TPJAboutBoxDlg Component


Contents


Description

This component encapsulates an About Box in a non-visual component.

It has string properties to display five different pieces of information in the about box. The positioning and names of the properties are shown in the picture.

The string properties are:

Alternatively, the about box can display information from a VERSIONINFO resource included in the program. This is accessed using a linked TPJVersionInfo component (see below) by using the about box's VersionInfo property. The values of the ProgramName, Version, Copyright and Notes properties are ignored and relevant string information program's version information is used in their stead.

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 following display attributes of the dialog can be cutomised:

The HelpContext property allows Windows Help to be displayed for the dialog box when F1 is pressed.

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

Required component

TPJAboutBoxDlg requires the DelphiDabbler version information component TPJVersionInfo" to be installed in order to compile. The version of TPJVersionInfo required depends on whether the about box is being compiled under Delphi 1 or Delphi 2 and later as follows:

Compatibility with previous versions

The unit name has changed to PJAbout as at release 3. That programs using earlier releases will need to be modified (or to have an alias set in Delphi's Project Options) before being recompiled using the new version.


Installation

Please ensure that you have installed an appropriate version of TPJVersionInfo before you install this component.

In these instructions $(DELPHI) is to be taken to represent the path where the appropriate version of Delphi was installed. For example, if you have Delphi 2 installed on the default installation path then $(DELPHI) is equivalent to C:\Program Files\Borland\Delphi 2.0.

Installation with Delphi 1

Note that the help file provided does not integrate with the Delphi 1 IDE, but can be accessed independently of the IDE.

  1. Unzip the file PJAbout.zip into a folder, preserving the directory structure.
  2. Copy the files PJAbout.pas and PJAbout.dfm to the folder from where you wish to install the component into the Delphi Component Palette. This will probably be an existing folder where you keep the library components - say the default $(DELPHI)\lib folder.
  3. Copy PJAbout.dcr from the 16 sub-folder into the same place that you copied PJAbout.pas.
  4. Start Delphi. Select the Options | Install Components menu option. Click the Add button, then the Browse button and navigate to the PJAbout.pas file in the directory where you placed it. Click OK to recompile the components library.
  5. You can now delete PJAbout.pas from the place where you copied it if you wish. The component will appear on a palette called PJSoft. You can move the component to a different palette if required.

Installation with Delphi 2

Note that the help file provided does not integrate with the Delphi 1 IDE, but can be accessed independently of the IDE.

  1. Unzip the file PJAbout.zip into a folder, preserving the directory structure.
  2. Copy the files PJAbout.pas and PJAbout.dfm to the folder from where you wish to install the component into the Delphi Component Palette. This will probably be an existing folder where you keep the library components - say the default $(DELPHI)\lib folder.
  3. Copy PJAbout.dcr from the 32 sub-folder into the same place that you copied PJAbout.pas.
  4. Start Delphi. Select the Options | Install Components menu option. Click the Add button, then the Browse button and navigate to the PJAbout.pas file in the folder where you placed it. Click OK to recompile the components library.
  5. You can now delete PJAbout.pas from the place where you copied it if you wish. The component will appear on a palette called PJSoft. You can move the component to a different palette if required.

Installation with Delphi 3 & later

  1. Unzip the file PJAbout.zip into a folder, preserving the directory structure.
  2. Copy the files PJAbout.pas and PJAbout.dfm to the folder from where you wish to install the component into the Delphi Component Palette. This will probably be a sub-folder of the $(DELPHI)\lib folder.
  3. Copy PJAbout.dcr from the 32 sub-folder into the same place that you copied PJAbout.pas.
  4. Install the component into the palette by chosing the Component | Install Component menu option. The following instructions assume you are installing into the default "users components" package:
  5. You can now delete PJAbout.pas from the place where you copied it if you wish. The component will appear on a palette called PJSoft. You can move the component to a different palette if required.
  6. The simplest way to install the help file is to use my Component Help Installer Expert.To install manually, proceed as follows (replace X is your version of Delphi):


Known Issues


Update History

Un-released
AboutBox v1.0 of 16/02/1998

Un-released
AboutBox v2.0 of 25/04/1998

Un-released
AboutBox v2.1 of 01/08/1998

Un-released
AboutBox v2.2 of 01/08/1998

Un-released
AboutBox v3.0 of 06/12/1998

Release 3.0.1 of 08/07/1999
AboutBox v3.0.1 of 09/04/1999

Release 3.1 of 28/11/1999
AboutBox v3.1 of 27/11/1999

Release 3.2 of 09/03/2002
PJAbout v3.2 of 09/03/2002

Release 3.2.1 of 10/07/2003
PJAbout v3.2.1 of 10/07/2003


License & Disclaimer

This component is copyright © P.D.Johnson, 1998-2003.

The source code and help files can be freely distributed on a not-for-profit basis providing that:

  1. the source code is not altered.
  2. this readme file is distributed with it unchanged

By not-for-profit I mean that you may recover out of pocket expenses incurred in distributing the code, but should not make a profit from this.

If you discover any bugs in this implementation, or if you have any update suggestions, please contact me via my website.

Please do modify the code for you own use. I'd like to see any changes you make - I could incorporate them into future versions. Please notify me of changes on at the above e-mail address.

This software is provided as is - no warranty is given as to its suitability for any purposes to which you may wish to put it.


About the Author

I'm Peter Johnson - a hobbyist programmer living in Ceredigion in West Wales, UK, writing write mainly in Delphi. My programs are available for download from: http://www.delphidabbler.com/.

I can be contacted via the website.