi, C++Builder and RAD Studio. With its powerful universal architecture FireDAC enables direct access from your Windows and Mac applications to Oracle, SQL Server, InterBase, DB2, Firebird, SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Anywhere, Advantage DB, Access, Informix, DataSnap and more. And now, access to IBLite, InterBase ToGo and SQLite databases from your Delphi iOS apps. In addition to blazing speed and universal access, FireDAC also supports vendor specific database features as well as deployment across multiple client operating systems and device platforms.

FireDAC for Windows, Mac and iOS is available for download at no charge from http://cc.embarcadero.com/reg/rad_studio for registered users of Enterprise, Ultimate and Architect editions of RAD Studio XE4.

FireDAC for iOS is available for download at no charge from http://cc.embarcadero.com/reg/rad_studio for users of RAD Studio XE4 Professional.

RAD Studio XE4 Professional edition users can purchase the FireDAC Client/Server Add-On Pack to add client/server and remote database connectivity to their Windows and Mac apps. More information is available at http://www.embarcadero.com/products/rad-studio/firedac .

Yes. With RAD Studio XE4, you also get access to licenses for older versions - Delphi XE3, Delphi XE2, Delphi XE, Delphi 2010, Delphi 2009, Delphi 2007, and Delphi 7, C++Builder XE3, C++Builder XE2, C++Builder XE, C++Builder 2010, C++Builder 2009, C++Builder 2007, C++Builder 6, RadPHP XE2, and RadPHP XE. See the RAD Studio Previous Versions web page for further details.

No. They are considered part of your XE4 license and are tied to your user account. They cannot be given away or sold.

Your earlier version license and the XE4 you upgrade to are considered one named user license that covers both versions. If you already own an earlier version and go to the web page and request the same version license, you will just get a re-send of your existing serial number.

Some of those earlier products are only available in Professional and Enterprise editions.

Version 2006 included some third party licensed code that we are no longer able to ship. Delphi 6, C++Builder 5 and earlier were discontinued years ago and we don't have plans to bring them back.

Those versions used an earlier version of our licensing technology. We are looking at offering those older versions as apps in a future version of AppWave.

It could be a little confusing for some customers when they purchase RAD Studio XE4 and receive twelve different serial numbers and download links. We tried to keep it simple by just delivering the XE4 license and allowing them to request the other licenses as needed.

We can't guarantee that the older versions will be available indefinitely so you should be sure to download your earlier version software and licenses within 180 days.

The earlier versions are available in English, French, German and Japanese. For versions 2007 and later, there is a single download and you choose the language at install time. For version Delphi 7 and C++Builder 6, there are separate downloads for each localized version.

Delphi for .NET is no longer available and is not available as part of the older version downloads.

If you want to go beyond Windows application development with additional development tools and a complete set of database tools, Embarcadero All-Access is the solution for you.

Embarcadero All-Access provides all the application development and database tools you need-when you need them-across all major platforms, frameworks, and programming languages. It's the single, cost-effective toolbox solution for developers, architects, performance testers, and DBAs.

All-Access provides you with industry-leading database tools, including DBArtisanR, Rapid SQLR, ER/StudioR, and many more. It also provides powerful application development tools, including DelphiR, JBuilderR, C++BuilderR, the InterBaseR database, and more.

Support and Maintenance can be purchased at the time you purchase your RAD Studio product or upgrade. The support and maintenance agreement gives you a year of upgrades (including major and minor upgrades) and a specified number of support incidents. See the Support dropdown menu item of our web site for additional information.

With Support and Maintenance, you get the latest feature updates and upgrades as they are released. The mobile functionality in RAD Studio may have frequent upgrades and feature updates. Support and Maintenance is generally the most cost effective way to stay up-to-date with the latest versions.

Updates and additional software for RAD Studio users are available on the registered users download page at http://cc.embarcadero.com/reg/rad_studio . More major new feature upgrades are available only to users with current maintenance agreements. Notifications for those upgrades are delivered via email and the upgrades can be downloaded via the Maintenance Portal web site by following the instructions in the email.

RAD Studio is available in English, French, German and Japanese. The installer lets you choose any combination of languages and it's easy to switch between languages in the IDE.

RAD Studio XE4 is available with multiple licensing options including:

  • Individual named user licenses delivered via electronic software delivery (ESD) as a download and serial number. Discounted 5-packs and 10-packs are also available
  • Network Named and Concurrent user licenses managed using Embarcadero AppWave and provide the additional flexibility of managing licenses on a license server plus software provisioning
  • Network licenses managed by Flexera FlexNet are available on a special request basis
  • Academic individual licenses for students and educators as well as volume licenses for classroom use

The Academic edition can be used only for learning in an academic or classroom environment. Educational institutions cannot use the academic version to produce software for use within their institution. Academic licenses don't qualify for upgrade pricing to commercial licenses.

  • Special discounted upgrades are available for RAD Studio XE3 users to upgrade to RAD Studio XE4 at the same edition level (i.e. Enterprise to Enterprise, Ultimate to Ultimate)
  • Professional edition upgrade eligibility - Upgrade pricing is available to registered owners of 2010-XE3 versions of RAD Studio, Delphi or C++Builder.
  • Enterprise edition upgrade eligibility - Upgrade pricing is available to registered owners of 2010-XE3 versions of RAD Studio, Delphi or C++Builder; Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate or Architect editions.
  • Ultimate edition upgrade eligibility - Upgrade pricing is available to registered owners of 2010-XE3 versions of RAD Studio, Delphi or C++Builder; Enterprise, Ultimate or Architect editions.
  • Architect edition upgrade eligibility - Upgrade pricing is available to registered owners of 2010-XE3 versions of RAD Studio, Delphi or C++Builder; Enterprise, Ultimate or Architect editions.

Academic products do not qualify for upgrade pricing.

InterBase XE3 Developer Edition is InterBase XE3 Server licensed for up to 20 users and 80 logical connections. The InterBase software is automatically installed with a default install of Delphi or C++Builder in RAD Studio XE4 and licensed with your RAD Studio XE4 serial number. An InterBase ToGo developer license is also included in your RAD Studio XE4 license. You can deploy InterBase on a server for testing purposes using the deployment testing serial number included as part of your RAD Studio XE4 order delivery email. This is not available for AppWave Network license users.

When you're ready to deploy applications using InterBase, Embarcadero offers a variety of editions (Desktop, Server and To-Go) and a variety of licensing options (flexible server licensing, multi-packs and OEM licensing). Contact Embarcadero Sales or partners for more information. See the license terms in the Delphi license.rtf file for additional licensing details.

To obtain your free IBLite deployment license, use the IBLite serial number in your order delivery email and follow the instructions to generate a license file that you will use to distribute IBLite with your iOS applications.

Embarcadero RAD Studio XE4 is the newest version in the studio product line. Earlier versions were named Embarcadero RAD Studio XE3, Embarcadero RAD Studio XE2, Embarcadero RAD Studio XE, Embarcadero RAD Studio 2010, CodeGear RAD Studio 2009, CodeGear RAD Studio 2007, and Borland Developer Studio 2006.

The open source project is http://sourceforge.net/projects/radstudioverins/ . The repository for the open source code is available from the "Code" tab when you're logged in to SourceForge web site or at https://radstudioverins.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/radstudioverins/trunk/ .

See the Supported Versions List for the latest information by version.

Technical Questions

For answers to technical questions on Delphi, C++Builder, and HTML5 Builder, see the FAQs for each of those product.