I have added some notes about icons in the README and fixed the description in the template.

I hope, Tony is reading this thread.

Mattias

+ From: Mattias Gaertner
+
+ On Mon, 11 Nov 2002 10:54:28 +0300
+ ������ �������������� wrote: +
+ > Hi, All!
+ >
+ > I download lcl component "TCheckbook" as "checkbook.pas" file. What I
+ > mast be do for include this component in component tool bar? +
+ There is no easy way to do it.
+ Lazarus has still no package system, because the freepascal compiler does
+ not yet fully support dynamic libraries.
+ So, the only possibility is to change the IDE source and compile your
+ component in.
+
+ Probably the package system will not be available in the next few
+ months, so
+ perhaps we should make it more easy to add components:
+ - adding a new directory 'components/custom' where the pp/pas
+ files of the extra components should be placed.
+ - When the flag CustomIDEComps is defined, the IDE uses a unit
+ 'CustomIDEComponents' and calls 'RegisterCustomIDEComponents'.
+ We will provide a template file for this unit, but the unit itself
+ will not be in the cvs sources. So users can create it and update
+ cvs without overwriting their changes.
+
+ By adding the new directory to the lazarus search paths, all makefiles and
+ rebuilding mechanism will work as if the units are part of the normal
+ sources. For example: 'Build Lazarus' will rebuild everything
+ including the
+ new custom components and will jump to errors in the sources if any. +
+ So, for instance, Tony can add a new section to his page: How to use
+ TCheckBook in the lazarus component palette. Users will copy the
+ checkbook.pas and customidecomponents.pas to the components/custom
+ directory, add -dCustomIDEComps to the 'Configure Build Lazarus' dialog,
+ then do a clean rebuild, restart the IDE and voila: TCheckBook is
+ available in the form editor.
+
+ Comments?!

Seems OK to me.

Marc

Hi, All!

I download lcl component "TCheckbook" as "checkbook.pas" file. What I mast be do for include this component in component tool bar?

On Mon, 11 Nov 2002 10:54:28 +0300

Hi, All! I download lcl component "TCheckbook" as "checkbook.pas" file. What I mast be do for include this component in component tool bar?

There is no easy way to do it.
Lazarus has still no package system, because the freepascal compiler does not yet fully support dynamic libraries.
So, the only possibility is to change the IDE source and compile your component in.

Probably the package system will not be available in the next few months, so perhaps we should make it more easy to add components:
- adding a new directory 'components/custom' where the pp/pas files of the extra components should be placed.
- When the flag CustomIDEComps is defined, the IDE uses a unit 'CustomIDEComponents' and calls 'RegisterCustomIDEComponents'. We will provide a template file for this unit, but the unit itself will not be in the cvs sources. So users can create it and update cvs without overwriting their changes.

By adding the new directory to the lazarus search paths, all makefiles and rebuilding mechanism will work as if the units are part of the normal sources. For example: 'Build Lazarus' will rebuild everything including the new custom components and will jump to errors in the sources if any.

So, for instance, Tony can add a new section to his page: How to use TCheckBook in the lazarus component palette. Users will copy the checkbook.pas and customidecomponents.pas to the components/custom directory, add -dCustomIDEComps to the 'Configure Build Lazarus' dialog, then do a clean rebuild, restart the IDE and voila: TCheckBook is available in the form editor.

Comments?!

Mattias

Big Thanx!!! This is worked!!! :) But I think - also need setup component icon for full happiness. :)

Hm. In customidecomps.pas.template file your write about -dUseIDEComps flag. But lazarus correct compile only with -dCustomIDEComps.

Yes - this is good path for add components. But this is not work now? If it work - where I can get "customidecomponents.pas" file?

The IDE now supports custom components. See the files in the new components/custom directory.
For example TCheckBook:
1. rename or copy customidecomps.pas.template to customidecomps.pas.
2. Add ',checkbook' to the uses section and

   RegisterComponent('Extra','CheckBook',TCheckBook);
   to the regististration procedure.

