Problem building custom preview

rbuser

Hi,

I am using 6.03 standard.

I try to build a custom preview form since the default one does not have a
save button.

I read the tutorial and follow the section in 'Building a Report
Application|Create a Customized Print Preview Form'.

I open the ppPrvDlg unit. But I am stuck at step 5 of the section. This is
the statement in the section:
'Select the panel at the top of the form (named pnlPreviewBar).

But the form (TppPrintPreview) has no panel at the top. In fact, it is a
blank form with nothing. There is only one item, the form, in the object
inspector. And I can see there is some kind of plugin going on in the
FormCreate event.

Is the tutorial not up to date or I did something wrong?

Thanks,
Ping Kam

nicocizik

-----------------------------------------
Article: Creating a Preview Plugin
-----------------------------------------

Q: I've followed the tutorials and registered a Preview Form replacement but
that did not affect the TppDesigner's Preview workspace.


A: Do not use the form replacement, but rather, there is a different
architecture built into the preview form that is registered by default.



You will need to register a TppPreview descendent. The class you register
is used to create the preview controls inside the standard print preview
form and the designer preview workspace.


Here is an example of creating a simple custom preview that access the
viewer its been assigned in order to change the page color. You can also do
more advanced operations such as adding and removing buttons and change the
behavior of the preview form. Access the inherited controls via. protected
properties and override the virtual methods in order to customize behavior.

Open ppPreview.pas and view the TppPreview class as a guide to create a
custom preview descendent.


unit MyPreviewPlugin;

interface

uses
ppPreview;

type
TMyPreviewPlugin = class(TppPreview)
public
procedure BeforePreview; override;

end;


implementation

uses
Graphics;


procedure TMyPreviewPlugin.BeforePreview;
begin
inherited BeforePreview;

Viewer.PageColor := clRed;

end;

initialization
TppPreviewPlugIn.Register(TMyPreviewPlugin);

finalization
TppPreviewPlugIn.UnRegister(TMyPreviewPlugin);

end.


--

rbuser

Thanks,
Ping Kam