Handling a Unicode String in Delphi Versions <= 2007

Question

Background: This question relates to versions of Delphi below 2009 (ie without Unicode support built in). I have a specification that requires me to transmi

Answer 1

I built a full unicode application without using Delphi 2009 (prior to it's release).

I have used the following:

1. Use widestring as main string datatype.

2. Used database component with unicode support(ADO use widestring too, but I didnt' use it cuz it doesn't handle unicode field names).

3. Used free TNTControls for the UI, worked fine but it's same as Standard controls, don't have much features like other third party's controls.

4. I have setup a VM with different language, so I can test the version in different system that doesn't support my language.

5. FastReport was my reporting tool which support Unicode too.

also I have used DIConverters from Delphi Inspiration to convert a database from ansi to UTI8 with it's functions, you can use it for the conversion from/to UTF8, and it's freeware;-)

there's also an open source project Delphi fundamentals, which have usefual function for unicode.

but I think, if you could use D2009 for full support unicode, your work will be much easier and faster, because you will not use a slow widestring data type, and you will find most of third party offered a Unicode version or working now on it.