About Box Component

   
Release: 3.5
Date: 27 December 2009
Delphi Compatibility:
Key
 D1   D2   D3   D4   D5   D6   D7  D2005
(Win32)		 D2006
(Win32)		 D2007 D2009
(Win32)		 D2010
(Win32)
Red LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED Green LED

Overview

This non-visual component encapsulates an About Box. When displayed the About Box appears like this:

Vista screenshot of About dialog box

or like this:

Classic screenshot of About dialog box

The component has string properties to display five different pieces of information in the about box. These properties are:

  • Title – Contents appear in the window title. The default value is 'About'.
  • ProgramName – The name of the program. This is the title of the application. The default value is the same as TApplications's Title property.
  • Version – This version number of the program. Optional property – default is nothing.
  • Copyright – A copyright message. Optional property – default is nothing.
  • Notes – Up to three lines of notes. Optional property – default is nothing.

Alternatively, the about box can display information from a VERSIONINFO resource included in the program. This is accessed via a linked TPJVersionInfo component. The values of the ProgramName, Version, Copyright and Notes properties are ignored and relevant strings from the program's version information is used in their stead.

The dialog's position can be specified relative to the screen, desktop or parent application. The dialog has a single close button whose appearance and position is customised. The About box also displays the program's icon.

Documentation

The component is documented in the About Box Component Wiki.

Users of Delphi version 3 to 7 can also make use of the help file that is included in the download. This help file integrates with the Delphi 3-7 help system.

Demo program

A demo program is included in the download that can be used to exercise the component.

Required component

TPJAboutBoxDlg requires that a DelphiDabbler Version Information Component is installed in order to compile.

Compatibility with earlier versions

TPJAboutBoxDlg compiles on all Win32 versions and personalities of Delphi. It has been tested with Delphi versions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 2006 and 2010. It is assumed to work on other versions. Note: Delphi 1 support was dropped at v3.5.

The unit name changed to PJAbout at release 3. Programs using earlier releases will need to be modified (or to have an alias set in Delphi's Project Options) before being recompiled using the new version.