DevExpress VCL Subscription Lanzamientos

Accessibility, Microsoft UI Automation, and Keyboard Navigation Enhancements

• VCL Data Grid: Master-detail tables, in-place edit forms, and summary/find/filter panels are now exposed as nested UIA nodes for the Data Grid control.
• VCL Tree List: Bands and summary/find/filter panels are now mapped to corresponding UIA nodes of the Tree List control.
• VCL Data Editors: DevExpress added UI Automation support for more in-place and standalone editors. Al newly supported editors allow you to customize UI automation node settings accessible via the Properties.Automation property.

VCL BI Dashboard (ExpressDashboards) - Official Release

• The Business Intelligence Dashboard product library (ExpressDashboards) is now ready for production use.
• New TdxDashboard Class
  • Use TdxDashboard APIs to generate and export content in headless/non-visual service applications.
• New Export Methods
  • In addition to ExportTo methods, TdxDashboard/TdxDashboardControl now include methods for exporting dashboard content directly to a file (PDF, XLSX, PNG, etc.). These methods accept a file path as the only parameter and do not require additional export options. Refer to the following help topic for additional information: Dashboard Export.
• VCL BI Dashboard Viewer Application Template
  • The new VCL Template Kit includes a template designed to create a BI Dashboard application from scratch with a few clicks. The newly generated RAD Studio project includes minimal component configuration, resources, and sample data.

VCL Report Designer & Viewer (ExpressReports) Enhancements

• TdxReportControl - An Embedded VCL Report Viewer for Non-Modal Forms, Tabbed MDI, Page & User Controls
  • The non-visual report generator component now ships with a new VCL Report Viewer UI control TdxReportControl. Place it on a form, tab, page, or other container to allow users to preview generated content, just like the ExpressReports Demo.
• PRNX Support - Save & Load Report Document Layouts with All Required Data
  • You can now use LoadDocument and SaveDocument methods to import/export report documents to/from PRNX. PRNX is a zipped XML that describes report layout structure and embeds all required data and images. This format offers additional flexibility for dynamic report generation usage scenarios (using or new TdxReportControl), compared to static/predefined report layouts (REPX) and PDF documents.
• New VCL Export Methods
  • In addition to ExportTo, the TdxReport component includes methods to export report content directly to a file (PDF, XLSX, PNG, etc.). These methods accept a file path as the only parameter and do not require additional export options. Refer to the following help topics for additional information: Report Export.
• VCL Report Viewer Application Template
  • The new VCL Template Kit includes a template that allows you to create a Report Viewer/Designer application from scratch with a few clicks. The newly generated RAD Studio project includes minimal component configuration, resources, and sample data.

Additional VCL Reports & BI Dashboard Enhancements

• TdxReport: Handle OnDesignerFormShow and OnViewerFormShow events to customize Report Designer and Report Viewer form settings. You can change caption, dimensions, position, and other settings as needed.
• TdxBackendDataSetJSONConnection: The new AutoRefreshData property allows you to increase data loading/value population speed if source VCL datasets (TDataSet descendants) remain unchanged during the current session.
• TdxBackendDatabaseSQLConnection: The new DefaultEnableCustomSql global option allows you to enable/disable custom SQL queries for all TdxDashboard/TdxDashboardControl and TdxReport/TdxReportControl components in your project. You can override this global setting at the component level using corresponding EnableCustomSql options.
• Also aligned TdxReport/TdxReportControl APIs with TdxDashboard/TdxDashboardControl components to ensure consistent functionality and behavior.
• API Simplification & Optimization
  • Enhanced initial Report and Dashboard component initialization flow so that explicit TdxDashboardControl.Timeout, TdxReport.LoadParametersFromReport, TdxReportParameters.LoadFromLayout calls are no longer necessary. In addition, DevExpress added OnExport events to all the components (instead of internal OnBrowserFileDownload).
• Developer Flow Simplification
  • Removed Show Content/Hide Content and Load Parameters From XXX design time options from TdxReport and TdxDashboardControl components. Dashboard and report components display content immediately after layout or parameter changes (WYSIWYG).

High DPI and Rendering/Performance

• Form resize performance on Windows 11 and WXI Compact is now 30 - 35% better for TdxRibbonForm (with rounded corners and other default settings).
• Optimized skinned forms and vector-based UI elements. As a result, the Mail Client demo forms are rendered 10 - 20% faster.
• The new TdxWindowFrame shadow behaves like the native OS shadow, but is up to 10x faster compared to the previous implementation. It includes an expanded resize zone, distinct rendering for active and inactive forms and is always applied on Windows 11 (and on Windows 10 for forms with square corners).

