Using same procedure to generate menu on Form1 and Combobox on Frame2

[wasp41p]

I should move all comboboxes to another Form (Form2, for example) and I would like to use the same procedures I use to generate menus and combobox in Form1, is there a way to do this without rewriting everything? This is a part I'd like to use for the menu in Form1 and the comboboxes in Form2, at the moment they're all in Form1:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1.     procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
2.       procedure SetDefaultColors(const vHighLighter:TSynCustomHighlighter);
3.        begin
4.          if Assigned(vHighLighter.CommentAttribute)    then vHighLighter.CommentAttribute.Foreground    := clSilver;
5.          if Assigned(vHighLighter.IdentifierAttribute) then vHighLighter.IdentifierAttribute.Foreground := clNone;
6.          if Assigned(vHighLighter.CommentAttribute)    then vHighLighter.CommentAttribute.Foreground    := $00A2A2A2;
7.          if Assigned(vHighLighter.KeywordAttribute)    then vHighLighter.KeywordAttribute.Foreground    := clNavy;
8.          if Assigned(vHighLighter.StringAttribute)     then vHighLighter.StringAttribute.ForeGround     := $003FB306;
9.          if Assigned(vHighLighter.SymbolAttribute)     then vHighLighter.SymbolAttribute.ForeGround     := $00A25151;
10.        end;
11.     var
12.       i: Integer;
13.       item: TMenuItem;
14.       HL: TSynCustomHighlighter;
15.       SynEdit: TSynEdit;
16.     begin
17.       CreateNewTab;
18.       ComboBox3.Items.Clear;
19.       Caption := FORM_CAPTION;
20.       CurrentSynEdit.OnStatusChange:= @OnEditorStatusChange;
21.       //CurrentSynEdit.OnChange:= @OnSynChange;
22.      
23.       FHighlighters := TFPList.Create;
24.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynADSP21xxSyn.Create(self));
25.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynFortranSyn.Create(self));
26.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynFoxproSyn.Create(self));
27.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynGalaxySyn.Create(self));
28.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynBaanSyn.Create(self));
29.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynAWKSyn.Create(self));
30.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynHaskellSyn.Create(self));
31.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynCacheSyn.Create(self));
32.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynModelicaSyn.Create(self));
33.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynCobolSyn.Create(self));
34.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynCSSyn.Create(self));
35.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynDmlSyn.Create(self));
36.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynProgressSyn.Create(self));
37.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynEiffelSyn.Create(self));
38.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynGWScriptSyn.Create(self));
39.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynHP48Syn.Create(self));
40.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynVBScriptSyn.Create(self));
41.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynUnrealSyn.Create(self));
42.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynVrml97Syn.Create(self));
43.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynTclTkSyn.Create(self));
44.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynLDRSyn.Create(self));
45.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynRubySyn.Create(self));
46.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynInnoSyn.Create(self));
47.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynAsmSyn.Create(self));
48.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynDOTSyn.Create(self));
49.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynIdlSyn.Create(self));
50.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynKixSyn.Create(self));
51.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynSDDSyn.Create(self));
52.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynSMLSyn.Create(self));
53.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynFreePascalSyn.Create(self));
54.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynM3Syn.Create(self));
55.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynRCSyn.Create(self));
56.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynPrologSyn.Create(Self));
57.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynLuaSyn.Create(Self));
58.       FHighlighters.Add(TSyn8051Syn.Create(Self));
59.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynCACSyn.Create(Self));
60.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynJavaSyn.Create(self));
61.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynSQLSyn.Create(self));
62.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynVHDLSyn.Create(Self));
63.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynVerilogSyn.Create(Self));
64.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynJSONSyn.Create(Self));
65.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynPasSyn.Create(self));
66.       FHighlighters.Add(TSynXMLSyn.Create(self));
67.       FHighlighters.Sort(@CompareHighlighters);
68.       for i:=0 to FHighlighters.Count-1 do begin
69.         HL := TSynCustomHighlighter(FHighlighters[i]);
70.         if Assigned(HL) then
71.         begin
72.           item := TMenuItem.Create(self);
73.           MenuFileHL.Add(item);
74.           try
75.             item.Caption := Format('%d - %s', [i, GetHighlighterCaption(HL)]);
76.           except
77.             on E : Exception  do
78.               ShowMessage(E.Message+LineEnding+' at index '+inttostr(i));
79.           end;
80.           item.Tag := i+1;
81.           ComboBox3.Items.Add(item.Caption);
82.           item.OnClick := @MenuClick;
83.           end;
84.       end;
85.       SelectHighlighter(28);
86.      
87.       ComboBox1.Items.Clear;
88.       //load fonts                
89.       g := TFPFontCacheList.Create;
90.       g.SearchPath.Add('C:\Windows\Fonts');
91.       g.BuildFontCache;
92.       for i := 0 to g.Count - 1 do
93.       begin
94.         if ComboBox1.Items.IndexOf(g.Items[i].FamilyName) < 0 then
95.           ComboBox1.Items.Add(g.Items[i].FamilyName);
96.       end;
97.       SynEdit := CurrentSynEdit;
98.       if SynEdit <> nil then
99.       begin
100.         ComboBox1.ItemIndex := ComboBox1.Items.IndexOf(SynEdit.Font.Name);
101.         SpinEdit1.Value := SynEdit.Font.Size;
102.       end;
103.      
104.     end;

