Anchor Docking: what changed

Revision 4 to 5. Removed lines have a minus sign; added lines have a plus sign.

Old	New		Line
1	1		About docking in general see [[Docking]].
2	2
3	3		## Overview
4	4
5	5		Docking allows you to combine forms, or to treat controls as forms. You use the mouse to drag and dock forms together or undock (split) them. The basic dragging, docking and undocking functionality is provided by the LCL. But you need a docking manager to add splitters and grab zones, and to save and restore layouts.
6	6
7	7		Anchor docking has been implemented since version 0.9.29 in the package anchordocking.lpk for use in your own Lazarus applications, and AnchorDockingDsgn.lpk if you wish to make the Lazarus IDE windows dockable. It is easy to use, and provides many features and options not available in earlier docking packages.
8	8
9	9		You will find a code example at: components/anchordocking/miniide/miniide1.lpi
10	10
11	11		This means that the earlier TLazDockingManager and unit LDockCtrl are obsolete and now deprecated.
12	12
13	13		### Features
14	14
15	15		- Drag and dock: Headers are added that can be dragged to dock controls with the mouse. Preview rectangles will show where and how a control is docked.
16	16		- Any layout: By using the LCL's anchors almost any layout is possible. You can dock to left, right, top, bottom, inside or outside or as page like in a TPageControl. You can enlarge docked controls via the popup menu. No need to undock your whole layout.
17	17		- What you see is how it is structured: There are no hidden panels to align controls in rows and columns. Anchor docking makes sure forms do not overlap.
18	18		- Splitters are automatically inserted between docked forms to allow resizing.
19	19		- Page docking. Forms can be docked not only left/right/above/below, but in pages too. A TPageControl is automatically created for native look and feel. A page can contain arbitrary docked forms too, including paged docked forms, allowing nested pages and layouts. When a page is undocked the pagecontrol is automatically removed. You can drag and drop the tabs or use the popup menu to move pages.
20	20		- Easy use: With one line of code you can make a form or control dockable. Just give them unique names.
21	21		- Not only forms, but any TWinControl can be made dockable.
22	22		- Can save/load layouts. The layout information is stored for each dockable control and old layout files will still work even when the application gets more dockable controls or some are removed. The information is stored in the abstract class LCL TConfigStorage. So you can use for example TXMLConfigStorage to store layouts in xml files or you can write your own storage to store it wherever you want.
23	23		- Each docked form is put into a docksite providing an optional header. The header shows the caption of the docked form and contains a close button. You can drag the header to drag the form and undock it or to dock it at another position. The header can be at any of the four sides and moves by default automatically to the smaller side to save space. You can customize this. The header shows a customizable hint allowing to read long captions.
24	24		- When a docksite is resized the child sites are automatically scaled. You can turn this off.
25	25		- Preserve size of forms. For instance when docking a form to a left side of a site the width of the docked form is kept. The same for the other sides and the same for undocking.
26	26		- Flickerless: The restore tries to reuse existing sites and splitters to reduce creation and flickering of forms and to preserve the Z order of forms. This allows to quickly switch between layouts.
27	27		- Header popup menu:
28	28		- lock/unlock (disable dragging)
29	29		- header position (auto, left, top, right, bottom), this is saved/restored with the layout
30	30		- merge (for example after moving a dock page into a layout)
31	31		- undock (needed if no place to undock on screen)
32	32		- enlarge side to left, top, right, bottom
33	33		- close
34	34		- options
35	35		- Page popup menu:
36	36		- lock/unlock (disable dragging)
37	37		- undock (needed if no place to undock on screen)
38	38		- tab position for pagecontrol (top,bottom, left, right), this is saved/restored with the layout
39	39		- move page to the left, right, leftmost, rightmost
40	40		- close
41	41		- options
42	42		- Forms can be made dock sites. Then they can dock at one side. But they can not be docked itself.
43	43		- close button automatically saves a layout
44	44		- Powerful functions to alter the layout. You can use D&D to move a form and you can undock and dock in one move. There are functions to enlarge forms and shrinking others. These functions are available via the header popup menu as well. See below.
45	45		- There is an IDE package which makes the Lazarus IDE dockable. It is called anchordockingdsgn.lpk. Make sure you only install one docking package. Do not install the easydockmgr at the same time!
46	46
47	47		### ToDos
48	48
49	49		- Design time package: Add all layout files to menu
50	50		- simple way to make forms dockable at designtime (that means without writing any code)
51	51		- minimize button and Hide
52	52		- on show again: restore a default layout
53	53		- close button for pages
54	54		- Implement automatic menu merging in the LCL (when two forms with main menus are docked).
