Getting the Component Name in the Constructor?
custom-component, delphi
Solution
The `Name` property has not been assigned yet when the constructor is running. At design-time, the IDE assigns a value to the `Name` property after the component has been dropped onto the Designer, after the control's constructor has exited. At runtime, the `Name` property is set by the DFM streaming system instead, which is also invoked after the constructor has exited.
Either way, the `TControl.SetName()` property setter validates the new value, and then sets the new value to the control's `Text` property to match if the current `Text` value matches the old `Name` value and the control's `ControlStyle` property includes the `csSetCaption` flag (which it does by default). When the `Text` property changes for any reason, the control automatically sends itself a `CM_TEXTCHANGED` notification. You can have your control catch that message and call `Invalidate()` on itself to trigger a new repaint. Inside of your `Paint()` handler, simply draw the current `Name` as-is, whatever value it happens to be. If it is blank, so be it. Don't try to force the `Name`, let the VCL handle it for you normally.
Problem
I am creating a custom control derived from TCustomControl, for example: ``` type TMyCustomControl = class(TCustomControl) private FText: string; procedure SetText(const Value: string); protected procedure Paint; override; public constructor Create(AOwner: TComponent); override; destructor Destroy; override; published property Text: string read FText write SetText; end; ``` Note, the above is incomplete for purpose of the example to keep it short and simple. Anyway, in my control I have a Paint event which displays text (from `FText` field) using Canvas.TextOut. When my component is added to the Delphi Form Designer (before any user changes can be made to the component) I want the TextOut to display the name of the Component - TButton, TCheckBox, TPanel etc are examples of this with their caption property. If I try to assign the name of my Component to FText in the constructor it returns empty, eg `''`; ``` constructor TMyCustomControl.Create(AOwner: TComponent); begin inherited Create(AOwner); FText := Name; //< empty string ShowMessage(Name); //< empty message box too end; ``` If I change `FText := Name` to `FText := 'Name';` it does output the text to my Component so I do know it is not a problem within the actual code, but obviously this outputs 'Name' and not the actual Component name like MyCustomControl1, MyCustomControl2 etc. So my question is, how can you get the name of your Component from its constructor event?