🚀 go-pugleaf

"Mark Buchert" <MBuchert@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:41c1a19e@newsgroups.borland.com...

> Is it possible to create a visual form in a service application

Yes and no.  A service can technically display a visual window, but it
requires a bit of additional code to set up the environment first before
visual windows will work properly.  However, VCL forms do not work properly
from outside the main thread, but services are run in worker threads
instead.  You would have to use the service thread's Synchronize() method to
make the form be handled by the main thread.

I do not recommend using anything other than simple message boxes inside a
service.  The MessageBox() function has a special flag specifically for
services to use to ensure that the dialog box works correctly.

> do I need to create a separate GUI application that communicates
> with the service?

I highly suggest this approach.

> My service will be running on a dedicated machine controlling and
> monitoring a number of different pieces of equipment.  Control can be
> either local or remote via a mating Workstation appl.  A small form
> indicating the status of each would be beneficial for a quick visual
> inspection by the maintaince crew, typically not computer savy.

Let your workstation app handle that display.  You can have it running
locally on the same machine as the service.

> I realize they would have to login to get the visual

Yes.  Although another approach would be to write your own screensaver that
displays the same information as well.  That would be displayed whether a
user is logged in or not.


Gambit