[Lazarus] run-time vs desgin-time packages

[Mattias Gaertner]

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:31:07 +0000
Martin <lazarus at mfriebe.de> wrote:

> Mattias Gaertner wrote:
> > On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:27:07 +0200
> > ik <idokan at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >   
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> I'm trying to explain desgin-time vs run-time packages, and it seems
> >> that I don't really fully understand them myself.
> >> Desgin time are packages that changes the IDE or adds components
> >> etc... Run-time are used only when compiling the program itself.
> >>
> >> That much I understand (I hope). However, I can't install run-time
> >> packages, so how does Lazarus knows about them ?
> >>     
> >
> > See
> > http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Lazarus_Packages#Design_Time_vs_Run_Time_package
> >   
> This link seems to assume that a package is always either design, or 
> runtime or both?

Correct.

 
> AFAIK: in delphi you can have the same package as onr runtime, and one 
> design time package.

Same under lazarus. You can duplicate code and write any redundancy you
like. But I don't recommend it.

 
> That is you have TMyComponent. Instead of having any "if csDesigning in 
> ComponetFlags" you have a designtime package (containing your 
> component,with all tghe cdesign code, and maybe prop-editors or the 
> like) and you have your runtime package, that has the same component, 
> but without csdesign code.

That's possible. But I have hardly seen such duplication.

 
> Now yes: the ide only needs to know about the design package, in order 
> for you to put the component on your page. => but in this case the IDE 
> would add the design time package as package/unit requirements to your 
> project. And it should not. It should add the runtime package instead.

Then the run time package "provides" the design time package (Package
Editor / Options / Provides).

 
> Maybe that is something that can be archive with build-modes? While 
> compilng the IDE, you use the design-time build mode. While compiling an 
> application you use the run-time build-mode. (The packages must have the 
> ppu for both build-modes in  it's unit directory).


Mattias