New IDE features since: what changed

Revision 2 to 3. Removed lines have a minus sign; added lines have a plus sign.

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1	1		This page contains a list of major IDE features that made Lazarus even more impressive. All features are sorted by the Lazarus release version that they became available in.
2	2
3	3		If you would like to contribute to this page, please read the following page ([[Creating animated gifs for wiki]]) giving hints on creating animated gifs for this wiki.
4	4
5	5		# Overview
6	6
7	7		Version
8	8
9	9		Category
10	10
11	11		Feature
12	12
13	13		# prior to v0.9.4 (2004 and earlier)
14	14
15	15		## form designer guidelines (June 2002)
16	16
17	17		The Form Designer shows green or blue guidelines when you position components. This help you align or size components correctly. When components are correctly aligned or sized, then guidelines are shown.
18	18
19	19		![](/wiki-images/2/2e/Ide_features_design_guidelines.gif)
20	20
21	21		# (2005-01-09)
22	22
23	23		Invert Assignment tool
24	24
25	25		# v0.9.10 (2005-10-06)
26	26
27	27		## Integrated Documentation Editor
28	28
29	29		Lazarus IDE is now capable of editing the external fpdoc help (xml) files while you are working with the source code. The FPDoc Editor can be found at: View -\> FPDoc Editor menu option. As you navigate your code, the FPDoc Editor window gets updated with the related documentation. External help files prevent you from obfuscating your source code. fpdoc is similar to the JavaDoc technology, but with its own features and syntax.
30	30
31	31		![](/wiki-images/3/30/Ide_features_fpdoc_editor.gif)
32	32
33	33		# v0.9.13 (2006-02-03)
34	34
35	35		## Quick Fixes
36	36
37	37		- Quick Fix for improving message: Unit not found
38	38		- Quick Fix for Sender not used
39	39
40	40		# v0.9.17 (2006-05-27)
41	41
42	42		- Quick Fix for some linker errors
43	43
44	44		# v0.9.18 (2006-09-18)
45	45
46	46		## procedure list
47	47
48	48		This makes finding methods in your current unit really fast! It can be found at Search \> Procedure list (Hotkey is Alt+G). The procedure list enables you to view a list of Free Pascal / Lazarus procedures in the current unit and quickly jump to the implementation. Include files are also supported and the method list gets filtered as you type the partial method name.
49	49
50	50		![](/wiki-images/2/2c/Ide_features_procedure_list.gif)
51	51
52	52		# v0.9.20 (2006-11-05)
53	53
54	54		## divider lines in editor
55	55
56	56		The Lazarus editor supports drawing horizontal divider lines between classes, methods, nested procedures, begin..end blocks and many more. So now there is no need to add extra blank lines or {*****...} comments between classes or methods. In the upcoming v0.9.28 release this feature is very customizable in the "Environment \> Options \> Editor \> Divider Drawing**" screen. In the following screenshot it shows some divider lines using the default color and a divider line for nested procedures using a customized color.
57	57
58	58		![](/wiki-images/3/37/Ide_features_divider_lines.png)
59	59
60	60		# v0.9.24 (2007-11-05)
61	61
62	62		- Quick Fix for fpc warning constructing a class with abstract methods
63	63
64	64		## editor toolbar
65	65
66	66		The editor toolbar plug-in allows you to define toolbar buttons to any of the IDE menu items.
67	67
68	68		![](/wiki-images/1/16/Ide_features_editor_toolbar.png)
69	69
70	70		# v0.9.26 (2008-10-25)
71	71
72	72		## fpdoc help inside editor tooltips
73	73
74	74		Lazarus can now display fpdoc documentation inside the tooltip help. Packages and Project can all be setup to find the related fpdoc (*.xml) help files, which then enables Lazarus to display the extended help in the tooltips. Simply hover the mouse over various parts of the code to see the tooltips in action. In the image below the mouse was hovered over the TCollection class definition.
75	75
76	76		![](/wiki-images/7/7f/Ide_features_fpdoc_tooltip.png)
77	77
78	78		# v0.9.28 (2009-10-12)
79	79
80	80		## block matching
81	81
82	82		The IDE automatically highlights matching blocks - begin..end pairs.
