Is Delphi XE2 + Oxygene for Java a solid cross platform solution?

Question

This question is really about Delphi XE2 capabilities, but since this cross platform stuff is new (especially the Oxygene Java), I'm curious if anyone has tried to target all 4 platforms from one Delphi/C++ code base using the XE2 toolchain.

I have been considering returning to the Delphi family since it seems that Embarcadero has some features that suggest that one could target Windows/MacOS/iOS/Android with a single code base. I'm assuming that for the Android part you would need the newly released Oxygene for Java 'Cooper' release from REMObjects.

So my question is if I purchase RAD Studio XE2 (which includes Prism) and add onto it Oxygene for Java, will I have a platform to actually target all these OSes with a single code base? Will I have to use FireMonkey for the app, or can I still us VCL for cross-platform? Are there any examples of useful applications that have been developed for iOS/Android yet with XE2? (The demos and examples I've seen seem pretty simplistic).

Answer 1

Oxygene/Prism is a separate product from Delphi XE2 with a different, albeit similar, language. You can't use a single codebase shared between XE2 and Oxygene/Prism.

Embarcaderos plan's for iOS and Android will be based on their cross-platform Delphi compiler and the new FireMonkey libraries. The existing iOS support uses the FPC compiler but Embarcadero have stated that they are working on an ARM version of their Delphi compiler to replace that in future releases.

So, at the moment, of your 4 platforms, you can target Windows, MacOS and iOS with Delphi XE2/FireMonkey. But not Android, as of today.

With Prism/Oxygene you can target Windows, MacOS and Android (and Linux as it happens). Note however that there is nothing in the Prism/Oxygene akin to FireMonkey that allows you to write single source cross-platform GUI.

Answer 2

Java is also meant for multiple platforms, so why try harder?

I've tried xe2 and I am disappointed. For Android and iOS you have to use PHP XE2, and for Delphi and OS-X you have to use Delphi XE2, so it's not an integrated technology. Embarcadero should release a True Java IDE Technology.

I am a Pascal Developer, but I sit my ass on the chair and Learned Java in a feel days, so why they make it so hard to try!?

Eclipse is great, but imagine a Java compatible Delphi IDE...