Stringlist with delimiter as a string? - delphi

Question

I have an attribute called HistoryText in a object that is stored as a string.
I want to show all rows in a grid. I should be able to delete and edit rows in the grid.
The format is:
16.5.2003-$-12:09-$-anna-$-Organization created
2.6.2005-$-13:03-$-jimmy-$-Organization edited
19.12.2005-$-13:33-$-madeleine-$-Organization edited
So each row have 4 fields, date, time, user, and message with a delimiter string as '-$-'.
As the delimiter a string and not a char it cannot be assigned to the stringlists delimiter property.
I have a routine to extract the string to a Stringlist:
procedure ParseDelimited(const aStringList: TStringList; const aOrgList, aDelimiter: string);
var
vDelimiterPos : integer;
vPartialStr : string;
vRemaingTxt : string;
vDelimiterLength : integer;
begin
vDelimiterLength := Length(aDelimiter);
if (AnsiRightStr(aOrgList, Length(aDelimiter)) = aDelimiter) then
vRemaingTxt := aOrgList
else
vRemaingTxt := aOrgList + aDelimiter;
aStringList.BeginUpdate;
aStringList.Clear;
try
while Length(vRemaingTxt) > 0 do
begin
vDelimiterPos := Pos(aDelimiter, vRemaingTxt);
vPartialStr := Copy(vRemaingTxt,0,vDelimiterPos-1);
aStringList.Add(vPartialStr);
vRemaingTxt := Copy(vRemaingTxt,vDelimiterPos+vDelimiterLength,MaxInt);
end;
finally
aStringList.EndUpdate;
end;
end;
and it seems to work fine. My problem is syncing the changes in the StringList back to the original String property ? There are so much historical data with this delimiter so I don't think change it to a TChar is a realistic option.
Update:
A clarification. I think I can manage to convert the String to a StringList with the method above. Then display it in the grid should not be so hard. The problem come when I want to convert the TStringList back to the original String property wih '-$-' as delimiter. I cannot do HistoryText := myStringList.Delimitedtext for example.
Second update:
I have solved it. You all got a +1 for fast answers and really trying to help. In summary how I did it.
Read from Historytext:
MyStringList.Text := Historytext;
Now each row have 3 delimiters of '-$-' and each line is separated by a linefeed as usual.
In a loop parse the Stringlist and show it in the grid. I don't bother about MyStringList anymore.
Let the user delete and edit rows in the grid.
When finished loop by row and columns in the grid and build a new string with the same format as original.
Assign that string to HistoryText.
So shift focus from StringList to the grid made it easier :)

Answer 1

Instead of Delimiter (a char) and DelimitedText, you can also use LineBreak (a string) and Text:
lst := TStringList.Create;
try
lst.LineBreak := '-$-';
lst.Text := '16.5.2003-$-12:09-$-anna-$-Organization created';
Memo1.Lines := lst; // or whatever you do with it
finally
lst.Free;
end;
Ans it works even the other way round.

Answer 2

Wild stab in the dark (it isn't very clear what you are asking):
Work through the grid rows:
For each row:
assign an empty string to a temporary string var
For each column add row/column value plus your delimiter to temporary string var
remove last delimiter from temporary string var (if it is non-empty)
add temporary string var to stringlist
Write stringlist's text property back to your HistoryText
const
Delimiter = '-$-';
var
row: Integer;
col: Integer;
SL: TStringList;
rowString: string;
begin
SL := TStringList.Create;
try
for row := 0 to StringGrid1.RowCount - 1 do begin
rowString := '';
for col := 0 to StringGrid1.ColCount - 1 do begin
rowString := StringGrid1.Cells[col, row] + Delimiter;
end;
if rowString <> '' then begin
rowString := Copy(rowString, 1, Length(rowString) - Length(Delimiter));
end;
SL.Add(rowString);
end;
HistoryText := SL.Text;
finally
SL.Free;
end;
end;
Using Uwe's solution of TStrings' LineBreak property:
var
row: Integer;
col: Integer;
SLRows: TStringList;
SLCols: TStringlist;
begin
SLRows := TStringList.Create;
try
SLCols := TStringList.Create;
try
SLCols.LineBreak := '-$-';
for row := 0 to StringGrid1.RowCount - 1 do begin
SLCols.Clear;
for col := 0 to StringGrid1.ColCount - 1 do begin
SLCols.Add(StringGrid1.Cells[col, row]);
end;
SLRows.Add(SLCols.Text);
end;
HistoryText := SLRows.Text;
finally
SLCols.Free;
end;
finally
SLRows.Free;
end;
end;