delphi Creating Component template

Question

I am working with Delphi application.I created one form shown as below:

I wanted to make component out of this controls through code. But not through component-->create component Template-->so on.

How do i make component template out of form contols through delphi code.?? Thanx in advance.

Irvinirvine

This question is unclear at this time. Do you want to create the components from your screenshot at runtime through code ? Or do you want to create a component group which you would be able to add to your form as one component ? Or do you want to save this group of components (as a frame) and reuse this group many times in your project(s) ? – Caballero

Answer 1

Or if you want to have that group of controls as one single component you can install unit like this into some package:

unit EditGroup;

interface

uses
  SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, StdCtrls;

type
  TEditGroup = class(TCustomControl)
  private
    FButton: TButton;
    FFirstEdit: TEdit;
    FFirstLabel: TLabel;
    FSecondEdit: TEdit;
    FSecondLabel: TLabel;
  protected
    procedure Paint; override;
  public
    constructor Create(AOwner: TComponent); override;
    destructor Destroy; override;
  published
    property Button: TButton read FButton;
    property FirstEdit: TEdit read FFirstEdit;
    property FirstLabel: TLabel read FFirstLabel;
    property SecondEdit: TEdit read FSecondEdit;
    property SecondLabel: TLabel read FSecondLabel;
  end;

procedure Register;

implementation

{ TEditGroup }

constructor TEditGroup.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited;

  Width := 213;
  Height := 104;
  Color := clWhite;

  FFirstLabel := TLabel.Create(Self);
  FFirstLabel.SetSubComponent(True);
  FFirstLabel.Parent := Self;
  FFirstLabel.Top := 11;
  FFirstLabel.Left := 8;
  FFirstLabel.Name := 'FirstLabel';

  FFirstEdit := TEdit.Create(Self);
  FFirstEdit.SetSubComponent(True);
  FFirstEdit.Parent := Self;
  FFirstEdit.Top := 8;
  FFirstEdit.Left := 84;
  FFirstEdit.Width := 121;
  FFirstEdit.Name := 'FirstEdit';

  FSecondLabel := TLabel.Create(Self);
  FSecondLabel.SetSubComponent(True);
  FSecondLabel.Parent := Self;
  FSecondLabel.Top := 39;
  FSecondLabel.Left := 8;
  FSecondLabel.Name := 'SecondLabel';

  FSecondEdit := TEdit.Create(Self);
  FSecondEdit.SetSubComponent(True);
  FSecondEdit.Parent := Self;
  FSecondEdit.Top := 36;
  FSecondEdit.Left := 84;
  FSecondEdit.Width := 121;
  FSecondEdit.Name := 'SecondEdit';

  FButton := TButton.Create(Self);
  FButton.SetSubComponent(True);
  FButton.Parent := Self;
  FButton.Top := 71;
  FButton.Left := 69;
  FButton.Width := 75;
  FButton.Name := 'Button';
end;

destructor TEditGroup.Destroy;
begin
  FButton.Free;
  FFirstEdit.Free;
  FFirstLabel.Free;
  FSecondEdit.Free;
  FSecondLabel.Free;
  inherited;
end;

procedure TEditGroup.Paint;
begin
  Canvas.Rectangle(ClientRect);
end;

procedure Register;
begin
  RegisterComponents('Stack Overflow', [TEditGroup]);
end;

end.

Here's how it looks like at design time:

Caballero

+1 For nicely demonstrating how to make this a customizable component @designtime. – Corroborant

@NGLN, thanks! But I think OP wants what you've described (and what I've already upvoted). – Caballero

oh, I've been searching for something like that and now I finally find it! really good example! – Colophony

Answer 2

If you right-click on the form and choose View as Text, then you are already a long way. Simply replace all ='s by :='s, and create all components by adding .Create(Self).

So this text:

object Form1: TForm1
  Left = 300
  Top = 281
  Width = 630
  Height = 372
  Caption = 'Form1'
  Color = clBtnFace
  Font.Charset = DEFAULT_CHARSET
  Font.Color = clWindowText
  Font.Height = -11
  Font.Name = 'MS Sans Serif'
  Font.Style = []
  OldCreateOrder = False
  PixelsPerInch = 96
  TextHeight = 13
  object Label1: TLabel
    Left = 14
    Top = 28
    Width = 32
    Height = 13
    Caption = 'Label1'
  end
  object Edit1: TEdit
    Left = 63
    Top = 24
    Width = 121
    Height = 21
    TabOrder = 0
    Text = 'Edit1'
  end
end

should be converted into something like:

type
  TMyForm1 = class(TForm)
  private
    Label1: TLabel;
    Edit1: TEdit;
  public
    constructor Create(AOwner: TComponent); override;
  end;

constructor TMyForm1.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  Width := 630;
  Height := 372;
  Caption := 'Form1';
  Color := clBtnFace;
  ...
  Label1 := TLabel.Create(Self);
  with Label1 do
  begin
    Left := 14;
    Top := 28;
    Width := 32;
    Height := 13;
    Caption := 'Label1';
  end;
  Edit1 := TEdit.Create(Self);
  with Edit1 do
  ...
end;

But there are also tools for this special task, see Are there any Delphi DFM to Delphi source code convertion tools?.

Corroborant