[SOLVED] Caret shape
lazarus / 9-Editor

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YiannisKam · 2024-03-15 19:38

Hello, does anybody know how to change the caret's shape inside the
editor from a vertical line to a block?

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Martin_fr · 2024-03-15 20:39

If you are using SynEdit, and you are writing your own app:
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i    
property InsertCaret: TSynEditCaretType read FInsertCaret write
SetInsertCaret default ctVerticalLine;    property OverwriteCaret:
TSynEditCaretType read FOverwriteCaret write SetOverwriteCaret default
ctBlock; 
If you want to change it in the IDE => Sorry, but that isn't
implemented.
(Well, if you toggle "overwrite mode" with the insert key, then you
get a block, but you will overwrite the existing text)


You can change the carets color, in the IDE => in the color settings.

However, the editor then draws a custom caret, and screen readers will
not work well with that (though, if you care how the caret looks, I
guess you don't use a screen reader)

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YiannisKam · 2024-03-15 21:08

Hi Martin, I've seen an old post of yours https://forum.lazarus.freepa
scal.org/index.php/topic,14105.msg74420.html#msg74420 and wanted to
experiment myself.
Basically I made this change and rebuilt the ide: fInsertCaret :=
ctBlock;  //ctVerticalLine
Now the caret can change shape but in order to do that, I have to
press two times the insert key. First press changes to overwrite mode
which I don't want, then I press twice for insert mode and the caret
stays at the block shape as I want (figured that accidentally to be
honest).
Do you happen to know any 'hack' to have this block shape by default?
Because it keeps reverting back to vertical line when I create a new
project or I open a new unit.

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Martin_fr · 2024-03-15 21:13

If you look at the setter for the property
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i      
FScreenCaret.DisplayType := FInsertCaret

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YiannisKam · 2024-03-15 21:26

I found this
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i procedure
TCustomSynEdit.SetInsertMode(const Value: boolean);begin  if
fInserting <> Value then begin    fInserting := Value;    if
InsertMode then      FScreenCaret.DisplayType := FInsertCaret    else 
    FScreenCaret.DisplayType := FOverwriteCaret;   
StatusChanged([scInsertMode]);  end;end; procedure
TCustomSynEdit.SetInsertCaret(const Value: TSynEditCaretType);begin 
if FInsertCaret <> Value then begin    FInsertCaret := Value;    if
InsertMode then      FScreenCaret.DisplayType := fInsertCaret;   
StatusChanged([scOptions]);  end;end; procedure
TCustomSynEdit.SetOverwriteCaret(const Value:
TSynEditCaretType);begin  if FOverwriteCaret <> Value then begin   
FOverwriteCaret := Value;    if not InsertMode then     
FScreenCaret.DisplayType := fOverwriteCaret;   
StatusChanged([scOptions]);  end;end;

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Martin_fr · 2024-03-15 22:05

I am assuming your initial change was in the SynEdit constructor?
Then just setting the field directly will not update the value in
ScreenCaret. So have you added the line to update that too?


You can also use the property, but then you need to set the field to
its original default first, so in the property the new value will be
different.

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YiannisKam · 2024-03-15 22:25

I've only changed the value inside the constructor. Further on, I
don't know what to do.

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Martin_fr · 2024-03-15 22:29

Quote from: YiannisKam on March 15, 2024, 11:25:27 pmI've only changed
the value inside the constructor. Further on, I don't know what to do.

After you changed it, insert the line
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i  
fInsertCaret := ctBlock; // your changed line 
FScreenCaret.DisplayType := fInsertCaret; // add this

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YiannisKam · 2024-03-15 22:39

Wonderful, just wonderful. Thank you so much