User interface components

General GUI framework

This is the main component one will use to create a modern GUI application. In general, any GUI application will use one FRAMEWORK object to handle its main window. The FRAMEWORK object handle the general layout and the following items: menubar, taskbar, part of the help menu, document area (up to 5, status area. Each document area may be multi-documents with a notebook. The framework handle various core function such as the quit/mayquit protocol and the focus notification.

Helper to layout menubar

Register a top menu in the menubar.

Register a help menu with an about and index entry in it.

Register one entry in the menubar pull-down.

Register a sub-menu in a pull-down.

Mark the end of a submenu or topmenu or helpmenu.

This is called when a taskbar button is selected

Not much But it will get better with time

Register a new button in tbe task bar

Called to define the disposition of the 5 areas

You anchor the areas you want to use in your framework using the layout_areaN() fhelper. You use the various layout_xxx() fhelper to place various GUI components (forms, groups, book) and insert position the layout_areaN() in the right position. By default a framework has just one area (area1) with nothing around.

Called to define the menubar content

This is called when a menu option is selected

Not much

Define documents for area one

Define document for area two

Define documents for area three

Define documents for area four

Define documents for area five

document is called if the areaN tag is not defined

Default document handling functag

Must present information about this program

A PRIVATE_MESSAGE may be passed to the FRAMEWORK constructor. Whenever a message is received, this functag is called.

Called when the user supplied message is received

The application may use this to create setup a default document.

Called when there is no more document displayed

Set this to true to end the framework The application can define any status bar. In fact, the application sets a dialog with whatever content. In general, PRIVATE_MESSAGE are used to signal the dialog so it updates its content. The dialog should wait for this message to end

Manage the status bar

Called when a framework message is received

This usually happen when a framework is used inside another framework and receives in its constructor a FRAMEWORK_MSGS object. This is generally useful to process taskbar and menubar event.

Request the edition of a new document

Request the edition of a new document in one area

Main constructor, normally used for the first FRAMEWORK of a program

Called when the application is ready/willing to end

When every document accepted to end, but the framework ask all document to end. this functags is called. This is generally used to collect various information about the current documents and potentially as a last chance to abort the end. Set this to true to abort

Record an identifier used later to restart the edit session on the document

Multiple documents or views program need a way to restart in the exact state they were when the user quitted. The program usually record a set of strings in a resource database and read them back at startup time. The program use FRAMEWORK::getdocumentids to learn the IDs of all active documents. String identifying the document and whatever information you wish to remember from one session to another.

Give control to the FRAMEWORK.

This function ends when all documents (areas) have ended. Various specialized dialogs and frameworks

Use this to introduce the software with a small description

You use the printf fhelper to send lines Program name Program version

Use this to present the various contributors

You use the printf fhelper to send lines. Usually, you enumerate names and email address. Program name Program version

Use this to present the software license

You use the printf fhelper to send lines or to simply use the setgpl fhelper if your program is GPL. Program name Program version

Use this to present extra information such as URL

You use the printf fhelper to send lines Program name Program version

Record format lines in the dialog

Control string like ordinary printf

Will format information about the GPL in the license section

Normally, this is all you have to tell in the license area. package or program name major version number minor version number (0-99) You use this to present an about window in a consistent and complete way. This includes a small description, the authors, the license and so on.

Present the about window of the application

software or package name Version of the package or utility