I have a quite old Windows application (1998) which is no longer maintained by the author and I don't have its source code. This application in one of its windows has a dropdown list widget where the user can choose one of the 4 predefined values (numbers). I need to add new predefined values there or change the widget to something that lets me introduce any value (some edit field or editable combobox).
Some other data about the application:
Probably written using some Borland tools, I guess it uses BDE and Paradox as its database.
There is a file with .mme extension in the directory. I unpacked it and it contains 5 files: .data, .rdata, .rsrc, .sdata, .text. I viewed them in a hex editor and they contain some text data but I don't know how to look for those predefined values. Since they are numbers it's probable that I will find just some other numbers.
I tried using RedEdit and XN Resource Editor but they show only the icon and version info.
I know my question is kind of vague, but if I don't find any solution to this I will have to rewrite the whole program, so I'm asking just in case there is a solution.
It might be possible to write another app that looks for this program, gets a handle to the window owning the drop-down box (if t's a native windows component), and then gets a handle to the drop-down box and use the Windows SendMessage API to manipulate the contents of the drop-down box.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms632595(v=VS.85).aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms644950(v=vs.85).aspx
It might require so much effort that it may be better to just rewrite the app!
If it is written with Borland tools, you can probably find out which one by searching the EXE for the string "Borland" - there should be a copyright string somewhere.
Once you know, find someone with Borland tools experience and have her find out if those numbers in the drop-down list happen to come out of a database table. If they do, try modifying that table, if not, rewrite the app :)
Related
Just upgraded from Delphi XE to Tokyo, and was hoping for some updated IDE features.
One nice to have feature would be automatically providing options to add a unit to the uses clause. For example, if you reference something in code that isn't in a uses, it would be nice if the IDE prompted you to add the related unit(s).
For example, keeping it simple, in IntelliJ, you might declare a Button, but not yet have added the associated Library to the Import clause.
When this happens, the offending line is highlighted (just like in Delphi), but the IDE will let you add the necessary library with an Alt-Enter. If there are multiple libraries (it knows about it) it will prompt you for the one you want.
Anything like this for Delphi?
Delphi 2007 and later versions support this for most types that it knows about (in the search or library path). (It may have been available in D2005/2006; I don't have them installed anywhere now to check. I know it was not in Delphi 7.)
Put in the type, and use the Refactor menu (Refactor->Find Unit) or press Ctrl+Shift+A.
Here's an example:
It's not 100% effective, but it's a vast improvement over the old way.
(And yes, I know about TArray<string>, before someone chimes in. I just grabbed a quick type that I knew wouldn't be in the default VCL form uses clause for an example.)
I have deveoped a custom file type, together with a custom editor (basically a tree with several data pages attached and a few extra buttons). OK, I can run it stand alone and that is fine, and even add it to the tools menu, but I would like to integrate it into the Delphi IDE so that my custom editor (or a similar new version) appears in the IDE, rather like a DFM file has a custom editor. I can find references to most extensions in the Delphi IDE, but not this one. Any guiding hands? Note that this is not a property or component editor (the file type has nothing to do with either of these) nor is it simply syntax highlighting of a text file.
AFAIK it currently isn't possible to reliably integrate a custom editor into the Delphi IDE. The required API simply isn't there. See QC89028 Custom Module support.
During the Delphi 2010 and XE betas I spent most my spare time trying to get a resource editor integrated. Although the effort had the official blessing of Embarcadero and got some, half hearted, support from the IDE engineer, I was never able to get them to deliver on their promises and surface the module API. I eventually abandoned the project.
Update: I've now checked my old correspondence regarding this and it turns out part of the problem was that IOTAModuleCreator (used to implement File|New for custom file types) and IOTAEditorContent (used to transfer data to/from the custom module) only supports text data. Binary data gets mangled.
You can probably do this via an IDE plugin that uses the ToolsAPI (see ToolsAPI.pas in the IDE's source folder (e.g. Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\Studio\source\ToolsAPI\ToolsAPI.pas.)
For information on writing a plugin in general, see David G Hoyle's excellent blog. Once you know the basics - i.e., write a 'wizard' and get it to do something - you will need to work on integrating your editor.