83	83
84	84		![](/wiki-images/8/85/Block_matching.gif)
85	85
86	86		## code macro OfAll
87	87
88	88		The code templates of the IDE can use code macros. Writing code macros is easy. The new code macro \$OfAll() creates a list of enums for case statements as demonstrated in the image below:
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90	90		![](/wiki-images/0/0b/CodeMakroOfAll.gif)
91	91
92	92		(Hint: The separator line between text and folder marks can be enabled via [[IDE Window: Editor Options\|Margin and gutter]])
93	93
94	94		New users will automatically get the new macro. Old users can either delete their ~/.lazarus/lazarus.dci or add the template themselves. How to create the template:
95	95
96	96		- IDE menu / Environment / code templates
97	97		- Add. Token: "ofall" or whatever you like. Comment: "case variable of \<list of all enums\> end"
98	98		- Click ok to add it
99	99		- The new template is selected below.
100	100		- check "Enable macros"
101	101		- The code of the template:
102	102
103		-	~~`of`\~~
104		-	~~`\|$OfAll()end;`~~
	103	+	``` pascal
	104	+	of
	105	+	\|$OfAll()end;
	106	+	```
105	107
106	108		- click ok to save and close the templates.
107	109
108	110		## Code Templates with macro \$Param
109	111
110	112		![](/wiki-images/2/2f/Image-Ide_features_trycf_demo.gif)
111	113
112	114		To use this feature add the following macro (or delete your old config):
113	115
114		-	~~`$param(variable) := $param(typename).Create;`\~~
115		-	~~`try`\~~
116		-	~~` \|`\~~
117		-	~~`finally`\~~
118		-	~~` $param(variable,sync=1).Free;`\~~
119		-	~~`end;`~~
	116	+	``` pascal
	117	+	$param(variable) := $param(typename).Create;
	118	+	try
	119	+	\|
	120	+	finally
	121	+	$param(variable,sync=1).Free;
	122	+	end;
	123	+	```
120	124
121	125		## Syncron-Edit
122	126
123	127		![](/wiki-images/a/a6/SynEditSyncro.gif)
124	128
125	129		# v0.9.30 (2011-03-28)
126	130
127	131		- Quick Fix for message: unit1(): fatal: can not find unit2 used by unit3
128	132		- Quick Fix for identifier not found: add local variable
129	133		- Quick Fix for identifier not found: search via Code Browser
130	134		- Quick Fix for unit not found: remove unit from uses section
131	135		- Quick Fix for note local variable not used: remove variable
132	136		- Quick Fix for hints: add IDE directive {%H-}
133	137
134	138		## Multi Source Editor
135	139
136	140		Lazarus can now open as many Source-Editor-Windows as you want, and you can freely move files between them.
137	141
138	142		It is also possible to view the same file in multiple Windows.
139	143
140	144		![](/wiki-images/4/47/Three_src_edit_medium2.png)
141	145
142	146		[[http://lazarus-dev.blogspot.com/2010/04/using-multiply-editor-windows.html\|Multiply Source-Editor-Windows]]
143	147
144	148		## Docked IDE
145	149
146	150		The IDE now supports docking. Install either the package [[Anchor Docking\|AnchorDockingDsgn]] or EasyDockMgrDsgn.
147	151
148	152		![](/wiki-images/a/af/Ide_docked.png)
149	153
150	154		## Code folding with hiding option for Comments
151	155
152	156		Comments in the source code can be completely folded away (hidden). The context menu (on the fold gutter) provides info on the nested folds at the selected line
153	157
154	158		![](/wiki-images/e/ef/FoldHideComments2.png)
155	159
156	160		# v1.0 (2012-08-29)
157	161
158	162		- Quick Fix: cant find unit: show ppu of installed package
159	163
160	164		## Folding (Hiding) text by selection
161	165
162	166		Lazarus can now fold any text/code segment you want. Just select the text and hide it. (These folds are not remembered in the session, restoring folds on load only works for folds at keywords)
163	167
164	168		![](/wiki-images/8/8f/Fold_selection.gif)
165	169
166	170		## Watches/Locals History in debugger
167	171
168	172		A history of Watches and Locals
169	173
170	174		More Info: [[http://lazarus-dev.blogspot.com/2011/05/remember-remember-history-of-debugging.html blog]] ![](/wiki-images/7/7d/LazDbgHistory.png)
171	175
172	176		## Macro Recorder for Code Editor
173	177
174	178		The source-code editor can record and play macros
175	179
176	180		## Procedure/Class-Name Hint for long declarations
177	181
178	182		The editor displays an embedded hint with the name of the current Procedure/Class if the top of the declaration is scrolled out
179	183
180	184		# v1.2 (2014-03-04)
181	185
182	186		## Command Macros can be saved
183	187
184	188		![](/wiki-images/1/11/Editor_macros.png)
185	189
186	190		Support for multiple command macros, that can be saved with session or IDE config. [[IDE Window: Editor Macros]]
187	191
188	192		## PascalScript macros
189	193
190	194		## Multiple user defined word highlight/markup
191	195
192	196		The user can define any amount of different markup settings, and assign his own choice of words,expressions (one line terms) to them. This allows to highlight all occurrences of one or more identifiers of interest.