3. Add -dCustomIDEComps to the build options and rebuilt lazarus.

That's all.
But you should wait with TCheckBook till Tony has tested it himself. There are some differences between a component in normal mode and in design mode.

Mattias

Now is there anything we can do to make it easier to compile the lazres utility, like maybe make it compile along with the IDE? I always have to go hunting for the README on how to compile it...

In the last two years the lazres tool needed only three times to be recompiled. So, this is not a very common task.
I planned to add the compilation as an example for an external tool:

Tools -> configure custom tools:
Click 'Add' button.

Title: build lazres tool
Programfilename: $(CompPath)
Parameters: -Fu$(LazarusDir)/lcl/units lazres.pp Working Directory: $(LazarusDir)/tools

Options:
Check: Scan output for Free Pascal compiler messages

I will add a lazres.lpi file, so that people can just open it and press Ctrl+F9.

The best solution for resources is of course, when someone writes a resource editor.

Mattias

There is comma too much in customidecomps.suggested.pas in line 50.

Second issue:
Can TCheckBook contain child controls?
(csAcceptsControls is set in ControlStyle)

Mattias

HAHA - I just assumed that was by design because the first time I went to use it I was told to check the README and it tells how to compile it from the command line without make.

-Tony

Yeah, that doesn't work.

:-)

Shane

Mattias Gaertner wrote

There is comma too much in customidecomps.suggested.pas in line 50.

Yep. Thanks!

Second issue: Can TCheckBook contain child controls? (csAcceptsControls is set in ControlStyle)

Mmm... okay this is new for me...

I've tried: ControlStyle := ControlStyle - csAcceptsControls; in the
create method.  I get "Set elements are not compatible".

How do I change this?

Also, if I set this to not accept controls, can I later still add a TEdit control to it programmatically? That's one of the goals for later...

-Tony

Try TStaticText. TLabel uses its parents canvas. Since TCheckBox does not it covers up the parents canvas, and so it will cover up a TLabel. TStaticText also has its own canvas so proper bring-to-front etc should work again. It just means no Transparency.

Andrew

Well, actually I was expecting option 2 as above, but gettings results halfway between 1 and 2. I had the order wrong in setting the csAcceptsControls option -- I had it BEFORE the inherited create which was apparently causing my weird results.

Thanks,

-Tony

+ From: Tony Maro
+
+ Now is there anything we can do to make it easier to compile the lazres
+ utility, like maybe make it compile along with the IDE? +
+ I always have to go hunting for the README on how to compile it...

Ehhmmmm by running make in the Tools dir ?

Marc :-)

Thanks. I changed the TCheckBook and TChkGraph components to not allow components with and re-uploaded.

An issue I noticed was that if I then tried to drop a control on top of the TCheckBook in the designer, such as a label, the label would of course not be inside the checkbook, but the label would not draw. Even moving or deleting the TCheckbook so they weren't in the same space didn't cause the label to redraw itself.

-Tony

Uh, no? ;-) That dies. Have to follow directions in the images README

-Tony

No problem.
Good examples.

ControlStyle := ControlStyle - [csAcceptsControls];

Also, if I set this to not accept controls, can I later still add a TEdit control to it programmatically?

Yes. It's a designer only flag. The LCL don't care about it.

Mattias

ControlStyle := ControlStyle - [csAcceptsControls]

Or

ControlStyle := ControlStyle not [csAcceptsControls];

It's a "set" so it's needs brackets.
Shane

Oh, and if you delete the TCheckbook, the label that's not ontop of it will disappear too.

Andrew is right.
I will try to explain it in other words:

1. TCheckBook with csAccepptsControls:
When you put a TLabel on TCheckBook, it's Parent becomes TCheckBook. TCheckbook is csFixed and so the gtk-interface creates a special widget. This widget type is a lazarus invention and supports scrollbars and a caret, but not adding child widgets. This feature is not implemented yet. So, for the LCL everything is ok and hence the IDE paints the grabbers and excludes the TLabel area from the client area (the grid of TCheckBook). But for the gtk the label widget is not there and so it is not painted.

