Builder uses an Integrated Development Environment for the design and coding of Windows programs. The principal components of the IDE are:

• Toolbar
• Component Selector
• Object Inspector
• Component Palette
• Code Editor
• Form Designer

Toolbar

Usual Windows affair with standard and Builder menus and speed buttons.

Component Palette

Accesses the components that can be dropped on to the Form designer; e.g. text boxes, check boxes, butons, radio buttons etc. These are on the standard tab. There are ten tabs.....more later.

Component Selector

A list box used to enable quick selection of components in place on the Form Designer.

Object Inspector

Area containing two tabs - Properties and Events. The Properties tab gives access to the settings for components on the Form Designer allowing the properties of these components to be altered. Included in this is the properties of the Form itself. The Events tab allows access to the creation of functions for these components; e.g. OnClick etc.

Code Editor

Its all in the name.

Form Designer

The area set for the creation of the window using the components from the component palette.

Event Handlers

void __fastcall TLightForm::SwitchClick(TObject *Sender)
{

}

Template of the function SwitchClick, a method of the class TLightForm. The form designed was called LightForm. Builder creates a class called TLightForm; the form created is a variable of this class called LightForm.

The result is of type void with the appendage __fastcall, a modifier used to ensure that the function is executed as quickly as possible. All event handlers will have this appendage.

The implementation of an event handler in an event driven program must be fulfilled prior to the next event.

The parameter TObject *Sender is always listed in the declaration. When the event is triggered Sender has a value to enable the identification of the triggering component. Useful if more than one event shares the same handler code.

Comments, suggestions, ideas to
Stuart Banner