I know this is getting a little ahead of where we are in development but I have been looking over the issue trying to figure out the best way to do this. In Delphi the .dfm data is stored by the compiler in the resource area of the executable. Then when a form is loaded the various form specs. and attached components are read out of the resource data and instances generated.

How are we going to do this with Free Pascal and the FCL???

Are we going to use a resource mechanism? Will the RAD part of the IDE create a .dfm type file. I believe this would require compiler support. Is there plans for a type of resource area with Free Pascal built programs?

Or are we going to have the RAD generate FCL code that is included into the file via an {$I ...} statement at the appropriate place?

I ask because I am planning on doing some experimenting with this. We don't have the RAD yet to generate the file but I want to start the design and layout of what the RAD needs to do.

Mike we also should go with xml for the dfm layout vs propriatary format.

Cliff

For strings this has been designed (resourcestring section); for other resources not yet. We are open to suggestions.

Or are we going to have the RAD generate FCL code that is included into the file via an {$I ...} statement at the appropriate place?

This is a possibility which you can consider, and which would be very fast;
you could make a TForm abstract method called :
TForm.CreateDesignedForm;virtual;
begin
end;

Which you override in the .dfm form:

TForm.CreateDesignedForm; override;
begin
  SetBounds(X,Y,W,H); // place form
  MyButton:=Tbutton.Create(Self);
  // and so on
end;

At the end of TForm.Create you then do a

  CreateDesignedForm;
  If Assigned(OnCreateForm) do
     OnCreateForm(Self);
  // Form Creation Complete.
end;

I ask because I am planning on doing some experimenting with this. We don't have the RAD yet to generate the file but I want to start the design and layout of what the RAD needs to do.

This will be primarily determined by the route you take: using resources or generating a creation procedure; I think that first you must decide which way you want to use.

Michael.

At least for win32 resources {$R } works. But for the other platforms you'll then need some binobj util.

Peter

This is exactly what I had in mind. I personally would like to lean toward this directly. It seems to give us more flexibility and it doesn't rely on compiler features to implement it.

On the good side it would mean you could manually go in a tweek a components location or some other aspect. The downside is that you could go in a tweek a component location or some other aspect BADLY.

It would only require a simple text parser to read in the settings for the RAD and editing the same would be just as easy.

If we go the resource route we need to have routines in the IDE that can write and interpret the file data. The compiling would then have to deal with the binobj stuff and would we get into platform issues. Next the code would have to open the resource part of the file to get the data to setup the form.

When it all comes down to it I like the idea of a code generated file that is loaded with an {$I...} command. Any other opinions?