Delphi - application development environment

Software development for Windows and other popular operating systems can be carried out through a variety of types of tools. Among those that are very popular among Russian and foreign programmers is the Delphi program. What is the specificity of this development tool? What are its most remarkable features?

General information about Delphi

Delphi - the development environment for applications that are designed to run in Windows, MacOS, as well as in mobile operating systems - iOS and Android. Characterized by the simplicity of the language and code generation procedures.

If necessary, provides low-level communication with the OS and libraries compiled in C and C ++. Programs that are created with Delphi do not require third-party shells to run - such as, for example, Java Virtual Machine. Delphi is a development environment that can be successfully applied both by professionals and for educational purposes. In order to master its basic capabilities, it is not necessary to have high qualification and knowledge of complex programming languages.

Main advantages

We will study what are the key advantages of the software product in question. When a rationale for choosing a development environment is made in an IT company, Delphi becomes the choice of many programmers and is recommended for use by them. This is due to the fact that this environment allows you to create applications in the most timely time, to ensure their high performance, even on computers that have modest hardware characteristics. A significant argument in favor of choosing the development environment in question is that it can be supplemented with new tools not provided for in the standard set of solutions that are present in the Delphi interface.

Let's study now what are the nuances of practical use of the capabilities of Delphi.

Interface Specificity

First of all, you can pay attention to some features of the interface of the considered software development environment. So, the structure of the workspace of the program assumes simultaneous work with several main windows. Let's consider this property in more detail.

The Delphi development environment, version 7 in particular, involves the following key modules: the form designer, the editor, the palette, the object inspector, and the directory. In some modifications of Delphi, the marked components can be named differently. For example, the window can correspond to the editor of the program code, the designer can see the form window. However, their functionality will be the same. Marked elements of the Delphi interface can complement various auxiliary tools. The first two are considered the most important from the point of view of program development procedures. But the others are also important. Consider the features of using the marked Delphi modules.

Form designer, editor and palette

With the help of the form designer, the developer creates the interface of his program. In turn, the code is written in the editor. Many programmers who recommend making the choice of the Delphi development environment as the most optimal solution result in the simplicity of using the form designer as an argument. Some experts believe that this process is more like a game.

As soon as the user starts to create the program and starts the form designer, initially there are no elements in it, it is empty. But you can immediately fill it with tools located on another Delphi module - the palette. Elements of the program interface that are configured in the form designer must be controlled by commands, which, in turn, are written in the editor.

But let's go back to the palette for now. Using it, you can place the desired objects in the form designer's area. In order to use this or that tool, you should click once on it - while it is in the palette area, the second time - in the window of the form designer. After that, the corresponding object will move to the development area, and for it you can write the code in the editor.

Object Inspector

Another important element that Delphi contains is the application development environment for Windows and other common platforms - the object inspector. It can be noted that the information displayed in it varies: this is affected by the status of the object that is selected in the form designer area.

The structure of the object inspector is as follows. It consists of two windows. At each fixed algorithms that determine the behavior of the relevant components. The first shows the properties, in the second - the events. If the programmer wants to make adjustments to algorithms that affect a particular component, then the capabilities of the object inspector are used. For example, you can change the positioning of certain elements of the program interface, their height and width.

In the object inspector, there are bookmarks that you can use to switch between pages that reflect properties or events that are directly associated with the editor. So, if you double-click on the right side of any of the items displayed on the screen, the code that corresponds to this or that event will be fixed in the editor.

Software development in Delphi involves the use of an object inspector to solve a variety of tasks. This is predetermined by the fact that with the help of this tool you can change the properties of virtually any objects located on the form, as well as itself. We will study in more detail some features of working with the object inspector.

Object Inspector: Using the features

In order to understand how the Delphi IDE works with the object inspector and the forms inspector, you can try to make changes to the properties of some common elements of the software interface in Windows - for example, Memo, Button and Listbox (a little later we'll explore their essence in more detail). To begin with, you need to place them on the form using the available Delphi tools.

You can try experimenting with the Ctl3D property. To do this, click on the form, then go to the object inspector and change the value of the property in question. After that, the form will significantly change the appearance. At the same time, the Ctl3D property will be changed on each of the items that are placed in the development window.

After the experiments, we can go back to the form and activate the value of Ctl3D. After that, let's look at the Memo and Listbox elements. Now you can change their properties, location on the form, appearance. For example, by selecting the Edit option in the menu option, and then selecting Size, the programmer can change the width and height of the objects. There is an option to arrange them in the center, selecting Edit and Align. Corresponding actions will affect the items displayed in the object inspector.

With the help of the Delphi module under consideration, you can change the properties of components. So, for example, if the task is to determine for them a particular color, that is, options for engaging several instruments at once. First, you can enter a command that matches the color - for example, red - clRed, - in the object management area . Secondly, the user can select the desired color from the list. Thirdly, there is an option to double-click on the properties of Color - a window will appear to select the colors. Similarly, the developer can change other attributes of objects - for example, the font type, its color or size.

