Fuss over Runtime and Design Time packages in Delphi

7
votes

I have seen that most of the components (VCLs) in Delphi are split in two parts.
1) DesignTime Package
2) RunTime Package

Why all this fuss. What difference does it make if both RunTime and DesignTime packages are united into one single Package?

I have never really been able to understand this separation logic.

So what is the logic behind this?

Once I had head someone mention that this distinction was made just to avoid adopting and following Component standards as laid down by Microsoft. Really there is no logic behind this.

Is this true?

3
delphiruntimepackagesvcldesign-time

3 Answers

12
votes

A. Some components have large and complex design-time features such as property editors, which you may not want to include in your run-time application.

B. Some component vendors do not want to licence their large and complex design-time features for royalty-free run-time use, but restrict them to use by developers only.

5
votes

If you had done a little bit of research, you'd have found this SO question asked less than 2 days ago...

As already explained the main reason is that you cannot include any Delphi Design unit in a runtime package. And there is no reason to bloat your executable with code that can only run within the IDE anyway.

4
votes
  1. Designtime stuff may use Delphi's internal units/packages to which you neither have source code nor are legally allowed to distribute in binary form.
  2. You probably don't want to make your application require Delphi to be installed on the user's computer.

The logic is to keep your own code separate from the "glue" code which makes it nice & easy to work with in the IDE.