What would be an ideal way to list existing objects to read and alter their properties?

Question

I\'m trying to develop an application in Delphi XE2 that will be able to read and alter object properties between different applications.

Currently, our only target

Answer 1

It's quite easy, with RTTI and, say, Indy TidTCPServer, to add a text-based, 'telnet-like' object browser/editor to any Delphi app. I have done this on several apps, organising the form and component structure so that containers appears as 'folders' and the components like 'files'. It can be useful.. and fun. It is a little unsettling for users when their app suddenly changes color in front of them, or gradually gets taller and taller and thinner and thinner. The bug reports I then get are entertaining, (no, you're right, I shouldn't do it, even to marketing managers).

I don't see why a form-based browser could not be constructed with a treeView. Clicking on a component node could bring up a form that lists the properties and allows them be edited. IIRC, I could only call published methods like this.

OTOH, I've no idea how to effectively get at a VB app. VB is not something I like to approach without adequate protection and those hazmat suits are uncomfortable.