asked on

SELF parameter

Hi all,
I have a simple question.

I have to form A and B.
Form B inherits from Form A

In FORM A-

procedure CallP (formName :TForm); virtual; abstract;
procedure example;
.
.
procedure TFormA.example (tobject example);
begin
FormB.CallP(SELF);
end;

-------------------------------
Form B
procedure CallP (formName :TForm); override

procedure TFormB.CallP (formName :TForm);
begin
inherited;

end;

My question is what does the SELF in this sentence -formB.call(self)- means?
does it means TFormA it self and it passes the parameter (TFormA) to formB.CallP
OR
it passes to as SELF to form B and when Form B calles it it calls as itself (TformB)?

I'm confused about the self statement

Thank you

Ian

sftweng

Self refers to the object within whose scope the procedure resides. Therefore the call FormB.CallP(SELF) within TFormA.example refers to the object of type TFormA. Within the TFormB context, it refers to the TFormB object.

Cayce

The Self parameter means you're passing a reference to the current class instantation (current object).

That is, the TFormB.CallP method expects a TForm parameter, and you're sending the reference of the current instation of TFormA (which should be FormA).

Self is the reference to the current object.

AgeOfWars

ASKER

Hi Cayce and Sftweng

both of your answers are not the same? maybe it is but i'm still not very sure.

Cayce, what you mean is, when TformB.callP (formName :TForm); is called in formB. It is to said that the sentence will be written as TformB.callP (self); ? Doesn't this refer to formB it self as what Sftweng was saying??

Correct me if i'm wrong. Thanks
ian

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Cayce

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Ivanov_G

Self, Application are "transparent" variables.

procedure TFormA.example (....);
begin
FormB.CallP(SELF); // here Self reffers to FormA, because you are in the Scope of FormA
end;

In addition, if you have ActiveX form in DLL and compile stand alone - Application is the DLL file, but if you have EXE application the use this form, then Application variable is the EXE file ...

AgeOfWars

ASKER

Thanks Cayce for you answser