Question

I currently do automatic detection of hyperlinks within text in my program. I made it very simple and only look for http:// or www.

However, a user suggested to me that I extend it to other forms, e.g.: https:// or .com

Then I realized it might not stop there because there’s ftp and mailto and file, all the other top level domains, and even email addresses and file paths.

What I think is best is to limit it to what is practical by following some often-used standard set of hyperlink detection rules that are currently in use. Maybe how Microsoft Word does it, or maybe how RichEdit does it or maybe you know of a better standard.

So my question is:

Is there a built in function that I can call from Delphi to do the detection, and if so, what would the call look like? (I plan in the future to go to FireMonkey, so I would prefer something that will work beyond Windows.)

If there isn’t a function available, is there some place I can find a documented set of rules of what is detected in Word, in RichEdit, or any other set of rules of what should be detected? That would then allow me to write the detection code myself.

Answer 1

Try the PathIsURL function which is declarated in the ShLwApi unit.