Using two With statements

Question

First, I was haveing combobox1 fill combobox2 during the onselect. I started the long way see below.

    procedure TFGetZoneDept.ComboBox1Select(Sender: TObject);
begin
  Combobox2.Clear;
  with Combobox1 do
  begin
      if text = '3' then
      begin
        with combobox2 do
        begin
          Add('Zone 3 depts');
          Add('Zone 3 depts');
          Add('Zone 3 depts');
          Add('Zone 3 depts');
          Add('Zone 3 depts');
          Add('Zone 3 depts');
        end;   {with combobox2}
      end;  {If }
      if text = '4' then
      begin
        with ComboBox2 do
        begin
          add('Zone 4 depts');
          add('Zone 4 depts');
          add('Zone 4 depts');
          add('Zone 4 depts');
          add('Zone 4 depts)';
        end;{combobox2 with}
      end;{IF}
      if text ='1' then
      begin
        with ComboBox2 do
        begin
          add('Zone 1 depts');
          add('Zone 1 depts');
          add('Zone 1 depts');
          add('Zone 1 depts');
          add('Zone 1 depts');
          add('Zone 1 depts');
        end; {combobox2 with}
      end; {IF}
      if text ='2' then
      begin
        with ComboBox2 do
        begin
          add('Zone 2 depts');
          add('Zone 2 depts');
          add('Zone 2 depts');
          add('Zone 2 depts');
          add('Zone 2 depts');
          add('Zone 2 depts');
        end; {Combobox2 with}
      end; {IF}
      if text ='BoneYard' then
      begin
        with ComboBox2 do
        begin
          add('BoneYard depts');
          add('BoneYard depts');
          add('BoneYard depts');
          add('BoneYard depts');
          add('BoneYard depts');
          add('BoneYard depts');
        end; {combobox2 with}
      end; {IF}
      if text = 'Misc' then
      begin
        with ComboBox2 do
          begin
            add('Misc Depts');
            add('Misc Depts');
            add('Misc Depts');
            add('Misc Depts');
            add('Misc Depts');
            add('Misc Depts');
          end; {combobox2 with}
      end; {IF}
  end;{combobox1 with}
  Combobox2.Enabled := true;
end;

I noticed you cant use one with with another with inside.. or am i doing it wrong. Second I started to think there has to be a better way :D So either answer is ok. Either how to fix the with or do this a better way.

Answer 1

It's entirely possible to have nested with statements. It's generally not a good idea, since the badness of with statements compounds, but the compiler has no trouble interpreting the code. When resolving identifiers, the compiler simply works its way from the inner statement to the outer one until it finds an object that has the method or property it's looking for.

What the compiler finds may differ from what you expect it to find.

---

You can make your code considerably more concise by using some variables and loops to avoid repeating code, as well as to remove the need for a with statement.

procedure TFGetZoneDept.ComboBox1Select(Sender: TObject);
var
  text1, text2: string;
  i: Integer;
begin
  Combobox2.Clear;
  text1 := Combobox1.Text;
  if text1 = '3' then
    text2 := 'Zone 3 depots'
  else if text1 = '4' then
    text2 := 'Zone 4 depts'
  else if text ='1' then
    text2 := 'Zone 1 depts'
  else if text ='2' then
    text2 := 'Zone 2 depts'
  else if text ='BoneYard' then
    text2 := 'BoneYard depts'
  else if text = 'Misc' then
    text2 := 'Misc Depts';
  for i := 1 to 6 do
    Combobox2.Items.add(text2);
  Combobox2.Enabled := true;
end;

When you avoid repeating code, you also avoid mistakes. Unless you meant for all the cases to have six options except zone 4, which only has five.

Answer 2

If you are utilizing nested With statements, punch yourself in the face to save time.

People have strong arguments over GOTOs and WITH statements. WITH statements are worse as they can be nested, compounding their evilness on every use.

The first rule of With, nobody talks about it (or uses it.)