Fluent UI Support

• VCL Layout Control - Rounded Mode
  • The DevExpress Layout Control can now render rounded corners and padding around individual UI elements (layout groups and embedded controls) whenever the WXI or WXI Compact skin is used.
• VCL Office Navigation Bar Enhancements
  • The VCL Office Navigation Bar (TdxNavBarOfficeNavigationBar) can now serve as a side navigation or status panel (Microsoft Outlook-inspired).

VCL Template Kit

• v26.1 ships with a VCL Template Kit designed to quickly create common application types and frequently used UI forms. The Template Kit includes both project and form templates, allowing you to scaffold complete applications or add new forms and modules to existing projects. Like its DevExpress .NET counterpart, the VCL Template Kit addresses typical business usage scenarios (such as data-centric forms, master-detail layouts, and common navigation patterns).
• Available App Generation Options
  • VCL Application Builder: Allows you to build modular/multi-view applications from scratch - from selecting the desired navigation structure to adding one or more views with pre-configured DevExpress UI controls based on project requirements.
  • Toolbar/UI Application Templates: Generate a pre-configured blank form with a Ribbon or Toolbar UI, ready for integration with a DevExpress UI control.
  • UI Control-Specific Templates: Generate fully-functional app projects with a Ribbon UI/Navigation Bar and an integrated DevExpress UI control (BI Dashboard Viewer, Rich Text Editor, Spreadsheet, Scheduler, etc.).
  • Form Creation Templates: Add a pre-configured form with a Ribbon/Toolbar UI and a DevExpress UI control to an existing app project.

VCL BBCode-Inspired Rich Text Formatting Support

• Hints in BBCode-Formatted Text
  • You can now add hints to BBCode-formatted text using the new HINT markup tag. The tag can be combined with hyperlinks (to redefine hyperlink hints) and other markup tags.

RAD Studio v13.1 Support

• The most recent release (VCL v26.1.2+) officially supports recent versions of RAD Studio (Delphi 13.1 and C++Builder 13.1 for both 32-bit and 64-bit compilers).
• Native Windows on ARM Compiler (Arm64EC)
  • Windows ARM 64-bit support (introduced in RAD Studio 13.1) is available as a Community Technology Preview in the v26.1 release cycle. The ARM support includes installer and IDE integration along with basic/manual tests of the demos and internal apps.

ExpressBars Suite

• TdxRibbonStatusBar can be drawn incorrectly on a child MDI form.

ExpressEditors Library

• Shell Controls - Access Violation error may occur in the TdxCustomFileDialogHelper.SelectionChange method.
• TcxCustomButton.WMLButtonDblClk - LPARAM parameter is built incorrectly.

ExpressPDFViewer

• TdxPDFViewer freezes or throws the "Range Check Error" exception when specific documents with images are loaded.

ExpressLibrary

• Maximized MDI Child inherited from TdxForm is truncated.
• Skinned form shadow flickers when the window loses focus.

ExpressReports Suite

• EDOMParseError may occur on an attemt to load Report or Dashboard layout.

ExpressScheduler Suite

• TcxCustomSchedulerStorage.GetReminderEvents and TcxSchedulerEditingEventInfo.IsEventDeleted - Possible reminder-related performance issues may occur with large numbers of events.

ExpressSkins Library

• Cxlookandfeels namespace reference has an incorrect letter case in the dxSettings.cpp file in C++Builder projects.
• Maximized MDI Child inherited from TdxForm is truncated.
• Maximized skinned form's client area is truncated if its BorderStyle is bsSingle.
• Skinned form shadow flickers when the window loses focus.

ExpressBars Suite

• Access Violation error occurs on an attempt to close MDIChild if forms are TdxRibbonForm descendants.
• TdxBarManager - Access Violation error occurs on deleting an item in the Customization Form.

ExpressEditors Library

• It is not possible to select specific controls in a disabled TdxLayoutItem at design time in RAD Studio 11 Alexandria or newer.
• Skinned form with bsDialog border style has graphic artifacts in the caption when running on Windows 10.
• WXI - Calendar's selected date uses the same color as today's date.

ExpressLayout Control

• It is not possible to select specific controls in a disabled TdxLayoutItem at design time in RAD Studio 11 Alexandria or newer.

