IDE Window: Editor Options Completion Hints

Navigation

• Main Menu - Overview of all the main menu menu items for the IDE.
• IDE Options - Overview of all the options for the IDE.
• Editor Options - Overview of all the options for the IDE source code editor.

Completion and Hints Dialog

You can open the Completion and Hints dialog in your IDE via:

• The menu: Tools > Options > Editor - Completion and Hints
• From the source editor window pop-up (right-click) menu: Editor > Options > Editor - Completion and Hints

Auto remove empty methods

Published methods without code are automatically removed on file save. For example, when you double click on a form the IDE creates the published method FormCreate. When this is option is enabled and the method is still empty the IDE will remove it automatically when you save the form.

Add close statement for Pascal blocks

Automatically add a close statement to complete a block of Pascal code. For example, when you type begin and press return the IDE will automatically add the end;.

Auto Display Function Prototypes

Show a hint with the parameters that the current procedure/function takes. This will activate, if you press ( (left bracket) after the name of a function. It also activates, if you enter a , (comma) with the cursor inside the parentheses of a function call.

This can also be activated by pressing Shift+Ctrl+Space. Using the key combo works independently of the setting being enabled.

Show Declaration Hints

When you hover the mouse over an identifier and wait a moment the IDE will show a hint. This provides details on where and how the identifier was declared/defined.

If the package TurboPowerIProDsgn is installed the mouse can move into the hint bubble and the location of the declaration acts as a link.

Show Value Hints when debugging

When you hover the mouse over an identifier like for "Declaration Hints", but while debugging, then the IDE will evaluate the Identifier as a watch and display the current value.

Automatic typecasts for objects

If the identifier evaluated is an object (i.e. an instance of a class), then the IDE will typecast it to its actual class, showing more information.

That is by default "Sender: TObject" evaluates as TObject and only shows TObject fields. But with this option, it will determine the actual class (e.g. maybe a TButton) and show all the info for that class

Delay for completion box

How long in seconds before the IDE opens the identifier completion dropdown.

The IDE only automatically opens the drop down if you. for example. type a . (full stop) after the name of a record or object.

Delay for hints

How long in seconds that you have to hover over an identifier before the IDE triggers "Declaration Hints" or "Value Hints when debugging"

Delay for long line hints in completion box

In the completion drop box some lines may not fully fit and be cut off. When you hover over such a line, or select it with up or down, then a hint will show the full line.

Show long line hints

How to position the "long line hints in completion box" hint.

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From the Free Pascal wiki, page "IDE Window: Editor Options Completion Hints", as it stood on 2021-01-31 after a change by Trev, 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.