This component encapsulates an About Box in a non-visual component. It has various string properties to display five different pieces of information in the about box.

Alternatively, the about box can display information extracted from the program's version information resource. This is accessed using a linked TPJVersionInfo component - available from DSP and my website.

Note: The TPJVersionInfo component must be installed before this component.

The About box also displays an icon. This is the icon defined for the application (see the Icon property of TApplication). If no icon has been specified for the application the default Delphi icon is used.

The display attributes and location on the screen can also be customised.

A help file is included that integrates into the IDE for Delphi 3 to 7. It does not integrate with the Delphi 1, 2 and 2005 or later IDEs but can be used independently of the IDE.

Three components are provided that enable applications to support Windows Explorer file drag and drop. The components are:

• TPJDropFiles - This windowed component catches files dropped anywhere over its window. It can act as a container for other components.
• TPJFormDropFiles - This non-visual component catches files dropped anywhere on its form, including the non-client areas.
• TPJCtrlDropFiles - This non-visual component catches files dropped on an associated TWinControl or TFrame.

Key features of these components are:

• An OnDropFiles event is triggered when files are dropped.
• The names of dropped files are made available through the Files array property. For convenience, the name of the first file is also stored in the FileName property.
• The list of dropped files can be configured to include only files, only folders or all files and folders.
• Dropped folders can be recursed so that all the files and sub-folders in each of the dropped folders are listed.
• Filters can be applied to the dropped files and folders. This is done in one of two ways: (1) by handling the OnFileFilter event and deciding which files and folders to pass through the filter and (2) by linking the drop file component to a special file filter component, derived from the abstract TPJFileFilter. In this case the dropped files are automatically filtered by the filter component. Two filter components are provided: TPJExtFileFilter that filters according to file extensions and TPJWildCardFileFilter that filters using DOS-style wildcards. Developers can create further filter components by deriving from TPJFileFilter.
• The mouse co-ordinates where the files were dropped can be retrieved, as can a reference to any control under the mouse cursor at the time.
• The OnBeforeDrop event can be used to do pre-processing before the files are actually dropped.
• The IsFolder array property tells if an equivalent item in the Files list is a file or a folder.
• The owning window can be brought to the front when files are dropped.
• Some design time assistance is provided by component and property editors.

A Delphi 3-7 OpenHelp compatible help file is supplied. Additionally an a-link keyword file is provided for use with Delphi 6/7.

TPJCBViewer is a simple non-visual component that registers itself as a "Clipboard Viewer". The component triggers an event each time the contents of the clipboard change.

Source and help file included.

TPJWdwState and TPJRegWdwState are a pair of non-visual components that can save and restore a window's size, position and state between program executions. Key features are:

• The components can automatically restore and save window state when the program starts up and closes down.
• The user can provide an event handler to change the stored window's state, size and position values before the window is restored.
• The components can be instructed to always display a window in the normal state regardless of the saved state.
• The window's saved size can be ignored and the form's design size used (useful for dialog boxes and fixed size windows).
• The window can be kept within the current work area of the desktop.

TPJWdwState stores window information in an ini file while TPJRegWdwState uses the Windows registry.

A help file is included that integrates into the Delphi 3-7 OpenHelp system and can be used stand-alone with Delphi 2005 and later.

A property editor is provided for editing HKEY values (such as the registry root key property of TPJRegWdwState). This editor is also available separately.

---

Added: 23-08-1999/19-12-2005   |  Version: 4.3.1   |  Downloads: 4172/3870/17

---

Author:

Peter D Johnson   [Homepage]   [DSP files]

TPJHotLabel descends from TLabel. It provides a clickable label that can start the default browser or email client to access a specific URL. Key features of the component are:

• The URL property is used for storing the URL to be accessed when the label is clicked.
• The Caption property can either store descriptive text or can automatically reflect the URL.
• The label can be highlighted using a user-defined font when the mouse passes over it.
• The label displays the "hand point" cursor by default. For versions of Delphi that do not support provide the crHandPoint cursor, a custom cursor is linked in to the program by the component.
• The component's pop-up hints can be customised to:
  • display the normal Hint text;
  • automatically display the URL, ignoring the Hint property.
  • display custom hints set each time the hint is displayed using an event handler.

A help file is provided that can inegrate with the IDE of Delphi 3 to 7.

This v2 release is backwards compatible with v1 of the component.

