Question

Way to keep form values?

Asked by: wildzero

Hi there,

What I got is a bunch of dialogs that I create at run time, ask the user some stuf and then close.
ie

With TMyDialog.Create(self) do
try
  ShowModal;
  { do something }
finally
  Free;
end;

which works fine, excpet what I want to do is next time the user loads that up, keep all the values they entered in there.
I only need to keep them for this instance of the program running, so it they close the program and restart the values should be cleared.

I COULD Load and Save values to an ini / registry each time, but I thought i've seen somewhere (maybe a Jedi component) which you can easily save a forms settings (whole thing) and then load it again.

Ring a bell?

This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.

Subscribe now for full access to Experts Exchange and get

Instant Access to this Solution

  • Plus...
  • 30 Day FREE access, no risk, no obligation
  • Collaborate with the world's top tech experts
  • Unlimited access to our exclusive solution database
  • Never be left without tech help again

Subscribe Now

Asked On
2008-07-11 at 17:03:58ID23558967
Tags

keep

,

form

Topic

Delphi Programming

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
8

Trusted by hundreds of thousands everyday for fast, accurate and reliable tech support.

  • "The time we save is the biggest benefit of Experts Exchange to Warner Bros. What could take multiple guys 2 hours or more each to find is accessed in around 15 minutes on Experts Exchange." Mike Kapnisakis, Warner Bros.
  • "Our team likes having a resource that is more secure than just using Google and most experts using this service really know their stuff. It's nice to look here first versus using Google." Dayna Sellner, Lockheed Martin
  • "Anytime that I've been stumped with a problem, 9 out of 10 times Experts Exchange has either the accepted solution or an open discussion of the potential solution to the problem." Kenny Red, eBay Inc.

See what Experts Exchange can do for you.

Got a question?

We've got the answer.

Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Need individual assistance?

Our experts are ready to help.

If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Want to learn from the best?

Read articles from industry experts.

Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.

Screenshot of an Article

Working on a long term project?

Store your work and research.

Save solutions to your questions, answers you’ve discovered through searching plus helpful articles in your personal knowledgebase for easy future access.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Access the answers to your technology questions today.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

What Makes Experts Exchange Unique?

Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Trusted by the world's most respected brands.

image of each brand's logo

Faithfully serving IT professionals since 1996.

Experts Exchange Logo

Try it out and discover for yourself.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

Related Solutions

  1. Ini files
    I am creating an ini for my app but I'm not sure how to take out the quotes. All ini files that I've seen do not have any. Any thoughts?
  2. How ring bell and play a sound?
    How do I ring the bell on the PC from within a VB6 program? Also, how do I play a sound? Thanks, EYoung
  3. DVD Stuffed in Win98
    Hardware: Gateway PIII 700, 128MB RAM _NEC DV-5700A DVD/CDROM (generic MS drivers) Software: Windows 98 SE Ravisent/Cinemaster OEM DVD Player from Gateway Trial PowerDVD and WinDVD 2000 Problem: Ravisent player OK but I wanted screen shots, so... 1. Backed up the Registry (...
  4. read ini
    I'm need to read values from an ini. What's the most basic way to use GetPrivateProfileString? -jpetro7
  5. INI Files
    I want same example about to use an INI files. I know that this question it`s repetitive, but I can`t fin and old answer

Free Tech Articles

  1. WARNING: 5 Reasons why you should NEVER fix a computer for free.
    It is in our nature to love the puzzle. We are obsessed. The lot of us. We love puzzles. We love the challenge. We thrive on finding the answer. We hate disarray. It bothers us deep in our soul. W...
  2. SCCM OSD Basic troubleshooting
    SCCM 2007 OSD is a fantastic way to deploy operating systems, however, like most things SCCM issues can sometimes be difficult to resolve due to the sheer volume of logs to sift through and the dispe...
  3. Migrate Small Business Server 2003 to Exchange 2010 and Windows 2008 R2
    This guide is intended to provide step by step instructions on how to migrate from Small Business Server 2003 to Windows 2008 R2 with Exchange 2010. For this migration to work you will need the fo...
  4. Create a Win7 Gadget
    This article shows you how to create a simple "Gadget" -- a sort of mini-application supported by Windows 7 and Vista. Gadgets can be dropped anywhere on the desktop to provide instant information, ...
  5. Outlook continually prompting for username and password
    There have been a lot of questions recently regarding Outlook prompting for a username and password whilst using Exchange 2007. There are a few reasons why this would happen and I will try to cover t...
  6. Backup Exchange 2010 Information Store using Windows Backup
    There seems to be quite a lot of confusion around the ability to backup Exchange 2010 using the built in Windows Backup feature. This stems from the omission of this feature prior to Exchange 2007 s...

