Best access method for embedded components

Edited text of question

I am not sure what your question is. Maybe a little bit of code that you tried to do something and a bit more explanation would help...Don't you think??

Regards,
Viktor Ivanov

You can use the Controls property of TPanel to iterate all embedded controls. Control stores TControls. They have a Color/Enabled/Font property which are update in a for-loop. For different properties you have to TypeCast the TControl. This is not neat.

To give more info I'd like to know. The embedded controls are always the same controls? Or can the amount/type of embedded controls be varied at designtime?

Regards Jacco

Ok. Edo.

You need stubs for your properties on the container control (in your case, the panel).
Try this:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>boc>>>>>>>>

unit EdoPanel;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs,
  ExtCtrls, StdCtrls;

type
  TEdoPanel = class(TCustomPanel)
  private
    { Private-Deklarationen }
    FLabel1: TLabel;
    FLabel2: TLabel;
    FButton: TButton;
    procedure SetColor(AValue: TColor);
    function GetColor: TColor;
  protected
    { Protected-Deklarationen }
    procedure CreateWindowHandle(const Params: TCreateParams); override;
  public
    { Public-Deklarationen }
    constructor Create(AOwner: TComponent); override;
    destructor Destroy; override;
  published
    { Published-Deklarationen }
    property Color: TColor read GetColor write SetColor;
  end;

procedure Register;

implementation

procedure Register;
begin
  RegisterComponents('ExEx', [TEdoPanel]);
end;

constructor TEdoPanel.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  BevelOuter := bvNone;
  BevelInner := bvNone;
  Width := 200;
  Height := 100;
  TabOrder := 0;

  FLabel1 := TLabel.Create(self);
  FLabel1.Parent := Self;

  FLabel2 := TLabel.Create(self);
  FLabel2.Parent := Self;

  FButton:= TButton.Create(self);
  FButton.Parent := Self;
end;

destructor TEdoPanel.Destroy;
begin
  inherited Destroy;
end;

{ call inherited CreateWindowHandle and initialize subcomponents. }
procedure TEdoPanel.CreateWindowHandle(const Params: TCreateParams);
begin
  inherited CreateWindowHandle(Params);

  with FLabel1 do begin
    Caption := 'Edo''s Label 1';
    Left := 10;
    Top := 10;
    Width := 100;
    Visible := true;
  end;

  with FLabel2 do begin
    Caption := 'Edo''s Label 2';
    Left := 10;
    Top := 30;
    Width := 100;
    Visible := true;
  end;

  with FButton do begin
    Caption := 'Click!';
    Left := 20;
    Top := 50;
    Width := 40;
    Visible := true;
  end;

end;

procedure TEdoPanel.SetColor(AValue: TColor);
begin
  FLabel1.Color := AValue;
  FLabel2.Color := AValue;
end;

function TEdoPanel.GetColor: TColor;
begin
  Result := FLabel1.Color;
end;

end.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<eoc<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Hi Freter
   Actually, the solution that I came up with is exactly that. I provide get and set access methods which just talk to the subcomponent I wish to reference:

procedure TEdoPanel.SetColor(Value : TColor);
begin
  if FSubComponentIWishToExpose.Color <> Value then
  begin
    FSubComponentIWishToExpose.Color := Value;
    Invalidate;
  end;  
end;

This is the easiest and clearest way to implement this functionality. I just thought someone might know how to pass the address of a subcomponent property to the container property declaration -- which would avoid having to write set and get access methods for each property that I wish to expose (it would additionally be a deep copy ). However, since the storage of these is private to the container, there is no way to accomplish this.
  Post an answer, I'll give you the points as I am relieved to have reinforcement of my methodology.

Regards,
Edo

PS Freter, I got some units of yours at one point relating to network API (you had a number of units on the net?) but they didn't compile properly (I hope I have the right guy). Do you have an updated version somewhere? I liked the code and would like to see (steal?!) more of your work... If it works(!).