193	197
194	198		Words to be highlighted can be toggled via keyboard. Words can be highlighted per editor, or across all editors. A list of pre-defined words can be defined, that will be active when the IDE starts.
195	199
196	200		![](/wiki-images/4/4d/SynUserDefinedMarkup.png)
197	201
198	202		[[IDE Window: Editor User Defined Words\|See documentation]]
199	203
200	204		## Package Graph Control
201	205
202	206		The package graph now shows the package dependencies as graph.
203	207
204	208		This new control is part of the package LazControls and used by the IDE itself as well. The control shows a graph consisting of nodes and edges as a level graph (this type of graph is also called a layered graph).
205	209
206	210		![](/wiki-images/5/52/Packagegraph1.png)
207	211
208	212		## Dialog to find and remove unneeded package dependencies
209	213
210	214		Available via package editor / context menu of a dependency or via the package graph.
211	215
212	216		![](/wiki-images/d/de/Cleanuppackagedependencies1.png)
213	217
214	218		## Auto-continue for comments and strings
215	219
216	220		## Project Additions and Overrides
217	221
218	222		Projects can now add compiler options to packages and override the output directories depending on the current build mode. You can also add compiler options to all projects on a machine depending on build mode.
219	223
220	224		[[IDE Window: Compiler Options\|Additions and Overrides]]
221	225
222	226		![](/wiki-images/c/cd/CompilerAdditionsAndOverrides1.png)
223	227
224	228		## Low-lighting inactive \$IFDEF code
225	229
226	230		![](/wiki-images/7/7e/Source_Editor_IFDEF_lowlight.png)
227	231
228	232		## Unit Dependencies
229	233
230	234		You can now find out what units uses a unit.
231	235
232	236		[[IDE Window: Unit dependencies\|Unit Dependencies]]
233	237
234	238		![](/wiki-images/0/04/UnitDependencies1.png)
235	239
236	240		## Quick Fix for circular unit not found
237	241
238	242		When you create a cycle between units, the compiler only reports one edge of the cycle. Right click on the message / Show unit dependencies will open the unit dependencies dialog with a full path from unit A to unit B to unit A.
239	243
240	244		## Find references of used unit
241	245
242	246		Position source editor cursor on a unit within a uses clause. Then right click / Find / Find references of used unit. This will find all references within the current unit to the used unit.
243	247
244	248		# v1.4 (2015-04-22)
245	249
246	250		## Designer supports Undo
247	251
248	252		This is one of the coolest improvements in this release. Earlier if you worked on a complex layout of components inside a Panel and then deleted the Panel by accident, there was no way to get it back. Now there is!
249	253
250	254		## Drag and Drop refactoring of files in project and packages
251	255
252	256		Drag and Drop support was added to both Project inspector and Package editor.
253	257
254	258		## Parallel building packages
255	259
256	260		Compilation of packages is now threaded. The Messages window has coloured header lines with information, one header per package. So when your project depends on multiple packages that have to be compiled, the IDE starts multiple threads to compile all those packages. This speeds up the compilation especially for larger projects, like the Lazarus IDE itself.
257	261
258	262		Downside is that sections in the Messages window are updated in random order, thus it is more difficult to follow the compilation process. Parallel compilation can be disabled by setting "Maximum parallel processes" to 1.
259	263
260	264		## Message Marks
261	265
262	266		For each compiler message listed in the Messages window the Source Editor shows an icon in the left gutter, a line in the right gutter and the offending token is given a wavey underline. Right-clicking on the left gutter icon shows a context menu with a list of quick fixes.
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264	268		The wavey underlines and other marks are only updated after compilation. This differs from the real-time syntax check in new Delphi versions where the wavey underline comes and goes while typing.
265	269
266	270		![](/wiki-images/3/33/MessageMarks.png)
267	271
268	272		## Messages windows shows translated messages
269	273
270	274		You can use the FPC provided translation files to show messages in many languages like German and French.
271	275
272	276		## Messages windows allows to search with highlighting
273	277
274	278		Explanation
275	279
276	280		## Hint windows and Object Inspector info box have HTML rendering by default
277	281
278	282		Hints showing suitably formatted text give the IDE a more professional appearance, and the documentation shown usually includes clickable hyperlinks to sources and associated packages. Hint formatting was only available previously if you installed the TurboPowerIProDsgn package. It was not installed by default due to outstanding bugs which are now resolved.
