You can order Charlie Calvert's Delphi 4 Unleashed from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (with a discount).
Note that I get a small commision for each on-line order (so thanks in advance for those of you who order(ed) Delphi 4 Unleashed on-line from Amazon through the link on my website).
Delphi 4 Unleashed features a nice chapter on the WebBroker Technology (sometimes also called Web Modules) written by yours truly, for which the final master-detail example is now available here (this example had to be cut it in the editing cycle, because the book had too many pages already).
PART I - GETTING STARTED
- CHAPTER 1 - PROGRAM DESIGN BASICS
The Structure of This Book
The Sample Programs
Creating Well-Designed Programs
Notes on the Text of This Book
A Note to the Reader
Summary
- CHAPTER 2 - IDE AND VCL ENHANCEMENTS
Dockable Toolbars
Working with Tool Windows
Working with the Code Explorer
New Tools Found in Delphi 4
Docking Windows
Action Lists
Function Overloading
Dynamic Arrays
The implements Keyword
Summary
- CHAPTER 3 - POLYMORPHISM
Polymorphism from 20,000 Feet
Polymorphic Assignment Compatibility
Virtual Methods and Polymorphism
Polymorphism in the VCL
Summary
- CHAPTER 4 - EXCEPTION HANDLING
How I Approach Exceptions in the Chapter
The Theory Behind Exceptions
Exception Classes
Basic Exception Syntax
Raising Exceptions
Creating and Raising Your Own Exceptions
Reraising an Exception
try..finally Blocks
Streams, Exceptions, and Freeing Memory
Replacing the Default Exception Handler
Using Resources to Track Error Strings
Summary
- CHAPTER 5 - THREADS
Processes and Memory
Threads: A Simple Example
One Program, Multiple Threads
Working with Mutexes
Threads and the VCL
Thread-Safe Database Access
VCL Thread-Safe Objects
Using the TThread Object
Setting a Thread's Priority
Delphi Threads Revisited
Summary
PART II - CREATING COMPONENTS
- CHAPTER 6 - CREATING COMPONENTS: PART I
Component Theory
Creating Descendants of an Existing Component
Packages: Placing a Component on the Component Palette
Extending the Unleash Unit
Creating a Truly Useful Component
Summary
- CHAPTER 7 - CREATING COMPONENTS: PART II
Building Components from Scratch
The Clock Component
Creating Icons for Components
The Tools API: Property Editors and Component Editors
Nonvisual Components
The FindAllW Program
The CompDirs Program
TCCPickDirDlg
Component Templates
ActiveX Controls
Summary
PART III - DATABASE PROGRAMMING
- CHAPTER 8 - FIELDS AND DATABASE TOOLS
Getting Started with Relational Databases
Simple Set Logic: The Basis of Relational Databases
Rule Numero Uno: Create a Primary Key for Each Table!
Using Database Tools to Explore and Manipulate Tables
The Fields Editor
Calculated Fields
TDBGrid at Runtime
Working with TDBGrid Columns
Lookup Fields
Multirecord Objects
Summary
- CHAPTER 9 - FLAT-FILE REAL-WORLD DATABASES
The Sample Program in This Chapter
Designing an Application
Defining the Program's Appearance
Lookups: Working with the Category Field
Setting Up the Command Structure for the Program
Examining the "Rough Draft" of an Application
Creating Your Objects
Creating a Finished Program
Moving In and Out of Read-Only Mode
Sorting Data
Searching for Data
Filtering Data
Marking Files
Setting Colors
Working with the Registry
The Clipboard: Cut, Copy, and Paste
Summary
- CHAPTER 10 - RELATIONAL DATABASES
Data in the Real World
Examining the Relational Address Program
The Code for kdAdd
Inserting Data and Canceling Operations
Using the kdAddExplore Program
Summary
- CHAPTER 11 - WORKING WITH THE LOCAL INTERBASE SERVER
Getting Started with InterBase
Creating Databases
Exploring a Database with WISQL
Transactions
Cached Updates
Many-to-Many Relationships
Security and the InterBase Server Manager
Summary
- CHAPTER 12 - INTERBASE PROGRAMMING
About the Music Program
Designing the Music Program
Creating Indices on the Music Table
Generators, Triggers, and Stored Procedures
Server-Side Rules Versus Client-Side Rules
An Overview of the Interface for the Music Program
Working with Child Forms
The Code for the Music Program
Working with Data in the Music Program
Asking the Database a Question: An Abbreviated SQL Primer
Summary
PART IV - COM
- CHAPTER 13 - INTERFACES AND THE BASICS OF COM
