[Lazarus] TSplitter

[Bernd Kreuss]

On 21.08.2010 04:00, Paul Ishenin wrote:
> 1. set Align := alLeft for the first control,
> 2. set Align := alLeft for the splitter and move it after the first control
> 3. set Align := alClient for the second control


Two questions:

a) How can I then make the splitter always be in a fixed relative
position to the window width? If I have dragged it to say 2/3 of the
size from the left and then resize the window I want it to stay at 2/3
of the new size and not at the same fixed pixel distance from the left
that it had before resizing?

b) Why does the following work and are there any objections against
making the following the recommended procedure:

  1. Set Align of the splitter to alNone (should be default)
  2. Anchor the splitter only on top and bottom and move it freely
  2. Anchor the two controls at the splitter

I have never used Delphi and I find steps b.2 and b.3 a hundred times
more intuitive, the only problem is step b.1 which is not obvious.

Intuitively[1] the user tries to position the Splitter like any other
control and use the anchor editor like with any other control. The funny
thing is that it even seems to be able to work exactly the way I
intuitively tried to do it (after finding out how to unblock the anchor
editor). Is this only a coincidence? I tested on GTK and Windows and it
works like a charm.

IMHO the default should be alNone so the Splitter can be immediately
used like described above or the anchor editor should *tell* the user
why it refuses to change the anchoring, either a message box should pop
up telling the user exactly why a certain anchor side is blocked when he
tries to uncheck the check box or it should be grayed out and a hint or
a label should tell the reason.

______
[1] I am writing this from the perspective of somebody who's intuition
is not contaminated by decades of Delphi usage. As long as I have not
become too used to some of the few counterintuitive oddities to complain
about them I will complain. You could utilize me as a living detector
for these hidden pitfalls. The form editor is already really great and
intuitive and almost works like one would expect it, the above problem
is one of the few exceptions where usability suddenly drops to zero (or
even below) and the user has a really bad experience.