55	55
56	56		## Usage I. (Add docking support to the Lazarus IDE)
57	57
58	58		If you don't like the default "separate windows" look of the Lazarus IDE and prefer a single window (e.g., like RAD Studio™), you can install a package called [[AnchorDockingDsgn]] (lazarus/components/anchordocking/design/anchordockingdsgn.lpk). This package makes the IDE windows dockable.
59	59
60	60		### Important to macOS users
61	61
62	62		Before Lazarus 3.0, there are many bugs related to docking.
63	63
64	64		If "anchordockingdsgn" has been installed before Lazarus 3.0, the wrong configuration may be saved and needs to be reset first.
65	65
66	66		The configuration is saved in environmentoptions.xml, which usually located in ~/.lazarus
67	67
68	68		Close the IDE, locate environmentoptions.xml, delete the content between \<AnchorDocking\> and \</AnchorDocking\>, and the initial setting of anchordockingdsgn will be automatically set when the IDE is started again.
69	69
70	70		### Installation
71	71
72	72		Uninstall any other docking managers (e.g., easydockmgrdsgn). From the Lazarus menu bar pick "Package" - "Install/Uninstall Packages" and install the "anchordockingdsgn" package.
73	73
74	74		After you have successfully installed the package and restarted the IDE, the IDE starts with a default docked layout like shown below. Note that AnchorDocking headers and splitters have been added to all dockable windows of the IDE. In case the headers don't get visible, see the section "Options" below on how to enable/disable them.
75	75
76	76		![](/wiki-images/a/ac/2021-12-02_10_21_07-Debian_10.8_Buster_-_VMware_Workstation.png)
77	77
78	78		You can change the layout by grabbing a dockable window by the Anchordocking header and drag and dock it anywhere else, or resize docked windows via splitters added to the window borders. You can right-click on the headers too for other options, for example, to change the look of the headers, as shown farther down below.
79	79
80	80		You can save the layout via the menu item Tools / Save window layout as default. This saves to ~/.lazarus/anchordocklayout.xml and restores it when the IDE starts up.
81	81
82	82		You can also save the layout to a file and load them later.
83	83
84	84		Since Lazarus 1.1 you can pass a command line parameter
85	85
86		-	~~```~~
	86	+	```text
87	87		./lazarus --anchordocklayout=<filename>
88	88		```
89	89
90	90		The look (like the headers) can be further tweaked by right-clicking on them.
91	91
92	92		![](/wiki-images/8/8a/Docking_headers.gif)
93	93
94	94		### Options
95	95
96	96		After the successful installation of the AnchorDockingDsgn package, an additional configuration menu is added to the Lazarus options dialog ("Tools" - "Options" - "Environment")
97	97
98	98		![](/wiki-images/3/3a/Anchordocking_options.png)
99	99
100	100		#### Scale on resize
101	101
102	102		When resizing a window, all docked forms inside are scaled by the same percentage.
103	103
104	104		#### Show headers
105	105
106	106		To dock/undock a window, you need to enable this option.
107	107
108	108		#### Flatten headers
109	109
110	110		No 3d frame in headers.
111	111
112	112		#### Header align top/left
113	113
114	114		Headers are automatically put at top or left depending on these two values:
115	115
116	116		- Move header to top, when (width/height)*100\<=HeaderAlignTop, default 80
117	117		- Move header to left, when (width/height)*100\>=HeaderAlignLeft, default 120
118	118		- Otherwise keep the header at the current position.
119	119
120	120		Which means the header is by default put at the smaller side of a docked control. When the control is resized, the header switches to the smaller side.
121	121
122	122		#### Allow dock sites to be minimized
123	123
124	124		A extra minimize button is added, so a site can be minimized. Then sites next to it get more space. If needed, the minimized site then can easy be opened.
125	125
126	126		#### Multine Tabs
127	127
128	128		Feature added in Lazarus 2.2. If a OS support multiline tabs (like Windows), if there are no many tabs, they are shown in multiple lines.
129	129
130	130		#### Floating windows on top
131	131
132	132		Feature added in Lazarus 2.2. If there are undocked windows shown, show these on top of main window. In a own application, there can be set DockMaster.MainDockForm, then all floating windows are shown on top of it. If MainDockForm is not set, Application.MainForm is used.
133	133
134	134		## Usage II. (Add docking support to your own applications)
135	135
136	136		### Quick start
137	137
138	138		Add the package AnchorDocking to the required packages in the project inspector.
