I've been looking at the current state of web application development

For example, we use an application I wrote using Delphi 5 and DBISAM that allows our sale reps to submit their monthly expenses. This works by letting the rep enter expenses into a DBISAM database, which is then copied using FTP to a web server. The managers in head office can then download the database and process the expenses.

I was going to redo this application in Delphi 2010, but it became obvious to me that this application would be better using a web application and a central database. I'm torn between using a traditional PHP application, or using the more modern HTML5/CSS3/Javascript/JQuery/AJAX method. Using this second method is quite involved, but it allows me to more or less imitate my Delphi desktop application. This is where EWB is of great interest to me becuase it cuts out most of the tedious HTML/Javascript programming.

One of the concerns I have is being able to process records selected from a list, or grid. In my case, I have a list of unpaid expenses for a rep. I need to be able to select just the expenses from the list that have been approved, and then update a database table. I could probably use a JQuery based grid control (similar to an advanced TStringGrid), but I was hoping that EWB has an easier way of doing this.

Richard,

<< I was going to redo this application in Delphi 2010, but it became
obvious to me that this application would be better using a web application
and a central database. I'm torn between using a traditional PHP
application, or using the more modern HTML5/CSS3/Javascript/JQuery/AJAX
method. Using this second method is quite involved, but it allows me to more
or less imitate my Delphi desktop application. This is where EWB is of great
interest to me becuase it cuts out most of the tedious HTML/Javascript
programming.

One of the concerns I have is being able to process records selected from a
list, or grid. In my case, I have a list of unpaid expenses for a rep. I
need to be able to select just the expenses from the list that have been
approved, and then update a database table. I could probably use a JQuery
based grid control (similar to an advanced TStringGrid), but I was hoping
that EWB has an easier way of doing this. >>

You'll be able to easily do this via the TGrid component in EWB when it's
done.  It will support data-binding, and you'll be able to use checkbox
controls in the grid for editing.  The TGrid will bind to the TDataSet
component, and it works just like a TDataSet in Delphi, for the most part.
Once the changes are done, you can then send them over to the back-end web
application using a simple TServerRequest call.  You can use a TDataSet for
basic navigation and binding to all other controls except for the TGrid
right now in the latest build that I just uploaded.

--
Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com