🚀 go-pugleaf

Hi, Nick!

I have used both component sets. The pros and cons go like this:

Pro BDE:

Abstract association with a particular data set makes it easier to move
that data set with no code changes.

BDE components are less dependent on the specific DBMS, but are not
completely free of it unless you use TQuery exclusively.

BDE native drivers give you more control; the wrong MDAC on a
destination machine can mess you up.

Installing the BDE is something the install programs know how to do.
With ADO you are on your own.

Pro ADO

Program resets during development do not require a shutdown and restart
of the IDE (the BDE often causes an out of memory error if you do this).

ADO offers some features like timeouts that are not supported by the
BDE. It also is able to address special features of MS databases (which
you probably shouldn't be using anyway).

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What I did when confronted by a similar choice was to create a component
set with a conditional compilation to base the components on BDE or ADO
components. This allowed me to change a #define and use whichever I
chose. Obviously, you have to make some choices, however, and you can't
hide the differences entirely (so your code may have to have some
conditional compilation as well). But it can be a good alternative, if
you want to try the ADO components and have a fallback.

Well, I hope this helps.

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