139	139
140	140		Then add the unit AnchorDocking to the uses section of your main unit (the unit with your main form).
141	141
142	142		Add to the FormCreate of your main form:
143	143
144	144		``` pascal
145	145		DockMaster.MakeDockSite(Self,[akBottom],admrpChild);
146	146		```
147	147
148	148		For the other dockable forms replace all calls of Show and ShowOnTop with
149	149
150	150		``` pascal
151	151		DockMaster.MakeDockable(Form1,true,true);
152	152		```
153	153
154	154		For the other dockable forms replace all calls of Visible:=true with
155	155
156	156		``` pascal
157	157		DockMaster.MakeDockable(Form1,true);
158	158		```
159	159
160	160		Remove or comment all Hide, Visible:=false, WindowState:= calls.
161	161
162	162		### Prerequisites
163	163
164	164		- Your project must use the package AnchorDocking.
165	165		- All dockable forms must be shown with MakeDockable or MakeDockSite. Do not use Show, BringToFront, ShowOnTop, Visible:=true. Of course you can have some non dockable forms, like hints or splashscreens.
166	166		- All dockable forms must be free resizable, that means no constraints, no BorderStyle bsDialog.
167	167		- No other docking system. AnchorDocking is incompatible with EasyDockMgr.
168	168
169	169		### Making forms dockable
170	170
171	171		There are two ways to make a form dockable. You can use DockMaster.MakeDockable to wrap a form into a dock site. Then your form can dock and be docked completely free. You will use that for the biggest part of your forms, except for the MainForm, because this is only supported for the MainForm on gtk2 and qt. The second way is to use DockMaster.MakeDockSite. The form can dock other sites, but can not be docked itself. You might want to use MakeDockSite for the MainForm. For most other forms you probably want to use this:
172	172
173	173		``` pascal
174	174		// shows YourForm
175	175		// if not already done, wrap the form into a dock site
176	176		DockMaster.MakeDockable(YourForm);
177	177		```
178	178
179	179		Here are some examples how a form looks like that was made dockable with DockMaster.MakeDockable:
180	180
181	181		![](/wiki-images/b/bc/Docksite1.png) ![](/wiki-images/c/c6/Docksite2.png)
182	182
183	183		The header position is normally done automatically and the user can with a right click put it to any of the four sides.
184	184
185	185		### Example: miniide1
186	186
187	187		The example can be found in lazarus/components/anchordocking/miniide/miniide1.lpi. It has a mainform in unit unit1.pas with a main menu which works as a docksite and several forms that are dockable.
188	188
189	189		![](/wiki-images/a/a5/Anchordocking_miniide1.png)
190	190
191	191		### Making the main form a dock site
192	192
193	193		In the TMainIDE.FormCreate the main form MainIDE is turned into a docksite:
194	194
195	195		``` pascal
196	196		DockMaster.MakeDockSite(Self,[akBottom],admrpChild);
197	197		```
198	198
199	199		The parameter \[akBottom\] allows to dock other sites at the bottom of MainIDE. The parameter admrpChild tells the DockMaster that when the MainIDE is enlarged the extra space is distributed to the docked sites.
200	200
201	201		When the user docks a site to the bottom of MainIDE the site is put onto MainIDE (Site.Parent:=MainIDE) with Site.Align=alBottom. The other controls on MainIDE must be compatible to this. MainIDE for example has a BtnPanel with Align=alLeft and a TNoteBook with Align=alClient. See [[Autosize / Layout\|here]] how Align works.
202	202
203	203		The DockMaster adds automatically a splitter:
204	204
205	205		![](/wiki-images/c/ca/Anchordocking_miniide_dockedse1.png)
206	206
207	207		As soon as a dockable form is docked its caption is shown in the dock header.
208	208
209	209		#### Requirements for a custom dock site
210	210
211	211		As long as nothing is docked into a custom dock site, your form can do everything as a normal form. But when a site is docked to it, some properties and methods need special care:
212	212
213	213		- AutoSize=true may result in an endless loop. Disable it or override DoAutoSize/CalculatePreferredSize and take special care.
214	214		- Constraints: The DockMaster clears the maximum Constraints and will restore them on undock.
215	215		- Child controls anchored to the aligned site may overlap. See [[Autosize / Layout\|here]] how Align works.
216	216		- ChildSizing: The spacing properties like LeftRightSpacing, TopBottomSpacing may interfere with the docking layout.