279	283
280	284		![](/wiki-images/8/87/OI_Infobox.png)
281	285
282	286		## Editor Toolbar is visible by default
283	287
284	288		The Editor Toolbar package was improved and is now installed by default. It has preconfigured buttons for "Jump Back" and "Jump Forward" features. Those buttons are often requested by new users. This toolbar makes Lazarus yet more newbie-friendly. It can be hidden from View-menu, thus there is no need to uninstall the package any more.
285	289
286	290		![](/wiki-images/0/08/EditorToolbar.png)
287	291
288	292		## Checkbox can be used as a Boolean property editor in OI
289	293
290	294		A Checkbox is maybe the most natural control for editing Booleans. It can be configured in Object Inspector environment settings, although the Combobox with "False" and "True" choices is still the default.
291	295
292	296		![](/wiki-images/4/47/OI_Checkbox.png)
293	297
294	298		## Component palette is configurable
295	299
296	300		The order of components and pages in the component palette can be changed by user. There is a new options page for it under environment options.
297	301
298	302		![](/wiki-images/5/5b/CompPaletteOpts.png)
299	303
300	304		# v1.6
301	305
302	306		- Quick fix for fpc message Local variable "i" does not seem to be initialized: insert assignment
303	307		- Added TFlowPanel in ExtCtrls.pp
304	308
305	309		## Multi Caret
306	310
307	311		The editor allows multiple carets. Those can be set from column mode selection (Shift-Alt-Select), individually (Shift-Ctrl-Left-mouse or Shift-Ctrl-Insert-Key), or from selection (see image)
308	312
309	313		![](/wiki-images/a/a0/Multicaret.gif)
310	314
311	315		See also [[IDE Window: Editor Options General\|Multi Caret]] and [[SynEdit MultiCaret plugin]]
312	316
313	317		## Project Groups
314	318
315	319		![](/wiki-images/9/90/ProjectGroupsEditor1.png)
316	320
317	321		See [[Project Groups]].
318	322
319	323		## Desktops
320	324
321	325		![](/wiki-images/9/94/Desktops.png)
322	326
323	327		See [[IDE Window: Desktops\|Desktops]]
324	328
325	329		## IDE CoolBar
326	330
327	331		Replaces the old static Toolbar. ToDo: upload an animation about changing Coolbar layout.
328	332
329	333		## Package Tabs
330	334
331	335		![](/wiki-images/c/cd/Packagetabs-top.png)
332	336
333	337		See [[Package Tabs]]
334	338
335	339		## Favorites
336	340
337	341		![](/wiki-images/2/21/Favorites.png)
338	342
339	343		See [[Favorites]]
340	344
341	345		# v1.8
342	346
343	347		- Quick fix for any fpc hint, note or warning: insert compiler directive {\$warn id off}
344	348
345	349		## Outline for Pascal Sources
346	350
347	351		The editor can outline pascal code blocks, such as if/then, loops, try/except, begin/end and others.
348	352
349	353		Settings can be found under Tools -\> Options -\> Editor on the pages "Markup and Matches" and "Colors"
350	354
351	355		![](/wiki-images/b/b9/Editor_outline_example.png) ![](/wiki-images/a/a9/Editor_outline_example2.png)
352	356
353	357		# Unsorted
354	358
355	359		Any items below this point have not been sorted per Lazarus release yet.
356	360
357	361		## built-in diff viewer
358	362
359	363		...
360	364
361	365		## refactoring
362	366
363	367		...
364	368
365	369		## favorites in Object Inspector
366	370
367	371		...
368	372
369	373		## integrated unit testing with FPCUnit
370	374
371	375		...
372	376
373	377		## better anchoring and margins in form designer
374	378
375	379		...
376	380
377	381		## file browser
378	382
379	383		...
380	384
381	385		## CodeTools
382	386
383	387		- word completion
384	388		- Rename component in Designer auto-renames all instances in unit.
385	389
386	390		...
387	391
388	392		## Include files
389	393
390	394		...
391	395
392	396		## Lazarus Packages
393	397
394	398		...
395	399
396	400		## Enclose Selection
397	401
398	402		Select some text in editor. Right Click to get popup menu. Select "Refactoring \> Enclose Selection".
399	403
400	404		## Quick Fix: Remove unit
401	405
402	406		In messages window
403	407
404	408		## Code Observer
405	409
406	410		...
407	411
408	412		## Line Change indicators
409	413
410	414		...
411	415
412	416		---
413	417		From the Free Pascal wiki, page "New IDE features since", as it stood on 2019-01-07 after a change by Martin, 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).
414	418		Category: Historical
415	419		Category: IDE
416	420		Category: Lazarus
417	421		Category: Release Notes

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