Form Designer Save and Load - delphi

i made a simple form designer in delphi, drag and drop a button on the form and it draws it, but the thing is i cant save/load this project since i dunno how to, is there anyway that i could be abel to save it to .rc file and load it from there?

That depends how you programmed your form designer. In forms created in Delphi's designer all components (and subcomponents) are referenced from TForm.Components array property. All controls are also referenced in TForm.Controls array property (if you remove an container control, all it's subcontrols are destroyed too).
If you have followed that pattern, all you have to do is monitor additions to the TForm.Components array (maybe using an overriden TForm.Notification method) and using this data to build your persistent form's file.

The VCL contains methods for using its builtin DFM support. There is a sample in the Delphi 2009 documentation for ObjectBinaryToText; I guess this works for D7 too. And IIRC there already was a code fragment for ComponentToString in the D5 help - search for ObjectBinaryToText.

Delphi stores form layout in *.dfm file. You can use it's structure to save your projects. File is textual and readable by humans. It is not hard to parse file like that rading one line by one. If you need more help, ask for it.

You can use something like delphi .DFM. Counting all objects and then read their attributes and write them into a file. Example Code:
For i:0 To Form1.ComponentsCount-1 Do Begin
// Read Component Attributes And Write Them In Your Format
End;

If you just want to save the form you designed in your designer, use something like TFileStream to create the RC file when the user saves. You might be better off with your own file format for your forms, with the option to export as an RC file, as RC files arent really meant to useful for storing any design time info you may need.

Related

Example on how to create HTML for THTMLViewer at runtime

With Delphi XE I've installed THTMLViewer. I see plenty of examples on how to read an HTM file (LoardFromFile) and display it in the Viewer. What I want to do is create the HTM at runtime in my program. If I had a RichEdit component I would have several SelText := lines.
Of course I can add lines to a stringlist, then SavetoFile the stringlist and finally LoadFromFile into htmlViewer, but that seems like an unnecessary extra step.
Is there a Memo.Lines or some other property of THtmlViewer where I can Add the desired lines of HTML coding?
If you are using a version of the component that supports it then LoadFromString would probably be the simplest function to use.
I am surprised that you didn't find that in the source. As I seem to recall it being available for some time.
If you need a newer version of the component source you can find it here: THTMLViewer Project

Loading File to TAdvMemo

Is there a way to load the content of a file to TAdvMemo not using the AcceptFile drag and drop option?
Most VCL-based memo controls (including third-party ones) have a Lines.LoadFromFile or something similar.
According to TMS's website, TAdvMemo has a Lines property, which should be a TStrings descendant and therefore should support LoadFromFile. (See the FAQ page I linked to, specifically the question about seeing if the text is empty - it uses the Lines property.)
So it should be as easy as (Delphi code):
AdvMemo1.Lines.LoadFromFile('C:\Temp\YourFile.txt');
So, in C++ Builder it should be something like:
AdvMemo1->Lines->LoadFromFile("C:\\Temp\\YourFile.txt");

How I can add some items to the code completion combobox of the Delphi IDE

I'm working in a Delphi IDE expert and I wonder if it's possible add new items to the code completion combobox displayed by the Delphi IDE when the user press CtrlSpace
UPDATE:
What I need is add items to the code completion list based in a specified type.
example suppose which I have a type called TMytype, what I want to do is add addional items to the code completion list when the user type a variable of the type TMytype
check this image
I found your question somewhat confusing but if you are in search of credible source on "Custom Live Templates" and the like on Delphi, head to the blog of Cary Jensen here.
Edit:
Looking forward to further improvement of the scope of the question, I suggest here another direction to explore:
Source code manipulation using IOTAEditor, IOTASourceEditor, IOTAEditReader and the like
Some Parsing for sanity check prior to apply any modification.
Adoption of Client DataSet as a format to store data (It's serializable) to simplify the coding of IDE editors.
Perhaps I haven't fully grasped the extent of what you are asking here, but you can add templates simply by going to 'View|Templates' from the Delphi IDE. This then opens a template viewer. Press the '+' icon. It opens a template1.xml document which you can then edit so create your new item.
If you wish to do this programatically, just add an xml file (of the same format) to the ..\RAD Studio\code_templates folder.

Set Background Image for a Form in Delphi

I have an old app (Delphi 5) which I want to give it some changes via Res Editor !
I want to set a background image for a Form via RCData in Res Editor, How can I do that?
Any help is really appreciated.
Thanks :)
Delphi forms don't have a simple background-image property.
You could edit the DFM resource for the form to insert a TImage control. Extract the DFM resource, open it in Delphi, add the control you want, save it, and then replace the original resource with your new version.
See also:
Setting up background images for forms in Delphi
How to add background images to Delphi forms
Angus Johnson has written a utility called ResHacker. Use it to directly edit the form properties in the exe file.
This is the link to his site
Majid Pasha, procedure is really simple and straight-forward:
Extract form resource (type is RCDATA, name matches form in question, language is not important)
Convert form from binary format to text using convert utility (shipped with delphi)
Use your Delphi to design boilerplate image, load picture, set placement, etc
View designed form as text, copy you new image definition along with all its data
Paste image into text version of extracted form resource
convert back to binary format
Add resource back to executable replacing original one.
Note: depending on tools uses, there might be some shortcuts to bypass conversions and extraction, eg: XN Resource Editor is able to edit Text DFM directly.