I have never done this, and so I can't guarantee it is possible. However, some interfaces that look worth investigating and implementing are INTACustomEditorView, which represents a 'view' (file tab when that file is open - think the code editor, Welcome view, type library editor, etc) and IOTAEditorViewServices, to register your custom view. I do not know how you associate a view type with a file type, sorry - possibly something to do with the personality interfaces. You might also be interested in INTACustomEditorSubView which is what creates a tab on the bottom of a file.
Good luck, and if you find a solution please write here so that other people can learn too!
In Quickreport, when we click Save button, it will appears many option of extension (QuickReport file(.qrp), Excel spreadsheet (.xls), and so on).
I just need to display only QuickReport file as a filter extension option? Is it possible? I read QuickReport Help but found nothing.
Quickreport version 4.06
Find and delete (or comment out) the qrextra and qrhtml units in your uses clause, and remove the corresponding componnents (TQRXLSFilter, TQRExcelFilter, TQRHTMLDocumentFilter, TQRAsciiExportFilter, TQRCommaSeparatedFilter, TQRRTFExportFilter, and TQRWMFExportFilter) from any forms in your application. You'll find the full list of all of the available standard export filters in QRExport.pas.
(It's often important to include the version of any third party components you're using, particularly those that change drastically between versions such as QuickReports or Indy, in order to make it easier to answer your question.)
Some people are saying that I must update the controls in Win3.1 palette (especially TFilterComboBox) with modern ones. But does Delphi provide such new controls?
I need to create a GUI (somehow similar to Windows Explorer, consisting in a DirectoryListBox, FileListBox and a FilterComboBox) where I allow the user to easily explore for files of a specific type. Since the interface is centered around this Explorer, a TOpenDialog will be like hitting the customer with a hammer in the middle of his head. I need an 'easy to use' solution.
Unfortunately Shell Controls are not stable enough to be used as replacement.
The Shell Controls that come as a demo with Delphi only have to be installed, and you'll have some nice shell controls. There is, IMO, no big need to get 3rd party components for that.
Look for ShellCtls (or similar, can't check right now) in your demos folder. That Demos folder can be accessed from the Windows Start menu for your version of Delphi.
Update
They are not in a Demos folder, it is called Samples now. They can be found in Samples\Delphi\VCL\ShellControls. Install vclshlctrls.dproj first and then dclshlctrls.dproj.
In our application we use tpShellShock which works rather well. You may need to tweak it a little for Unicode Delphi, but if I recall correctly that was pretty simple to do.
Here's what it looks like:
Remember the old class hierarchy posters that used to come w/Delphi?
I'm wanting a full class hierarchy browser for ALL my Delphi classes, including the custom ones I've built and installed on the palette, plus third-party components. Ideally easily searchable by class name (including "whole word only" searches, so partial matches don't count).
I've only seen two things that come close:
1) GExpets Class Browser - Works great, BUT doesn't automatically load ALL installed components / classes, which is what I want. You have to import all the source units manually, as far as I can tell.... which can be quite a hassle. It also doesn't allow "whole word only" searches, so sometimes searching for a class w/a common "sub name" takes forever.
2) Eagle / DevExpress CDK - It loads the full class list automatically, and seems to work brilliantly, but it's only usable in D7 and prior, and it's not really focused on being a class browser per se, so much as an "inherit from" chooser.
Is there anything out there which does this already? If not, how difficult would it be to write an app that, at bare minimum, builds a self-referencing class-name table, so I could at least throw it into a database / treeview component to easily view inheritance / ancestry, etc.?
I think ModelMaker Code Explorer has this feature, but I don't use it
ESSModel is another nice class browser tool, and it's open source. I don't know if there's any way to get it to load a list of units automatically. Not sure, but you may be able to manually import all the units you want and then save that as a base project that you start from with all your individual projects. Not sure how performance would be with that much loaded, or how easy it to view the part(s) you want.
http://essmodel.sourceforge.net/
Assuming you need a Delphi IDE Expert (you've mentioned somewhere in your post: "...installed on the palette, plus third-party components"), DelphiDiver is good for you (Source code available on the DelphiPraxis, registration needed).
Look and feel:
If you feel like delving into the IDE in order to get more indepth details, click Inspect the IDE hence the name of the Expert (DelphiDiver) ;-)
Click Inspect the Packages so as to browse any other third party component(s) or whatever package(s)/component(s) you've installed.
It makes use of the advanced RTTI and requires Delphi 2010 version onward.
I've personally installed it using Delphi XE on my box.
I hope it can serve as a base for the more focused Full VCL Class Browser you are looking for.