[DUG] Delphi 7 to Delphi 2009

[John Bird]

Here are my notes, I found some great instructions on Steve Trefethens blog 
about installing components in D2005/D2006/D2007.  (He is ex CodeGear)

I have added notes/examples from my own situation, I make a folder under my 
source tree called components, and install my component library from there

Once you get the essentials it is real simple, but you need to follow a 
couple of instructions ...

[From Steve Trefethen]

How to Install Components in the Delphi IDE

Delphi 7 has a main menu option for Component|Install Component that guides 
you through the process of getting a component onto the Palette. 
Unfortunately, that functionality was lost in the IDE's transformation to 
the Borland Developer Studio. I won't go into details but I was not happy to 
say the least when I learned of this change.

Regardless, your choices of installing components hasn't changed it's just 
you're no longer guided through the process. I thought it might be useful to 
walk through a few scenarios using Delphi 2007. There are many ways to 
accomplish these tasks so don't consider this your only option.

Creating and installing a new component into a new Package
Here are the steps necessary to create a new component and get it installed 
onto the palette though refer to the section below on the caveat with the 
New VCL Component wizard:

   1. Start the IDE
   2. Select File|New|Package
   3. Select File|Save As and give your package the desired name
   4. Select View|Project Manager
   5. Right click the package node and select Options then be sure to fill 
in the Description for this package as it will be used in the Install 
Packages dialog
   6. Select Component|New VCL Component... which will display the New VCL 
Component Wizard (see note below)
   7. Select TButton as the ancestor and click Next
   8. Leave the defaults for Classname etc. and click Next
   9. Select "Add unit to Package1.bdsproj project"
  10. Select View|Project Manager and right click Package1 and select 
Install

That will get you a new design time package with a new component installed 
and on your palette. If you have an existing .PAS file that contains a 
component(s) all you need to do is right click the Contains node under your 
package and select "Add...".

(JKB Open project D:\D2007\Components\JohnComponents1.dpk
Then in the right most window right click folder icon and select Add
then right click component icon and select Install - compiles etc)

Installing an existing component into a new package
The steps here are pretty much the same as above except at step 4 instead of 
starting the New VCL Component wizard simply open the .PAS file that 
contains the component(s) and add it to the Contains node of your package.

Installing components into an existing package
In this case, you've already created and installed a design time package and 
you'd like to add a new component.

   1. Select Component|Install Packages (Sure, this may seem a bit odd since 
the package we want is already installed)
   2. Find the desired package and select it in the Design Packages listbox
   3. Click the Edit button which will prompt you to cancel the dialog and 
open the package as a project
   4. Select View|Project Manager
   5. Expand the package node and right click the Contains node under the 
package and select "Add..." and add your existing .PAS file or select 
Component|New VCL Component and follow the steps above
   6. Right click the package node in the Project Manager and select Compile 
which will rebuild and reinstall your design time package

Tue 10 Feb 2009 0:50:42 Vista D2007 further notes:
 -Edit unit to change Register procedure to install into a different tab if 
wished.
-Save into Components folder.
 -close all
 -Open project d2007\Components\JohnComponents1.dpk/bpl (?)
 -right click Contains and select Add
 -select unit copied into Components
 -right click .bpl box icon, and select compile or install (I think both do 
the same).

Installing existing design time packages
If you have existing component packages and you want to get them on the 
palette:

   1. Select Component|Install Packages
   2. Click the Add button and multi-select the design time packages you 
want to install then click Ok. You don't really have to worry too much if 
the package you select is design time or runtime as the IDE will let you 
know if there is an issue installing the package.

The issue with the New VCL Component Wizard
There is one rather major flaw with the New VCL Component Wizard and that's 
that it places both design-time and runtime code into a single unit. The 
runtime code is the code that implements the component itself. The 
design-time code is the Register procedure with the call to 
RegisterComponents which should be removed and placed in a different unit 
which belongs it a design time package. In the first scenario above it would 
be wise to create a second, design-time only package and split the code as 
described. Additionally, you should mark your packages explicitly as 
design-time and runtime using Usage Options from the Project Options dialog.

Mixing design-time and runtime code in a single package is a bad idea and 
needs to be  avoided. Design-time code isn't necessary at runtime and 
typically contains property and/or component editors along with various 
registration calls which are only meaningful when the package is installed 
in the IDE.

Let me know if this was helpful and if you've been impacted by the removal 
of Component|Install Component functionality. I've already discussed it with 
Nick Hodges.


John