2. TCheckBook without csAcceptControls:
Again when you put a TLabel on TCheckBook, it's Parent becomes the parent of TCheckBook (= the form). As Andrew said, the creation order is not correct, and so the TLabel is behind TCheckBook and therefore you can't see it. Move the CheckBook away and the TLabel appears.

Mattias

Mattias Gaertner wrote

But you should wait with TCheckBook till Tony has tested it himself. There are some differences between a component in normal mode and in design mode.

Wow, the list sure picked up all of a sudden!

Yes, it might not be a good idea yet to use TCheckBook in design time mode ;-) After I get out the next release of CheckBook Tracker I will concentrate on updating the TCheckBook component to support this. I've taken development of that component much further since the individual release, and I still need to stabilize some things.

Right now though I'm working on a postscript printing system for Lazarus.

-Tony

ControlStyle := ControlStyle not [csAcceptsControls];

?

Mattias

Maybe you mean your mails about form icons. This information is indeed in the images/README.
The old note about the lazres tool in this file dates back long before the Makefile was added to tools. I updated the note.

Mattias

Why didn't you mention that?
Fixed.

Have to follow directions in the images README

Mattias

andrew johnson wrote

On Wed, 2002-11-13 at 15:37, Tony Maro wrote: Try TStaticText. TLabel uses its parents canvas. Since TCheckBox does

I think you misunderstand me...

Create a form. Drop a TCheckBook on it (and possibly some other controls will do this).

Drop a TLabel visibly on top of the checkbook. The TLabel won't draw, it's as if it's behind the checkbook. Move the checkbook. The TLabel never draws.

You can move the TLabel around - it's got an outline, but not caption. Save and close the project. Reopen and it STILL doesn't draw.

Perhaps even though the TCheckBook is set to not accept controls, it's still setting the canvas parent to the checkbook control, yet not bounding it within the checkbook?

-Tony

Now is there anything we can do to make it easier to compile the lazres utility, like maybe make it compile along with the IDE?

I always have to go hunting for the README on how to compile it...

-Tony

Well this works awesome!

I've updated the TCheckBook component to be the latest version used in CBTracker and included it and all but one of my other components into a single package. If you are playing with the TCheckBook component from my site, you'll want to download this because it has TONS of new capabilities.

http://tony.maro.net/mod.php?mod=userpage&page_id=25

I am going to delete all the pages and downloads for the individual components and only offer them in this package, so if you want to remove the links from the Lazarus website (all but the TMCalEdit control), now would be a good time...

This includes a customidecomps.suggested.pas file that if renamed and all of this dumped into the right directory handles all the configuration.

All components include icons. I found KIconEdit to be a great tool for making these...

I can't get the tmcaledit component to work right in the designer, but I haven't spent any time on it yet. For some reason when you run your app it would always show up at 0,0. I also need to hide the onchange event, and I can't figure out how to do that. The old Delphi tricks don't seem to work. I'll probably just override the onchange event definition later so that I can handle it the way I need. Not a priority though, so it will be a while.

-Tony

Oh, and if you delete the TCheckbook, the label that's not ontop of it will disappear too.

Right now though I'm working on a postscript printing system for Lazarus.

Oh, and on that topic, I've got most of it functional, but I'm no Postscript wiz, so I can't be sure I haven't done something off the wall. Currently though I'm working on pattern fill support and pens and brushes. Once done I think we'll have something usable. It already supports some basic drawing functions and color.

-Tony

No, I'm not. :D

I'm glad you guys got this functioning, even if it is a temporary bastardization.

I'll try to update some of my components this week for design-time use.

I can already see where I'm going to need to rewrite the interface for CheckBook Tracker. I can feel version 2.0 coming on already... LOL

-Tony