Mega Code Archive
Splashscreen
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HOW TO SET UP A 'SPLASH' SCREEN
ie a sexy graphical form to
display while a program loads
1. First do stuff in the PROJECT source file as follows:
note that here the form called 'startup' is the main form
but that here we also want the LOGIN form (which could
just as easily be a splash form) to show BEFORE the main
form. What's important is the way we create it up immediately
after Application.Initialise. Note also the syntax for
creating this form.
2. Use SHOW to Show the form. here we use showmodal 'cus it's
a login form but Show will keep the form open for as long as
program execution assicated with form is going on. So for a
splash form in the FormCreate precedure we should then call
up the code to DO THE LOADING.
program Fox;
{Richard Ebbs for Honeywood...}
{October 1999...}
uses
Forms,
StartUp in 'StartUp.pas' {MainForm},
Login in 'Login.pas' {LoginForm},
{$R *.RES}
begin
Application.Initialize;
LoginForm := TLoginForm.Create(Application);
LoginForm.ShowModal;
Application.CreateForm(TMainForm, MainForm);
Application.Run;
end.
3. The QUICK way to put a graphic image on this form is to place
a TImage component on the form (sized to the dimensions of a
preprepared graphical image) and at design time use the object
inspector to load a graphic into the TImage. (We could of course
load an image at runtime also). If we use a .bmp bitmap file
where we've cut around an image and pasted it to a new file in
PaintShop Pro, for instance, then by setting the TImage's
'transparent' property to True we get a transparent surround to
the image.
***************************************************************************
Hopefully this much code isn't a problem, but in this case I think it's
warranted. Here's some code I use for mine. I have it set for a five
second delay, and here is the main application code:
try
SplashScreen := TSplashScreen.Create(Application);
SplashScreen.Show;
SplashScreen.Update;
Application.Initialize;
Application.Title := 'MyApp';
Application.HelpFile := 'MyApp.hlp';
Application.CreateForm(TMainForm, MainForm);
repeat
Application.ProcessMessages;
until SplashScreen.CloseQuery;
SplashScreen.Close;
finally
SplashScreen.Free;
end;
I have a separate unit for the Splash screen, that contains only a TTimer
and a TImage:
unit Splash;
interface
uses
Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs,
ExtCtrls;
type
TSplashScreen = class(TForm)
Image1: TImage;
Timer1: TTimer;
procedure Timer1Timer(Sender: TObject);
procedure FormCloseQuery(Sender: TObject; var CanClose: Boolean);
private
{ Private declarations }
public
{ Public declarations }
end;
var
SplashScreen: TSplashScreen;
implementation
{$R *.DFM}
procedure TSplashScreen.Timer1Timer(Sender: TObject);
begin
Timer1.Enabled := FALSE;
end;
procedure TSplashScreen.FormCloseQuery(Sender: TObject; var CanClose:
Boolean);
begin
CanClose := not Timer1.Enabled;
end;
end.
Set the timer interval up for the "expiration" amount of time, and enable
it. When the timer fires, the timer will automatically disable. The splash
will not close down until the timer expires (set to disabled) ... It's
pretty simple, but it works well for me.
Hope this helps,
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: delphi-admin@elists.org [mailto:delphi-admin@elists.org]On Behalf
Of Helen ap Derwen Yewlett
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2000 5:50 PM
To: delphi@elists.org
Subject: Re:Splash screens
Didn't actually know what a splash screen was, so went walk about on the net
and found a very good
tutorial
http://www.innotts.co.uk/~zephyr/splash.html
Anyway I followed the instructions and hey presto .. it works.. except that
the program I attached it
to, loads so fast you never actually see the splash screen. It just flashes
past your eyes.
Looked for a delay routine that I could stick in before the application.run
statement but couldn't find
one and the help wasn't a help either!
Since I've only programmed the splash screen to demonstrate to the kids I
teach the idea, I'd really
like a delay line please.
Many thanks
Helen :-)
****************************************************************************************
Hello!
The following code should do the trick
Just create a new form to use as your splash screen. Make sure that it is
not an auto-create form, i.e. If you call your form TitleForm, as I have
done, go to the source file of the application (Project -> View Source) and
remove the line that says Application.CreateForm(TTitleForm,TitleForm).
Then change the source of your project as below.
BEGIN
WITH TTitleForm.Create (NIL) DO
TRY
Screen.Cursor:=crHourGlass;
Show; //Show the title screen
Update; //Update the splash screen
Application.Title:='TITLE OF YOUR APPLICATION';
//Do any processing here, eg creating any static forms
//Or put some sort of delay
Screen.Cursor:=CrDefault;
FINALLY Free; // Free the splash screen
END;
Application.Run;
END;
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Hi fellaz,
recently I had a problem with colorfull cursor with more than 16 colors.
Here is the solution that I use. The idea is very simple. To use a animated
cursor (ANI) but with one frame. :)
I suggest Axialis Cursor, maybe Microangelo or some similar drawing tool to
create a 32x32x65K cursor (supported by Axialis). Copy & paste any bitmap in
the cursor layer and use the following code:
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
h : THandle;
begin
h := LoadImage(0,
'C:\TheWall\Magic.ani',
IMAGE_CURSOR,
0,
0,
LR_DEFAULTSIZE or
LR_LOADFROMFILE);
if h = 0 then ShowMessage('Cursor not loaded') else begin
Screen.Cursors[1] := h;
Form1.Cursor := 1;
end;
end;
I find this code on Borland's site. You can also insert ANI file into EXE.
This is also documented ont the site.
Regards,
Kliment Andreev
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> Any one know of a freeware tool for making splash screens
>
> or some code that I could use to make a splash screen for an
> application??
>
What we do is create a new form, and remove it from the auto-create list of
the project.
We add the picture and everything else went and want and set it to
border-style bsNone.
Then, we go in to the project source. (Project|View Source)
In there, declare a variable of the type of your splashscreen form.
After the Application.Initialize, but before any of the form creates, create
your form manually, then .Show it.
After all of the forms are created, .Hide it and .Free it.
It's not the optimal solution, but it's certainly easy to code.
Todd Lang
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