About those non-visual/non-placeable components...

[edvard]

I'm sure this has been asked/suggested before, but I couldn't find it anywhere.

My suggestion is:
Along with the form design window, have a dedicated area to place non-visual and standard-placement components like popup menus and tray icons.  As it is now, I had just been placing these randomly on the form living with the annoyance until somebody in another IRC forum suggested I just pull them off-form to keep them from cluttering up the place. That worked out pretty fine, but I'd still like a visual reminder they are there (I know, I know, there they are in the object inspector...).  My reference is how Code::Blocks does it with wxSmith.  See here:

http://s24.postimg.org/6m5zt8rcl/codeblockswxsmithnonvisual.png

See how the main menu, statusbar and toolbar all go in a little panel thingummy?  Nice and tidy.
I understand that with the form designer being a floating window, this may be hard to implement, but I think it'd be a neat feature someday.

[Avishai]

You can put them in a DataModule.

[marcov]

The Lazarus concepts of datamodules has the advantage that those (non visual) components can be used from multiple forms (visual designer).

How does Code::Blocks achieve that?

[Avishai]

Exactly marcov.  Usually 1 DataModule for an entire project and it's available to all Forms that need it.  Plus it doesn't clutter up the Forms while you are working on them, yet they are easy to get to.  On top of that, you can use them from one project to another (I don't recommend that usually although you can have 1 "standard" DM and add a project specific DM if needed).

[edvard]

You can put them in a DataModule.

Wow, I had no idea.  Thanks for that. 

...

How does Code::Blocks achieve that?

I have no idea.  In my quest for a programming language/environment I can wrap my little head around, I fooled with C++ a bit on Code::Blocks and thought that how it (actually, the wxSmith plugin) dealt with those types of elements was rather tidy.
I do like the way Lazarus form designer will actually show the menu at the top of the form after dropping the menu component on.  Very nice.

Now to look up this 'DataModule' you speak of, and learn me a  few things... 

[edvard]

Could either of you guys chime in here?:

http://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,22713.0.html

Thanks!