[wp]

Move the shared code into a separate unit which can be "used" wherever needed.

For example (quick and dirty, and untested):

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. unit uCommon;
2.  
3. interface
4.  
5. uses
6.   ... (whatever needed);
7.  
8. procedure PrepareHighlighters(AList: TFPList; AMenu: TMenuItem; ACombobox: TComboBox; AClickHandler: TNotifyEvent);
9.  
10. implementation
11.  
12. function GetHighligherCaption(vHighlighter: TSynCustomHighlighter): String;
13. begin
14.   ...
15. end;
16.  
17. procedure PrepareHighlighters(AList: TFPList; AMenu: TMenuItem; ACombobox: TComboBox; AClickHandler: TNotifyEvent);
18. var
19.   i: Integer;
20.   HL: TSynCustomHighlighter;
21.   item: TMenuitem;
22. begin
23.   AList.Add(TSynADSP21xxSyn.Create(self));
24.   AList.Add(TSynFortranSyn.Create(self));
25.   AList.Add(TSynFoxproSyn.Create(self));
26.   AList.Add(TSynGalaxySyn.Create(self));
27.   AList.Add(TSynBaanSyn.Create(self));
28.   AList.Add(TSynAWKSyn.Create(self));
29.   AList.Add(TSynHaskellSyn.Create(self));
30.   // etc.
31.  
32.   if (AMenu <> nil) then
33.     for i:=0 to AList.Count-1 do begin
34.       HL := TSynCustomHighlighter(AList[i]);
35.       if Assigned(HL) then
36.       begin
37.         item := TMenuItem.Create(self);
38.         AMenu.Add(item);
39.         item.Caption := Format('%d - %s', [i, GetHighlighterCaption(HL)]);
40.         item.Tag := i+1;
41.         item.OnClick := AClickHandler;
42.         if AComboBox <> nil then AComboBox.Items.Add(item.Caption);
43.       end;
44.     end;
45.   end;
46. end;
47.  
48. end.
49.  
50. //---------------------------
51.  
52. unit Unit1;
53.  
54. interface
55.  
56. uses
57.   ...
58.  
59. type
60.   TForm1 = class(TForm)
61.     procedure FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
62.     ...
63.   private
64.     FHighlighers: TFPList;
65.   end;
66.  
67. implementation
68.  
69. procedure TForm1.Formcreate(Sender: TObject);
70. begin
71.   FHighlighters := TFPList.Create;
72.   PrepareHighlighters(FHighlighters, MenuFileHL, Combobox3, @MenuClick);
73.   ...
74. end;
75.  

[RayoGlauco]

Maybe you can create a procedure that receives the target form as a parameter:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. procedure SetCombos(aForm:TForm);
2. var
3.   aCombo: TComboBox;
4. begin
5.   aCombo:= TComboBox(aForm.FindComponent('ComboBox1'));
6.   if aCombo <> nil then
7.    aCombo.Items.Clear;
8.   // etc...
9. end;
10.  

Same as previous answer, quick and untested!