Cloud Class Webinars

  1. Avoiding Bugs in Microsoft Access
    Alison Balter takes and in-depth look at avoiding bugs in Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the immediate window to debug your applications, invoking the debugger, using breakpoints to troubleshoot, stepping through code, setting the next statement to execute, ...
  2. Top 10 Best New Features in Visio 2010
    Scott Helmers gives live demonstrations of the top 10 new features in Visio 2010. This webinar will teach you how to create compelling diagrams by adding shapes to the page with a single click, linking the shapes in a diagram to data in Excel (or SQL Server, or SharePoint), ...
  3. IT Consultant Business Secrets Revealed
    Michael Munger, Experts Exchange tech pro and IT consultant, pulls back the curtain on his very successful businesses and answers question on every IT consultant and business owner should know about. He shares secrets on what he did to solve the 5 most common problems in IT, ...
  4. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
    Quest CTO, Mike Billon, gives an overview of the steps involved in building a dunamic disaster recovery plan. Through case studies and an examination of software/hardware tooles for monitoring and testing, you'll gain a better understandin of where you are, where you want ...
  5. Organize Your Visio Diagrams with Containers and Lists
    Scott Helmers uses cross functional flowcharts, wireframe diagrams, data graphic legends and seating charts to teach you: how to ustilize all three new structured diagram components in Visio 2010, the best practices for organizeing shapes in previous version of Visio, how to organize ...
  6. How to Us Objects, Properties, Events and Methods in Microsoft Access
    Alison Dalter gives an in-depbth look at objects, properties, events and methods in Microsoft Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the object browser, referring to objects, working with properties and methods, working with object variables, understanding the ...

Join the Community

Give a Little. Get a Lot.

Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.

Join the Community

Answers

 

by: JohnjcesPosted on 2008-07-11 at 17:48:43ID: 21987038

Jedi does have a component called JvFormStorage which will store a form's position, height, width, etc as well as changes in some of the components on the form via stored props.

You'll find it under the JvPersistence tab.

John

 

by: Geert_GruwezPosted on 2008-07-11 at 23:12:10ID: 21987877

I have the same issue with filter forms.
The user enters some search criteria and clicks ok.
This search criteria must be maintained.

The way i do this:

type
  TFilterForm = class(TForm)
  protected
    function Filter: string; virtual;
  end;
 
type
  TFilterDepartmentsForm = class(TFilterForm)
  protected
    function Filter: string; override;
  public
    comboDepartments: TCheckListbox;
  end;
 
var FilterDepartmentsForm: TFilterDetpartmentsForm;
 
function DepartmentsFilter(AOwner: TComponent; out Filter: string): boolean;
 
implementation
 
function DepartmentsFilter(AOwner: TComponent; out Filter: string): boolean;
begin
  Result := False;
  if not Assigned(FilterDepartmentsForm) then
    FilterDepartmentsForm := TFilterDepartmentsForm.Create(AOwner);
  if FilterDepartmentsForm.ShowModal = mrOk then 
  begin
    Result := True;
    Filter := FilterDepartmentsForm.Filter;
  end;
end;
 
function TFilterDepartmentsForm.Filter: string; 
var I: Integer;
  Temp: string;
begin
  Result := inherited Filter;
  Temp := '';
  for I := 0 to comboDepartments.Count - 1 do 
    if comboDepartments.Checked[I] then 
      Temp := Temp + IntToStr(Integer(comboDepartments.Objects[I])) + ',';
  if Temp <> '' then 
    Delete(Temp, Length(Temp), 1);
  if Result <> '' then 
    Result := Result + ';';
  Result := Result + 'DEPARTMENTS=(' + Temp + ')';
end;
 
initialization
 
finalization
  FreeAndNil(FilterDepartmentsForm);
end;

                                              
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10:
11:
12:
13:
14:
15:
16:
17:
18:
19:
20:
21:
22:
23:
24:
25:
26:
27:
28:
29:
30:
31:
32:
33:
34:
35:
36:
37:
38:
39:
40:
41:
42:
43:
44:
45:
46:
47:
48:
49:
50:
51:
52:
53:

Select allOpen in new window

 

by: Geert_GruwezPosted on 2008-07-11 at 23:12:35ID: 21987878

Just create the form once and free it when the application closes

 

by: ziolkoPosted on 2008-07-12 at 02:04:02ID: 21988345

that's the way I do it, of course I rather use object instead of record but this is just quick sample:

unit Unit2;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs;

type

  TDataToDisplay = record
    dtdField1: string;
    dtdField2: Integer;
  end;

  TForm2 = class(TForm)
  private
  public
    function Execute(Data: TDataToDisplay):Boolean;
  end;

function ShowSampleDialog(Data: TDataToDisplay):Boolean;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

function ShowSampleDialog(Data: TDataToDisplay):Boolean;
begin
  with TForm2.Create(nil) do
    try
      Result := Execute(Data);
    finally
      Free;
    end;
end;

{ TForm2 }

function TForm2.Execute(Data: TDataToDisplay): Boolean;
begin
  //read FData and fill your components
  ShowModal;
  Result := ModalResult = mrOk;
  // read components and fill Data with new values
end;

end.


procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var Data: TDataToDisplay;
begin
  ShowSampleDialog(Data);
end;


ziolko.

