Save a TImagelist with all its images to a file

Problem/Question/Abstract:

How to save a TImagelist with all its images to a file

Answer:

There are ready-made methods for saving any component including all its children to a file. For writing components use WriteComponentResFile(path + source filename , component name source)

WriteComponentResFile('C:\imagelist1.bin', imagelist1);

For reading the data back to a component: component := ReadComponentResFile(path + source filename , component name traget)

imagelist1 := ReadComponentResFile('c:\imagelist1.bin', nil) as TImagelist;

Tip 1 - Reading the component will give the same name of the component written so don't try to load it to another component, even if it was the same type. You will get a duplicate name and delphi will crash. But you can jump over this as a programmer

Tip 2 - Get benfit of storing the heavy components inside compressed files, so you can get smaller programs