Using the TDBGrid Control in Delphi Database Apps

Contrary to most other Delphi data-aware controls, the DBGrid component has many nice features and is more powerful than you might think. Below are ways in which you can get the most out of the TDBGrid Delphi component, separated into categories. The Basics You can make the Enter key work like the Tab key in a DBGrid, which also allows ShiftEnter to function like it would if TabEnter were used. See how to fix DBGrid column widths automatically (at run-time) to remove the unfilled space at the right edge of the grid. It will automatically adjust the column width to fit even the widest entry. You can also enhance the functionality of a TDBgrid component using colors (coloring rows, columns, cells - depending on a field value). Follow this tutorial to see how to show the contents of a MEMO field (textual BLOB) in a TDBGrid, plus how to enable editing MEMOs. Some Other Nifty Tutorials When the DBGrids Options property includes dgRowSelect and dgMultiSelect, users can select multiple rows within the grid. One of the most natural and easiest ways to let your users sort a column is to have them click the column title. Follow our guide on how to sort records in Delphi DBGrid for all the information you need to make this happen. See how to retrieve, display, and edit Microsoft Excel spreadsheets with ADO (dbGO) and Delphi to learn how to connect to Excel, retrieve the sheet data, and enable that data to be edited using the DBGrid. Youll also find a list of most common errors that might show while in the process, plus how to deal with them. Advanced Guides Need to highlight the row behind the mouse cursor in a DBGrid? Weve got you covered. It makes reading the data much easier when the whole row is lit up. Find out how to select (make active) and highlight (change the color, font, etc.) a row in a DBGrid as the mouse moves around the grid. Heres how to place just about any Delphi control (visual component) into a cell of a DGBrid, such as checkboxes (using a TChekBox control).