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420

answers:

2

I'm aware of the excellent DevExpress LayoutManager & the half-attempts included in new releases of Delphi.

But I wonder whether an Open Source layout manager does exist, that can be used to replace the form editor.

I built a small version for my iPhone app in Obj-C that can do:

Form.Add(TEXT_EDIT,Options,LEFT)

The idea is to be able to build everything by code and ease internationalization, resolution independence and that stuff...

A: 

I personally believe that the system of Aligns, Anchors, Constraints and the occasional OnResize event does a better job if you want to make a "beautiful" and flexible user interface in Cocoa as well as in Delphi. I have worked with Layout Managers in Java, created user interfaces in code and I'm not convinced that these things make life easier. They didn't for me anyway. Although the Devexpress stuff looks impressive...

bartvdpoel
A layout manager *will* make your life easier if the result is a GUI that effortlessly adapts to different system fonts and high DPI values. Or to the requirements of a different platform (control sizing and spacing according to the HIG, different button order and so on). This has nothing to do with creating UIs in code. It's about replacing hard-coded pixel based UIs with proper layout descriptions.
mghie
+1  A: 

Project JEDI's JVCL free and open source component library includes a sort of a replacement, even that is maybe not as good as DevExpress one, but it has it's own good advantages. Is called "Jv Runtime design" and is installed within the standard JVLC setup (search for the components in the toolbar of the same name in the palette).

If you had never installed JVCL, note that you have to install JCL (Jedi Class Library before JVCL as this is a prerequisite) Look for the JVCL download zip file that includes the corresponding JCL package.

SalvadorGomez