SIBuilder (Small Installation program Builder) is a freeware software installation program creator that creates a stand alone executable software installer with little overhead taken up by the installer. This makes the program an ideal development tool for creating a single, self-extracting (sfx) installation programs for distribution over the Internet. The installer is a Windows command line (or console) application. Key features of SIBuilder are that it:

• Has optional uninstaller that is registered with the Control Panel "Add/remove programs" applet.
• Installs files and folders -- can selectively overwrite existing files depending on age or version information.
• Updates registry with new keys and data
• Can be customize installations for different Windows operating systems.
• Can execute other programs -- which makes it simple to extend SIBuilder's functionality.
• Registers COM servers, shared DLLs and applications with Windows.
• Optionally displays a license agreement.
• Can automatically uninstall other installations before proceeding with the installation.
• Uses a wizard style interface to simplify creation of install projects.
• Provides a choice of compression algorithms used to compress the install program and has ability to have new compression systems plugged into program.

SIBuilder no longer requires a copy of Borland Delphi to compile the install programs - it now uses its own built in packaging technology to create them. However, the ability to use Delphi, where present, is still available as an option.

An on-line tutorial describing how to use SIBuilder is available on the program's home page. The tutorial walks through the creation of an installation project based on some files provided with SIBuilder.

This code defines a property editor for properties of type HKEY - i.e. registry root keys. The editor causes a drop-down list of all the registry root keys supported by Delphi to be displayed in the object inspector for any property of type HKEY.

Such a property is exposed by my TPJRegWdwState component (available on DSP or from my website). This property editor is included with current releases of that component.

Component Help Installer Release 2 (CHI2) installs Delphi-compatible help files into Delphi's OpenHelp system so that the help files are integrated with Delphi. Context sensitive help for components, classes and routines installed by CHI2 is accessible from the Delphi code editor, form editor and property inspector. CHI2 works with every version of Delphi from version 3. It comes in three flavours:

• a stand-alone Windows application
• an add-in DLL expert for Delphi 3 to 7 - installs on the Components menu
• a command line program

Delphi 3 or later is required.

Example Files: A copy of my version information component and its associated help file are included in this release to provide some method of experimenting with CHI. The component's help file is Delphi OpenHelp compatible. The CHI help file provides an example of using the command line application.

v2.1 adds feedback about location that help files are stored.

This unit provides various customisable message dialog box components. Three components are installed on the component palette. They are:

• TPJWinMsgDlg
  This component wraps the Windows MessageBoxIndirect API call and displays a message box based on that provided by Windows. This component will be suitable for most purposes and has the lighter footprint.
• TPJVCLMsgDlg
  This component uses the Delphi VCL CreateMessageDialog function to create a form based message box. (CreateMessageDialog is used by the standard Delphi MessageDlgXXX functions). The component provides more flexibility than either the Delphi functions or TPJWinMsgDlg. It should be used when it is necessary to display buttons or combinations of buttons that are not supported by the WindowsAPI message box or when a finer degree of control over the appearance and behaviour of the message box is required. TPJVCLMsgDlg supports all the features of TPJWinMsgDlg and extends them.
• TPJMessageDialog
  This is an updated version of the component supplied in release 1 of this unit. Various bugs have been fixed and the handling of user icons improved. This component is only provided for backwards compatibility with existing projects that use the old version. It exposes the same properties as the old component. Some of these properties vary from those common to TPJWinMsgDlg and TPJVCLMsgDlg. It is recommended that TPJWinMsgDlg or TPJVCLMsgDlg are used in new projects.

A demo project is included along with an OpenHelp compatible help file that integrates with Delphi 3-7.

This unit provides various components, classes and routines for handling Windows shell folders.

It contains:

• a component that provides information about a specified special shell folder,
• a class that enumerates all the special shell folders,
• routines to manipulate special shell folder information,
• a component that encapsulates the Windows Browse for Folder dialog box and permits a large degree of customization,
• a property editor for special shell folder identifiers.

A OpenHelp compatible help file is included for integration with Delphi 4 to 7 IDEs. Help file can be used idenpendently with Delphi 2005/6.

A fully documented demo program is included.

Update info:
Release 2.2.2enables compilation with Delphi 2005/6 and fixes range check bug in demo project.
Release 2.2.1 fixes a property editor bug.
Release 2.2 adds support for 'new style' browse dialog, improves help and provides further special folder ids.
Release 2.1 adds support for further shell folders and removes Delphi 6/7 compiler warnings.
Release 2 fixes some bugs on NT OSs, provides extended display options, adds further event handlers for Browse for Folders dialog box, adds support for Delphi 6 & 7 and adds a demo application.