[wasp41p]

So far so good except for the procedure which assigns the active synedit, it refers to the pagecontrol1 of form1, if I move it to the common unit in this way it gives me an access violation during compilation.

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. function CurrentSynEdit(APageControl1: TPageControl): TSynEdit;
2. begin
3.   if APageControl1.ActivePage <> nil then
4.     Result := TSynEdit(APageControl1.ActivePage.Tag)
5.   else
6.     Result := nil;
7. end;                                  

I'm stuck at this :'(

[KodeZwerg]

I have a feeling you do things wrong, attach a demo again that shows current progress.

[wasp41p]

Yes, Sure, It's me.

[wp]

So far so good except for the procedure which assigns the active synedit, it refers to the pagecontrol1 of form1, if I move it to the common unit in this way it gives me an access violation during compilation.

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. function CurrentSynEdit(APageControl1: TPageControl): TSynEdit;
2. begin
3.   if APageControl1.ActivePage <> nil then
4.     Result := TSynEdit(APageControl1.ActivePage.Tag)
5.   else
6.     Result := nil;
7. end;                                  

Something is wrong here: Your code shows the opposite of what you are saying. It does not assign the synedit to the ActivePage - it's the other way: it retrieves the synedit from the ActivePage.

[wasp41p]

Yes. You are right, I misspelled

[wp]

And then? Is the code shown causing the issue? If yes: Are you sure that APageControl1 is not nil? Or: Is the code calling CurrentSynEdit able to handle the case that CurrentSynEdit may return a nil result?

[wasp41p]

I was checking and that´s not the problem.
The problem is this and I don´t understand how to solve it, I should assign him the owner but I don´t know how, since he´s in another unit.

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. procedure PrepareHighlighters(AList: TFPList; AMenu: TMenuItem; ACombobox: TComboBox; AClickHandler: TNotifyEvent);
2. var
3.   i: Integer;
4.   HL: TSynCustomHighlighter;
5.   item: TMenuitem;
6. begin
7. AList := TFPList.Create;
8. AList.Add(TSynADSP21xxSyn.Create(self));
9. AList.Add(TSynFortranSyn.Create(self));
10. AList.Add(TSynGalaxySyn.Create(self));
11. AList.Add(TSynBaanSyn.Create(self));
12. AList.Add(TSynAWKSyn.Create(self));
13. AList.Add(TSynHaskellSyn.Create(self));
14. AList.Add(TSynCacheSyn.Create(self));
15. AList.Add(TSynModelicaSyn.Create(self));
16. AList.Add(TSynCobolSyn.Create(self));
17. AList.Add(TSynCSSyn.Create(self));
18. AList.Add(TSynDmlSyn.Create(self));
19. AList.Add(TSynProgressSyn.Create(self));
20. AList.Add(TSynEiffelSyn.Create(self));
21. AList.Add(TSynGWScriptSyn.Create(self));
22. AList.Add(TSynHP48Syn.Create(self));
23. AList.Add(TSynVBScriptSyn.Create(self));
24. AList.Add(TSynUnrealSyn.Create(self));
25. AList.Add(TSynVrml97Syn.Create(self));
26. AList.Add(TSynTclTkSyn.Create(self));
27. AList.Add(TSynLDRSyn.Create(self));
28. AList.Add(TSynRubySyn.Create(self));
29. AList.Add(TSynInnoSyn.Create(self));
30. AList.Add(TSynAsmSyn.Create(self));
31. AList.Add(TSynDOTSyn.Create(self));
32. AList.Add(TSynIdlSyn.Create(self));
33. AList.Add(TSynKixSyn.Create(self));
34. AList.Add(TSynSDDSyn.Create(self));
35. AList.Add(TSynSMLSyn.Create(self));
36. AList.Add(TSynFreePascalSyn.Create(self));
37. AList.Add(TSynM3Syn.Create(self));
38. AList.Add(TSynRCSyn.Create(self));
39. AList.Add(TSynPrologSyn.Create(self));
40. AList.Add(TSynLuaSyn.Create(self));
41. AList.Add(TSyn8051Syn.Create(self));
42. AList.Add(TSynCACSyn.Create(self));
43. AList.Add(TSynJavaSyn.Create(self));
44. AList.Add(TSynSQLSyn.Create(self));
45. AList.Add(TSynVHDLSyn.Create(self));
46. AList.Add(TSynVerilogSyn.Create(self));
47. AList.Add(TSynJSONSyn.Create(self));
48. AList.Add(TSynPasSyn.Create(self));
49. AList.Add(TSynXMLSyn.Create(self));
50. AList.Sort(@CompareHighlighters);
51.  
52. if (AMenu <> nil) then
53.   for i:=0 to AList.Count-1 do begin
54.     HL := TSynCustomHighlighter(AList[i]);
55.     if Assigned(HL) then
56.     begin
57.       item := TMenuItem.Create(nil);
58.       AMenu.Add(item);
59.       item.Caption := Format('%d - %s', [i, GetHighlighterCaption(HL)]);
60.       item.Tag := i+1;
61.       item.OnClick := AClickHandler;
62.       if AComboBox <> nil then AComboBox.Items.Add(item.Caption);
63.     end;
64.   end;
65. end;                                            

