IDE tricks

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Create a new file with Open file

You can create a new file and save it, or you can create a new file with filename and filetype in one step: Just open file (Ctrl+o) and select an non existing file. For example: unit1.pas. The IDE will ask you if it should be created.

IDE macros

IDE Macros in paths and filenames

Getting the compiler command line parameters created by the IDE

You can copy the parameters from Project -> Compiler Options -> Show Options. Here the paths are relative to the project directory. So in most cases you can copy them without adjusting.

The parameters are also saved to the *.compiled file. For example if your project is called test1.lpi, then a test1.compiled is created. It is a simple text xml file, so you can just copy the options and adjust the paths to compile on another computer. The file is put into the same directory, where the executable is created.

For packages this works the same.

This way, you can compile your (hopefully working and bugfree) code, outside of the lazarus IDE.

Closing all editor files except one

Under gtk (available for linux, macosx and freebsd) the source editor pages have a close button right to their page name. Press the Ctrl key while clicking on the button, closes all files except the clicked one.

Component palette

Finding a component in the palette

You know the component name, or part of it, but you don't know in which page it was? This tool finds it: Right click on a component in the palette to open the popup menu. Choose 'Find component'. Type part of the name to filter the list.

Open the package of a component in the palette

Right click on the component to open the popup menu, then choose open package.

Find the source declaration of a component in the palette

Right click on the component to open the popup menu, then choose open unit.

My application freeze my linux desktop while debugging

X (your desktop) can freeze, when an application that grabbed the mouse is stopped by gdb (the debugger).

Using a second X session

You can start a second X by:

  X :1 &

with Ctrl-Alt-F7 you switch to :0 and with Ctrl-Alt-F8 you switch to :1 after that you can start a second gnome session by:

  gnome-session --display=:1 &

Using VNC

You can use vncserver/client by installing tightvncserver/realvncserver Start the server with:

  vncserver :1

AFAIK, a session is also started. You can connect to the vncserver with vncviewer.

Debug the application on the second server

In lazarus, in the run parameters for your project, check "use display" and enter

 :1

Now your application will run on the second server, so when it is being debugged, only the second server will freeze (but that won't affect you since you are debugging on the first).

Compiling the IDE fast

Working on Lazarus itself needs rebuilding the IDE many times.

• set USESVN2REVISIONINC=0 to skip the update of the revision.inc.
• compile only parts. If the packager registration is reompiled, then all installed packages are recompiled too. If the IDEIntf is recompiled, then all installed designtim packages are recompiled.