ExpressNavigationPack 24.2

Released: Dec 12, 2024

Mises à jour de 24.2

Fonctionnalités

RAD Studio 12.2 Support

  • DevExpress VCL libraries (starting from v24.1.6) officially support Embarcadero's newest IDE (Delphi 12.2 and C++Builder 12.2 - 32 and 64 bit).

Modern 64-bit C++ Compiler Support

  • Added support for modern C++ compiler-related features.
  • The new toolchain targets Windows 64-bit Intel apps, and is based on Clang 15, with a new STL, a new C++ runtime, and uses the Windows Universal C Runtime (UCRT.) It has a new linker, and uses the COFF and PDB object and debug file formats.
  • All binaries (the compiler, linker, etc.) are 64-bit EXEs, meaning they can handle large memory requirements.

Deprecation of XE7 and XE8 Support

  • The DevExpress VCL installation no longer supports XE7 and XE8 (RAD Studio Delphi and C++Builder IDEs). To install DevExpress VCL v24.2.1 (and later versions), you must upgrade to RAD Studio 10 Seattle or newer.

Hybrid VCL Development Proof of Concept

  • Hybrid apps (apps that appear as native apps for a given platform but rely on JavaScript (JS) or other technologies inside) are becoming more and more prevalent in the marketplace. DevExpress have added a new GitHub demo application illustrating the benefits of hybrid VCL development - apps that rely on a WebView component (an embedded web browser) within a native container app for Microsoft Windows. VCL developers can configure this JS widget using Delphi code and integrate JS HTML Editor commands with the VCL Ribbon control. The editor can also switch between light and dark CSS DevExtreme themes in response to changes between corresponding DevExpress VCL Skins and Palettes.

Performance Enhancements

  • Includes the following performance-related enhancements (most apply to VCL apps used on 4K or high-resolution displays):
    • Faster Rendering for Vector-Based Skin Elements - Up to 40%. Primary optimizations involve use of color fill instead of rendering SVG images (applies to all vector-based skins). Enhancements include the following:
      • Approximately 20% rendering improvements for single-color skin elements.
      • Up to 40% improvement for WXI and WXI Compact skins (depending on controls used on form).
    • Faster Rendering of Different Sized Vector-Based Skin Elements - Up to 50%
      • Includes rendering improvements for different sized vector skin elements (such as form borders, bar/ribbon backgrounds, etc). As a result, DevExpress-powered user interfaces are now more responsive: zero or reduced flickering during initial paint operations, window resizing, or moving to a different display. The larger the area of an element, the bigger the improvement. This applies to about 10% of all skin elements. In the tests, rendering speed improved 10% to 50% (depending on controls and skin elements painted on a form).
    • WXI Compact Optimizations
      • Improved rendering time by 5-12%.
    • Dark Skins
      • The key optimization is to delay main form display and skin system color (white) fill.
    • Faster Built-in and User Skin Loading
      • Fixed EXIF-related issues, which slowed down SVG element loading from skins for certain usage scenarios.
      • Added a cache when loading user skins from files. As a result, apps relying on custom skins execute much faster.
      • Skins can also be switched using the DevExpress VCL Skin Selector without delays at runtime.

Accessibility Enhancements

  • Accessibility has been one of the main priorities over recent release cycles. Accordingly, DevExpress created a new Microsoft UI Automation (UIA)-powered engine and base component API/infrastructure for ongoing accessibility-related enhancements.
  • In v24.2, the UIA-powered engine replaced deprecated MSAA support in Bars and Navigation Bar.
  • Accessibility-related initiatives are continuously developed for future releases and will include the VCL Data Grid, Tree List, Scheduler, Pivot Grid, and other data editors/data-aware controls.

Layout Control

  • Layout Splitter
    • Close and Open methods were added for TdxLayoutSplitterItem (along with corresponding OnClosed and OnOpened events).
    • The new IsClosed flag allows you to determine TdxLayoutSplitterItem state.
    • The new OnMoved event provides information about splitter-related operations.
    • New GetFarItem and GetNearItem methods for TdxLayoutSplitterItem are designed to provide access to both far/near adjacent layout items.

Skin Editor

  • Usability Enhancements
    • It is now easier to locate VCL Skin elements, use Ctrl+Click key combination to display a list of target UI elements (recommended). You can also use the Highlight Element menu command to highlight a skin element within the Skin Editor preview (replicates the WinForms implementation).

Skins

  • Application-Wide Skins and Associated Global Settings
    • DevExpress Project Settings dialog displays Vector Skins at the top of the Available Skins list view (Raster Skins are displayed in a separate category and disabled by default).
    • You can use the Project Settings dialog to specify a DevExpress Skin and default palette name (WXI Compact is enabled by default) for your project.
    • This new dialog and the Object Inspector allow you to add a single dxSettings file and maintain skin/global app settings in one location (no need to duplicate skin registrations in your units under uses).
  • DevExpress Skins Are No Longer Applied to Non-DevExpress Forms
    • Previously, if you did not wish to apply DevExpress VCL Skins to all controls/forms simultaneously, you could handle OnSkinControl and OnSkinForm events for TdxSkinController. With v24.2, you no longer need to write code for third-party forms/components when using standard VCL controls.
    • The DevExpress VCL Skin engine uses a predefined ignore list for application forms found in popular third-party UI components.