Directory

Delphi - the development environment, which is supplemented by a sufficiently detailed help system. To access it, select the Help item from the menu. After that, one of the program modules of the development environment under consideration is displayed in the window - a reference book. The peculiarity of using it is that when F1 is pressed, the user will receive a specific hint, reflecting the specifics of the current instrument's use. For example, if the programmer works with the object inspector, then he can select one of the properties, then click on F1 and get help information about the corresponding option. The same can be done with any other interface element that includes the Delphi 7 development environment and other versions of the corresponding software type.

Other Interface Elements

Among other significant components of the interface of the software solution under consideration is a menu, a quick access panel, and an image editor. Concerning the menu - it allows the programmer to get quick access to the necessary components, present in the structure of the development environment. You can use it either with the mouse or with the hotkeys. Just below the menu is the Quick Access Toolbar. Some of its functions duplicate those that are typical for menus, but access to them is faster. The Delphi image editor is somewhat similar to the Paint program in Windows. That is, with the help of it you can make simple adjustments to pictures, put on them inscriptions and other elements.

Programming Tools

Delphi - the development environment, which includes a large number of tools designed to increase the efficiency of the programmer. So, the key modules considered above are supplemented by a set of special tools. Among them are: debugger, compiler, and also components WinSight and WinSpector. Note that in some versions of Delphi the marked elements need to be installed separately. Let's study their specifics.

Delphi Debugger

Regarding the debugger, this tool is supplemented by the code editor in terms of performing the necessary checking of the corresponding software algorithms for correctness. With the help of it, the developer can actually row through the source code. In some cases, when solving a problem such as component development, Delphi as an independent product can be supplemented with an external debugger that gives the programmer advanced features to verify the code of the software being created.

The Delphi compiler

We now study the specifics of the compiler of the development environment under consideration. Note that several relevant elements can be present in the Delphi structure. So, there is an option to use the DCC compiler, which is useful in those cases when the task is to work with the application in an external debugger.

Winsight and WinSpector

These modules relate to what you need to install on Delphi in addition. Are characterized by relative complexity in development. However, many programmers who have chosen the Delphi development environment believe that these components must be learned to use. So, the Winsight module is used to monitor Windows messages. A component, such as WinSpector, is needed in order to fix the state of the computer in a special file. If any disruptions occur during the development of the software, you can always open this file and see what could be the cause of the problem.

Standard Components

Delphi development environment, the general information about which we are studying, includes a number of standard components, which are also useful to know. Experts refer to the following: MainMenu, PopupMenu, Label, Edit, Memo, Button, Checkbox, Radiobutton, Listbox, Combobox, Scrollbar, Groupbox, Panel, and Scrollbox. Let's study their specifics in more detail.

The MainMenu component is intended for placing the main menu in the interface of the created program. To do this, put the corresponding element on the form, then call the Items property through the object inspector, and then determine the necessary menu items.

The PopupMenu component is intended for placing pop-up menus in the interface of the created program, that is, opening with the right-click.

The Label component is used to display text in the program window. It can be customized, for example, to set the desired font in the object inspector.

The Edit component is used to display a text fragment on the screen, which the user can edit while the program is running. It is complemented by the Memo component, which, in turn, can work with larger text. This element includes, for example, options such as word wrapping, text copying.

The Button component is designed to perform certain actions by pressing a button while the program is running. It is necessary to place the corresponding element on the form, and then enter the desired program code.

The Checkbox component allows you to display on the screen lines with a small window in which a tick can be ticked with the mouse. A similar element is Radiobutton. They differ, firstly, the appearance - the second component is performed in the form of a circle, and secondly, the first element allows simultaneous selection of several options, Radiobutton - only one.

The Listbox component is used to display a list on the screen that the user can scroll with the mouse. Something similar to it is another element - Combobox, but it is supplemented by the ability to enter text in a special field.

The Scrollbar component is the scroll bar in the windows. Typically, it appears automatically as soon as the text space or form with objects becomes larger than the window.

The Groupbox component is used to fix the order of moving between windows when the TAB key is pressed. It can be supplemented with a Panel element, which can be used to move several objects on the form.

The Scrollbox component allows you to fix on the form an area that can be scrolled horizontally or vertically. This property is characterized by the main Delphi development windows by default. But if you need to use this option on a particular section of the form, you can use the Scrollbox component.

Summary

Delphi is an application development environment with great features, while at the same time it is characterized by ease of use of basic functions. Using the tools that are included in its structure, you can create a variety of types of programs for Windows and other popular OS.

The choice of development tools Delphi, many programmers cause the convenience of using the interfaces of the relevant software, as well as a wide range of tools that are useful for working in any part of the program - at the design stage, programming algorithms or debugging.