Tag Archives: tinifile

TLiveIni – Custom Delphi INI Implementation

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Text and code by Ron Maupin.

liveiniprocessflow
I had to build my enhanced INI class that replaces the database. My Modula-2 version used a doubly-linked list (section) of doubly-linked lists (key/value pairs) for the INI. Delphi’s generics made this much easier, and I now use the TDictionary, although it could be done with TStringList. I used the Delphi ability to have an array property (IniFile[Section,Value]) to simplify assignments and set it as the default property of the INI object. I also didn’t want to get lost in the weeds of having different properties or methods for different data types, so I built some record helpers in the application for different data types that simplify assignment (IntVar := IniFile[Section,Value].ToInt or IniFile[Section,Value] := BoolVar.ToStr).
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Preserving Set Type Values in INI Files (/Databases)

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delphi-set2integer
A quick look at the todo list revealed: today is the day to add the following new functionality to my Delphi application: allow the user to change the visibility of some user interface elements on a one-could-say very complex form. There are several controls on the form some users could find to be “too advanced” and they basically will never need em. Naturally, users would prefer such elements to be made invisible to make their final user interface experience less complex (messy) – so that they can better focus on those elements that are important to them.

The first idea is simple: let’s provide an enumeration listing those controls that can be hidden by the user. Let’s group those in a set type variable and expose as a property. Add (inside the configuration screen) a list of checkboxes allowing the user to specify what elements he/she wants to see and what should be hidden. All set, let’s do some coding…

In this application I’m saving all application / user specific configuration settings in an INI file. The TIniFile exposes various WriteSomeValueType procedures. There’s no WriteSet. Oh, so the question to solve before we do any coding: “how to preserve (save/load) set type property value in an INI (or in a database) ”
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