How do I show tooltips/hints for menu items and any visual control

There are several methods to show hints in a statusbar (or similar control), each of these methods requires more then one line of code!

There are more important things to be spending your time on, drop the following code into a file and save it as TheStatusbar.pas, now install it in the Delphi IDE menu
File->Components->Install Component

Once installed drop the statusbar onto a form, set the hint property of one or more controls (do some menu items too for the test). Compile/run the project and while running place the mouse cursor over any of the items which you set the hint property. You should see the hint in the statusbar.


Note: I have not tested this in D6 but be forewarned that "DsgnIntf" in the USES clause will most likely be a problem, if so then remove it and all code that does the About dialog.



unit TheStatusBar;
{*****************************************************************}
{ Description                                                     }
{ Makes it easy to show hints for components and menu items in the}
{ statusbar. All the programmer needs to do is write the text for }
{ the desired item to show hints. You do not have to set ShowHints}
{ to True on a form unless you want ballon style hints also.      }
{                                                                 }
{ Tested with D3 to D5                                            }
{=================================================================}
{ USE TSmartStatusBar AT YOUR OWN RISK.                           }
{ I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY HARM THIS COMPONENT MIGHT CAUSE!!  }
{                                                                 }
{ Kevin S. Gallagher                                              }
{ E-Mail : Gallaghe@teleport.com          Home                    }
{          kevin.s.gallagher@state.or.us  Work                    }
{*****************************************************************}

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs,
  ComCtrls, DsgnIntf;

type
  TAbout = class(TPropertyEditor)
  public
    procedure Edit; override ;
    function GetAttributes: TPropertyAttributes; override ;
    function GetValue: string; override ;
  end;

  TSmartStatusBar = class(TStatusBar)
  private
    FSizeGrip: Boolean ;
    FAbout: TAbout ;
    FOldOnHint: TNotifyEvent ;
    FSysOnHint: TNotifyEvent ;
    FShowAppHint: boolean ;
    procedure SetShowAppHint(b : boolean) ;
  protected
    procedure DispAppHint(Sender : TObject) ;
  public
    constructor Create(AOwner: TComponent); override ;
  published
    property About: TAbout read FAbout write FAbout ;
    property ShowAppHint : boolean read FShowAppHint write SetShowAppHint default True ;
  end;

procedure Register;

implementation

uses Commctrl ;

procedure TAbout.Edit ;
begin
  Application.MessageBox('TSmartStatusBar component'  + #13 +
  '1998-2001 Kevin S. Gallagher - This component is freeware.',
  'About TSmartStatusBar Component', MB_OK + MB_ICONINFORMATION) ;
end;

function TAbout.GetAttributes: TPropertyAttributes ;
begin
  Result:= [paMultiSelect, paDialog, paReadOnly] ;
end ;

function TAbout.GetValue: string ;
begin
  Result:= '(about)' ;
end ;

constructor TSmartStatusBar.Create(AOwner: TComponent) ;
begin
  if not(AOwner is TForm) then
    raise EInvalidOperation.Create('Can only drop me on a form') ;

  inherited Create(AOwner) ;
  SimplePanel := True ;
  FSizeGrip := True ;
  FShowAppHint := True ;
  ShowAppHint := True ;
  FSysOnHint := Application.OnHint ;

  { Allow controls to be placed onto this component }
  ControlStyle := ControlStyle + [csAcceptsControls] ;
end ;

procedure TSmartStatusBar.SetShowAppHint(b : boolean) ;
begin
  FShowAppHint := b ;
  if not(csDesigning in ComponentState) then
  begin
    if b then
    begin
      FOldOnHint := Application.OnHint ;
      Application.OnHint := DispAppHint ;
    end else
      Application.OnHint := FOldOnHint ;
  end;
end;

procedure TSmartStatusBar.DispAppHint(Sender : TObject) ;
begin
  if not(csDesigning in ComponentState) then
    if FShowAppHint then
      SimpleText := Application.Hint ;
  if Assigned(FOldOnHint) then
    FOldOnHint(Sender) ;
end;

procedure Register;
begin
  RegisterComponents('Win32', [TSmartStatusBar]);
  RegisterPropertyEditor(TypeInfo(TAbout), TSmartStatusBar, 'ABOUT', TAbout);
end;
end.

Make sure to read the comments below on "AutoHint"


Example code for working with a main form and a child form:
{ Here we stop the hints from being displayed in this the main form
  and show them in the child form.                                    }
procedure TForm1.cmdTestOneClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  f:TfrmChild;
begin
  SmartStatusBar1.ShowAppHint := False ;
  f:= TfrmChild.Create(Self) ;
  try
    f.ShowModal ;
    SmartStatusBar1.ShowAppHint := True ;
  finally
    f.release ;
  end ;
end;

{ Here we stop the hints from being displayed in the child form and
  show them in the main form. Please note that if the child form is
  not disabled then both forms will show the same hint which would
  be confusing to some users.                                         }
procedure TForm1.cmdTestTwoClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  f:TfrmChild;
begin
  f:= TfrmChild.Create(Self) ;
  try
    f.SmartStatusBar1.ShowAppHint := False ;
    f.ShowModal ;
  finally
    f.release ;
  end ;
end;