TdxSkinForm Class

The base class for simple DPI-aware forms that can override global form corner and shadow settings.

Declaration

TdxSkinForm = class(
    TdxForm
)

Remarks

Any DevExpress form (a TdxCustomForm or TdxForm class descendant instance) can also draw a nonfunctional underlying form to imitate a shadow if the active skin draws form borders whose width does not exceed 2 pixels.

The TdxSkinForm class implements a simple form that can override global form corner and shadow settings accessible through ShowFormShadow and FormCorners properties of a TdxSkinController component.

Tip

You can derive a form from the TdxSkinForm class if you need to display a simple form whose appearance differs from all other forms in your application.

For example, this form can be useful if you need to display a splash screen during application startup or time-consuming operations. DevExpress components also include dedicated form classes for other usage scenarios.

Form Creation: Derive a DPI-Aware Form from TdxSkinForm

To use the TdxSkinForm class as a direct ancestor class for a form in your application, you need to create a new form in the RAD Studio IDE, add the dxSkinsForm unit to the uses clause, and replace TForm with TdxSkinForm in the form class declaration as follows:

Delphi

uses dxSkinsForm;  // This unit declares the TdxSkinForm class
// ...
type
  TMyForm = class(TdxSkinForm)
  private
    { Private declarations }
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;

C++

#include "dxSkinsForm.hpp"  // This unit declares the TdxForm class
// ...
class TMyForm : public TdxSkinForm
{
private:
  // Private declarations
public:
  // Public declarations
};

Main API Members

The list below outlines key members^[1] of the TdxSkinForm class that allow you to configure a simple DPI-aware form.

General Form Settings and Methods

The following public API members are derived from the standard TForm class shipped with the VCL library:

Caption

Specifies the form’s caption.

PixelsPerInch

Specifies the base DPI value for scale factor calculations.

ShowModal

Invokes the form as a modal dialog.

Scaled

Specifies if DPI awareness is enabled for the form.

Visible | Hide | Show

Hide or display the form.

Width | Height | ClientWidth | ClientHeight

Allow you to adjust form and client area dimensions.

Tip

Refer to the TForm class description for detailed information on all standard form API members.

Form Shadow and Corner Settings

FormCorners

Switches between available form corners^[2] at the form level.

ShowFormShadow

Allows you to explicitly enable or disable a shadow effect for the form.

Form Classes for Main Usage Scenarios

Main Form Classes: Ribbon and Fluent Design

The form classes listed below are designed as base classes for main application forms.

TdxRibbonForm

This class allows you create a form with a Ribbon UI inspired by Microsoft Office® applications. A Ribbon form can integrate a TdxRibbon control into the title bar as the main application UI and display additional title bar buttons.

TdxFluentDesignForm

A Fluent Design application form.

Tip

You can use corresponding DevExpress application templates to create a new project with a configured form derived from one of these classes.

Click File | New → Other… in the main menu of your RAD Studio® IDE to display the list of available templates.

Universal Simple Form Class

If you need a simple application form, you can derive it from the following class:

TdxForm

The base form class that replaces the TForm class as an ancestor of DevExpress application form classes.

Inheritance

TObject

TPersistent

TComponent

TControl

TWinControl

TScrollingWinControl

TCustomForm

TForm

TdxForm

TdxSkinForm

Footnotes

1. This list does not include internal APIs that implement DPI awareness regardless of the target Embarcadero RAD Studio® version. You do not need to interact with these API members in your code in the majority of usage scenarios.

   Refer to the TdxForm class description for technical details.

2. Rounded corners in skinned forms appear aliased under Microsoft Windows® 10 compared to Windows 11.

   We recommend that you use rounded corners for applications that target Microsoft Windows® 11 only.