Peter Szarvas

Budapest, Hungary

E-mail:

SzarvasP@DPG.HU

SzarvasP@Egon.Gyaloglo.HU

Beta, DEMO version 1.0

Some of the panels have just Hungarian labels in this demo version because of the short time. The full version with the source code will be available in English also. I hope you can easily try the component on the basis of this short description.

This demo shows the advantages of using P-Controls (PDEMO.EXE).

After unpacking the PCONTROLS.ZIP do the following:

• Close all project (File/Close All)
• Choose File/Open.
• Open the PControls.DPK file.
• Click on Compile and Install.
• Set the library path (if necessary): Tools/Enviroment Options/Library
  e.g. : “C:\Delphi-3\Dephi 3\LIB;C:\Delphi-3\Components\PControls;”
  
  Warning! Library path length max. 255 character.

You can distribute this Beta Demo freely. The full version will be available after 30. 02. 1999. The full version contains the source code, help in English, English labels and other new properties.

Price of the full version: 55$ without source code

with source : 70$.

If you are interested in this component, write me an E-mail. The more mails I get, the sooner the component will be available.

The component collection contains the following elements:

You can easily filter, sort, search, print in the database using this component.

To create a normal database form, just do the following:

• Drag and drop the DBGrid or the wwDBGrid on the form.
• Set the database ( set DisplayLabel ).
• Drag and drop a PDBNav or a wwPDBNav component on the form.
• Set this on the Grid, and set other properties.

That’s all!

You can filter the database by any kind of view, with the aid of an intermediate panel where you can sort as you want ( just drag and drop the fields from the list on the left to the right, and the filtered database will be sorted by this list ), you can see the SQL under construction ( you can write in it, if the SQLMonitor property is enabled ). The filter panel contains the appropriate element of the field ( EditBox, ComboBox, DateTimePicker, SpinEdit, CheckBox ). You can easily set the filtering condition with these elements, you can switch on / off the filtering process of the specified elements, just click on the button in the panel. You can search for dates and numbers in the specified interval. You can use wildcards ( Sm?th or Brown* ) and boolean operators for searching in the text fields. You can't modify the sorted or filtered table, unless you switch off the filter or sort method.

You can easily sort the selected columns in the Navigator, just click on the heading of the appropriate grid or the ABC button.

The Navigator examines if the column has an index. If it has one, the Navigator sorts the table according to this. Otherwise, it tries to generate the index. If it fails the Navigator generates the SQL according to the columns of the table and sorts the data. It automatically generates SQL on the LookUp fields and sorts the table data.

You can search in the sorted columns, just click on the magnifier icon. 2 CheckBoxes appear, one for setting the case sensitive property, on the other you can choose to jump on the field during typing or after entering the whole expression.

It's easy to print the table ( this is also available in filtered and sorted tables ) calling the PrintData procedure or clicking on the printer icon in the Navigator. The program automatically sets column width according to the longest field, so it produces optimal printing. It sends the data directly to the printer, so no external printing tool is needed ( e.g. QuickReport ). If the header is too long, you can set breaking the content in rows ( TitleWordWrap:=True ). You can set summing the numbers in the end of the list ( PDBNav1.GridFields[5].PrintSum:=True ). According to the GridFields property the adjusted fields will be printed out. You can also set other print properties by columns. The PrintOptions type handles the printing options. If this type is enabled, a new panel pops up before the printing. This allows you to:

• Set the printer.
• Choose automatically the page orientation according to the length of the columns ( portrait or landscape ).
• Set the font.
• Set distance between the rows.
• Set the margins in mms.
• Number the rows.
• Choose the columns from the list in the right to print. Doubleclick on a row to rename it.
• Rename the headings of the report.
• Save the properties in a new name ( just click on the camera ) or to delete the settings.

Clicking on the OK button the printing process starts.

• You can mark rows with the bookmark on the Navigator and jump back to that row later.
• You can drag and drop numbers in the cells counted by the calculator ( see later ).
• The Moon icon minimizes the application.
• On line help for learning the use of the Navigator. The help is in Hungarian in this demo version.

• FilterOptions
  You can set the options of the filtering process here. Using Access or Paradox tables the component automatically sets some of the fields. You can set here the colors of the enabled / disabled panels.

• GridAddAllFields
  It's a very useful property. If this is True and the Navigator has a Grid and a DataSource, the component fills the GridFields with the columns of the Grid and you can search, sort, filter and print data. This property generates optimal settings.
• GridFields ( taken from TCollection )
  Here you can add the columns of the grid. You can search, sort, filter and print by these columns. You can set the properties of these elements in the Component Editor.
• GridKeyFieldName
  This field is automatically filled up if the table has a unique key. If there is no, the given field will be unique ( this helps handling the bookmarks ).
• Options
  This contains the main options of the Navigator. Spaces between the buttons, type of the buttons ( small, big, other ). Buttons in one or multiple rows, the distance from the edge of the buttons, the color of the sorted column and the separating character of the field names in the SQL.
• PrinterOptions
  Same as the mentioned options at the printing part of this document. You can add heading and footing ( e.g. name of the company ). It saves the printer options in the given name in the PrintIniName fields. To compose the header set the TitleChange property to True.
• StatusBarOptions
  You can choose a StatusBar component from the form. The component shows the record position given in the RowNumCol field ( e.g. 450 / 25 ). The StateCol property defines where the status of the table will be shown ( Editing, Inserting, Browse status ).
• VisibleButtons
  You can choose the buttons appearing on the Navigator.
• OnPrinterClick
  If this is empty, the default printing occurs. Otherwise the given procedure will be executed after clicking on the print button.

The properties of this component are the same as the PDBNavigator. You can connect together this and the DBGrid of the InfoPower.

This is a 4 status button:

1. Normal

2. Disabled

3. Activated

4. Focused

You can design several BitButtons with a graphical program.

Put the buttons beside each other, creating a wide picture. The component cuts out the elements from this picture. The component has a Transparent property. This component originates from TGraphicControl class and I had to program the responses for the keys. The TabOrder and TabStop concern on TPButtons.

Setting CaptionGlyph to True the caption will appear in the middle of the button, even if it has a picture. If this is False it is similar to the TSpeedButton.

You can set the caption font in the focused and pushed status ( FontDown, FontMouse ).

Using the ButtonType property you can import buttons from a .RES file. ( There is no picture to import in this version. )

This is a calculator to evaluate expressions. You can use brackets, Sin, Cos, etc. It has 3 memories and you can store the values here, just drag and drop the result.

The results appear immediately.

You can type in e.g. 156+(SIN(15)+54*2+(458-MOD(45;3))+EXP(15)).

Use the Show method to show the calculator.

When the mouse is over a picture the program zooms in according to the ZoomPos parameter. You can use JPEG, BMP, ICO format. Set Bevels for creating frames around the picture.

DataSource and DataField are available in the full version. If DataChange occurs the component shows the picture in the appropriate path.

This component has the same properties as TRichEdit, but you can get and set the cursor position ( GetX, GetY, SetX, SetY ).

If you choose a Label or a StatusBar, this shows the position immediately.

Write your letter to one these addresses:

Peter Szarvas

E-mail:

SzarvasP@DPG.HU

SzarvasP@Egon.Gyaloglo.HU