Note: Design time and run time packages are supplied for D5. The design time package is clearly labeled as such. For D6 or other versions, you will have to import and update the packages. D6 has special additional speical concerns (see below). You can also create your own packages and include only those units that work for you.
The component comes with two *.pas files: EssHtmlReport_DesignTime.pas (previously EssHtml.pas, and renamed to make it more clear what it does) and EssHtmlReport.pas. You need to decide what packages you wish to use for design time and run time use. For further information about which package is appropriate for each file, please read the following:
To install design time components (Delphi 5, see below for speical concerns with Delphi 6):
1) go to the Delphi Component
menu item
2) select Install Component
3) select (or first create) a design time package to install into
4) find EssHtmlReport_DesignTime.pas and EssHtmlReport.pas
5) add EssHtmlReport_DesignTime.pas and EssHtmlReport.pas to this
package
6) compile the package.
To create a new run time package (Delphi 5 or 6):
1) go to the Delphi File->New
menu item
2) select to create a new package
3) find EssHtmlReport.pas, and add it to the package.
4) compile the package.
To install into an existing runtime package (Delphi 5 or 6)
1) go to the Delphi Component
menu item
2) select Install Component
3) select a run time package to install into
4) find EssHtmlReport.pas, and add it to the package.
5) compile the package.
Post Delphi 5 installation help:
This component was made using Delphi 5. Sorry, but I only buy odd numbered copies of Delphi since they seem to be more stable and bug free over the even numbered versions, which do introduce many new features, but also many new bugs. One new feature of D6 is the total abondoment of the previous way of using property editors (which Borland warned us would happen in the readme files with D5, so it is no shock). I have tried to add compiler directives to allow for this difference, but I do not know yet how much success this will have not having D6 to work with.
If you have problems compiling the EssHtmlReport_DesignTime.pas unit with the property editor, then the easy solution is to enable the registration procedure in the EssHtmlReport.pas unit and compile this unit instead for your design time use since it has no property editor reference. You will only lose the ability during design time to select the report source file using a file dialog box. If you still have problems with this approach, or which to give input to correct any error I made, please feel free to contact me.
As an alternative, you can update the property editor declaration for D6 yourself. I have provided all the source code so you can work around this problem no matter what version of Delphi you have. To install the correct property editors for Delphi 6, you will have to edit the EssHtmlReport_DesignTime.pas uses section and probably add the "designide.dcp" unit to the requires section of your package, see: http://community.borland.com/article/0,1410,27717,00.html