Can we load a dfm file for a form at runtime?

Question

Is it possible for a Delphi application to receive a dfm file with objects, its properties and event assignments, and load up all those information just like when how they do with internal dfm compiled with it?

How could we do that? Is there a direct way?

Note: the application will already have the code with the correct classes and methods, events included.We could also remotely receive some kind of script that could be read by my application which would create the objects necessary to match the dfm file specifications. Just like Web browsers interpret the HTML, css and JS files...

Answer 1

It is indeed possible to load a .dfm file at runtime and create the form represented by that dfm file.

I have written some code to do exactly that:

However: please note: You will need to add more RegisterClass(TSomeComponent) lines in the RegisterNecessaryClasses procedure. As written, if you, for example, try to load a .dfm file that includes a TSpeedbutton, you will get an exception: just add the RegisterClass(TSpeedbutton) to the RegisterNecessaryClasses procedure.

unit DynaFormF;  // This is a normal Delphi form - just an empty one (No components dropped on the form)

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs;

type
  TfrmDynaForm = class(TForm)
  private
    { Private declarations }
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;

var
  frmDynaForm: TfrmDynaForm;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

end.

// :

unit DynaLoadDfmU;
{$O-}
interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs, StdCtrls, ExtCtrls, ComCtrls, utils08, DynaFormF;

var
  DebugSL : TStrings;

procedure ShowDynaFormModal(Filename:String);

implementation

procedure RegisterNecessaryClasses;
begin
  RegisterClass(TfrmDynaForm);
  RegisterClass(TPanel);
  RegisterClass(TMemo);
  RegisterClass(TTimer);
  RegisterClass(TListBox);
  RegisterClass(TSplitter);
  RegisterClass(TEdit);
  RegisterClass(TCheckBox);
  RegisterClass(TButton);
  RegisterClass(TLabel);
  RegisterClass(TRadioGroup);
end;

type
  TCrackedTComponent = class(TComponent)
  protected
    procedure UpdateState_Designing;
  end;

var
  ClassRegistered : Boolean;

procedure RemoveEventHandlers(SL:TStrings);
const
  Key1 = ' On';
  Key2 = ' = ';

var
  i, k1,k2 : Integer;
  S        : String;

begin
  for i := SL.Count-1 downto 0 do begin
    S := SL[i];

    k1 := pos(Key1, S);
    k2 := pos(Key2, S);

    if (k1 <> 0) AND (k2 > k1) then begin
      // remove it:
      SL.Delete(i);
    end;

  end;
end;

procedure ReportBoolean(S:String; B:Boolean);
const
  Txts : Array[Boolean] of String = (
  'Cleared', 'Set'
  );

begin
  if Assigned(DebugSL) then begin
    S := S + ' : ' + Txts[B];
    DebugSL.Add(S);
  end;
end;

procedure SetComponentStyles(AForm:TForm);
var
  AComponent : TComponent;
  i          : Integer;
  B1, B2     : Boolean;

begin
  for i := 0 to AForm.ComponentCount-1 do begin
    AComponent := AForm.Components[i];
    if AComponent is TTimer then begin
      // TTIMER:
      B1 := csDesigning in AComponent.ComponentState;

      // Does not work: an attempt to make the TTimer visible like it is in Delphi IDE's form designer.
      TCrackedTComponent(AComponent).UpdateState_Designing;

      B2 := csDesigning in AComponent.ComponentState;
      ReportBoolean('Before setting it: ', B1);
      ReportBoolean('After  setting it: ', B2);
    end;
  end;
end;

procedure ShowDynaFormModalPrim(Filename:String);
var
  FormDyna : TfrmDynaForm;

  S1       : TFileStream;
  S1m      : TMemoryStream;
  S2       : TMemoryStream;
  S        : String;
  k1, k2   : Integer;
  Reader   : TReader;
  SLHelper : TStringlist;
  OK       : Boolean;

  MissingClassName, FormName, FormTypeName : String;

begin
  FormName     := 'frmDynaForm';
  FormTypeName := 'TfrmDynaForm';

  FormDyna := NIL;
  OK       := False;

  S1 := TFileStream.Create(Filename, fmOpenRead or fmShareDenyWrite);
  try
    S1m := TMemoryStream.Create;
    try
      SLHelper := TStringlist.Create;
      try
        SLHelper.LoadFromStream(S1);

        S := SLHelper[0];

        k1 := pos(' ', S);
        k2 := pos(': ', S);
        if (k1 <> 0) AND (k2 > k1) then begin
          // match:
          SetLength(S, k2+1);
          S := 'object ' + FormName + ': ' + FormTypeName;
          SLHelper[0] := S;
        end;

        RemoveEventHandlers(SLHelper);
        SLHelper.SaveToStream(S1m);
      finally
        SLHelper.Free;
      end;

      S1m.Position := 0;
      S2 := TMemoryStream.Create;
      try
        ObjectTextToBinary(S1m, S2);
        S2.Position := 0;

        Reader := TReader.Create(S2, 4096);
        try
          try
            FormDyna := TfrmDynaForm.Create(NIL);
            Reader.ReadRootComponent(FormDyna);
            OK       := True;
            SetComponentStyles(FormDyna);
          except
            on E:Exception do begin
              S := E.ClassName + '    ' + E.Message;
              if Assigned(DebugSL) then begin
                DebugSL.add(S);
                if (E.ClassName = 'EClassNotFound') then begin
                  // the class is missing - we need one more "RegisterClass" line in the RegisterNecessaryClasses procedure.
                  MissingClassName := CopyBetween(E.Message, 'Class ', ' not found');
                  S := '    RegisterClass(' + MissingClassName + ');';
                  DebugSL.Add(S);
                end;
              end;
            end;
          end;
        finally
          Reader.Free;
        end;
      finally
        S2.Free;
      end;
    finally
      S1m.Free;
    end;
  finally
    S1.Free;
  end;

  if OK then begin
    try
      FormDyna.Caption := 'Dynamically created form: ' + ' -- ' + FormDyna.Caption;
      FormDyna.ShowModal;

    finally
      FormDyna.Free;
    end;
  end else begin
    // failure:
    S := 'Dynamic loading of form file failed.';
    if Assigned(DebugSL)
      then DebugSL.Add(S)
  end;
end;

procedure ShowDynaFormModal(Filename:String);
begin
  if NOT ClassRegistered then begin
    ClassRegistered := True;
    RegisterNecessaryClasses;
  end;

  ShowDynaFormModalPrim(Filename);
end;

{ TCrackedTComponent }

procedure TCrackedTComponent.UpdateState_Designing;
begin
  SetDesigning(TRUE, FALSE);
end;

end.

Answer 2

You are presented a DFM form design file, and you want to instantiate it?

Without the accompanying PAS source file, this is not possible. You need the implementation of how the class acts and interacts. (If there is no implementation, i.e. the DFM does not refer to event handlers, then you could create a class at runtime if you have or parse the classname from the DFM. But you would have to know or parse all published members of the form class, thus making this solution kind of academical).

Even if you have the source file, you would need it at compile time in order to be able to create the class.

If you have both design and source files at compile time, then add them to the project and you would not need to load the form from file since it is included in the executable's resources. Just use the default constructor Create at runtime to create the form.

When you have a secondary DFM form file for a single PAS source file, then use this kind of trick to create with the CreateNew constructor an alternative form object (e.g. with some controls hidden or styled) based on the same code.

If your DFM file is at runtime created from a specific state of the form, then create the form as normal but restore that particular state with one of the answers to this question.