IDE Development

This page contains notes for lazarus core developers about ongoing development.

Multi form properties / using DataModules from other forms in the designer

Short Description

This feature allows to use components of other designer forms. A common example is to use the TDataSource on a DataModule for the DataSource property of a db control. Designer forms can only reference each other if they have a CreateForm statement in the lpr file (Project Options / Forms).

Working

Manual referencing via source code works.

Some features are only enabled via -dEnableMultiFormProperties (You can set this in Tools -> Configure Build Lazarus dialog -> Options)..

• TPersistentPropertyEditor.GetValues - List all possible values. Check for class compatibility and if the target form is listed in the CreateForm statements of the lpr file and if the target unit does not belong to a package that will conflict if used.
• TPersistentPropertyEditor.GetValue - Show component path
• TPersistentPropertyEditor.SetValue - search the component via the given path
• When component is deleted, the property must be set to nil - This is not the job of the IDE, but should be achieved by the normal TComponent FreeNotification feature. Maybe eventually a check could be added, if this is implemented properly and force a nil on error.
• When a component is renamed the property does not need to be updated, because the form is open and use the pointer not the name. But the designer must be flagged 'modified', because the lfm has changed. See below.
• When reference form is opened, then target forms are opened too.
• When target form is closed, then only the designer is closed. The component is kept hidden.
• When all referring forms are closed/hidden, the hidden component will be automatically freed.
• Circle dependencies are allowed.
• When referenced component is renamed, the using units must be set modified.
• When referenced component is deleted, the using units must be set modified.
• Opening a unit now checks if designer is already created
• Reopen/Revert a form - all connected forms are now closed

ToDo

• Warn if a reference is found, that has no CreateForm statement in the lpr.
• Allow to connect to forms, that are used in the uses section. Technically there is no connection between the uses section and the form streaming, because form streaming uses global variables. But the IDE must find the referenced form. Without the uses section the IDE must in worst case search and read every reachable lfm file on disk.

Translations, i18n, lrt files, po files

Short Description

This feature automatically creates and updates .po files for packages and projects.

Working

• Dialog options for project/package to enable i18n
• Collect TTranslateStrings from RTTI while designer form writing and writing them to lrt file.
• Copying new strings from rst and lrt files to a single .po file for each package/project
• load the .po files
• Delete unused strings from the .po file of package/projects
• Update translated .po files, similar to the updatepofiles tool.

ToDo

• Collect all .po files of project and all used packages into a directory. This directory can then be used by the project to load the strings at runtime. And installers can copy the content.
• standardize filenames and path, so that loading the translations at runtime is possible without writing code.

Frames

Short Description

Frames are special child forms. The goal is to edit them like forms in the IDE designer, and to use them as components on designer forms.

Working

compile ide with passing -dEnableTFrame

• Manually creating via source
• gtk1, gtk2, qt, win32/win64
• Create a new frame
• Open a frame in the designer
• Save a frame
• Close a frame
• Revert a frame
• Design a frame (adding, selecting, moving controls, ...)
• Opening a nested frame
• Opening a nested frame with ancestors
• Support for the inline keyword for lfm and lrs streams.

ToDo

• wince
• carbon
• Close a frame that is currently used by a nested frame
• Close a form with an embedded frame
• Save a form with an embedded frame
• Revert a form with an embedded frame
• Add a frame to a form
• Delete a frame embedded in a form
• Edit a method of a frame embedded in a form
• Forbid deleting embedded sub component
• Forbid renaming embedded sub component
• Add a component onto a nested frame
• OI: show nested components in component tree

CodeTools Debugging

Short Description

The codetools and its integration in the IDE is a complex part and a bug can create strange side effects, happen sometimes only after a long time and are hard to reproduce. The IDE needs some debugging tools to show the internal structures and run consistency checks.

Working

• Compile with -dCheckNodeTool to make consistency checks on various.
• IDE Internals / Package Links

ToDo

• Consistency Checks for all codetools node caches

Relayout Big Option Dialogs

Short Description

The dialogs with lots of options (Project options, Environment Options, Compiler Options) should be changed and a search should be added. The tabs should vanish and instead a listbox (or treeview) to the right should be added.

Working

• Compile with -dEnableNewDialogs

ToDo

• Layout controls for autosizing