Defines classes for Mask Editing, ie editing with a masking string in place to obscure the text being entered EDBEditError - Exception class for handling an error in a data-aware Edit box TCustomMaskEdit - base class for TMaskEdit, an Edit box with characters masked out to avoid unauthorised reading Custom Mask Edit: the base type for Mask Edit Get the text in the edit box (the string that has been masked) SetEditText - specifies the text to appear in the Edit box If True, the Edit box is allowed to modify the contents Reset - put back to its default state with mask appearing in Text box and no string input EditMask - the sequence of characters used to obscure the string being typed (typically a sequence of asterisks) Validate the string that has been typed in the edit box isMasked - True if the text is masked The string that has been typed in the Edit Box and obscured by the Masking characters The Text string that is to be masked (or not) TMaskEdit - an Edit box with characters masked out to avoid unauthorised reading Mask Edit: Displays an Edit Box with the input text masked by a selected character specified by PasswordChar, usually an asterisk, or by EditMask (a complete string), specified in TCustomMaskEdit.
Useful for inputting passwords etc.
Used to align the control in one of four directions.

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Either reads a flag containing alignment instructions (FAlign) or writes alignment instructions (SetAlign)

May have no alignment, may have custom or client alignment, or can be aligned to top, bottom, left or right

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Determines how the control is to be anchored to its client or parent conrol

Either reads a flag containing the set of anchors to be used, or writes a set of anchors. If they have been written, this is indicated in IsAnchorsStored

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

AutoSize permits the size of a control to be adjusted automatically, for example a button can become bigger or smaller to accommodate a longer or shorter caption.

Reads logical (boolean) flag to see whether auto-sizing is to be operated, or writes the flag to say it should be done. Default is false, ie no auto-sizing

Determines the border spacing for this control

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Determines the border spacing for this control

Reads flag to find stored spacing values required for the border of the control, or writes the flag to set the spacing.

The properties are defined in the parent class TControlBorderSpacing

Indicates how text is displayed in a text editing control in the following ways:

  • Normal case letters
  • Upper case letters
  • Lower case letters

The rules can, of course, be overridden by use of the shift key.

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Reads the value for colour, or stores the value, and sets a flag if the colour is stored.

The default colour is the same as the window in which the control is located.

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Determine Constraints (max and min height and width) for this control; reads the size constraints or stores new ones.

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Whether the control is Enabled. If not, it usually appears 'greyed-out'

Reads a flag to see whether the control is enabled, or stores a new value. If stored, sets a flag to say so.

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Reads a flag to see what font should be used, or sets a flag to store it. If stored, sets a flag to say so

The properties of Font are defined in the parent class TFont

PasswordChar: the character which appears in the Edit box replacing and masking the actual character typed

PasswordChar : the character which appears in the Edit box replacing and masking the actual character typed.

Typically used in password input, to prevent the typed characters from being seen by passers-by or casual observers (or even malicious observers!)

PopupMenu - a context-sensitive menu that pops up when the right mouse button is clicked over this control // standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants
Reads the details of the pop-up menu, or stores them.
Properties are defined in the parent class TPopupMenu
ReadOnly - the contents of the edit box may only be read, not written or erased Flag to determine: Is hint to be displayed for this control? // standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants
Reads flag or writes one to determine if a hint is to be shown when mouse hovers over this control. If value is stored, a storage flag is set. Display of the actual hint is controlled by OnShowHint
Reads or writes information in flag; default is -1

Reads or writes boolean flag; default is False

Use the TabStop to allow or disallow access to the control using the Tab key.

If TabStop is True, the control is in the tab order. If TabStop is False, the control is not in the tab order and the user can't use the Tab key to move to the control.

Text : the character string contained in the Edit Box
The Visible property represents the ability to see a visual control. 
          If Visible is True the control is shown, otherwise it is hidden.
          Calling Show sets, among others, Visible to True.
          Setting Visible to False is equivalent to calling Hide method.
The Visible property does not depend on control's parent visibility. Use IsVisible method to consider this and get real visibility.

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

This is often the default action for many controls, and is often the ONLY action specified by the programmer. The action can be spcified by the user, either by typing explicit code into the implementation section for this control, or by selecting an action from a pre-supplied ActionList

Reads or writes a flag if a mouse click is detected, and sets a flag if a value is stored.

Double-clicking is much more common in a Windows environment than in Unix or Linux, where single-clicking is the default method for selecting an object. However, in all environments there could be valid use for a double-click, and a method should be supplied if appropriate.

OnKeyDown - event handler for instance when key is down while control has focus

Differs from OnKeyPress in that the key may have already been down when the control received focus; with OnKeyPress the key needs to become pressed while the control has focus.

OnKeyPress - event controller for a key being pressed while the control has focus

Differs from OnKeyDown in that the key needs to become pressed while the control has focus; with OnKeyDown the key may have already been down when the control received focus.

OnKeyUp - event handler for instance when a key is up (not pressed) while the control has focus

The key may already have been up when the control received focus, or a pressed key may become released during the time the control has focus.

EchoMode - how to echo keypresses on screen: normal (returning the actual character for that key), all upper or lower case, or a masking character as used in entering passwords Event handler for a change in bounds of the control

// standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants

Reads or Writes flag if bounds are changed

Event handler when editing is done Event Handler for resize of control // standard properties, which should be supported by all descendants
Reads or Writes flag if control is re-sized.
TEditMask - a string type containing a sequence of characters to act as a mask in an edit box CMEnter - control message method for pressing the Enter key LMMButtonUp - LCL message method for Button Up LMPasteFromClip - LCL message method for pasting from clipboard LMCutToClip - LCL message method for cutting to clipboard LMClearSel - LCL message method for clearing selected items GetSel - finds the start and end positions of the selection SetSel - specifies the start and end positions of the selection SpaceChar - the character that is to be used as a Space character