Next Generation Data Grid for Delphi: Getting Started



Intro

If you’re developing in Delphi and looking for a powerful, flexible, and highly customizable data grid solution, then TMS FNC Data Grid is the perfect choice. In this blog, we'll walk you through the process of getting started with the TMS FNC Data Grid, introducing its key features and demonstrating how to implement it in your Delphi application. This blog is part of a blog series covering the most important functionality the grid has to offer.

What is TMS FNC Data Grid?

To have a better understanding on what TMS FNC Data Grid is and has to offer, please read through this blog first.

Step 1: Installing TMS FNC Data Grid

Before you can use the TMS FNC Data Grid, you need to install the TMS FNC UI Pack, which includes the Data Grid and many other useful UI components.

1. Download and Install TMS FNC UI Pack:
   • Visit the "My Products" page, or download TMS FNC UI Pack via your favorite installation method, Subscription Manager or TMS Smart Setup
   • Follow the installation instructions for your Delphi version.
   After installation, the components, including the Data Grid, will be available in your component palette.

Step 2: Adding TMS FNC Data Grid to Your Form

Let’s dive into the basics of adding a TMS FNC Data Grid to your Delphi form.

1. Create a New Delphi Project: Open Delphi and create a new VCL, FMX, or TMS WEB Core project, depending on your target framework.

2. Add the Data Grid to the Form:

   • Open the Tool Palette.
   • Search for "FNCDataGrid" and drag the TTMSFNCDataGrid component onto your form.
   • The grid will now be visible, and you can resize and position it as needed.

Step 3: Basic Grid Setup and Population

Now that you have the TMS FNC Data Grid on your form, let’s add some basic data.

Configuring Columns and Rows

The grid is flexible in how you manage its data. You can add rows and columns either programmatically or via design-time configuration.

Here’s how to add columns and rows programmatically: 

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  // Set the number of columns and rows
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.ColumnCount := 5;
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.RowCount := 10;

  // Define headers for the columns
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[0, 0] := 'ID';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[1, 0] := 'Name';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[2, 0] := 'Age';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[3, 0] := 'Country';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[4, 0] := 'Occupation';
  
  // Add some sample data
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[0, 1] := '1';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[1, 1] := 'John Doe';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[2, 1] := '30';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[3, 1] := 'USA';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[4, 1] := 'Software Developer';
  
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[0, 2] := '2';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[1, 2] := 'Jane Smith';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[2, 2] := '25';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[3, 2] := 'UK';
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Cells[4, 2] := 'Graphic Designer';
end;

Auto Sizing Columns

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  // ... other grid setup code ...
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.AutoSizeColumns;
end;

Step 4: Adding Interactivity: Sorting and Filtering

One of the strengths of TMS FNC Data Grid is its built-in interactivity features like sorting and filtering.

Sorting

You can easily enable sorting by clicking on column headers.

TMSFNCDataGrid1.Options.Sorting.Enabled := True;

Filtering

To add filtering, you can use the built-in filter feature:

procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.Filter.Add(1, 'Jane*'); // Filter the 'Name' column for 'Jane'
  TMSFNCDataGrid1.ApplyFilter;
end;

In this example, we filter the second column (Name) for rows containing "Jane".

Step 5: Exporting Data

Exporting the grid data to various formats is as simple as a single line of code. Here’s how to export to CSV:

// Export to CSV
TMSFNCDataGrid1.SaveToCSVData('MyGridData.csv');

You can also export to other formats such as PDF or HTML, giving you the flexibility to share or store data in different formats.

Conclusion

The TMS FNC Data Grid is a powerful and flexible component for Delphi developers, offering extensive features for displaying, managing, and interacting with data. Whether you're building a desktop, mobile or web application, this grid can handle a wide range of data scenarios while providing a sleek, modern user interface.

In this blog, we’ve covered the basics of setting up and using TMS FNC Data Grid, but its capabilities go far beyond what we’ve shown here. We encourage you to explore its features to fully unlock its potential in your applications.

In the next blog we'll dive deeper into cell data and formatting, so stay tuned for more advanced tips and tutorials on leveraging this next-generation data grid for your Delphi projects! Happy coding!

Webinar

Make sure to register for our "Next Generation Data Grid for Delphi" webinar on Tuesday, October 8th: https://www.tmssoftware.com/site/tmswebacademy.asp?id=164