[wp]

You mean this?

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1.       item := TMenuItem.Create(nil);

I had missed the "self" in my first post on this topic...

Setting the owner to nil will leave you with the burden to destroy the menuitem later - normally the owner would do this... But you have the MenuItem to which the new item will be added. Why not use the same owner?

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1.       item := TMenuItem.Create(AMenuItem.Owner);

[wasp41p]

Thank you wp for your time.
 I mean I can't use self in global:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. ....
2. AList := TFPList.Create;
3. AList.Add(TSynADSP21xxSyn.Create(self));
4. AList.Add(TSynFortranSyn.Create(self));
5. AList.Add(TSynGalaxySyn.Create(self));
6. ......

[KodeZwerg]

changes in uglobal

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. var
2.     GHighlighters : TFPList;
3. implementation
4. var
5.     g: TFPFontCacheList;

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. procedure PrepareHighlighters(AOwner: TComponent; AMenu: TMenuItem; ACombobox: TComboBox; AClickHandler: TNotifyEvent);
2. var
3.   i: Integer;
4.   HL: TSynCustomHighlighter;
5.   item: TMenuitem;
6. begin
7.   if GHighlighters = nil then
8.     GHighlighters := TFPList.Create;
9.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynADSP21xxSyn.Create(AOwner));
10.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynFortranSyn.Create(AOwner));
11.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynGalaxySyn.Create(AOwner));
12.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynBaanSyn.Create(AOwner));
13.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynAWKSyn.Create(AOwner));
14.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynHaskellSyn.Create(AOwner));
15.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynCacheSyn.Create(AOwner));
16.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynModelicaSyn.Create(AOwner));
17.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynCobolSyn.Create(AOwner));
18.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynCSSyn.Create(AOwner));
19.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynDmlSyn.Create(AOwner));
20.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynProgressSyn.Create(AOwner));
21.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynEiffelSyn.Create(AOwner));
22.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynGWScriptSyn.Create(AOwner));
23.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynHP48Syn.Create(AOwner));
24.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynVBScriptSyn.Create(AOwner));
25.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynUnrealSyn.Create(AOwner));
26.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynVrml97Syn.Create(AOwner));
27.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynTclTkSyn.Create(AOwner));
28.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynLDRSyn.Create(AOwner));
29.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynRubySyn.Create(AOwner));
30.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynInnoSyn.Create(AOwner));
31.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynAsmSyn.Create(AOwner));
32.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynDOTSyn.Create(AOwner));
33.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynIdlSyn.Create(AOwner));
34.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynKixSyn.Create(AOwner));
35.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynSDDSyn.Create(AOwner));
36.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynSMLSyn.Create(AOwner));
37.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynFreePascalSyn.Create(AOwner));
38.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynM3Syn.Create(AOwner));
39.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynRCSyn.Create(AOwner));
40.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynPrologSyn.Create(AOwner));
41.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynLuaSyn.Create(AOwner));
42.   GHighlighters.Add(TSyn8051Syn.Create(AOwner));
43.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynCACSyn.Create(AOwner));
44.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynJavaSyn.Create(AOwner));
45.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynSQLSyn.Create(AOwner));
46.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynVHDLSyn.Create(AOwner));
47.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynVerilogSyn.Create(AOwner));
48.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynJSONSyn.Create(AOwner));
49.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynPasSyn.Create(AOwner));
50.   GHighlighters.Add(TSynXMLSyn.Create(AOwner));
51.   GHighlighters.Sort(@CompareHighlighters);
52.  
53. if (AMenu <> nil) then
54.   for i:=0 to Pred(GHighlighters.Count) do begin
55.     HL := TSynCustomHighlighter(GHighlighters[i]);
56.     if Assigned(HL) then
57.     begin
58.       item := TMenuItem.Create(nil);
59.       AMenu.Add(item);
60.       item.Caption := Format('%d - %s', [i, GetHighlighterCaption(HL)]);
61.       item.Tag := i+1;
62.       item.OnClick := AClickHandler;
63.       if AComboBox <> nil then AComboBox.Items.Add(item.Caption);
64.     end;
65.   end;
66. end;
67.  
68. procedure SelectHighlighter(AIndex: Integer; ASynEdit: TSynEdit; ACaption: TCaption; AVer: String);
69. begin
70.   begin
71.     if AIndex < GHighlighters.Count then
72.       begin
73.         ASynEdit.Highlighter := TSynCustomHighlighter(GHighlighters[AIndex]);
74.         ACaption := Format('%s - %s [%s]', [
75.           AVer, ASynEdit.Highlighter.LanguageName, ASynEdit.Highlighter.ClassName]);
76.       end;
77.   end;
78. end;

