UniDAC

C++ Builder Development for Android and iOS

This chapter discusses the basics of developing database applications for iOS and Android in C++ Builder using UniDAC. C++ Builder supports iOS and Android application development since version XE6. You can access a database from iOS or Android in almost the same way you access it from Windows, but you should be aware of some aspects of connecting and deploying files to a mobile device when working with a local database. This article contains connection instructions and sample code for each database supported by UniDAC.

Connecting to a Database in Design-Time

To create an Android application that connects to MySQL, select File > New > Multi-Device Application – C++ Builder. Select Blank Application, then place the TUniConnection and TMySQLUniProvider components onto the form. Set the ProviderName property of TUniConnection to MySQL and assign values to the Username, Password, Server, and Port properties in the Object Inspector. You can test the database connectivity by setting the Connected property to True. If the values specified are correct, you will be able to view the list of available databases in the Database dropdown.

Compiling the Project

Select Project > Add to Project… and add the database provider library for Android 64-bit, which is located in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Devart\UniDAC for RAD Studio 10.3\Lib\Android64". For C++ Builder 10.3 Rio, the filename of the MySQL provider is libmyprovider260.a. Compile the project.

The table below contains database servers and their corresponding provider libraries for mobile application development in C++ Builder 10.3 Rio using UniDAC.

Database System Standard Edition Professional Edition
ASE libaseprovider260.a libtdsprovider260.a
SQL Server libmsprovider260.a libtdsprovider260.a
SQLite libliteprovider260.a
sqlite3.o
MySQL libmyprovider260.a
Oracle liboraprovider260.a
PostgreSQL libpgprovider260.a
InterBase ToGo libibprovider260.a
Amazon Redshift librsprovider260.a
libpgprovider260.a
xBase libdbfprovider260.a
libvquery260.a
sqlite3.o

Connecting in Run-Time

Put the needed providers onto the form and add their library files (similar to what you did in design-time). Note that despite having the same name, the provider libraries for Android and iOS are different and located in their respective folders:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Devart\UniDAC for RAD Studio 10.3\Lib\Android64"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Devart\UniDAC for RAD Studio 10.3\Lib\iOSDevice64"

Place the TUniConnection component onto the form or add the following lines to the header file:


#include "DBAccess.hpp"
#include "Uni.hpp"        

and the following lines to the .cpp file:


#pragma link "DBAccess"
#pragma link "Uni"

If you are planning to use a local database on a mobile device, add this line to the header file to get access to the IOUtils namespace.


#include <System.IOUtils.hpp>

ASE

ASE has no client for Android or iOS, therefore a connection to an ASE server can only be established directly via TCP/IP by setting the Direct property to True.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "ASE";
    Connection->Server = "server";
    Connection->Username = "user_name";
    Connection->Password = "password";
    Connection->Database = "database_name";
    Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["Direct"] = "True";
    Connection->Connect();
    ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

SQL Server

SQL Server has no MS SQL Native Client for Android or iOS, therefore a connection to SQL Server can only be established directly via TCP/IP by setting the Provider property to prDirect.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "SQL Server";
    Connection->Server = "server";
    Connection->Username = "user_name";
    Connection->Password = "password";
    Connection->Database = "database_name";
    Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["Provider"] = "prDirect";
    Connection->Connect();
    ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

SQLite

If you don’t deploy a database with your application, set the ForceCreateDatabase property to True to create a database file automatically when the user first launches your application.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "SQLite";
	Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["ForceCreateDatabase"] = "True";
	Connection->Database = System::Sysutils::IncludeTrailingPathDelimiter(
  	System::Ioutils::TPath::GetDocumentsPath()) + "db.sqlite3";
	Connection->Connect();
	ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

Oracle

Oracle has no client for Android or iOS, therefore a connection to an Oracle server can only be established directly via TCP/IP by setting the Direct property to True. To establish a connection to Oracle from Android or iOS, assign your host, port, and service name or system identifier to the Server property.

To connect using the service name, the format is as follows:


Server = "Host:Port:sn/ServiceName";
Server = "Host:Port:sn=ServiceName"; (deprecated format)

To connect using the SID, the format is as follows:


Server = "Host:Port:SID";
Server = "Host:Port:sid=SID"; (deprecated format)

If the port number is followed by a colon, and the service name prefix (sn=) or the SID prefix (sid=) is not defined, then by default, the connection will be established using SID. In majority of Oracle servers, the service name is the same as the SID. Consult the Oracle documentation for more information.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "Oracle";
	Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["Direct"] = "True";
	Connection->Server = "server:1521:orcl";
	Connection->Username = "user_name";
	Connection->Password = "password";
	Connection->Connect();
	ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

MySQL

MySQL has no client for Android or iOS, therefore a connection to a MySQL server can only be established directly via TCP/IP by setting the Direct property to True.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "MySQL";
	Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["Direct"] = "True";
	Connection->Server = "server";
	Connection->Port = 3306;
	Connection->Username = "user_name";
	Connection->Password = "password";
	Connection->Connect();
	ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

PostgreSQL

UniDAC supports only a direct connection to PostgreSQL, therefore there’s no property that instructs the client on how to connect to the server.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "PostgreSQL";
	Connection->Server = "server";
	Connection->Port = 5432;
	Connection->Database = "database_name";
	Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["Schema"] = "schema_name";
	Connection->Username = "user_name";
	Connection->Password = "password";
	Connection->Connect();
	ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

InterBase ToGo

You can connect to a local or remote InterBase ToGo database from iOS and Android devices. To connect to a local database, set the path to the database on the device. If you need to establish a connection to a remote server, specify the server address and database name.

Local


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "InterBase";
	Connection->Database = System::Sysutils::IncludeTrailingPathDelimiter(
	  System::Ioutils::TPath::GetDocumentsPath()) + "db.gdb";
	Connection->Username = "user_name";
	Connection->Password = "password";
	Connection->Connect();
	ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

Remote


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "InterBase";
	Connection->Server = "server";
	Connection->Database = "C:\db.gdb";
	Connection->Username = "user_name";
	Connection->Password = "password";
	Connection->Connect();
	ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

Amazon Redshift

UniDAC supports only a direct connection to Redshift, therefore there’s no property that instructs the client on how to connect to the server.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "Redshift";
    Connection->Server = "server";
    Connection->Username = "user_name";
    Connection->Password = "password";
    Connection->Database = "database_name";
    Connection->Port= 5439;
    Connection->Connect();
    ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

xBase

xBase databases don’t use the client-server model, therefore a connection to an xBase database can only be established directly via TCP/IP by setting the Direct property to True. To connect to an xBase database, set the path to the database and its format.


TUniConnection * Connection;

Connection = new TUniConnection(Form1);

try {
	Connection->ProviderName = "DBF";
    Connection->Database = "folder_name";
    Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["DBFFormat"] = "dfVisualFoxPro";
    Connection->SpecificOptions->Values["Direct"] = "True";
    Connection->Connect();
    ShowMessage("Connected successfully");
}
__finally {
	Connection->Free;
}

Deployment

The deployment path is different on Android and iOS. If you want to deploy your application to both platforms, make sure that the deployment paths are specified correctly for both Android and iOS. Despite having the same name, the providers for Android and iOS are different and located in their respective folders. Remember to replace the default value (".") of Remote Path with one of the values below.

C++ Builder Function Deployment Path Destination on Device
TPath::GetDocumentsPath .\assets\internal /data/data/com.embarcadero.MyProjects/files
TPath::GetSharedDocumentsPath .\assets /mnt/sdcard/Android/data/com.embarcadero.MyProjects/files
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