Use Spreadsheet Project and Form Templates
- 4 minutes to read
The VCL Template Kit ships with automatically installed Project and Form templates for the ExpressSpreadSheet Suite. These templates are designed to reduce time spent on repetitive project and form setups, as well as improve onboarding for new VCL developers and boost productivity in experienced teams.
Project Template
The Spreadsheet Application template creates a single-form application that contains TdxSpreadSheet and TdxSpreadSheetFormulaBar controls with a Ribbon UI and built-in print functionality (using the TdxComponentPrinter component).
To run the Application/Project Wizard, select the following item in the RAD Studio IDE menu:
File → New → DevExpress VCL v26.1 Application/Project - Delphi
Select Spreadsheet Application in the Office-Inspired Controls category and click Create Project.
Result: Generated Project
The TdxSpreadSheet component occupies the main form area. The generated form is derived from the TdxRibbonForm class and encapsulates all best app building practices for high-DPI multi-monitor environments.
Sample Document
The TdxSpreadSheet component is empty at design time. The generated project includes the main form’s OnCreate event handler that loads a sample document (SpreadSheet1.xlsx) located within the nested Data project folder.
UI Elements & End-User Functionality
In addition to TdxSpreadSheet and TdxSpreadSheetFormulaBar controls positioned using the TdxLayoutControl component, the main application form includes a Ribbon UI with an embedded TdxOfficeSearchBox editor and the following Ribbon tabs from left to right:
- File
- File management and print-related commands.
- Home
- Main. General-purpose spreadsheet editing commands.
- Insert
- Insert Picture and Insert Hyperlink commands.
- Page Layout
- Page layout management commands (margins, orientation, print-related settings stored in spreadsheet documents, etc.).
- Formulas
- Collections of built-in spreadsheet formulas and formula expression-related commands.
- Data
- Data shaping commands.
- Review
- Comment management and document protection commands.
- View
- Zoom and Freeze Pane commands.
Tip
Refer to the following topic for a complete list of end-user commands shipped with the TdxSpreadSheet component:
Run & Test the App
Build and run the generated project. Use Ribbon UI elements to execute corresponding end-user commands.
Form Template
The Spreadsheet Form template allows you to add a configured DevExpress form with TdxSpreadSheet and TdxSpreadSheetFormulaBar controls and a Ribbon UI to an existing application.
To run the Form/User Control Wizard, select the following item in the RAD Studio IDE menu:
File → New → DevExpress VCL v26.1 Application/Project - Delphi
Result: Generated Form
The template creates a child form derived from the TdxRibbonForm class. The created form includes the same UI elements and has the same layout/functionality as the main form created by the Spreadsheet Application template.
Use the Generated Form
The form template does not automatically associate the generated form with existing app functionality. You need to manually display the form in code. For example:
uses
uChildForm; // Adds the generated form's unit explicitly
procedure TMainForm1.cxSpreadSheetDisplayButton1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
ChildForm.Show; // Displays the generated form
end;
Application Builder Options
Application Builder is a universal application template designed to combine multiple business scenarios, UI layouts, and navigation options. You can add one or multiple views with pre-configured DevExpress UI controls based on project requirements.
The Application Builder template wizard contains two steps:
Step 1 — Select Navigation Type
This step allows you to select a navigation UI type (sidebar and/or tabbed MDI layout) designed to switch between multiple Views on the same application form:
Scroll the Application Builder pane down to select required Views (Step 2).
Step 2 — Add Views to the Application
Step 2 lists multiple options that allow you to add one or multiple Views dedicated to corresponding UI controls.
All available options are grouped into the following categories: All, Grid, TreeList, Chart, Reporting & Data Analysis, Scheduler, Word, Excel, and PDF. Select Excel to display the corresponding View.
You can click individual Views to select or deselect them. Select all required Views and click Create Project to add them to the generated project.
Result: Generated Project
The generated project includes a TdxNavBar control as a sidebar and displays selected Views as frames on the same application form. Each View includes a Ribbon UI.
Individual application Views use the same sample data and layouts as corresponding standalone project templates.