217	217
218	218		### Procedure to create all other forms by name
219	219
220	220		The MainIDE sets the DockMaster.OnCreateControl event, to enable the DockMaster to create forms by name. This is needed to restore layouts.
221	221
222	222		``` pascal
223	223		DockMaster.OnCreateControl:=@DockMasterCreateControl;
224	224		```
225	225
226	226		``` pascal
227	227		procedure TMainIDE.DockMasterCreateControl(Sender: TObject; aName: string; var
228	228		AControl: TControl; DoDisableAutoSizing: boolean);
229	229
230	230		procedure CreateForm(Caption: string; NewBounds: TRect);
231	231		begin
232	232		AControl:=CreateSimpleForm(aName,Caption,NewBounds,DoDisableAutoSizing);
233	233		end;
234	234
235	235		begin
236	236		// first check if the form already exists
237	237		// the LCL Screen has a list of all existing forms.
238	238		// Note: Remember that the LCL allows as form names only standard
239	239		// pascal identifiers and compares them case insensitive
240	240		AControl:=Screen.FindForm(aName);
241	241		if AControl<>nil then begin
242	242		// if it already exists, just disable autosizing if requested
243	243		if DoDisableAutoSizing then
244	244		AControl.DisableAutoSizing;
245	245		exit;
246	246		end;
247	247		// if the form does not yet exist, create it
248	248		if aName='CodeExplorer' then
249	249		CreateForm('Code Explorer',Bounds(700,230,100,250))
250	250		...
251	251		else if aName='DebugOutput' then
252	252		CreateForm('Debug Output',Bounds(400,400,350,150));
253	253		end;
254	254		```
255	255
256	256		Creating a form can be as simple as this:
257	257
258	258		``` pascal
259	259		MyForm:=TMyForm.Create(Self);
260	260		if DoDisableAutoSizing then
261	261		MyForm.DisableAutoSizing;
262	262		```
263	263
264	264		But of course you can put there all kind of initialization code.
265	265
266	266		The DisableAutoSizing reduces flickering. Make sure your forms Visible property is set to false.
267	267
268	268		Remember to call DisableAutoSizing for the form if the parameter DoDisableAutoSizing is set to true, because Disable- and EnableAutosizing calls must be balanced. If you miss the DisableAutosizing, the LCL will raise an exception later:
269	269
270		-	~~```~~
	270	+	```text
271	271		TControl.EnableAutoSizing SourceEditor1:TSimpleForm: missing DisableAutoSizing
272	272		```
273	273
274	274		![](/wiki-images/8/8e/MissingDisableAutoSizing.png)
275	275
276	276		If you call DisableAutoSizing too much, your forms will not appear and/or not resize properly as the LCL is waiting for the EnableAutoSizing call that never comes.
277	277
278	278		### Showing forms
279	279
280	280		When a form should be shown, you have probably used something like 'MyForm.Show. Instead you should now use
281	281
282	282		``` pascal
283	283		DockMaster.MakeDockable(MyForm);
284	284		```
285	285
286	286		This will wrap MyForm in a dock site and show it. It is clever enough to figure out if the form is already wrapped in a dock site.
287	287
288	288		If you set the DockMaster.OnCreateControl event you can use this:
289	289
290	290		``` pascal
291	291		DockMaster.ShowControl('MyForm',true);
292	292		```
293	293
294	294		### Docking manually, via code
295	295
296	296		Use the procedure DockMaster.ManualDock to dock a site to or into another.
297	297
298	298		``` pascal
299	299		procedure ManualDock(SrcSite, TargetSite: TAnchorDockHostSite; Align: TAlign; TargetControl: TControl = nil);
300	300		```
301	301
302	302		- SrcSite is the site to be docked. If SrcSite was docked it will be undocked first.
303	303		- TargetSite is the site where SrcSite will be docked into or docked as neighbor.
304	304		- TargetControl specifies if docking as neighbor (=nil), as inside neighbor (=TargetSide) or in front of a page (=a TAnchorDockPage).
305	305
306	306		### Undocking manually, via code
307	307
308	308		Use the procedure DockMaster.ManualFloat to undock a site from its neighbors and create a flotaing top level form. The embedded control stays embedded into a TAnchorDockHostSite.
309	309
310	310		``` pascal
311	311		procedure ManualFloat(AControl: TControl);
312	312		```
313	313
314	314		You can give as parameter a TAnchorDockHostSite or a control embedded into a TAnchorDockHostSite (for example a form made dockable with MakeDockable). The site will be put at the same screen location.