This unit provides a component (TPJColourPopupMenu) that can display a menu containing the sixteen common Windows colours. The menu can take various styles - text only, text with a colour bitmap, colours only (like a palette) or can be owner drawn. It can display colours in 1, 2, 4 or 8 columns. The component is most useful when linked to a toolbar button.

Comes with fully integrated help and a demo project.

This unit contains a set of three speed button derived components that either display pop-up menus associated with the buttons or form connected button / menu button pairs. The components are:

• TPJMenuSpeedButton -- which can display an associated pop-up menu when clicked.
• TPJLinkedMenuSpeedButton -- links to a master button and displays an associated pop-up menu when clicked.
• TPJLinkedSpeedButton -- a speed button that can link to and control a slave button that accesses a pop-up menu.

Comes with fully integrated help and a demo project.

This property editor has been designed to get round two limitations of the standard Delphi string property editor:

1. inability to handle multi-line strings (i.e. strings with embedded CR/LF characters).
2. 255 character limit to string length.

The enhanced property editor works with all string and TCaption properties. It adds an ellipsis button to the right hand side of the data entry area in the property editor. Clicking the button displays a dialog box in which the property's value can be entered. Pressing return starts a new line. There is no practical limit to the length of strings that can be entered. The ability to type directly into the object inspector has been retained.

The edit dialog is resizable. Word wrapping can be switched on or off - and both settings are persistent. Text can be loaded and saved to disk.

---

Added: 2-09-2001/28-12-2005   |  Version: 1.1.1   |  Downloads: 2773/2572/28

---

Author:

Peter D Johnson   [Homepage]   [DSP files]

This unit provides a components and various routines for manipulating environment variables. Features include:

• Component and routines to enumerate all available environment variables, get and set values and delete variables.
• Routine to replace a string containing environment variable name references with the values of the variables.
• Routine to create a customised environment block for passing to child processes.

A help file is supplied which integrates into the Delphi IDE and provides help on all the component and routines. The help file includes demo examples.

From v1.1 the component now compiles without warnings with Delphi 6 and 7.
v1.2 fixes bug in reading non-existant environment variables.

Several TStream descendant classes that provide additional stream functionality

• A TStream derived class which can wrap another TStream - this is useful as a base class for filters to wrap round existing stream classes
• A set of stream wrappers that simplify writing data to a resource file - one class handles the resource file structure (including headers) while another handles the format of individual resources within the file.
• New for release 2: a set of classes that wrap existing streams and provide an IStream interface to them - like Delphi's undocumented TStreamAdapter - plus a class that provides a IStream interface to any file.

Several demo programs are included.

System information classes and associated global variables. Information is provided via:

• TPJComputerInfo: a static class that provides information about the user's computer.
• TPJSystemFolders: a static class that gets full path of certain system folders.
• TPJOSInfo: a static class that provides information about the Windows operating system including platform, product and edition, service packs, version numbers, product ID etc.
• Global Win32XXX variables: extra variables to those provided by the SysUtils unit that provide extended OS version information on later NT platform OSs.

Extended operating system detection improved in this release: can now detect Windows Vista, XP Tablet and XP Media Center editions, and WOW64 subsystem of 64 bit Windows.

The TPJSysInfo component and a set of functions that were provided in earlier versions of the unit are also included but are now deprecated.

Some OS detection code based on a translation of example C code on MSDN.

A non-visual component that accesses version information resources in a given file. The component can read variable string information for multiple languages where these are supported by the version information resource.

Help file and demos included.

Now believed to be compatible with C++ Builder

Version Information Spy displays the version information contained in an executable file or DLL. The program makes version information details available in several ways:

• From a Windows application that displays detailed version information in its main window. The program can generate and display reports about the version information in either plain text or HTML format. It can also decompile the version information into .rc source code. Version information that departs from the Microsoft recommended standard can be highlighted and details of how to revise the source code to meet the standard can be displayed.
• There is a command line version of the application that writes text reports or decompiled source code to standard output. The reports can be redirected to output files.
• Two Explorer extensions are also provided. A menu item is added to the Windows Explorer context menu for registered file types. Clicking this menu item displays the selected file's version information in the Windows application. Additionally, a new tab is added to the property sheet associated with registered files if they contain version information. The new tab is named Version Extra and it provides more comprehensive details of a file's version information than is displayed on the existing Version tab. The Explorer extensions can be configured from the Windows application.

Version information can be extracted from any Windows NE or PE format executable files (i.e. 16 and 32 bit exes, dlls etc). Version Information Spy 7 can also extract version information from 32 bit binary resource files that contain a version information resource. Multi-lingual version information resources are supported. The program can read version information from most of the many programs that don't follow the Windows version information specification.

