Delphi - Why can't I install my component in 64Bit?

Question

I programmed a custom-component and tried to install it in my Delphi 10.1 environment.

I only had a .Pas-file.

I went to:

Components - Install-Components, selected my Unit which is in a new folder on my desktop -> made a new package in the same directory -> hit finish

now when I open my packege in the IDE and set the platform to windows 64Bit I can compile but not install my component.

my component is derived from the TEdit-control, don't know if this is relevant.

in my requires list are the following:

dbrtl.dcp
rtl.dcp
vcl.dcp
vclactnband.dcp
vcldb.dcp
vclx.dcp
xmlrtl.dcp

I'd really like to use my component in 32Bit-applications as well as 64Bit applications.

Other VCL-Controls provided by the IDE have no problem compiling in a 64Bit application, but my component is greyed out when I set my project to 64Bit.

I'm on win8.1 64Bit.

Answer 1

The IDE is a 32 bit process. Therefore you can only install 32 bit packages. However, the runtime, 64 bit programs can use your component. Either by linking it directly, or by runtime packages. In the latter case, you would need to supply a 64 bit runtime package.

This is covered in some detail by the documentation: http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/RADStudio/en/64-bit_Windows_Application_Development#Considerations_for_64-bit_Applications