Delphi object inspector doesn't show TFrame descendants's additional properties by design. People tend to suggest using a known trick which is commonly used for showing TForm descendant's properties on the Object inspector. The trick is: registering custom module for TForm descendants to Delphi IDE via design time package like:
RegisterCustomModule(TMyFrame, TCustomModule);
The object inspector can show additional properties of the TFrame Descendant's instance with this way but it loses its frame behaviours while it is embedded in a form. Not redesignable, not possible to implement events for its subcomponents and it accepts child controls (which it musn't). But it behaves normally in its own design area.
Looks like, those behaviours provided by Delphi IDE specially just for TFrame. They problaly are not kind of generic facilities.
Is there any other way to accomplish this without losing frame behaviours ?
I'm using Delphi 2007
@Tondrej,
Read comments for the problem, thanks in advance.
frameunit.dfm :
object MyFrame: TMyFrame
Left = 0
Top = 0
Width = 303
Height = 172
TabOrder = 0
object Edit1: TEdit
Left = 66
Top = 60
Width = 151
Height = 21
TabOrder = 0
Text = 'Edit1'
end
end
unit frameunit;
interface
uses
Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
Dialogs, StdCtrls;
type
TBaseFrame = Class(TFrame)
protected
Fstr: string;
procedure Setstr(const Value: string);virtual;
published
Property str:string read Fstr write Setstr;
End;
TMyFrame = class(TBaseFrame)
Edit1: TEdit;
private
// This won't be called in designtime. But i need this to be called in designtime
Procedure Setstr(const Value: string);override;
end;
implementation
{$R *.dfm}
{ TBaseFrame }
procedure TBaseFrame.Setstr(const Value: string);
begin
Fstr := Value;
end;
{ TMyFrame }
procedure TMyFrame.Setstr(const Value: string);
begin
inherited;
Edit1.Text := Fstr;
// Sadly this code won't work and Edit1 won't be updated in designtime.
end;
end.
unit RegisterUnit;
interface
procedure Register;
implementation
uses
Windows, DesignIntf, frameunit;
procedure Register;
var
delphivclide: THandle;
TFrameModule: TCustomModuleClass;
begin
delphivclide := GetModuleHandle('delphivclide100.bpl');
if delphivclide <> 0 then
begin
TFrameModule := GetProcAddress(delphivclide, '@Vclformcontainer@TFrameModule@');
if Assigned(TFrameModule) then
begin
RegisterCustomModule(frameunit.TBaseFrame, TFrameModule);
// Just registering that won't cause Tmyframe to loose its frame behaviours
// but additional properties won't work well.
//RegisterCustomModule(frameunit.TMyFrame, TFrameModule);
// That would cause Tmyframe to lose its frame behaviours
// But additional properties would work well.
end;
end;
end;
end.