C++Builder Commonly Asked Questions

Main CAQs

	Forms

	Boxes

	Views

	Edits

	Grids

	System

CAQ Fundamentals

	From Messages to Events, Part I D. Chandler

	From Messages to Events, Part II D. Chandler

	Window Creation Fundamentals D. Chandler

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Borland C++Builder Commonly Asked Questions

C++Builder is a powerful and fun way to handle Windows programming. As with any tool, it requires some patience and practice to gain familiarity with. Here, you'll find some answers to questions that I've deemed "commonly asked." I've also included references to related articles in the Journal, which I hope will facilitate the process of finding solutions.

This page is here for fellow developers to browse, read, cut-and-paste, and most importantly, learn from. It's also a reference for me, since my memory is slowly fading...

Enjoy!
Damon Chandler

Mini CAQs

Application, SDI, and MDI

Common Controls

	How do I create a hidden main form?
	How do I hide the application's taskbar button?
	How do I create a menu that lists all the MDI child forms?
	How do I hide an MDI child form?
	How do I access the active MDI child form?
	How do I access a specific MDI child form?
	How do I paint a background image on an MDI form?
	How do I display a dialog, such as a password dialog, before the main form becomes visible?

	How can I retrieve all selected items in a TListView?
	How do I speed-up adding items to my ListView?
	My TToolBar images are not showing up on some machines, how do I resolve this?
	How do I change the font/color of an individual item in a TTreeView or TListView?
	How do I place a TProgressBar inside a TStatusBar?
	How do I enable multiple selection of nodes in my TTreeView?

Standard Controls

VCL Specifics

	How do I suppress the default system sound when the Enter key is pressed in a TEdit?
	I've changed the Color property of my Button's Font, but it doesn't seem to work. What's wrong?
	How do I change a TButton's Color? I've tried setting the Brush::Color property, but this does not work.
	When I load a large text file in a TRichEdit, I am no longer able to input any additional text. What's wrong?
	How do I select an item in a TComboBox or TListBox via code?
	I've used the Selected property to set the selected item in my TListBox, but it raises an EListError exception. What's the problem?
	How can I determine which items are selected in a multi-select TListBox?
	How do I determine the position of a TRichEdit's caret in a (row, col) format?
	I've provided a handler for the OnClick event of my CheckBox, however, I've noticed that this handler is fired when I manipulate the TCheckBox:: Checked property. Is this a bug?

	I've created a control dynamically, but it fails to appear. What's wrong?
	How do I assign an event handler at run-time?
	How do I change the font/background color of a particular cell in a TStringGrid?
	How do I insert/remove a row or column in a TStringGrid?
	I've assigned an OnExit event handler for a particular control, however, it does not fire when I click a TSpeedButton. What's the problem?
	I've changed the Color property of a TPaintBox, but it seems to have no effect. What could be wrong?
	How can I detect when the mouse cursor enters or leaves a control?
	When I switch my StringGrid into EditorMode, the caret does not appear in the cell, although I can still input text. What's wrong here?