I like Borland Delphi. It's a powerful development language that has served
me well for many years.
But sometimes it's not up to the task. Sometimes it really SUCKS! (or
perhaps I'm just too stupid!)
A fairly normal task, these days, it seems to me, is to programatically grab
a file from a secure web site, supplying the appropriate password and
parameters. Delphi should have a couple of functions, called
GetFileFromSite() and GetFileFromSiteSSL(). It does not. Instead it offers
only mysteries, headaches, and nightmares.
Here is my experience: Last November 30 I tried to find functions such as
this, I failed to do so, so I hopped on the
borland.public.delph.language.general forum to ask for advice. I was
advised to install INDY and use the INDY TIdHTTP component. So I did so.
The INDY 9 component eventually worked great for a non-SSL http test site.
But it crapped out with the SSL https site.
In the first half of December I experienced serious problems installing INDY
10. Eventually I was successful installing INDY 9. I eventually got to the
point where my code worked fine for a non-SSL site... and by the time March
2005 arrived, I was advised to try a different forum -
borland.public.delphi.internet.winsock. But I still couldn't grab a file
from a secure site, despite the better forum choice.
I was unaware of any documentation that might help me. In retrospect
perhaps I should have purchased a book or something, but at the time I
simply wanted to make a single web call to enhance my application. I had no
interest in becoming an expert in something called INDY, which I cared
nothing about. And I knew of no book or documentation anyway. The forum
request and response solution seemed right, despite months of failure with
this approach. So I kept trying.
The code is different between INDY 9 and INDY 10. So I lost months trying
to use code that would only work with INDY 10. When I finally got this
straightened out, I was informed via a forum response that the INDY 9
installation was insufficient to achieve the function call that I needed.
Apparently, due to "export restrictions", I needed not only to install INDY
9 but I also needed to download some SSL DLL files. I was referred to the
INDY site and tried the "Download" link. I opened an assortment of ZIP
files, none of which contained any actual files for download.
To make a long story short, I have been trying with no success for almost 6
months to make a single Delphi function call that would enable me to grab a
simple XML text file from an https web site. In my opinion, Borland Delphi
should offer a function call - GetFileFromSiteSSL() - to empower this.
Instead, the Delphi community offers this incredible mystery (and headache
and nightmare) that takes who knows how many months to resolve (6+?). This
really SUCKS! Or perhaps I'm just too stupid?
I believe this to be a failure of the Borland Delphi programming language
and environment.
Well, I guess I will keep trying. Is there some documentation somewhere
that might finally resolve this mystery (and headache and nightmare)? Is
there a forum respondant that might be able to advise me? Thank you, if so.
I have posted messages on 11-30, 12-7, 12-8, 12-13, 12-14, 3-25, 3-30, 3-31,
4-12, and 5-13. I am posting this message on delphi.general and also on
delphi.internet.winsock.
Frustratedly yours, but thank you if you can advise me,
Dale F.