315	315
316	316		### Save layout
317	317
318	318		The DockMaster allows to save the current layout to a TConfigStorage. The miniide example uses the xml version:
319	319
320	320		``` pascal
321	321		procedure TMainIDE.SaveLayout(Filename: string);
322	322		var
323	323		XMLConfig: TXMLConfigStorage;
324	324		begin
325	325		try
326	326		// create a new xml config file
327	327		XMLConfig:=TXMLConfigStorage.Create(Filename,false);
328	328		try
329	329		// save the current layout of all forms
330	330		DockMaster.SaveLayoutToConfig(XMLConfig);
331	331		XMLConfig.WriteToDisk;
332	332		finally
333	333		XMLConfig.Free;
334	334		end;
335	335		except
336	336		on E: Exception do begin
337	337		MessageDlg('Error',
338	338		'Error saving layout to file '+Filename+':'#13+E.Message,mtError,
339	339		[mbCancel],0);
340	340		end;
341	341		end;
342	342		end;
343	343		```
344	344
345	345		### Load layout
346	346
347	347		``` pascal
348	348		procedure TMainIDE.LoadLayout(Filename: string);
349	349		var
350	350		XMLConfig: TXMLConfigStorage;
351	351		begin
352	352		try
353	353		// load the xml config file
354	354		XMLConfig:=TXMLConfigStorage.Create(Filename,True);
355	355		try
356	356		// restore the layout
357	357		// this will close unneeded forms and call OnCreateControl for all needed
358	358		DockMaster.LoadLayoutFromConfig(XMLConfig);
359	359		finally
360	360		XMLConfig.Free;
361	361		end;
362	362		except
363	363		on E: Exception do begin
364	364		MessageDlg('Error',
365	365		'Error loading layout from file '+Filename+':'#13+E.Message,mtError,
366	366		[mbCancel],0);
367	367		end;
368	368		end;
369	369		end;
370	370		```
371	371
372	372		### Enlarge/Shrink
373	373
374	374		The anchor docking manager can enlarge/shrink docked neighbors. This is done via the popup menu of the dock header or in code with the function DockMaster.ManualEnlarge:
375	375
376	376		``` pascal
377	377		function ManualEnlarge(Site: TAnchorDockHostSite; Side: TAnchorKind; OnlyCheckIfPossible: boolean): boolean;
378	378		```
379	379
380	380		Site is a child site, Side the side of Site to expand. If you only want to test if enlarge is possible set OnlyCheckIfPossible to true.
381	381
382	382		### Enlarge one, shrink another
383	383
384	384		Shrink neighbor Object Inspector, enlarge Messages: Right click on the header of Messages and click on Enlarge right side. Two splitters are resized.
385	385
386	386		![](/wiki-images/1/15/Anchordocking_before_enlarge1.png) enlarging Messages to the right side: ![](/wiki-images/f/f8/Anchordocking_after_enlarge1.png)
387	387
388	388		### Enlarge one, shrink many
389	389
390	390		Shrink splitter at one side, enlarge both neighbor splitters, rotate the splitter behind, enlarge Control, shrink controls at rotate splitter. Right click on header of Source Editor 1 then click on Enlarge bottom side.
391	391
392	392		![](/wiki-images/c/cb/Anchordocking_before_enlarge2.png) becomes ![](/wiki-images/4/42/Anchordocking_after_enlarge2.png)
393	393
394	394		### General docking options
395	395
396	396		The AnchorDocking package provides a dialog to setup some of the properties of the DockMaster. The dialog is in the unit AnchorDockOptionsDlg and you can use it simply:
397	397
398	398		``` pascal
399	399		uses ... AnchorDockOptionsDlg;
400	400		...
401	401		procedure TMainIDE.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
402	402		...
403	403		begin
404	404		...
405	405		DockMaster.OnShowOptions:=@ShowAnchorDockOptions;
406	406		...
407	407		end;
408	408		```
409	409
410	410		This will add a new menu item to the popup menus of the dock headers and pages called Docking options.
411	411
412	412		## Why use Anchors instead of Align?
413	413
414	414		Anchors allow to create any possible rectangular layout. Align is limited. Align with Panels can theoretically create a lot of layouts, but still not all. And some operations like enlarge/shrink are more complicated using Align/Panels than using Anchors. Align works good for a few forms, but the more forms are docked, the more the disadvantages of Align become visible.