 

by: ziolkoPosted on 2008-07-12 at 02:06:00ID: 21988355

function TForm2.Execute(Data: TDataToDisplay): Boolean;
begin
  //read FData and fill your components
  Result := ShowModal = mrOk;
  // read components and fill Data with new values
end;

ziolko.

 

by: DelphianPosted on 2008-07-15 at 13:14:11ID: 22010597

I have a idea: why not stream it to a string and use the string to recreate the dialog?
Hein? WTF?  I mean to transform the form on a text and get it back when you
need to recreate it. (Of course, if more convenient, you could save the string
in a file - I didn't that for simplicity sake)
See the code below:

(*Include a TButton on a new project and put this code*)
unit Unit3;
 
interface
 
uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs, StdCtrls;
 
type
  TForm3 = class(TForm)
    btn_test: TButton;
    procedure btn_testClick(Sender: TObject);
  private
    { Private declarations }
  public
    { Public declarations }
    fDialogSaved: string;
 
    function SaveDialog(pFrm: TForm):string;
    function LoadDialog(pDialog:string):TForm;
  end;
 
var
  Form3: TForm3;
 
implementation
 
{$R *.dfm}
 
{ TForm3 }
 
procedure TForm3.btn_testClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  Frm: TForm;
begin
  if fDialogSaved = EmptyStr then
  begin
    Frm := TForm.Create(nil);
    Frm.Color := clNavy;
    Frm.Caption := 'Testing streaming';
    fDialogSaved := SaveDialog(Frm);
  end
  else
  begin
    Frm := LoadDialog(fDialogSaved);
  end;
  Frm.ShowModal;
end;
 
function TForm3.LoadDialog(pDialog: string):TForm;
var
  mem: TMemoryStream;
  str: TStringStream;
  cmp: TCOmponent;
begin
  Result := nil;
  mem := TMemoryStream.Create;
  str := TStringStream.Create(pDialog);
  str.Position := 0;// Very important
  ObjectTextToBinary(str,mem);
  mem.Position := 0;
  cmp := mem.ReadComponent(nil);
  Result := cmp as TForm;
  FreeAndNil(mem);
  FreeAndNil(str);
 
 
 
 
end;
 
function TForm3.SaveDialog(pFrm: TForm): string;
var
  mem: TMemoryStream;
  str: TStringStream;
 
begin
  mem := TMemoryStream.Create;
  str := TStringStream.Create('');
  mem.WriteComponent(pFrm);
  mem.Position := 0;// Very important
  ObjectBinaryToText(mem,str);
  Result := str.DataString;
  FreeAndNil(mem);
  FreeAndNil(str);
 
end;
 
initialization
  RegisterClass(TForm);
end.
                                              
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10:
11:
12:
13:
14:
15:
16:
17:
18:
19:
20:
21:
22:
23:
24:
25:
26:
27:
28:
29:
30:
31:
32:
33:
34:
35:
36:
37:
38:
39:
40:
41:
42:
43:
44:
45:
46:
47:
48:
49:
50:
51:
52:
53:
54:
55:
56:
57:
58:
59:
60:
61:
62:
63:
64:
65:
66:
67:
68:
69:
70:
71:
72:
73:
74:
75:
76:
77:
78:
79:
80:
81:
82:
83:
84:
85:
86:
87:
88:
89:
90:
91:
92:

Select allOpen in new window

20120131-EE-VQP-002

3 Ways to Join

30-Day Free Trial

The Experts

98% positive feedback on 31,087 answers since March 2000. angeliii is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for his work with MS SQL Server & Develoment.

He has also proven his knowledge of Visual Basic Programming, PHP Scripting and Oracle Databases.

The Experts

97% positive feedback on 10,752 answers since July 2000. lrmoore has more than 18 years experience in the networking industry.

The six-time Mircosoft MVPs specialties include firewalls, virtual private networking, and network management.

Testimonials

"...and excellent source for support... Kind of like having your very own IT dept." Electriciansnet

Testimonials

"I was apprehensive at signing up at first. However... it has already made my life as an IT administrator much easier." JaCrews

Testimonials

"WOW! You guys have great, active, and knowledgeable people on here." moore50

Business Clients

Business Clients

In the Press

"If you’ve got a question... Experts Exchange can supply an answer.”

In the Press

"...an invaluable aid for both IT professionals and those who require tech support."

In the Press

"where IT professionals provide quick answers on just about any topic"

Business Account Plans

Loading Advertisement...