asked on

NT Service Form in Control Panel

I've created a NT service in Delphi 5 and all works fine.
Now I want to create a form that will be displayed in the control panel, so users can update registry settings for the service. I've added a new form and set the interactive property to true. What else do I need to do?
If you have a full example, that would be good.

Thanks

Epsylon

If you use TService as skeleton, you can just add a form + unit to your project. On the object inspector set the Tform.Visible property to true.

smurff

Wouldnt it be better to just create another .exe, name it to cpl, stick it in the winnt\system32 and all it does is change the values in the registry that is relevant so the Service app can read it.
It seems a much easier way to me.
regards
Smurff

cjclayton

ASKER

Epsylon
Setting Tform.Visible to true just make the form display immediately not in control panel.

Epsylon

Re-reading your question, I think you have to create a (separate) control panel applet. File menu > New > Control Panel Application.

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smurff

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smurff

Ive added the code for the form. Ive made a simple form and just out an edit box on there and a button that shows whats in the editbox.

Heres the .dpr
library ControlPL;

// Name : CONTROLPL
// Description : Sample Windows control panel applet.
// Author : Neil Jones (abton@operamail.com)
// Date : 10/03/1999
//
// Notes :
//
// I created this as I could not find an example Control Panel applet
// written in Delphi anywhere. You are free to use it as you wish.
//
// A control panel applet is basically a DLL that displays a modal form
// renamed with a '.cpl' extension.
// But, it must export a function called CPlApplet that processes a series
// of messages sent by Windows in a specific order.
// To install the applet, just place it in your \windows\system directory.
//
// Please note, Windows caches the icon, title and description information.
// So if you change them and they do not change in the control panel - delete
// the '.cpl' from the \windows\system directory and copy in a new one.

uses
SysUtils,
CPL,
Dialogs,
Windows,
Classes,
forms,
DllForm in 'DllForm.pas' {frmDllForm};

// Include required resources (an icon and two strings)
// See main.rc for more details
{$R main.res}

var
CPLInfo : pCPLINFO;
ThisInst, IconHandle : integer;

// The exported function MUST be declared like this!
function CPlApplet(hwndCPl: THandle; uMsg: DWORD;
lParam1, lParam2: Longint): Longint; stdcall;
begin
// You MUST process these events
case uMsg of
// CPL_INIT - Initialise the application. Put your initialisation
// code here.
CPL_INIT : begin
// Use the name of your control panel applet here
ThisInst := GetModuleHandle('ControlPL.cpl');
// Get a handle to our icon from main.res for use later
IconHandle := LoadIcon(ThisInst, 'APPLET_ICON');
// Return nonzero to indicate success
result := 1;
end;
// CPL_GETCOUNT - Return the number of dialogs we have (only 1 in this case)
CPL_GETCOUNT : result := 1;
// CPL_INQUIRE - Return information required to display an icon in the control panel.
CPL_INQUIRE : begin
// lParam2 is a pointer to a CPLINFO structure, so get a handle to it.
CPLInfo := pCPLINFO(lParam2);
// Point the icon towards the icon handle obtained earlier.
CPLInfo^.idIcon := IconHandle;
// The app name is defined in string resource 1 (see main.rc)
CPLInfo^.idName := 1;
// The app description is defined in string resource 2 (see main.rc)
CPLInfo^.idInfo := 2;
// Not used so set to 0
CPLInfo^.lData := 0;
// Return zero to indicate success
result := 0;
end;
// CPL_DBLCLK - This occurs when our app is actually run.
CPL_DBLCLK : begin
// Call your dialog/modal form from here.
// Note - the form must be modal
frmDllForm :=TfrmDllForm.Create(nil);
Result := frmDllForm.ShowModal;
// Return zero to indicate success
result := 0;
end;
// CPL_STOP - Called when application is de-initialised
CPL_STOP : begin
// Perform your cleanup code here.
// Return zero to indicate success
result := 0;
end;
// CPL_EXIT - Control panel is exiting.
CPL_EXIT : begin
// Return zero to indicate success
result := 0;
end;
else
// All other events, just return 0 (processed OK)
result := 0;
end;
end;

exports
CPlApplet;

begin
end.

--------------------------cut--------------------
and now heres the DllForm.pas

unit DllForm;

interface

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

type
TfrmDllForm = class(TForm)
Edit1: TEdit;
Button1: TButton;
procedure FormClose(Sender: TObject; var Action: TCloseAction);
procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
private
{ Private declarations }
public
{ Public declarations }
end;

var
frmDllForm: TfrmDllForm;

implementation

{$R *.DFM}

procedure TfrmDllForm.FormClose(Sender: TObject; var Action: TCloseAction);
begin
Action := caFree;
end;

procedure TfrmDllForm.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
ShowMessage(edit1.text);
end;

end.

Hope this helps

regards
Smurff

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Russell Libby

No comment has been added lately, so it's time to clean up this TA.
I will leave a recommendation in the Cleanup topic area that this question is:

Accept smurff's comment as answer

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PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS COMMENT AS AN ANSWER!

Thank you,
Russell

EE Cleanup Volunteer

smurff

I forgot about this one :)

Russell Libby

Smurff,
I'm not surprised, as its been almost 2 years. I will be turning in my list of Q's and recommendations on or around 6/18..6/20, and hopefully the moderators will close these shortly after.

Best Regards,
Russell