Saturday, April 19, 2003 - Sat, 19 Apr 2003

After much work and playing with Delphi and Elpack, I finally worked out how the Package should be set up so that I could work easily with it. The following is a bit technical, but many Delphi programmers have troubles using packages, so I want to document what I found here for them (and for me so I don’t forget):

First compile the Elpack.dpr file, which are the run-time program files. They suggest copying the .bpl file created in the Delphi lib directory to the windowssystem directory. This is just so that it will be in a directory that is included in the Windows search path. This is needed to then install the design-time package, since Delphi only looks for compiled run-time files it needs in the Search path. But I suggest copying it into Delphi’s in directory instead. Delphi adds this directory into the Windows search path when Delphi is installed. Then install dclelp, the Elpack design-time package (which needs the elpack.bpl file in the in directory). From then on, whenever Delphi runs, the elpack.bpl file in the in directory will get “locked” and cannot be modified. But changes to the run-time programs can now still be made, since their compiled changes will be in the lib directory which is not locked.

Also, setting it up this way, I was also able to add a {$DEFINE DEBUG} statement into the Elpack.inc include file. This makes debugging of the package now possible so I can find and fix problems in the package. Now working with Elpack is a pleasure!

On the Elpack Forum, I posted further info regarding the “Problem”. Eugene made a suggestion regarding it, and I followed up with a bit of trial and error testing. I can get it “mostly” working the way I want. I sent back a message to the Forum with my code and I’ll see what he says. I’ve spent two weeks since getting onto this. It is close enough now, and I should get back to make some more progress towards finishing Behold.