Few questions

[JuhaManninen]

Why isn't it possible to achieve the multi-line tab layout in Lazarus? The component palette (and the editor window) is just something like a TabControl or PageControl, isn't it?

PageControl, yes.
Multi-line tab layout for Component Palette sounds like a good idea. Does it fit well in its current place? Not really, I think it must be separated from the IDE toolbar at some point. It could be a dockable window just like Component List and they would be true alternatives.
Then the main window would only have menu bar and speedbuttons. Its layout could be rethought, too.

I changed the palette code a lot when implementing its configurations. BTW, it includes some speedups like delayed drawing of buttons in hidden tabs.
The IdeIntf code still needs refactoring to make it more generic and GUI agnostic. Now TBaseComponentPage in ComponentReg has TCustomPage which is a GUI component.
If somebody wants to play with it, please go ahead. Thunk is open for big changes again.

[Martin_fr]

Why isn't it possible to achieve the multi-line tab layout in Lazarus? The component palette (and the editor window) is just something like a TabControl or PageControl, isn't it?

Components can also be viewed in other layouts. Right click => view all. Opens a window with an (actually 3) alternative ways to view and use the components.
If you prefer using this, you can always hide the component palette from the main ide bar (View menu). Unfortunately that does not adjust the layout of the remaining buttons.

[Syndrome]

Dmytron, your lazarus looks wrong. Object inspector shouldn't be white.

[zeljko]

Juha, sorry I had completely forgotten this detail: I had installed Andreas Hausladen's DDevExtensions, and this allows to add the "Old component palette".

Why isn't it possible to achieve the multi-line tab layout in Lazarus? The component palette (and the editor window) is just something like a TabControl or PageControl, isn't it?

No it's not, I think that Delphi uses owner drawn tab control. I'm not sure that any widgetset supports multline tabs (tabs in rows like in screenshoot of XE2).

[Martin_fr]

Why isn't it possible to achieve the multi-line tab layout in Lazarus? The component palette (and the editor window) is just something like a TabControl or PageControl, isn't it?

No it's not, I think that Delphi uses owner drawn tab control. I'm not sure that any widgetset supports multline tabs (tabs in rows like in screenshoot of XE2).

TPageControl supports multi-line (at least on windows).

For the component palette all that is needed is one property set to true, and the constraint of the window height adjusted.

I mocked it up, using "ide inspector"  (able to change any published property of visible controls in the IDE / but only temporary, no option to save)

[wp]

I mocked it up, using "ide inspector"

I must confess that I have never seen this tool before. Amazing!

[Martin_fr]

Why isn't it possible to achieve the multi-line tab layout in Lazarus? The component palette (and the editor window) is just something like a TabControl or PageControl, isn't it?

I've added an option for the source editor. It will set the flag on the TPageControl, so it depends on the widgetset supporting this. It works on windows.

Note that on windows tabs on the left/right are always multi-line, and if you set the tab position to left/right then the multi-line option has no effect (i.e. it will not disable the multi-line that is forced by the position)

[wp]

Thank you - excellent.