The Form Validator
==================

The Form Validator is a small software module for use within Delphi Forms.  Its purpose is to execute all validations needed in data-entry forms and offers perfect feedback on Edit-boxes or other controls with conflicting content. This with hardly any coding needed.

The Form Validator supports the following controls and their descendants
· TCustomEdit, TCommonCalendar, TCustomGrid
· TCustomComboBox, TCustomListBox, TCustomRadioGroup
· TCustomListView, TCustomTreeView

The Form Validator consists of mainly two parts.  The first and most visual part is the TFormValidator component.  This component makes standard, straightforward validation very simple.  Without any coding to write, very professional validation handling can be im-plemented.
The second part is the QS_Validator unit, introducing the TValidator object.  This object enables programmers to write demanding and versatile validation code. 
The use of the TFormValidator component and the TValidator object can be mixed, without any problem.  All error checking is done consistently in the same way, always presenting feedback to the end-user in the same style.

The validations can be specified in an almost non-procedural way.  All kind of situations is taken care of automatically, like ignoring read-only, disabled or invisible controls, leaving the form by cancelling it.  Many frequently needed validations are built in.  The TValidator object is very easy to expand with your own validations, if at all necessary.

Build-in are several styles of telling the end-user about what went wrong; including a highly attractive way: by means of hint-windows.  It is also possible to hook-on your own ways of error handling.

The Form Validator is written for Delphi 5.0 and higher versions.  However, the source can easily be adjusted to compile under older versions of Delphi.


Installation
============
The Form Validator comes as a installation Setup-file. When runned, files are by default placed in C:/Program Files/Quickstart/Validator/Lib. Anyother directory might be selected.

To add the TFormValidator component to your Delphi IDE
- Start Delphi
- Choose menu "Component | Install Component..."
- Click [Browse]
- Select File "C:/Program Files/Quickstart/Validator/Lib/ValComp.pas" and click [Open]
- In dialog form "Package dcluser50.bpl will rebuilt. Continue?", click [Yes]
- In dialog form "Package dcluser50.bpl is about to compile. Continue?, click [Yes]

After this, in pallette tab "Dialogs" you will find the component "FormValidator" added.


Use of the FormValidator 
========================
In the Delphi IDE, Open one of your projects.

Place the FormValidator component on a form where user data entry is to be validated.
In the Object Inspector click on the property "Rules" and specify the validation rules. 
Note: don't bother to specify error texts, standard texts will be supplied by default.

Now, just add some coding to start the Validator at the proper moment.
Example:

  procedure TForm2.FormCloseQuery(Sender: TObject; var CanClose: Boolean);
  begin
  { checks all controls, but only if mrResult = mrOK or mrYes }
    CanClose := FormValidator1.Execute
  end;

  procedure TForm2.PageControl1Changing(Sender: TObject;
    var AllowChange: Boolean);
  begin
  { checks only showing controls, but only if mrResult = mrNone }
    AllowChange := FormValidator1.Execute
  end;


And for the rest
================
NOTHING!!! This was all.



Legal stuff
===========
The Form Validator is shareware. The distributed demonstration version is fully enabled but gives a copyright notice and will run no longer than upto december 31, 2002.

Prices
- one-developers license		Euro  25,=.
- full-source license			Euro  45,=.
- site license (sources included)	Euro 100,=.

License can be obtained from
	Willem Blankenstijn Advies b.v.
	Aquamarin 35
	1382 KK  Weesp, The Netherlands

e-mail:	BlankenstijnAdvies@xs4all.nl