1   {
2     Sometimes when accessing properties you need to include extra code just
3     to make sure that the object exists.  For example, consider the class:
4   }
5   
6     type c00G1026 = class (TObject)
7       private
8          ...
9         iIdG : word;
10         ...
11      public
12         ...
13        property aIdG : word
14                 read iIdG;
15         ...
16    end;
17  
18  {
19    When you use an object belonging to this class, you need to check 
20    whether the object exists before accessing its properties:
21  }
22  
23    var wObj : c00G1026;
24    var wIdG : word;
25  
26     ...
27  
28    if (wObj <> nil) and (wObj.aIdG > 9) then
29     ...
30  
31    if wObj <> nil then
32      wIdG := wObj.aIdG
33    else
34      wIdG := 0;
35  
36     ...    
37  
38  {
39    If you use a property access method, you can avoid this extra code 
40    by checking for a non-nil object in the method:
41  }
42  
43    type c00G1026 = class (TObject)
44      private
45         ...
46        iIdG : word;
47        function mhGetIdG_S () : word;
48         ...
49      public
50         ...
51        property aIdG_S : word
52                 read mhGetIdG_S;
53         ...
54    end;
55  
56    function c00G1026.mhGetIdG_S () : word;
57      begin
58        if Self <> nil then
59          Result := iIdG
60        else
61          Result := 0     
62      end;
63  
64  {
65    Then you can simplify code which uses the class:
66  }
67  
68    var wObj : c00G1026;
69    var wIdG : word;
70  
71     ...
72  
73    if wObj.aIdG_S > 9 then
74     ...
75  
76    wIdG := wObj.aIdG_S;
77  
78     ...