Builder Xcessory 5.0

User's Guide

Copyright © 1998 Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc.

The Builder Xcessory User's Guide is copyrighted by Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc., with all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc.

Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc.

201 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139

Tel: 617.621.0060

Fax: 617.621.9555

E-mail: info@ics.com

WWW: http://www.ics.com

Trademarks

Builder Xcessory, BX, BX/Ada, Builder Xcessory PRO, BX PRO, BX/Win Software Development Kit, BX/Win SDK, Database Xcessory, DX, DatabasePak, DBPak, EnhancementPak, EPak, ViewKit ObjectPak, VKit, and ICS Motif are trademarks of Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc.

All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

First printing

April 1998

How to Use this Manual

Overview

Organization of this Manual

Notation Conventions

Definitions

Prerequisite Knowledge

Getting Started

Overview

Builder Xcessory Overview

Starting Builder Xcessory

Startup Panel

Language Dialog

Builder Xcessory Main Windows

Browser

Browser Menus

Toolbar

Message Area

Interface Hierarchy

Selecting and Deselecting Objects

Palette

Palette Groups

Palette Menus

Using the Palette

Creating Objects

Parents and Children

Resource Editor

Resource Editor Menus

Toolbar

Header Data

Interface File Menu

Edit/Display Area

Using the Resource Editor

Example: A Simple Color Selector

Motif Example

Preparing for a Work Session

Creating Widgets

Copying Widgets

Setting Instance Names

Working with Multiple Widgets

Moving and Resizing Widgets

Adding Action to Your Interface

Working with Callbacks

Working with Menus

Working with Dialogs

Testing Your Application

Creating a Uniform Look and Feel for Your Application

Working with Source Code

Java Example

Preparing for a Work Session

Applets and Applications

Creating Objects

Selecting Multiple Objects

Copying Objects

Setting Instance Names

Working with Multiple Objects

Java Layouts

Working with the Flow Layout

Adding Action to your Interface

Working with Menus

Working with Dialogs

Testing Your Application

Creating a Uniform Look and Feel for Your Application

Working with Source Code

Classes and Methods

Overview

Classes

Creating a Class with Builder Xcessory

Adding Methods and Data Members

Class Member Editor

Exposing Resources

Exposing Callbacks and Event Methods

Exposing Callbacks

Callback Source Code

Subclassing and Receptors

Subclassing

Receptors

Saving and Sharing Classes

Saving Classes

Sharing Classes

Sharing Class Libraries

Moving Classes Between Groups

Reading Classes

Specifying Include Files

Code Generation

C Code Generation

C++ Code Generation

UIL Code Generation

ViewKit Code Generation

Java Code Generation

Layouts and Geometry

Overview

Managing Your UI Layout

Aligning and Distributing Objects

Additional Layout Techniques

Reordering Menu Items

Placing Objects without Setting width and height

Using Motif Geometry Managers

Simple Motif Managers

Complex Motif Managers

EPak Manager Widgets

Java Layouts

Using Java Layouts

No Layout

Flow

Border

Card

Grid

GridBag

Activating Your Interface

Overview

Initializing Resources at Run Time

Constants

Identifiers

Expressions

Callbacks with XtSetValues Calls

Accessing Objects at Run Time

Managing and Unmanaging Objects

Callback Procedures and Event Methods

Predefined Callbacks

Using Callbacks in C++ Classes

Using Event Methods in Java Classes

Using Timers, Event Handlers, and Translations

Timer Procedures

Work Procedures

Event Handlers

Translations

Extending Builder Xcessory

Overview

Integrating Builder Xcessory with Your Environment

Using Builder Xcessory with Your Tools

Designing Your Application in an Integrated Environment

Using a Debugger

Accessing Source Code Control Systems

Selecting a Source Code Control System

Editing the Commands for Source Code Control

Using a Source Code Control System