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. initialization
2.   GHighlighters := nil;
3. finalization
4.   GHighlighters.Free;
5. end.

changes in unit1

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1.   PrepareHighlighters(Self, MenuFileHL, ComboBox3, @MenuClick);

I have not tested it fully, at least thats how it compile and run without error

[wasp41p]

Update: I've managed to get the menu on form1 and the combobox on form2 and it works fine too, but I don't understand if this is normal or I've done something wrong, if I call the procedure in form2 it generates both the menu and the combobox, but if I call it from form1 it goes into access violation at compile time, it would seem that with form1 I can't write into form2. I attach part of the code:
Unit2.pas

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. var
2.   Form2: TForm2;
3.  
4.  
5. implementation
6.  
7. {$R *.lfm}
8.  
9. uses
10.   unit1;
11.  
12. { TForm2 }
13. procedure TForm2.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
14. var
15.    SynEdit: TSynEdit;
16. begin
17.   ComboBox3.Items.Clear;
18.   FFontlist:= TFPFontCacheList.Create;
19.   ComboBox1.Items.Clear;
20.   PrepareFontList(FFontlist, ComboBox1);
21.  
22.    SynEdit := CurrentSynEdit(Form1.PageControl1);
23.   if SynEdit <> nil then fillfontmenu(ComboBox1, SpinEdit1, SynEdit);
24.  
25.   PrepareHighlighters(Self, ComboBox3, Form1.MenuFileHL, @Form1.MenuClick);
26.  
27.     SynEdit := CurrentSynEdit(Form1.PageControl1);
28.   if SynEdit <> nil then SelectHighlighter(27, SynEdit);
29.  
30. end;

But if I do this, I have an access violation:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. var
2.   Form1: TForm1;
3.  
4. implementation
5.  
6. {$R *.lfm}
7.  
8. uses
9.   unit2;
10.  
11.  
12. { TForm1 }
13.  
14. procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
15. var
16.   SynEdit: TSynEdit;
17. begin
18. .......
19.  
20.   PrepareHighlighters(Self, Form2.ComboBox3, MenuFileHL, @MenuClick);
21.  
22.   SynEdit := CurrentSynEdit(PageControl1);
23.   if SynEdit <> nil then SelectHighlighter(27, SynEdit);
24.  
25. end;

[wasp41p]

I apologize for bothering you with my silly questions (again) but I´m just starting out with Lazarus and still learning.
I´ve read a lot and I´m still reading, but I can´t figure out why in the statusbar the caret works only on the first tab, if I delete it, doesn´t work anymore even with the new one.  The same thing happens with the markup and other things, It seems that it doesn´t update to the active Synedit/tab. Please I attach the project, if someone wants to have a look could tell me where I am wrong.