Building Your First App Using C++ Builder (Part 1)

The app mentioned here’s a mini reminder utility that may function the SQLite database, some enter fields, date/time pickers, and extra parts—all kinds of performance to present you an concept of what’s simply attainable. 

First Step: Setting Up C++Builder

To begin constructing your first utility utilizing C++Builder, you will have to arrange the IDE in your system.

After organising C++Builder, the following step is to design the UI by dragging and dropping parts.

A element is a visible management like a button or a nonvisual little bit of performance like configurable database entry.

C++Builder is straightforward to make use of as a result of it lets you merely drag and drop parts like buttons, textual content fields, time pickers, shapes, and so forth to the design kind (the shape is what turns into your window or display when the app runs); this makes the method of designing the UI and connecting different performance easy and quick.

Choose the kind of utility you need to construct and transfer to the following step. Word that the app we intend to construct is a Home windows utility, so we advocate deciding on the choice that allows you to create one.

Second Step: Drag and Drop 

Upon getting chosen the kind of utility you need to construct, you may start the design course of. The parts are positioned on the backside proper of the web page within the “Palette” part.

Merely seek for the element you have an interest in utilizing and drag it to the shape panel. Or you may browse the record and see the visible controls and different performance that’s out there—there are over seven hundred parts.

Palette Part:

Kind panel:

The design tab on the underside proper accommodates the shape used to align parts on your utility. The Unit1.cpp tab proper subsequent to it gives the editor for writing your C++ code to manage parts and implement essential features. The Unit1.h tab accommodates the header for Unit1.cpp. 

The article inspector on the left-hand aspect is used to regulate properties of the parts within the utility. Choose a number of, and their properties will probably be out there to edit. It has an occasion record that accommodates occasion listeners that may be added to your code.

This lets you name code in response to one thing taking place—for instance, name a way when a button is clicked or one thing extra complicated, similar to when the situation of your system modifications.

In our mini reminder app, we’ll start by utilizing some primary label fields and buttons however will comply with an iterative design strategy (we’ll begin with a easy design and additional enhancements will probably be made to the UI after now we have made some progress).

We’ll start by dragging parts such because the TLabel area, date/time pickers, fdconnection, a button, and a memo. The static textual content area permits us to show textual content. Within the design kind proven under, our static textual content area is displaying “Time.”

We may also want so as to add a time picker and a date picker for the reminder app.

Go to the Palette part and seek for these two parts. Drag and drop them into the shape.

Subsequent we would like a button so as to add reminders into our mini SQlite database in order that we will retrieve and show them when the consumer requests them. Drag and drop the button onto the design kind as effectively.  

Third Step: Code, Code, Code

Subsequent, we’ll write code to retrieve consumer enter utilizing the time picker and date picker, and we’ll show the code in our memo.

For now, we’ll make use of the Add Reminder button to get the time and date enter and show them in our memo. Within the subsequent a part of this text, we’ll retailer the worth on to the SQLite database utilizing the button.

Double-click on the button within the design kind, which is able to direct you to the fastcall operate for the button. On this operate, we’ll implement the code that will probably be executed within the OnClick occasion of the button—this occasion is simply what it appears like.

It lets you name a way when the button is clicked. Occasions are named “On” plus the occasion, similar to

OnDoubleClick

,

OnKeyPress

, or

OnDataReceived

. 

void __fastcall TForm1::Button1Click(TObject *Sender)

	TDateTime dateTime;
	ReplaceDate(dateTime, DateTimePicker1->Date);
	ReplaceTime(dateTime, TimePicker1->Time);
Memo1->Textual content = dateTime.FormatString("dd/mm/yyyy HH:mm");

Run your code and click on the “Add Reminder” button; your date and time ought to be displayed within the memo. 

Earlier than Clicking The Button:

After clicking the button:

Congrats! Now we have mentioned the way to design varieties and make use of some parts utilizing C++Builder, from Embarcadero.

Within the subsequent a part of this text, we’ll work on bettering the applying, together with the consumer interface, and incorporating our database and a few notifications.