How to Create a Custom Delphi 2007 File Browser Expert Delphi Experts (IDE Plugins) allow you to extend the Delphi IDE with custom features. A custom File Browser Expert integrates a dedicated file navigation panel directly into Delphi 2007, saving you from constantly switching to Windows Explorer. This guide shows you how to build a dockable file browser utilizing the ToolsAPI. 1. Project Setup
To create an IDE plugin, you must start with a Package project rather than a standard application. Open Delphi 2007. Select File > New > Package – Delphi for Win32. Save the project as CustomFileBrowserPackage.dpk.
Right-click the package in the Project Manager and select Add New > Unit. Save the new unit as FileBrowserExpert.pas. 2. Define the Form Interface
Your file browser needs a visual interface. Create a dockable form that will sit inside the IDE panels.
unit BrowserForm; interface uses Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs, ShellCtrls, ExtCtrls, DesignIntf, DeskUtil; type TfrmFileBrowser = class(TForm) ShellTreeView: TShellTreeView; ShellListView: TShellListView; Splitter: TSplitter; procedure FormClose(Sender: TObject; var Action: TCloseAction); private { Private declarations } public { Public declarations } end; var frmFileBrowser: TfrmFileBrowser; implementation {$R.dfm} procedure TfrmFileBrowser.FormClose(Sender: TObject; var Action: TCloseAction); begin Action := caFree; end; end. Use code with caution.
Add a TShellTreeView and a TShellListView from the Samples tab to the form.
Set the ShellListView.ShellTreeView property to point to your ShellTreeView.
Align the tree view to alLeft and the list view to alClient. 3. Implement the ToolsAPI Expert
The ToolsAPI provides the IOTAWizard and IOTANotifier interfaces needed to register your form as a dockable wizard. Create the core expert logic in FileBrowserExpert.pas:
unit FileBrowserExpert; interface uses ToolsAPI, Variants, Classes, Forms, Controls, BrowserForm; type TFileBrowserExpert = class(TInterfacedObject, IOTAWizard) public // IOTAWizard methods function GetIDString: string; function GetName: string; function GetState: TWizardState; procedure Execute; end; procedure Register; implementation procedure Register; begin RegisterPackageWizard(TFileBrowserExpert.Create); end; { TFileBrowserExpert } procedure TFileBrowserExpert.Execute; begin if not Assigned(frmFileBrowser) then begin frmFileBrowser := TfrmFileBrowser.Create(nil); frmFileBrowser.Show; end else begin frmFileBrowser.BringToFront; end; end; function TFileBrowserExpert.GetIDString: string; begin Result := ‘Custom.FileBrowser.Expert’; end; function TFileBrowserExpert.GetName: string; begin Result := ‘Custom File Browser’; end; function TFileBrowserExpert.GetState: TWizardState; begin Result := [wsEnabled]; end; end. Use code with caution. 4. Making the Form Dockable
To seamlessly integrate with Delphi 2007’s desktop layouts, you must register the form with the IDE’s docking manager using DesignIntf.
Update your form unit initialization to handle IDE docking registration:
initialization // Register the form class with the IDE docking system RegisterDesktopFormClass(TfrmFileBrowser, ‘frmFileBrowser’, ‘frmFileBrowser’); Use code with caution. 5. Compiling and Installing
In the Project Manager, right-click CustomFileBrowserPackage.dpk. Click Compile. Right-click the package again and click Install.
A popup will confirm that the Custom File Browser expert has been registered.
Go to the top menu, locate your expert entry under Help > Wizards (or your custom menu slot), and click it to open your new integrated file manager. If you want to enhance this expert further,
Filter files so it only displays specific extensions like .pas, .dfm, or .dproj.
Create a custom top menu item specifically to toggle the browser panel open and closed.
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