[fpc-devel] Propose: change TComponent.Tag from longint to PtrInt

[Marc Weustink]

Marc Weustink wrote:
> Michael Van Canneyt wrote:
>>
>>
>> On Mon, 4 Sep 2006, peter green wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Me2.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just one disadvantage:
>>>>> The Tag is published.
>>>>> If someone stores a 64bit value and the component is stored,
>>>>> the stream can not be read under 32bit anymore.
>>>>
>>>> ...which makes it impossible to use streams for anything derived from
>>>> Tcomponent, which is really a lot. I don't think we should break this
>>>> feature to allow broken code to work.
>>> ahh the joys of conflicting requirements,
>>>
>>> I don't consider storing a pointer in the tag is broken code, it was
>>> considered the accepted way to maintain a pointer to your custom data 
>>> from a
>>> standard control and there is often no simple alternative.
>>
>> Accepted only because there was no other way.
>>
>> The only correct way is to introduce an additional field 'UserData', 
>> of type Pointer.
>>
>> A pointer cannot be stored anyway at design-time, so it does not need 
>> to be published.
>>
>> Remains the decision where you introduce this pointer: TComponent, 
>> TControl.
>>
>> IMHO, you should introduce TLCLComponent, add it there, and descend 
>> all LCL components from that.
> 
> TLCLComponent is already exists (it's only not committed yet.
> Adding a UserData to it is maybe an idea.
> THis will work for most compoenents, except DB components for instance.

Whoops, as Vincent reminded me, it is already there (I confused it with 
another uncommitted class)

Marc