Delphi, C++ Builder, and Kylix have a number of ready-to-use data controls. Follow this procedure to use VCL data controls:
The Data Controls page of the Component palette present specialized database control elements available to applications:
DBGrid |
Data-aware custom grid that enables viewing and editing data in a tabular form similar to a spreadsheet. Makes extensive use of TField properties (set in the Fields editor) to determine a column's visibility, display format, ordering, and so on. |
DBNavigator |
Data-aware navigation buttons that move a table's current record pointer forward or backward. The navigator can also place a table in Insert, Edit, or Browse state, post new or modified records, and retrieve updated data to refresh the display. |
DBText |
Data-aware label that displays a field value in the current record. |
DBEdit |
Data-aware edit box that displays or edits a field in the current record. |
DBMemo |
Data-aware memo box that displays or edits BLOB text in the current record. |
DBImage |
Data-aware image box that displays, cuts, or pastes bitmapped BLOB images to and from the current record. |
DBListBox |
Data-aware list box that displays a scrolling list of values from a column in a table. |
DBComboBox |
Data-aware combo box that displays or edits a scrolling list of values from a column in a table. |
DBCheckBox |
Data-aware check box that displays or edits a Boolean data field from the current record. |
DBRadioGroup |
Data-aware group of radio buttons that display or set column values. |
DBLookupListBox |
Data-aware list box that derives its list of display items from a Lookup field defined for a dataset or a secondary data source, data field, and key. In either case, a user is presented with a restricted list of choices from which to set a valid field value. When a user selects a list item, the corresponding field value is changed in the underlying dataset. To specify list box items using a lookup field, the dataset to which the control is linked must already define a lookup field. |
DBLookupComboBox |
Data-aware combo box that derives its drop-down list of display items from either a lookup field defined for a dataset or a secondary data source, data field, and key. In either case, a user is presented with a restricted list of choices from which to set a valid field value. When a user selects a list item, the corresponding field value is changed in the underlying dataset. To specify combo box list items using a lookup field, the dataset to which the control is linked must already define a lookup field. |
DBRichEdit |
A multi-line edit control that can display and edit a rich text memo field in a dataset. |