Some extra controls commonly used in Lazarus forms TCustomPage : The base type for Page TCustomPage : The base type for the tabbed pages found in notebooks PageIndex - integer index value for this page in the notebook ImageIndex - integer index value for the image associated with this page NoteBook Pages - an array of strings containing the names of the pages TCustomNotebook : The base type for TNotebook

TCustom Notebook : The base type for TNotebook

A notebook consists of several Pages, usually of similar type and kept indexed. They may contain Images listed in a table. One page is displayed at a time, but the other pages are indicated by tabs which may have their names on them, and a different page can be selected for display by clicking its tab

TPage : One of the pages in a tabbed Notebook

Inherits most of its properties from TCustomPage

HowToUseStdCtrls TNotebook : A series of tabbed pages placed together to make a notebook

TNotebook : A series of tabbed pages placed together to make a notebook

Inherits most of its properties from TCustomNoteBook

HowToUseStdCtrls TPage TTimer: An elapsed timer useful in many applications

TTimer: An elapsed timer useful in many applications

Inherits most of its properties from TCustomTimer

TIdleTimer : A timer to measure idle time between processes

TIdleTimer: A timer to measure idle time between processes

Inherits most of its properties from TCustomTimer

Shape Shape: An arbitrary graphic geometrical shape placed on the Form. It may be one of a series of standard shapes defined by TShapeType The Brush to be used for colouring this shape The Pen to be ussed for drawing this shape Which Shape? (Rectangle, Square, RoundRect, RoundSquare, Ellipse, Circle, SquaredDiamond, Diamond) TCustomSplitter : the base type for TSplitter

TCustomSplitter: the base type for TSplitter

A Splitter is a vertical or horizontal bar that can be placed on a panel or form, to separate sub-panels functionally and allow re-sizing of the constituent sub-panels

This class defines many of the basic properties for the children classes, such as positioning, sizing and alignment

{ TCustomSplitter is a control for interactively resizing another control.
    It is a vertical or horizontal bar anchored to a side of a control.
    You can either set the Align property to alLeft (alRight,alTop,alBottom),
    then it will become a vertical bar, aligned to the left and when the user
    moves it with the mouse, the control to the left with the same Align=alLeft
    will be resized.
    The second more flexible possibility is to set the properties Align=alNone,
    AnchorSides and ResizeAnchor.
    }

Style for resizing - as a line, a pattern, full update, or none AutoSnap - automatically snaps to a grid point or grid line in the Form designer Boolean property, true if snapping to grid positions Whether the edges of the splitter bar are bevelled Minimum size for splitter - default 30 pixels Event handler for receiving permission to resize Event handler for occasion when splitter has moved TSplitter : A vertical or horizontal bar placed on a panel or form, to separate sub-panels functionally

TSplitter: A vertical or horizontal bar that can be placed on a panel or form, to separate sub-panels functionally and allow re-sizing of the constituent sub-panels

The splitter extends for the full height (if vertical) or full width (if horizontal) of the parent control (form or panel) and is anchored to the edges; its position along the length or height of the parent is determined by the programmer or user by moving the whole control with the mouse, and its size can be adjusted using the sizing bars and with the ResizeAnchor property

HowToUseStdCtrls TPaintBox: a painted rectangular box with defined size and color

TPaintBox: a painted rectangular box with defined size and colour

HowToUseStdCtrls TCustomImage - the base type for TImage TCustomImage : The base type for TImage . This is a control of the class TGraphicControl , designed to be lightweight and fast TGraphicControl Should image be centered? Boolean property - True if image is to be centered Picture - the actual image for display True if picture is to be stretched True if you can see through the image True if image is proportional TImage - a graphic image placed on the form; usually loaded from a picture file.

TImage : a graphic image placed on the form; usually loaded from a picture file.

The actual image is found in Picture or Canvas

Inherits most of its properties from its ancestors, TCustomImage, TGraphicControl and TControl

HowToUseStdCtrls A bevel placed around the edge of buttons and other components

TBevel - a bevel placed around the edge of buttons and other components.

Its appearance is governed by TBevelShape, TBevelStyle and TBevelwidth

Shape - whether a box, a frame or a line along one of the edges Style - whether raised or lowered TCustomRadioGroup: the base type for TRadioGroup

TCustomRadioGroup: the base type for TRadioGroup

A group of related but mutually exclusive radio buttons, requiring the user to select one af a set of alternatives

This class defines Items, where the captions for individual radio boxes are stored, Rows and Columns for arranging the radio boxes, and ColumnLayout to determine whether the data are arranged down the columns first, or across the rows first.

Items - a string list containing the captions for the radio boxes Columns - the number of columns in which the Items (radio buttons) are to be arranges ColumnLayout - HorizontalThenVertical or vice versa Rows - the number of rows in which Items (radio boxes) are held Number of rows TRadioGroup : A group of related but mutually exclusive radio buttons, requiring the user to select one af a set of alternatives

TRadioGroup: A group of related but mutually exclusive radio buttons, requiring the user to select one af a set of alternatives. As one button becomes selected, the remaining buttons in the group become automatically deselected.

