VCL Controls
- 5 minutes to read
The topics below contain comprehensive information on how to use DevExpress VCL controls. This information includes a detailed description of the product APIs, step-by-step tutorials, product screenshots, and code examples (Delphi and C++Builder).
#What’s New
DevExpress major updates (released twice per year) may include new controls, features, or enhancements across supported platforms. Refer to our What’s New page for more information on the most recent major update: What’s New in VCL.
Tip
Visit our website to explore the latest features across the DevExpress product line: What’s New in the Latest Version.
#Try DevExpress VCL Controls in Your Project
Visit the following page for information on the features and pricing options available for different DevExpress VCL control packages: VCL Components for Delphi and C++Builder. To try DevExpress controls and libraries in your products, download our fully-functional 30-day trial version.
Note
All trial installers are IDE-version specific and binary-compatible with the latest IDE patch versions.
We recommend that you install the latest IDE patches before installing the corresponding trial DevExpress component version.
You can find download links for all supported Embarcadero RAD Studio® IDE versions on the trial download page:
#Prerequisites & Installation
- Install DevExpress VCL Components and Demos
- This topic contains general information on prerequisites and component installation.
- Frequently Asked Questions (Installation FAQ)
- This topic lists the most frequently asked questions about installation and version upgrades.
- How to: Install VCL Controls from Scratch
- Follow these instructions to address most issues that may occur during installation, such as linker and compiler-related errors after an upgrade.
#Controls & Libraries
The DevExpress VCL Suite includes the following libraries and controls:
- Data Grid
- Displays data as a table and in a variety of other formats (with support for master-detail relationships). The built-in Data Grid functionality allows users to search, filter, group, sort, edit data, as well as calculate aggregates, highlight important records, etc.
- ExpressEditors Library
- Includes data editors, advanced versions of standard controls, as well as shell and non-visual components that help you enhance an application’s UI.
- Ribbon, Toolbars, and Menus
- The ExpressBars Library allows you to build command bars and user interfaces inspired by Microsoft Office®: Ribbon UI, Toolbars and Menus, Tabbed MDI interfaces, and so on.
- Chart Control
- Allows you to visualize data as bar, area, line, pie, and doughnut series with multiple chart appearance customization options.
- Shared Libraries
- The DevExpress VCL Library includes functionality common to other products, as well as tools and utility components.
- Rich Edit Components
- The Rich Edit UI control and the Document Server component allow you to generate and edit rich text documents in different formats.
- Skin Library
- Includes multiple built-in skins that allow you to change the appearance of an application created with DevExpress VCL controls.
- Scheduler
- Allows users to create, browse, and edit one-time or recurring appointments. The Scheduler control ships with multiple appointment storage components, including a Web Service Storage component.
- Spreadsheet Controls
- Allow you to create an application with a user experience inspired by Microsoft Excel®.
- Tree List
- A hybrid control that allows you to display data as a tree, a grid, or a combination of both.
- PDF Viewer
- Allows you to view, sign, and encrypt Portable Document Format (PDF) files in your application.
- ExpressPrinting System
- Allows you to print out or export content of a DevExpress control or TWinControl descendant.
- Layout Control
- Helps you build and manage data entry forms of any complexity. Use the Layout Control to ensure that controls on your forms remain properly aligned and proportionally resized regardless of user actions.
- Navigation Bars
- These controls are designed to create navigation panels and toolboxes for your applications.
- Pivot Grid
- Emulates Microsoft Excel’s Pivot Table UI. It helps you display a variety of summarized views based on raw data. Users can change the view layout and shape data at runtime.
- Vertical Grid
- Rotates the common tabular data layout by 90 degrees. It displays data field headers on the left-hand side. Users can scroll through records horizontally.
- Dock Controls
- VCL Dock Controls are shipped as a part of the ExpressBars Library. You can drag and drop these controls to create docking interfaces similar to those found in the Visual Studio .NET IDE, Delphi IDE, and so on.
- Memory Data
- A memory-based dataset designed as a temporary storage for data-aware VCL controls.
- Data Controllers
- A VCL data controller is an intermediate layer between a control that displays data and its underlying data source. DevExpress container controls (Tree List, Vertical Grid, Pivot Grid, or a View in the Data Grid) and certain data-aware editors rely on data controllers to access and shape data. Dedicated data controllers implement all available data access modes for supported products.
- Spell Checker
- Allows users to find spelling mistakes in text. You can integrate the spell checker into DevExpress VCL controls that support text editing.
- Map Control
- Allows you to embed multi-layered maps into an application, add image and text overlays, and pinpoint specific locations.
- Gantt Control
- A project management tool that allows users to schedule activities related to project goals.
- Gauge Control
- Allows you to create user interfaces that imitate dashboards, dials, clocks, thermometers, and LED screens.
- Tile Controls
- Tile and Tile Bar controls allow you to create touch-friendly user interfaces inspired by Microsoft Windows® 8.
- Flow Chart Control
- A charting tool with multiple built-in shapes that allow you to create charts and diagrams. This control combines a diagram viewer with a fully-functional diagram designer.
- OrgCharts Controls
- Allow users to arrange data in a hierarchy of editable tree nodes.
- Wizard Control
- Allows you to create installers and configuration wizards.
#Offline VCL Documentation
Developer documentation for VCL products is also available as downloadable help files in CHM format: VCL Subscription.
If you see “The address is not valid” error instead of documentation when you download and open a CHM file, you may need to unblock this CHM file. To do this, right-click the CHM file, then click Properties and click Unblock.