ExpressLibrary

• Skinned form with bsDialog border style has graphic artifacts in the caption when running on Windows 10.
• TdxBackendDataSetJSONConnection instances in Report or Dashboard Designer remain after they are deleted in TdxBackendDataConnectionManager.
• TdxDashboardControl's RefreshDashboard method does not refresh data.

ExpressPDFViewer

• 64-bit application with TdxPDFViewer freezes when specific documents are loaded.
• Specific PDF document's content may not be displayed.

ExpressPrinting System

• TdxSpreadSheetDocumentBasedReportLink - Error 135 occurs in Adobe Acrobat in document exported to PDF if the XLSX document contains cell fill pattern.

ExpressQuantumGrid Suite

• OnSummary event handlers are not stored in the DFM file if a summary item collection is empty.

ExpressReports Suite

• TdxBackendDataSetJSONConnection instances in Report or Dashboard Designer remain after they are deleted in TdxBackendDataConnectionManager.

ExpressScheduler Suite

• TcxSchedulerTimeGridView - Location caption of an event that does not have Message and takes multiple days is misaligned
• WXI - Calendar's selected date uses the same color as today's date.

ExpressSkins Library

• Skinned form with bsDialog border style has graphic artifacts in the caption when running on Windows 10.
• Skinned form's resize grip is too small when an application runs in the Remote Desktop Environment.
• WXI - Calendar's selected date uses the same color as today's date.
• WXI - Form border is too light in dark palettes.

ExpressVerticalGrid Suite

• Access Violation error sporadically occurs on an attempt to drag a row to the customization form.

ExpressBars Suite

• IDE freezes when attempting to assign a toolbar to TdxStatusBarPanel at design time if it is already assigned to QuickAccessToolbar.

ExpressEditors Library

• Down state is displayed as enabled for disabled TcxButton.
• Spelling Dialog does not display a previous word when the Undo Last button is pressed.
• cxImageComboBox - Images are stretched horizontally if the Properties.ShowDescriptions property is set to False.
• dxColorEdit - Editor shows a number if ColorValue is set to clNone.
• dxShellDialogs - Access Violation error may occur in TdxfrmCommonFileDialog.StoreExpandedState in specific environments.

ExpressMap Control

• TdxMapControl that uses HTTPS cannot use proxy.

ExpressPDFViewer

• Certain elements are missing in specific PDF documents.

ExpressQuantumTreeList Suite

• cxExportTLToXLSX and other export methods do not export footer summary cells.

ExpressSkins Library

• "Error *.rc 1 1: Expecting resource name or resource type name" occurs when a skin is being built and the "Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support" Windows option is enabled.
• Down state is displayed as enabled for disabled TcxButton.
• MDI child form's increase causes visual artifacts if the skin controller's FormCorners property is set to fcSmallRounded or fcRounded and the application runs under Windows 11.
• Unsupported definitions are generated for a custom skin.

ExpressSpellChecker

• Spelling Dialog does not display a previous word when the Undo Last button is pressed.

ExpressBars Suite

• IDE freezes when attempting to assign a toolbar to TdxStatusBarPanel at design time if it is already assigned to QuickAccessToolbar.

ExpressEditors Library

• Down state is displayed as enabled for disabled TcxButton.
• Spelling Dialog does not display a previous word when the Undo Last button is pressed.
• cxImageComboBox - Images are stretched horizontally if the Properties.ShowDescriptions property is set to False.
• dxColorEdit - Editor shows a number if ColorValue is set to clNone.
• dxShellDialogs - Access Violation error may occur in TdxfrmCommonFileDialog.StoreExpandedState in specific environments.

ExpressMap Control

• TdxMapControl that uses HTTPS cannot use proxy.

ExpressPDFViewer

• Certain elements are missing in specific PDF documents.

ExpressQuantumTreeList Suite

• cxExportTLToXLSX and other export methods do not export footer summary cells.

ExpressSkins Library

• "Error *.rc 1 1: Expecting resource name or resource type name" occurs when a skin is being built and the "Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support" Windows option is enabled.
• Down state is displayed as enabled for disabled TcxButton.
• MDI child form's increase causes visual artifacts if the skin controller's FormCorners property is set to fcSmallRounded or fcRounded and the application runs under Windows 11.
• Unsupported definitions are generated for a custom skin.

ExpressSpellChecker

• Spelling Dialog does not display a previous word when the Undo Last button is pressed.