To Use this control, place it in the required position on the form, then in the Object Inspector select Items and click on the ellipsis (...) to open the string editor. Type in the captions to accompany each check box, then close the string editor and you will see a series of Radio Boxes with their captions displayed beside them. (Note - unlike TCheckGroup, there is no special RadioGroup editor)

Inherits properties from TCustomRadioGroup and TCustomGroupBox

TRadioGroup behaves differently from a group of TRadioButton controls placed arbitrarily around a form.

In the case of TRadioButton, the mutual exclusivity is a feature that applies to any RadioButton anywhere in the Form, and the RadioButtons can be rearranged in any order or placed anywhere within the containing Form, while in TRadioGroup the exclusivity applies only to buttons within the Group, which are ordered strictly according to their ItemIndex within the Items stringlist.

TRadioButton is an entity in itself, with a number of additional properties, whereas the buttons within TRadioGroup are not separate entities, but rather are simply entries in a list of strings, each of which is associated with the on-screen image of a RadioButton.

The example shows the difference between the use of TRadioButton and TRadioGroup

HowToUseStdCtrls TRadioButton Caption - the text string appearing above the whole RadioGroup box Items - a string list containing the captions of the radio boxes

Items - a string list containing the captions of the radio boxes

Use the String List editor, opened by selecting Items and the ellipsis (...) in the Object Inspector, to insert the captions for the radio boxes, and determine their order and layout using the Rows, Columns and ColumnLayout properties

TCustomCheckGroup: The base type for TCheckGroup

This class defines Items, where the captions for individual check boxes are stored, Rows and Columns for arranging the check boxes, and ColumnLayout to determine whether the data are arranged down the columns first, or across the rows first.

TCustomGroupBox Rows - the number of rows in which the Items (check boxes) are arranged The number of rows holding items Items - a string list for the captions of the check boxes Columns - the number of columns in which the Items (check boxes) are to be arranges ColumnLayout - HorizontalThenVertical or vice versa OnItemClick - event handler for mouse click on one of the Items in the Check Group TCheckGroup : A group of Check Boxes physically and logically grouped together on a form

TCheckGroup: A group of Check Boxes physically and logically grouped together on a form

To Use this control, place it in the required position on the form, then either right-click on the control to see the pop-up CheckGroup editor, or in the Object Inspector select Items and click on the ellipsis (...) to open the string editor. In either case, type in the captions to accompany each check box, then close the string or CheckGroup editor and you will see a series of boxes with their captions displayed beside them.

Inherits properties from TCustomCheckGroup and TCustomGroupBox

HowToUseStdCtrls TRadioGroup Caption: the string which appears at the top of the Check Group Box

Caption: the string which appears as a caption at the top of the Check Group Box to describe the function of the Check Group as a whole

Items - a string list containing the captions of the check boxes

Use the String List editor or the CheckGroup editor (opened by right-clicking on the control in the Form) to insert the captions for the check boxes, and determine their order and layout

TBoundLabel: A label bound to another object, for example in TLabeledEdit TBoundLabel: A label bound to another object, for example in TLabeledEdit TLabeledEdit Caption Caption : the caption which will appear on the Bound Label, to identify its function Custom Labelled Edit

TCustomLabeledEdit : The base type for LabeledEdit.

Note particularly the EditLabel property (see TBoundLabel), which contains the label attached to the Edit control.

TCustomEdit TCustomLabel EditLabel - the label attached to the edit box LabelPosition - whether above, below, to the left or to the right of the Edit box LabelSpacing - the distance between the Label and the Edit box Labelled Edit: An Edit Box with a permanently attached Label

TLabeledEdit : An Edit Box with a permanently attached Label

Saves time and effort over placing separate Label and Edit Box on Form. The properties are described in the parent component, TCustomLabeledEdit from which most of the properties are inherited

TCustomEdit TBoundLabel Text : the text-string being entered or edited in the Labelled Edit box TCustomPanel: The base type for TPanel

TCustomPanel: The base type for TPanel

A Panel is a defined rectangular area of the form into which other components can be placed to group them functionally and geographically.

TCustomPanel defines the positioning and bevelling properties of any descendant classes, and provides methods for painting and writing text to the panel.

Alignment - whether text is left or right justified, or centered BevelInner - determines the nature of the Inner Bevel of the panel (whether raised, lowered etc) BevelOuter - determines the nature of the Outer Bevel of the panel (whether raised, lowered etc) BevelWidth - the Width of the panel's bevel in pixels TPanel: A defined rectangular area of the form into which other components can be placed

TPanel: A defined rectangular area of the form into which other components can be placed to group them functionally and geographically

Most of the properties are defined in ancestor classes including TCustomPanel, TCustomControl and TWinControl

Any controls such as buttons or check boxes that are placed inside the panel become its children, and inherit many of its properties. If the Panel is moved, the child controls move with it. Any part of a child control that falls outside the panel becomes invisible.

HowToUseStdCtrls OnEnter - event handler for mouse entering the control or the control getting focus OnExit - event handler for mouse leaving the control or the control losing focus