Understanding COM Interfaces
An Introduction to Interfaces
The Theory Behind Interfaces
Creating and Using COM Interfaces
Advanced Interface Issues
Summary
- CHAPTER 14 - TCOMOBJECT, TTYPEDCOMOBJECT, AND TYPE LIBRARIES
Sample Programs
TComObject
Putting Commonly Used Interfaces in a DLL
Type Libraries and Querying Objects
Summary
- CHAPTER 15 - CREATING COM AUTOMATION SERVERS AND CLIENTS
Understanding OLE Automation Clients and Servers
Building a Simple COM Server and Client
IDispatch, Dual Interfaces, and Dispinterfaces
Type Libraries
Ignoring Parameters with EmptyParam
Registration Issues
Marshaling Data Automatically
Getting Two or More Interfaces from One CoClass
Summary
- CHAPTER 16 - USING DELPHI TO AUTOMATE WORD AND EXCEL
System Requirements for Automating Office Applications
Getting Started with Delphi and Excel
Understanding Excel Automation Objects
Sharing a Chart Between Excel and Word
Copying Data from Excel to Word
Summary
PART V - INTERNET
- CHAPTER 17 - INTERFACES AND INTERNET EXPLORER
Comparing Variants and Interfaces
Files Needed in This Chapter
Working with Word and Excel
Working with IE and TWebBrowser
Placing an ActiveX Control Within a Browser
Summary
- CHAPTER 18 - THE WEBBROKER: CGI AND ISAPI
Web Modules
Web Server Application Wizard
WebBroker Components
IntraBob
TPageProducer
TDataSetPageProducer
Browsing State
Advanced Page Producing
TDataSetTableProducer
Database Web Application Wizard
TQueryTableProducer
Summary
- CHAPTER 19 - WININET AND FTP
Understanding WinINet, FTP, and TCP/IP
Some Notes on Installing TCP/IP
FTP Using WinINet
Using the FTP Control in a Program
Summary
PART VI - DISTRIBUTED PROGRAMMING
- CHAPTER 20 - DCOM
COM and Distributed Architectures
A Simple DCOM Client and Server
Revisiting the SystemInformation Program
Lightweight Remote Datasets
Program Data and Automation Data
Testing the Remote Debugging System
Summary
- CHAPTER 21 - MIDAS
An Overview of Multitier Computing
Technology Details: Using Distributed Datasets
Building a Simple MIDAS Application
Building a One-to-Many Application
Building a Remote Data Client Application
Error Handling
Server-Side Logic Versus Client-Side Logic
Required DLLs
Using OLEnterprise
Summary
- CHAPTER 22 - ACTIVEFORMS
Introduction to ActiveForms
Building an ActiveForm
Deploying an ActiveForm for Use in Internet Explorer
Working with CAB Files and Packages
Running an ActiveForm in Word
Using Templates with ActiveForms
Sockets and ActiveForms
Summary
- CHAPTER 23 - MTS
What Is MTS?
How Do I Install MTS?
Creating a Simple MTS Server
Creating a Simple MTS Client
Calling the Object Locally
Registering an Object with MTS
Calling the Object Remotely
Creating a Simple MTS Database Server
Creating a Simple MTS Database Client
Working with MTS Transactions
Building an MTS Example That Spans Multiple Servers
The Code for the Rocket Program
Summary
- CHAPTER 24 - CORBA
Understanding CORBA
Two Important CORBA Repositories
Simple CORBA Objects
Understanding the IDL Interface to the Server
Simple CORBA Dynamic Project
Simple CORBA Database Objects
Working with the VisiBroker Manager and OSFind
Summary
- CHAPTER 25 - DELPHI, JAVA, AND C++
Using CORBA with Delphi and Java
Calling a Java Server from Delphi
Calling a Delphi CORBA Server from C++Builder
Summary
PART VII - GAME PROGRAMMING
- CHAPTER 26 - VCL GRAPHICS CLASSES
The Windows GDI and the VCL TCanvas
The VCL Makes Graphics Programming Easy
Working with TCanvas
Exploring and Using Brushes
Exploring and Using Pens
Exploring and Using Fonts
Exploring and Using TCanvas.PenPos
Exploring and Using TCanvas.ClipRect
Exploring and Using TCanvas.CopyMode
Exploring and Using TCanvas.Pixels
Exploring and Understanding the TCanvas Methods
MainBrush Sample Code
A Line by Any Other Name
Looking Deeper into the VCL
Palettes
An In-Depth Look at Image File Formats in Windows
Exploring TPaintBox and TImage
A Bit More About Bitmaps
Summary
- CHAPTER 27 - DIRECTDRAW
Understanding DirectDraw
A Simple DirectDraw Program
Deallocating Interfaces
Smooth Animation
Working with Bitmaps
Game Resources
Summary
- CHAPTER 28 - MORE DIRECTX TECHNOLOGIES
DirectSound
Creating a DirectX Game
A Brief Look at Direct3D
Key 3D Technologies
Summary
INDEX