415	415
416	416		### Layouts that can be created with Align
417	417
418	418		Align can only create the following layouts:
419	419
420	420		![](/wiki-images/1/13/Anchordocking_align_layout1.png)
421	421
422	422		The alTop controls are always at the top, filling the whole horizontal width. That's because the LCL first aligns all controls with alTop, then all alBottom, then alLeft, then alRight and finally alClient.
423	423
424	424		### Layouts that can be created with Align and Panels
425	425
426	426		It is possible to nest Align layouts by using hidden panels. Then any layout that can be recursively splitted in halves can be created. Then you can create for example:
427	427
428	428		![](/wiki-images/0/0e/Anchordocking_align_panels_layout1.png)
429	429
430	430		This requires only one hidden panel.
431	431
432	432		### Changing Layouts
433	433
434	434		Now the user wants to enlarge the FPDocEditor horizontally (and shrink CodeExplorer). With the AnchorDocking you can simply right click on the FPDocEditor header and click Enlarge right side.
435	435
436	436		![](/wiki-images/8/88/Anchordocking_align_panels_layout2.png)
437	437
438	438		Other docking engines need at least 2 panels. One for SrcEditor,Messages,FPDocEdit,CodeExpl and one for SrcEdit and Messages. Most docking layouters do not even provide a simple way to change the layout in this way. An algorithm to allow this layout change, must analyze the whole structure as if there were no panels and must reparent a lot of things. Basically the algorithm must do the same as the anchor docking algorithm, but with the extra work of translating the layout into Align plus hidden panels.
439	439
440	440		### Layouts that are impossible with Align and Panels
441	441
442	442		Now the user wants to enlarge SourceEditor1 horizontally (and shrink ObjectInspector):
443	443
444	444		![](/wiki-images/e/e9/Anchordocking_impossible_with_align_panels1.png)
445	445
446	446		This layout is impossible with Align and panels, because you can not cut it in two halves. The same with
447	447
448	448		![](/wiki-images/1/1e/Anchordocking_impossible_with_align_panels2.png)
449	449
450	450		### Conclusion
451	451
452	452		Align with hidden panels allows you to easily create a simple docking manager that works well for a few forms, but it will always limit the user. Align is useful for row and column layouts, not for tables. Anchor docking works even for complex forms.
453	453
454	454		## Old/deprecated anchor docking
455	455
456	456		### Create a TLazDockingManager
457	457
458	458		``` pascal
459	459		DockingManager:=TLazDockingManager.Create(Self);
460	460		```
461	461
462	462		The Self as parameter is only used as Owner. That means, when the mainform is freed, the DockingManager is freed too. You can use nil and free the DockingManager yourself.
463	463
464	464		### Optional: Loading a configuration
465	465
466	466		You can load the user configuration from disk.
467	467
468	468		``` pascal
469	469		Config:=TXMLConfigStorage.Create('config.xml',true);
470	470		DockingManager.LoadFromConfig(Config);
471	471		Config.Free;
472	472		```
473	473
474	474		This loads the file config.xml. The config can be created by the SaveToConfig function. See below.
475	475
476	476		### Make a form/control dockable
477	477
478	478		Create a TLazControlDocker for each form/control that should be dockable
479	479
480	480		``` pascal
481	481		ControlDocker1:=TLazControlDocker.Create(Self);
482	482		ControlDocker1.Name:='DockerForm1';
483	483		ControlDocker1.Manager:=DockingManager;
484	484		```
485	485
486	486		### Optional: Saving the user configuration to disk
487	487
488	488		When the program is closed you can save the user configuration to disk
489	489
490	490		``` pascal
491	491		Config:=TXMLConfigStorage.Create('config.xml',true);
492	492		DockingManager.SaveToConfig(Config);
493	493		Config.WriteToDisk;
494	494		Config.Free;
495	495		```
496	496
497	497		## See also
498	498
499	499		- [[AnchorDockingDsgn]] AnchorDocking in the Lazarus IDE
500	500		- [[Anchor Docking Step by step example\|Anchor Docking: A Step by step example]]
501	501		- [[Docking]] in general
502	502		- [[EasyDockingManager]] - an alternative docking implementation with a simpler layout engine and fewer options.
503	503
504	504		---
505	505		From the Free Pascal wiki, page "Anchor Docking", as it stood on 2024-01-27 after a change by Rich2014, out of the wiki's dump of 2024-05-26. Copyright stays with the author who wrote it, according to the old wiki's [[Licensing]] page. If you have concerns about this material, [message the admin](/wiki-contact).
506	506		Category: Docking
507	507		Category: Lazarus IDE plugins

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