What's new in release 7?

The following is a summary of the new features introduced in release 7.

• Explorer property sheet extension.
• Improved HTML reports.
• Ability to suggest how to correct to inconsistencies in version information.
• XP theme support.
• Usability improvements in GUI.
• Standard Windows installer, created using Inno Setup.

The programs supplied in this archive are versions of Stefan Reuther's bdiff and bpatch compiled from Pascal translations of the original C source.

BDiff is used to output information about the differences between two files, with the option to output binary information. BPatch can apply the binary patches created by BDiff.

Notes about the programs, descriptions of the algorithms and notes on the Pascal translation are included in the download and are also available on the program's home page (link below).

The download includes borth the original C code and the Pascal translation. Note: Any further distribution of the code must include both, along with any updates.

HTMLRes is a simple command line application that creates 32 bit binary resource files that contain HTML files suitable for displaying using Internet Explorer#s res:// protocol.

The application simply takes a list of HTML and related support files and embeds the files a RT_HTML section of a resource file. The resource file is created from scratch, overwriting any existing resource file with the same name. HTMLRes names the resource with the name of the file -- something that makes porting standard HTML files to embedded resources very easy -- and something that BRCC32 won't allow!

HTMLRes is particularly useful for embedding HTML files in the executable of the program that displays information using TWebBrowser.

PasH Pascal Highlighter is a simple command line program that syntax highlights Pascal source code. The highlighted code is output as XHTML.

The program reads Pascal source from its standard input, or from the clipboard, and writes the generated XHTML to its standard output, or stores it on the clipboard. By default PasH generates complete XHTML documents but it has the option to create XHTML code fragments containing just the highlighted code.

The ability to highlight code via the clipboard is the program's most unique feature and it makes PasH very easy to use. You simply copy the required source code to the clipboard and run PasH with the necessary parameters. The highlighted code can replace the original source on the clipboard ready for pasting into a document. This is particularly useful when combined with the option that creates XHTML fragments because it simplifies writing documents that contain several Pascal source examples.

The XHTML generated by PasH uses Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to format the highlighted source code. Complete XHTML documents contain an embedded style sheet but XHTML fragments require the user to provide a suitable style sheet.

The download includes a ReadMe file that explains the usage of the program and all its parameters. The file also has an explanation of the CSS classes required by PasH-generated XHTML. An example style sheet is provided.

Full source code is available free of charge from the author's website.

---

Added: 7-11-2005/19-12-2005   |  Version: 0.1.3   |  Downloads: 65/65/2

---

Author:

Peter D Johnson   [Homepage]   [DSP files]

This unit contains classes that encapsulate Windows 32 bit binary resource files and the resources contained in them. The main functionality is provided by two classes:

1. TPJResourceFile # encapsulates the contents of a whole resource file and provides methods and properties for reading, finding, editing, adding and deleting resources. Resource files can be read from and written to files or streams.
2. TPJResourceEntry # encapsulates a single resource within the file and provides properties to access its header record and its raw data. The class also provided methods to check the identity of the resource. The resource's raw data is made available as a TStream and so is easily read and written using familiar TStream methods.

Note that the classes have no knowledge of resource data formats and see the resource data simply as a raw sequence of bytes. It is for the user of the class to interpret the data correctly.

In addition to the two main classes, some useful helper functions and constants are also provided.

The download includes a UserGuide that provides detailed description of the classes, along example code for the key methods.

TPJVersionInfo is a 32 bit non-visual component for all Win32 versions of Delphi and C++Builder that encapsulates the version information contained in an executable file's resources.

The component reads information from a designated file's VERSIONINFO resource. The required file is specified in the component's FileName property. Setting FileName to the empty string fetches version information for the executable containing the component. The boolean HaveInfo property indicates whether the file contains version information. This component can access variable file information for each language provided in the resource.

Run-time properties enable access to to version information. Properties enable:

• Access to fixed file information, either by field or the whole record.
• Access to the number of translations stored in the version information.
• Selection of the translation for which information is to be returned by other properties.
• Access to the language and code page of the current translation - by code and by name.
• Access to the string file information for the current translation - named properties access the Microsoft-defined string information, while an array property gives access to any string item by name.

The component makes calls to the Windows API. Therefore the version information being read must follow the Microsoft guidelines - be warned that not all software complies!

For detailed information about version information refer to the Win32 SDK.

A help file is provided that integrates with the help system of Delphi 3 to 7. An a-link keyword file is provided for integration with Delphi 6 and 7.

Source code of two demo programs is also provided.