Merlin Launched at Borland Developers Conference in Nashville.
NOTE: Merlin requires three Borland Packages that ship with Delphi3. If you have Delphi 3 installed, or have another product which installedthe Borland packages, then all you need is the Merlin download file. However,if you don't have these packages installed, you also need to download theBorland Packages zip file and unzip the Package into your Windows systemdirectory. Download the Borland Packages by clicking here(773 KB).
Merlin Feature List and Pricing
Merlin is a wizard manager for Delphi 2.0, 3.0 and Version 1.0 of C++Builder
Merlin manages Wizards/Experts, written to the Merlin API in any Windowsprogramming language that can generate COM interfaces or DLL's, at runtime. Wizards/Experts may be loaded/unloaded at will, they may be residentwith no user interface or the more traditional style with a menu interface.Merlin has it's own menu under which the experts that Merlin controls areplaced, sub menus are used to allow easy and logical grouping of Wizard/Expertsby type and function.
The Merlin API hides the complexity of the Borland expert interface,whilst introducing new alternate interface methods, allowing almost anyoneto write a Wizard/Expert and blend it in within the IDE. Merlin is suppliedwith a Wizard Wizard to generate the source shell files ( in Pascal onlyat the moment ) and several example wizards along with their source code.
Wizard/Expert authors have full rights to distribute the Merlin packagealong with their own Wizards/Experts, there are no fees or royalties attachedto this process.
Many of the Merlin wizards can be run outside the IDE, seven of themhave shell extensions that will appear on the 'right click' menu in theexplorer. As an example you can Grep a folder by selecting it in the explorer,right clicking and selecting the Grep option from the menu, you can evenselect a bunch of files and Grep those using a similar method.
The current list of Wizards/Experts is as follows, click on a wizardname for a brief overview or click hereto download the Merlin help files.
| Wizard/Expert | Overview |
| AutoSave | A Resident Wizard that will automatically save yourcurrent project ( DFM and source files ) maintaining the last x copiesas backups. |
| Character Map | Similar to the Windows version with source includedas a demonstration of how to write a Wizard to the Merlin API |
| CompiledUnits | This expert will show you a list of all the units compiledinto an executable, along with their code and data size. |
| Clipboard | Six clipboard pads hooked into the Delphi clipboard.You can easily select the target pad, have text inserted into, appendedto or overwriting the current contents, contents will be saved and restoredinter-session. |
| Debug | Debug window allowing debug information to be displayedas you application is running, useful when you don't want the IDE aroundat run time. |
| ExeViewer | Displays the DLL's and drivers ( including what wascalled ) used by an executable file, for Delphi 3.0 we also display allof the packages and calls used together with a list of the units compiled. |
| ExpertManager | A experts manager for the older style Experts, dragand drop enabled, a far easier way of controlling experts than hackingabout in the registry. |
| FavouriteFiles | An easy to use treeview style list of favourite filesyou use, handles source files, help files and executables, double clickto load or run. |
| Fileson Path | Will find all the files on the Delphi/C++Builder librarypath or the DOS path. Wildcards can be used, can optionally display justthe duplicates, displays version information if present. |
| FileViewer | Multiple pad File Viewer, will view files of any size,hex mode, find capability, clipboard enabled. |
| Functionsand Procedures | Will display a list of all the Function and or Proceduresin a PASCAL source unit, double click to load the file and jump directlyto the line. |
| Grep | A really fast full featured Grep, hooked to the Delphi/C++Buildereditor, although designed to scan textural files, you may also scan binaryfiles, even Delphi form files. The speed of Grep has been improved overthe Triplex version, it now ranks amongst the fastest around in the Windowsworld. |
| Menu Browser | A menu browser for you IDE, shows all of the menu itemsin the IDE and there shortcuts, useful for resolving shortcut conflicts. |
| MessageBox/DlgWizard | Easy way of setting up a call to the Windows MessageBoxor Delphi MessageDlg. Set the text and title, pick the buttons, choosethe type , test it and then when you happy, we generate the code and insertit directly into your source. |
| Notepads | Multi-page notepad, based on the well tried and provenORPHEUS editor, need I say more. |
| ProjectManager | Full featured treeview style project manager, one ofthe most popular of the Triplex experts. |
| ResourceEditor | Full featured Resource Editor and compiler for Delphi/C++Builder.Handles Version, String, Icon, Bitmap, Cursor and Message Tables resources,maintains a project history and now even generates the history as HTMLfor web sites. |
| ResourceViewer | Resource viewer for Windows executables. Will allowyou to browse and extract any windows resource from an executable includingDelphi Forms. |
| Wizard Wizard | Generates the shell files for writing a Merlin Expert. |
Merlin will retail for 149 US Dollars ( 99 UKP ), site licensing andsliding rates will be available. For those of you attending the BorlandDevelopers Conference a special conference rate will be available.
If you have any questions about Merlin email MerlinTheWizardor Mike Scott and we will doour best to answer them.