However, there are numerous problems using this component.

• Can be used to open aform used to edit that record.
• When placed next to a lookup field, a button with 3 dots normally opens a form with more information.
• When placed next to a comment, a button with 3 dots normally opens a form that shows the text in a larger window. In some cases, this is the only way I allow additional text to be added.

These controls are Replicatable

stdctrls.pas

TCustomGroupBox - TCustomLabel - TCustomStaticText

extctrls.pas

TShape - TPaintBox - TImage - TBevel - TCustomPanel

dbcgrids.pas

TDBCtrlPanel

dbctrls.pas

TDBEdit - TDBText - TDBCheckBox - TDBComboBox
TDBMemo - TDBImage - TPopupDataList - TDBLookupComboBox

type
  // Generic button for use on a DBCtrlGrid
  TDB_xxButton = class(TButton)

constructor TDB_xxButton.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  ControlStyle := ControlStyle + [csReplicatable];
end;

// Together, the following methods allow any panel to simulate a button
// This is necessary because regular buttons can not be added
// to DBCtrlGrid's
procedure TMain_Form.Panel_MouseDown(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
  Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
begin
  // This simulates a button
   (Sender as TPanel).BevelOuter := bvLowered;
end;

procedure TMain_Form.Panel_MouseUp(Sender: TObject; Button: TMouseButton;
  Shift: TShiftState; X, Y: Integer);
begin
  // This simulates a button
   (Sender as TPanel).BevelOuter := bvRaised;
end;

// End of code that allows panels to simulate buttons

• TDB_mcButton acts just like a normal TButton
• TDB_mc3DotButton is a smaller size with only 3 dots for a caption

type
  // Generic button for use on a DBCtrlGrid
  TDB_mcButton = class(TButton)
  public
    constructor Create(AOwner: TComponent); override;
  end;

  // Generic button for use on a DBCtrlGrid - smaller size, shows 3 dots
  TDB_mc3DotButton = class(TButton)
  public
    constructor Create(AOwner: TComponent); override;
  end;


implementation

constructor TDB_mcButton.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  ControlStyle := ControlStyle + [csReplicatable];
end;

constructor TDB_mc3DotButton.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  ControlStyle := ControlStyle + [csReplicatable];
  Caption := '...';
  Height  := 19;
  Width   := 19;
end;

procedure Register;
begin
  RegisterComponents('mc', [TDB_mcButton, TDB_mc3DotButton]);
end;

There is a reason that Delphi didn't do this for us - I am sure that some normal button features will fail in this situation. So be careful. For instance, I do not suggest setting any properties that only one button on a form should have - such as Cancel or Default. I also would not use any Actions.

OnClick does work (that is the point of this) ... references to fields in the same DBCtrlGrid panel return the correct value.

procedure TForm1.DB_mc3DotButton1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
  ShowMessage(DBEdit1.Text);
end;

• TDBLookupListBox
• TDBLookupComboBox

The problem is that when they are placed on a TDBCtrlGrid, there is no simple way to "lookup" data from another table (because you can NOT set ListSource in a DBCrtlGrid).

There is practically no help on this problem, either in Delphi or online.

This code gets the names of all the non-system generators.

  SamplesDataModule : TBasicDataModule ;

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
var
  s : string;
begin
  s := 'select * from RDB$GENERATORS ' +
       ' where RDB$GENERATOR_NAME not like ''%$%'''
     ;
  SamplesDataModule.Load_TStrings_via_Query
       (s, 'RDB$GENERATOR_NAME', Generators_UIComboBox.Items);

  Generators_UIComboBox.ItemIndex := 0;
  Generators_UIComboBoxChange(sender);
end;

procedure TBasicDataModule.Load_TStrings_via_Query
                  (Query, DataField :string; StrList: TStrings);
var
  flag : boolean;
  s    : string ;
begin
  StrList.Clear;
  ExecuteSelectSQL(Query);  // this uses IBQuery_Basic

  while not IBQuery_Basic.eof do begin
    s := IBQuery_Basic.FieldByName(DataField).AsString;
    StrList.Add(s);
    IBQuery_Basic.Next;
  end;
end;  // Load_TStrings_via_Query

It is possible to manually add fields to some IB components. The idea to to add one of these and to define it as a lookup field.

This is from the TDBLookupControl.ListSource help

If the DataField field is a lookup field, ... data controls automatically use the lookup field's LookupDataSet property to create a data source.

The following works

• Right click an IBTable object and select Fields Editor...
• Right click in the Fields dialog box and select Add all fields - any fields not added will not be available to the form designer
• Right click in the Fields dialog box and select Add new...
• Fill in the New Field dialog box items in the following order - these can be edited later in the Object Inspector

  Name		Any value you want - I suggest something ending with "LLU" or "LocalLU" so these are easier to identify, this is displayed in the lists of table fields
  Component		This is automatically filled in for you - it becomes the name of the component
  Type		I always use string
  Size		This should be the size of the data that will be displayed, defaults to 20 if left blank
  Field type		Select Lookup - This enables the next 2 fields
  Key Fields		Select one from the list
  Dataset		Select one from the list - This enables the last 2 fields
  Lookup Keys		This is the key (lookup) field in the lookup table, select it from the list
  Result Field		This field contains the value that will be displayed, select it from the list

• On the form, select your new field for DBLookupComboBox1.DataField ... leave the other lookup parameters blank

It is possible to display a value based on combining several key fields - the Delphi help explains how to do it.

For more information, read these topics in the Delphi help

• Dynamic field components
• Persistent field components

This technique requires placing one LookUp component on the form (outside the DBCtrlGrid) and connecting that to the lookup table. Then the lookup list is copied to the TDBCombo box in the DBCtrlGrid.

URL: http:// cpcug.org / user / clemenzi / technical / Databases / Delphi / DBCtrlGrid_Problems.html