Using a Memory-Access Error-Checking Tool

Using Builder Xcessory with Emacs

Internationalizing Applications

Overview

Internationalizing Your Application

Character Sets and Code Sets

X and Motif I18N Support

Application Coding

Locales

Locales in Builder Xcessory

Placing Resource Values in Resource or UIL Files

Generating Multiple UIL Files

Text Input

Text Output

Setting Up Localized Output

Compound Strings

Creating Multifont and Multidirectional Strings

Generating Localized Files

Generating UIL

Generating C and C++

Designing Your Own Message Catalog

Suggested Reading

Porting GIL to Motif

Overview

Porting GIL Interfaces to Motif

GIL Version Information

GIL Options

Strategies for Importing Your GIL Documents

Groups

Glyphs

Devguide List

Actions

Non-converted Objects

Conversion Conventions

Numeric Textfields

OPEN LOOK Menus

Help Text

Tutorials

Overview

Building an Interface

Using the Tutorials

Setting Up Tutorial Directories

Changing the Destination Directory

Notation of Wrapped Code

Tutorial One: Simple Actions

Starting Builder Xcessory

Clearing an Interface

Creating and Resizing a Widget Instance

Placing a Child Widget

Placing an Automatically Resized Widget

Selecting a Widget

Updating the Resource Editor

Resource Editor Forms

Searching the Resource Editor

Setting a Resource

Using an Extended Editor

Setting a Resource in Multiple Widgets

Setting Callback Resources

Using Predefined Callbacks

Generating Code

Reviewing the Callback Structures

Compiling and Running

Testing the Interface

Tutorial Two: Simple Objects

Using Keep Parent

Setting CascadeButton Resources

Creating Additional Widgets

Reading Files

Deleting Widgets

Copying and Reparenting Widgets

Setting PushButton Resources

Editing the Callback Structures

Using Play Mode

Completing the Interface

Removing a TopLevelShell

Generating Code

Compiling and Running

Testing the Interface

Tutorial Three: Creating a Dialog

Creating Objects

Creating a Dialog Shell

Completing the Collection

Editing Resources

Creating a Global Widget

Generating Code

Confirming the Global Widget

Editing the Callback Structures

Compiling and Running

Testing the Interface

Tutorial Four: Using Resource Styles

Creating the Interface

Using the Style Manager

Using the Style Editor

Assigning Resources

Editing the Resource Values List

Applying Resource Values to a Style

Updating the Style Editor

Setting Other Styles

Selecting Multiple Resources

Completing the Hierarchy

Applying Styles to Widgets

Saving and Testing the Interface

Tutorial Five: Advanced Techniques

Constructing the Interface

Creating the Header File

Setting the Resources

Setting Constraint Resources

Customizing the Creation Routine

Adding Header Files

Testing Look and Feel

Generating Code

Editing the Callback Structures

Reviewing the Edited Stubs

Adding a Declaration to the Main File

Compiling and Running

Testing the Interface

Tutorial Six: Compound Strings and Font Lists

Compound Strings

Using Compound Strings

Compound String Editor

Font Tags

Tutorial Seven: Classes

Constructing the Interface

Setting Resources

Creating a Class

Editing a Class

Adding a Member

Adding a Method

Creating a Class Instance

Editing a Class Instance

Generating Code

Editing the Callback Structures

Compiling and Running

Tutorial Eight: Creating Classes and Subclasses

A Brief Overview of Classes and Subclasses

Before You Begin This Tutorial

Creating a Menu Class

Labeling the Menu and Menu Items

Adding Callbacks

Exposing Resources

Subclassing the "File" Class

Adding Children to a Subclass

Overriding Resources in a Subclass

Overriding a Callback in a Subclass

Saving Classes in a Separate File

Permanently Placing Classes on the Palette

Using a Class in Your Application

Generating Code

Tutorial Nine: Creating a Java Applet or Application

Working with Dialogs

Editing the Layout

Setting Font Styles

Generating and Compiling Java Code

Running Your Java Applet

Index