GR32 installation

[staratel20]

Hi everybody

I have installed the last version of Gr32 from Git (graphics32-master) and then put an Image32 on empty form, trying to compile it gives me newbie error like

unit1.pas(8,58) Error: Can't find unit GR32_Image used by Unit1

Where do I need to specify the path to gr32\Sources so that I don't have to set it for every new project using gr32?

[marcov]

If GR32 has an installed package, add a dependency on it in the project manager. (right click on requirements  then add).

These kind of dependencies keep working, even if on an other system gr32 is installed elsewhere. (there are no hardcoded (and platform specific) paths in your projects .lpi, just the dependency, which is nice if your project is in a VCS and used on multiple machines).

If it doesn't have a package, it is easiest to create a package, and add all your private paths to it.   

Sometimes however Lazarus doesn't seem to find that package after updating lazarus, and it doesn't auto build it. Opening the package and manually compiling solves that.

[staratel20]

>> (right click on requirements  then add).

I guess one more newbie question... Where can I find requirements to right click on them..)) ?

[marcov]

First go to your Project:  Project->Project Inspector

Then a window will popup with a tree view with the units in the project.

In that treeview, scroll down, and you will see "Required Packages". Right click on it and select add

[staratel20]

I did it, but I can't see Add submenu (screen is attached)

[dseligo]

I did it, but I can't see Add submenu (screen is attached)

Right click on 'Required Packages', not below it.

You can also use add button on the top.

[staratel20]

Thanks for the clarifications to all of you.

I did it, but got the next message (in attachment)

[wp]

GR32_DSGN_Lazarus is the designtime-time package which registers components, usually adds the palette icons or provides dedicated component and property editors - all this goes into the IDE, and you don't need that in your project.

So, simply select only the runtime package, GR32_Lazarus, in the New Requirement editor. Since you already have the designtime package in your project, right-click on GR32_DSGN_Lazarus in the project inspector tree and select "Remove".

How to detect whether a package is for designtime only? In the New Requirement list, you only have the name: there is usually a "DSGN", "Design", "D", or "DCL" (coming from Delphi) in the package name.

[staratel20]

I removed the DSGN package from the dependencies, but this (unsurprisingly) didn’t solve the issue of the IDE not finding GR32_Image. Finally, I started going through the examples and found that each example has an explicit path set to the GR32 Sources directory (Project - Project Options - Compiler Options - Paths - Other unit files). It seems this is the only way to make it work.



>>If it doesn't have a package, it is easiest to create a package, and add all your private paths to it.   

- if I understand correctly, I can do it myself, but the GR32 team didn’t do it because they can’t know where my GR32 installation directory will be

[wp]

In Lazarus you normally should not add paths to external packages to the search path as you do in Delphi. Whenever a package is available add the package to the requirements of your project, as already mentioned by marcov. Since the package contains the path to its units, the IDE then will know it, too. If you don't do this you easily can end up in a situation in which your project does not compile.

I have installed the last version of Gr32 from Git (graphics32-master) ...

You mean the version from https://github.com/graphics32/graphics32? I cloned it, and found that it is not properly set up. In the designtime package it sets the path to the source units of the runtime package which results in the "duplicate compiled unit found", and when I fix this it still does not compile due to the error "Unable to find file "GR32_Blend.pass". I have been searching for more than an hour now and cannot find what they did wrong... I am giving up...

If you want a working version of Graphics32, open the Online Package manager from the "Package" menu, check the "pl_graphics32" entry and click "Install". Allow the IDE to rebuild itself. The process is finished when the IDE restarts. This package is maintained by the CodeTyphon project (which I normally do not use because they do not return their changes back to the main project - but anyway...). It is a bit older than the original github version.

[AndersM]

You mean the version from https://github.com/graphics32/graphics32? I cloned it, and found that it is not properly set up. In the designtime package it sets the path to the source units of the runtime package which results in the "duplicate compiled unit found", and when I fix this it still does not compile due to the error "Unable to find file "GR32_Blend.pass". I have been searching for more than an hour now and cannot find what they did wrong... I am giving up...

Graphics32 maintainer here - better late than never :-/
The GR32 packages are set up the way they are precisely in order to work around that problem. We know it isn't correct but it was either that or no design-time support in Lazarus.
Here's an issue where it's discussed: https://github.com/graphics32/graphics32/issues/297

...the "pl_graphics32" ... is maintained by the CodeTyphon project .... It is a bit older than the original github version.

Not just a bit older. It's very old - and it's been extensively modified. It does have support for more platforms than the main release though.

[Thaddy]

Glad to see such an old hand joining us!
Thanks for your first hand reply and knowledge.

Regards,

Thaddy

[marcov]

Do you have include files with duplicate names? (like e.g. an include file with defines?)

[AndersM]

Do you have include files with duplicate names? (like e.g. an include file with defines?)

Include files: Yes. Duplicate names: No.

[staratel20]

Thanks to everyone. It didn't help me a lot that time. I've tried to Google it, and this is was the first result in search results, so it is the right place to post the answer . This time I found the solution. So, the steps are:

1) Menu Package - Open file package
2) Select GR32_Lazarus.lpk
3) Compile it
4) Rebuild IDE

After IDE restarted:
1) Menu Service - Install/Unistall package
2) Left side list (ready for install)
3) Choose GR32_DSGN_Lazarus
4) Hit the button Rebuild IDE
5) You will see the error kind of - Paths are dublicated (or something like that) , - select - Ignore All

Hope it was helpful


UPD: Sometimes the application may crash at runtime. In such cases, try disabling all flags in the compiler options (e.g., Range Checking, etc.).