Desktop configuration files for Lazarus IDE that try to resemble the 'Look'n'Feel' of Embarcadero™ RAD Studio™.
For all those who ever wanted "their" Lazarus to look and behave close to the latest releases of Delphi™ / C++ Builder™ but gave up because of some very annoying bugs, here comes a solution:
Preconfigured Desktop Files: The Lazarus...Docked...Desktops.
Get the latest release here.
See here see how to install the LDDs into the IDE
- May 2017 Update: LDDs are compatible with Lazarus 1.9.0 trunk
- ToolButton Run without Debugging
- Structural highlighting
- November 2016 Update: New StudioPlus Desktops
- How to install
Keep in mind: Lazarus...Docked...Desktops are compatible even with development versions of Lazarus and have been tested with Lazarus 1.9.0 / FPC 3.1.1 trunk .
The recommended installation method for latest trunk versions is via the excellent fpcupdeluxe tool.
Albeit those versions may be not as stable as the official ones, you may get some very neat features that are not available in the stable builds.
Here is a picture of a recent trunk version of Lazarus 1.9.0 with LDDs applied:
The instructions below may require a recent trunk version of Lazarus.
As you can see, there's an additional Run without Debugging button next to the Run button in the IDE CoolBar.
You can get this in the IDE options by selecting
- Environment -> IDE CoolBar -> Select the right part of the tool bar under Add/Config/Delete Toolbar(s) and then click Configure.
- Now open the node Run menu commands and select Run without Debugging (Shift+Ctrl+F9)
- Click the right arrow button highlighted yellow in the following picture
- Now select the added command and then click the up arrow button highted in the picture below 6x, so the Run without Debugging command is placed straight above the Run (F9) command.
- Click OK, then click OK again, to close the IDE options window.
You now have the option to run your code without invoking the debugger like in Delphi.
You can now also have structural highlighting of your code, as it is available in Delphi by default since XE8 (or earlier via the Castalia plugin). For more infos about structural highlighting in Lazarus take a look here.
To enable it, open the IDE options and check
- Editor -> Display -> Markup and Matches -> Matching Keywords -> Outline (global).
Download the new StudioPlusComplete desktop, which is better devised and will be frequently improved.
- Improved button layout in editor toolbar
- Message window can be shrinked and maximized comfortably by sliding up/down with the mouse
- Event Log, Call stack, BreakPoints, Threads, Assembler and Debug Output are now all selectable via tabs in Debug Desktop
So what do we need?
- A computer ;-)
- A running copy of Windows™, Mac OS X™ or Linux.
- An installation of Lazarus (preferably version 1.6 or newer).
- The installation of the packages AnchorDockingDsgn and sparta_DockedFormEditor which are already included in Lazarus.
- The import of one or more of the Lazarus...Docked...Desktops from this repository.
Open Lazarus and click on Install/Uninstall Packages in the Packages menu.
Now select anchordockingdsgn x.x (where x.x the version number) in the ListView on the right side and click on Install selection. Finally click on Save and rebuild IDE.
Confirm the new package set in the next dialog with Continue.
Now wait for the IDE to re-compile and restart. This may take some time so be patient.
It is time to install the second package. You can try it in the same way as described in step 1, if the component sparta_dockedformeditor is being listed in the ListView. If not, click on Open Package File (.lpk) ... in the Package menu.
Browse to /components/sparta/dockedformeditor/ within your Lazarus home directory and open sparta_dockedformeditor.lpk.
In the following dialog, click on Use >> and then Install.
Confirm the Rebuild Lazarus? dialog and wait a second time for the IDE to re-compile and restart. This may again take some moments.
After the restart of the IDE it looks...hmm...scary. But we will now fix that. You can try to rearrange the windows for yourself as you like, but be prepared for some unlovely bugs. It's better to load the prepared laylouts.
Select Desktops in the Tools menu.
Now you're in the Manage desktops dialog. First, uncheck the option Auto save active desktop, then click Import.
Browse to the folder in which the clone of this repository resides and open one of the XML files. I recommend StudioPlusComplete.xml in StudioPlus folder because it includes both the default and the debug desktop and is the desktop which will get updates frequently.
Confirm the next Desktop name dialog with OK.
After that, select the desktop debug docked and click on the green bug symbol on the right to toggle it as the debug desktop. Finally, close Manage desktops.
Now it is important that you restart the IDE manually to complete the procedure (sometimes it seems to be necessary to restart Lazarus twice).
To have a more 'modern' look, apply these changes to the IDE options (Tools->Options or Shift+Ctrl+O)
- Display -> Default editor font := Consolas (if you are on Windows™); Editor font size := 10.
- You can move the right gutter to 120, but that's my personal preference.
- Display -> Colors -> Select Delphi theme.
- Environment -> Object Inspector -> Select Use default Delphi settings and then set the checkboxes as shown.
- Environment -> Messages Window -> Click on Pastel Colors.
If you like to have Lazarus to automatically remove empty methods like the default behaviour of RAD Studio, you must check
- Editor -> Completion and Hints -> Auto remove empty methods.
The next things are my personal settings and may not be everyone's favourite. So feel free to use it.
A very annoying thing in RAD Studio is the impossibility to prevent the cursor from moving beyond the end of the line. In Larazus, its just an unchecking of the Editor -> General - Caret past end of line checkbox.
I like a little more 'horizontal space' in my code. Pascal is a little bit too 'compact' for me (coming from a C++ background). I checked Insert space in front of Symbol and Insert space after Symbol in Editor -> Codetools -> Space for that reason.
Below are some more settings I like:
Before you now finally start, don't forget to take a look at these "incredible" screenshots below:
