Looking for a simple graphical component for Delphi

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+3 Q:

Looking for a simple graphical component for Delphi

Hi SO.

I am looking for a graphical component in Delphi winch have such features:

allows to paint text in different font types, sizes and colors
allows to select previously drawn text and copy it
paints images on a given coords, gif support would be nice
its very fast in terms of CPU usage

I need this component as a main chat window. I don't want to use it as a text editor.

I've tried two solutions so far:

TVirtualStringTree
THtml

Currently I am using THtml. It performs quite nice but it is a bit to slow due to two facts:

It supports many features which are not necessary in my case
Each time I want to add some content to it, I must reload the whole content

I really don't want to go into its sources and modify them until I have no other choice. So maybe someone of you knows some nice lightweight component which I can use instead?

+1 A:

What about a TRichEdit? Most of the things you mention should be easiliby possible with this component.

Concering the insertion of a bitmap, see this article on Delphi 3000.

Smasher 2009-11-15 10:42:58

Thanks for the answer @Smasher. I've tried with adding bitmap and it works. However I don't feel that TRichEdit is exactly what I want. It has this blinking cursor (since its a text editor) and allows me to add only a bitmap. Perhaps this two issues can be solved but it is not as straightforward as I would like to. But if noone else gives me a better clue I will mark it as answer.

Wodzu 2009-11-15 11:58:21

I'm not sure you'll find something that fits your needs EXACTLY. Concerning the cursor: http://delphi.about.com/cs/adptips2003/a/bltip0703_5.htm. And GIF components are definitely available.

Smasher 2009-11-15 12:16:06

Thanks, so how you would solve adding GIF to TRichEdit?

Wodzu 2009-11-15 12:29:12

I've found that link: http://www.mombu.com/programming/html/t-how-to-add-gif-picture-to-memo-or-richedit-in-bcb-801097.htmlbut as I said earlier. It is not straightforward....

Wodzu 2009-11-15 12:37:08

You could use `TGIFImage` to convert it to a bitmap.

Smasher 2009-11-15 13:10:22

BTW: I don'T want to talk you into using `TRichEdit`. I just think that the points you mention are solvable. If you find a better component - wonderful!

Smasher 2009-11-15 13:12:03

It's ok Smasher, I just hope for some kind of advice. You see, when I convert GIF into bitmap I will lose probably a transparency and I will lose for sure an animation...

Wodzu 2009-11-15 13:22:54

+1 A:

Take a look at TRichView. It's derived from TCustomControl so no external dependencies. It's third party commercial component, but a very good one. Skype Win client uses it.

Mihaela 2009-11-15 23:20:41

Thanks Mihaela. I was few times on this site and always tought that this is not for me... But maybe I was wrong, so I am give it a try.

Wodzu 2009-11-16 16:31:30

Do try it. It's really very powerful. Once I used it as a reporting "engine". You can draw anything on TRichView, tables, images. But it is also a full blown rich editor , like mini Word.Good Luck

Mihaela 2009-11-16 23:32:04

ansaurus

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Looking for a simple graphical component for Delphi

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