How can I interrogate the Delphi component palette?

Question

I have lots of components installed - trouble is when I want to find one I rarely use it takes ages to find it. I can look at the ALL choice which lists all components but finding one with say 'grid' in the title is still very time consuming. Is there a database of titles or (preferably) a text file I could interrogate and search?

Answer 1

Which version of Delphi? In recent versions, just click on the top of the palette and type "grid". Ctrl-Alt-P will focus the palette, and then you can just start typing.

In RAD2009 and RS2010, do this and it'll find all components with "grid" anywhere in the title.

Answer 2

Try DDevExtensions 1.61, it add ability to search for components for Delphi from version 5 and above, with other many improvement for the IDE.

Answer 3

Since you didn't specify which version of Delphi...

1) In older versions (D7 and before), you can right click on the component palette to see the properties. This shows all of the components you have installed one page at a time. It isn't searchable, but at least the list shows each component's name and package, so it's easier than using the popup hints on each individual component.

2) In Delphi 7, you can select View|Component List, which brings up a searchable alphabetical list of all components. Unfortunately, it only matches on the first part of the component name. The first version of the "new" tool palette had this same limitation.

3) DDevExtensions (free) allows partial string matches in the old component palette (D5-D7), and restores something like the old palette in newer versions of Delphi (D2005 and up). It's also included in Delphi 2010 for people who prefer that style. I like how the search works in Delphi 7, but in Delphi 2010, the filtering seems a little awkward to me. It filters the components and palette pages, but if you have matching components on more than one page, they aren't all shown at the same time. You still have to click on each individual page.

4) My favourite. I prefer the new tool palette (Delphi 2005 and up). Very configurable, lets me see the component names, shows components on more than one page at a time, dockable, etc.

Bottom line. If you don't have or don't like the new tool palette, get DDevExtensions.

Answer 4

Before Delphi 2005: Install DDevExtensions, then choose Tools -> DDevExtensions Options -> Component Selector -> Check the "Active" box, click OK

Delphi 2005 and later: Click in the component palette and type the name of the one you want.

Answer 5

Use GExperts - they help a lot.