How to install Drag and Drop Component Suite in Delphi 11?

Unzip the package, find the design-time package for Delphi 11 in the Packages folder, compile and install it in the IDE, then add the corresponding Library folder to Delphi's search path as per the README instructions.

Drag and Drop Component Suite vs built-in VCL drag and drop?

The built-in VCL only handles drag-and-drop within the same app, while this suite adds COM-based support for external apps like Explorer and Office, with advanced features like clipboard integration and shell extensions.

How to drag files from Windows Explorer to my Delphi application?

Use the TDropFileTarget component: drop it on your form, assign the target control, and handle events like OnDrop to process file paths. Demo applications in the package provide practical examples.

Does it work with the latest Delphi versions like 12 or 13?

Yes, the README lists support up to Delphi 13, but always verify compatibility by checking the specific package files and known problems for any version-specific issues.

How to handle custom data formats with TDataFormatAdapter?

Attach TDataFormatAdapter to a drop source or target component, then implement custom clipboard formats by deriving from TCustomDataFormat, as outlined in the component descriptions for extensibility.

What are the known issues with WinZip when using this library?

Setting TDropFileTarget.GetDataOnEnter to True causes failures with WinZip due to a quirk in how WinZip handles IDataObject.GetData, as noted in the README's known problems section.

The Drag and Drop Component Suite — VCL Drag-and-Drop Components

What is The Drag and Drop Component Suite?

The Drag and Drop Component Suite is a freeware VCL component library for Delphi and C++Builder that enables applications to support COM-based drag-and-drop and integrate with the Windows clipboard. It solves the limitation of the built-in VCL drag-and-drop system, which only works within the same application, by allowing data exchange with external Windows applications like Word, Explorer, and Outlook.

Target Audience

Delphi and C++Builder developers building Windows desktop applications that require drag-and-drop functionality between their app and other Windows programs or advanced clipboard integration.

Value Proposition

Developers choose this library because it provides a comprehensive, easy-to-use set of components for implementing COM-based drag-and-drop, which is essential for professional Windows applications, along with extensive documentation, demo applications, and support for advanced features like shell extensions.

Overview

The Drag and Drop Component Suite is a freeware VCL component library that enables Delphi and C++Builder applications to support COM-based drag-and-drop and integrate with the Windows clipboard. It extends the built-in VCL drag-and-drop system, which is limited to intra-application operations, by allowing seamless data exchange with external applications like Word, Explorer, and Outlook.

Key Features

Cross-Application Drag-and-Drop — Enables dragging data between your application and other Windows programs.
Clipboard Integration — Supports copy, cut, paste, and advanced clipboard operations like delete-on-paste.
Specialized Components — Includes drop source and target components for files, text, bitmaps, URLs, and PIDLs.
Shell Extension Components — Provides components to build Windows Shell Extensions with minimal code.
Advanced Operations — Supports copy, move, link, drag images, asynchronous transfer, and automatic target scrolling.
Extensibility — Allows custom data format support via TDataFormatAdapter and derivation of custom components.

Philosophy

The library is designed to make COM-based drag-and-drop, an integral part of the Windows user interface, easily accessible to Delphi and C++Builder developers with minimal effort.

The Drag and Drop Component Suite

What is The Drag and Drop Component Suite?

Overview

Key Features

Philosophy

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