Delphi Input/Output

Abstract

This chapter shows the real power of Delphi. This comes from using the full power of Microsoft Windows, especially when using 32-bit operating systems such as Windows 3.1 with Win32s, Windows 95 and Windows NT. These use Win32 which provides a standard programming model to allow a Windows program to run as a full 32-bit program. It also gives access to a great deal of advanced Windows functions (known as APIs — Application Programming Interface). Win32 has the following advantages: A 32-bit programming model for Windows 3.x that shares binary compatibility with Windows NT and Windows 95. The ability to produce an application program which can be used with Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 3.1x. Full OLE (object linking and embedding) support, including 16-bit/32-bit interoperability. OLE allows application programs to share data where an OLE server provides information for an OLE client. Improved performance with 32-bit operations. Access to a large amount of Win32 APIs (application programming interface) for Windows NT and Windows 95 (such as Windows, Menus, Resources, Memory Management, Graphics, File Compression, and so on). Win32 semantics for the application programming interface (API). Win32s is an operating system extension that allows Win32 applications for Windows NT and Windows 95 to run on Windows version 3.1x. At the heart of Win32s is a virtual device driver (VxD) and a number of dynamic-link libraries (DLLs). These extend Windows 3.1x to support Win32-based applications. On Windows NT and Windows 95 there is no need to distribute extra files, while Windows 3.x requires the installation of the Win32 files.