Build a Simple VCL Application for MailChimp Data

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MailChimp FireDAC Components

Complete read-write access to MailChimp enables developers to search (Lists, Campaigns, Reports, etc.), update items, edit customers, and more, from Delphi and C++Builder Apps.

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How to build a simple VCL Application to view MailChimp data in RAD Studio using the CData FireDAC Components for MailChimp.

Embarcadero RAD Studio provides a development environment for Delphi and C++Builder applications. With the CData FireDAC Components for MailChimp, you gain access to live MailChimp data within RAD Studio, abstracting the data into tables, views, and stored procedures that can be used to retrieve and update MailChimp data. This article will walk through connecting to MailChimp and creating a simple VCL application with the Form Designer.

Creating a VCL Application for MailChimp Data

The following instructions show how to use the Form Designer to create a simple VCL Forms application that shows the basic FireDAC objects needed to connect to MailChimp from any application.

The following example populates a TDBGrid control.

  1. Create a new VCL Forms Application.
  2. Drop a TFDPhysMailChimpDriverLink and TFDConnection object onto the form.

  3. Double-click the TFDConnection object. The FireDAC Connection Editor is displayed. Select "CData.MailChimp" in the DriverId menu and configure the connection properties.

    You can set the APIKey to the key you generate in your account settings, or, instead of providing your APIKey, you can use the OAuth standard to authenticate the application. OAuth can be used to enable other users to access their own data. To authenticate using OAuth, you will need to obtain the OAuthClientId, OAuthClientSecret, and CallbackURL by registering an app with MailChimp.

    See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for a guide to using OAuth.

  4. Drop a TFDQuery object onto the form and set the properties below:

    • Connection - Set this property to the TFDConnection object, if this object is not already specified.
    • SQL - Click the button in the SQL property and enter a query.
    • Active - Set this property to true.
  5. Drop a TDataSource object onto the form and set the following property:

    • DataSet - In the menu for this property, select the name of the TFDQuery object.
  6. Drop a TDBGrid control onto the form and set the following property:

    • DataSource - Select the name of the TDataSource.

  7. Drop a TFDGUIxWaitCursor onto the form. This is required to avoid a run-time error.

You now have an executable application that displays the results of the SQL Query set in the TFDQuery object.