If I use the Install_Packages method, the Use>Install menu item is not enabled.
Yes - that's the way it should be...
Basically there are two types of packages: runtime packages and designtime packages.
- Runtime packages are just a collection of units which you can "use" in your project. They have no effect on the IDE, and they cannot be "installed". The IDE only needs to know where they can be found, and this information is provided when you open such a package in "Package" > "Open Package File (.lpk)". To verify that the package is compiling you can click on "Compile", but this is not absolutely necessary.
- Designtime packages provide code which modifies the IDE: by registration of components for the component palette, by providing special property or component editors (used by the object inspector), or by providing IDE add-ons. These packages MUST be installed: Open them via "Package" > "Open package file" and click "Use" > "Install". This rebuilds the IDE and links the package code to the IDE code.
To find out to which class a package belongs, open the package and look at the page "Option" > "IDE integration" (there are "combined" runtime+designtime packages - they must be installed, too).
FPSpreadsheet is split into several packages because not every user needs the full functionality:
- laz_fpspreadsheet.lpk is the basic package containing the spreadsheet datastructures and the file read/write access units. A runtime package.
- laz_fpspreadsheet_visual.lpk: runtime package containing the visual spreadsheet controls (worksheet grid etc).
- laz_fpspreadsheet_visual_dsgn.lpk: designtime package for the visual controls, registering them on the component palette.
- laz_fpspreadsheet_crypto.lpk: runtime package for access to password-protected Excel files, depends on the DCPCrypto package
- laz_fpspreadsheet_dataset.lpk: allows to access spreadsheets by database technology. Designtime/runtime package
- laz_fpspreadsheetexport_visual.lpk: components for database export. Depends on lazdbexport. Designtime/runtime package
If I use the Online Packet Manager I get an error Cannot install package: "laz_fpspreadsheeet.lpk". Continue with next one. This is repeated for each file.
Cannot confirm this, just installed FPSpreadsheet to Laz 2.0.10 via OPM; there was only a message about the unresolved dependence on DCPCryped (required by the laz_fpspreadsheet_crypto package) - you can proceed with the next package for installation if you do not need to handle password-protected Excel files, or you abort the installation and check DCPCrypt in addition to FPSpreadsheet for installation in OPM.