Delphi "EClassNotFound" errors, and corrupted DFM possibility

I am getting a cascading set of "EClassNotFound" errors in in my Delphi 2007 project. Doesn't seem to be caused by the missing Name property value as often is the case, and though adding RegisterClass(XXX) in the initialization section(s) fixes the EClassNotFound error at hand, another one follows it seemingly indefinitely.
I finally cracked open the DFM file in text editor, and it looks likely corrupted to me (lots of non-ASCII characters amidst form element names, and very "unstructured" looking when compared to what I'm used to seeing in a DFM file). (I'd post a same here but not sure that's OK, w/the non-aSCII, so will hold off).
The form loads fine, and seems to compile / syntax check OK too, but once I run it, trouble.
Going back to early versions of it in SVN, it looks like it's been in this state for some time, which makes me think that either A) the DFM file isn't my problem, or B) the Delphi form-streaming is quite fault-tolerant/robust (Bonus Question: Which is it?).
If the DFM file is the problem, and is corrupted, rolling back will have to be a roll-back WAY back, and that's gonna be expensive. Given that the IDE can still load it, is there any utility that can clean up the file?
Or, am I totally off base w/the DFM as primary suspect?
Thanks folks for the input. Forgot about the binary/text options w/DFM files, so that was helpful. It looks like the DFM itself is not corrupted.
Still having the EClassError issue though. re: It being missing property values, or referencing non-existing properties, etc., a further question: Is the class the error is given for (currently TnxSqlUpdateObject, but probably more waiting in the wings if experience thus far is consistent) usually/always the actual "culprit" class/object?
For instance, right now my main form has four references to TnxSqlUpdateObject, w/those actually dropped on the form. If I put RegisterClass(TnxSqlUpdateObject) in the initialization section, it runs fine for that EClassNotFound error but then goes on to the next one (in this case, TStringField).
I have reinstalled the NexusDB components in this case, and also built a new project using some of the components I thought might be the problem. It compiles and runs fine, UNTIL I add this other form from my real project (which, in turn, unfortunately references quite a few others).
SO, it sounds like my real issue is how to methodically diagnose and fix any and all EClassNotFound errors?
I get this error if a component is on the form, but doesn't have an entry in the form definition in the source file too. Most often when I've copied and pasted from another form. Simplest solution is to select the component, cut it, then paste it back. When you save, the component's unit will be added to the source, and when you run it again it will all be okay.
Well, a dfm file could be binary or tekst (as I'm correct from version 4.0).
You can check this by right click on the form and check the Text DFM flag.
If a dfm file is corrupt, tou can try to fix it by removing all suspicious lines.
Be sure to leave the object .. end sets intact and you probably only loose some property values.
By the way, the dfm file should look like this (to get an idea of the general structure):
object Form5: TForm5
Left = 0
DesignSize = (
426
652)
object Button1: TButton
Left = 343
end
object Memo2: TMemo
Anchors = [akLeft, akTop, akRight, akBottom]
end
end
If it does not look like that you are probably editing the binary file.
If you have a recent compiled exe that works, you can use a resource-editor, like PE Explorer, to get the dfm-definition. Then you can compare the one from the exe with the one that you now have.
I believe there is tools to convert binary dfm-files to text-files too. This will give you a better view on the file, and help you decide if it's really corrupted or not. I see Felix has something on the topic.
If the Delphi IDE shows the form ok without errors, I can't believe there is a corruption-error. Could there be a package problem? Do you use runtime-packages?
Update:
Hvae you tried Eurekalog or madExcept or something similar to get a more detailed error message with callstack and memorydumt? Maybe that will give you some clue about the problem.
But generally i think this error comes from missing runtime package, or a missing unit in the uses-clause. If you think you know witch component causes the error, search the source for the call to RegisterClass( ), and see if that unit somehow is included in the projcets uses-clause. If not, add it and try again.
If you can load the form in the Delphi IDE the DFM resource is not corrupted. Delphi uses the same code to load the DFM as the final executable will use, so I think that won't be the reason.
You can open the DFM in the Delphi IDE directly (if the corresponding pas file is not open), or you can use Alt+F12 to switch between form view and text view of the DFM. In this view the structure should be sane, with correct indentation and so on.
As Gamecat pointed out you can use the command in the form popup menu to toggle the DFM storage format. Leave it as text for Delphi 5+, it works better this way with SVN.
As for the cause of your runtime problem - I have no idea...
Edit: After your ruling out the DFM as the source of the problem I can only assume that an important unit in the uses list is missing, which can only happen if not all the components on your form have a corresponding member field. You should check that all the components referenced in the DFM are also in the form, even when you do not access them in your code. This will in turn cause Delphi to add any missing units to the uses clause when the file is saved. Manually registering components should not be necessary if the form class has references to all the components in the DFM.
For a quick check you could create a test form, drop all of the components that your "problem" form has onto it (one instance is enough), and check whether this works.
This can happen in case you have changed one of your custom components and removed a property from it. The property is stil in the DFM and Delphi tries to initialize it.
Try to remove manually parts from your DFM so you can pinpoint which component is causing the problem.
Try this:
Make backup first
Right click on form in designer; uncheck "Text DFM"
Save
Right click on form in designer; check "Text DFM"
Save

Resources