e3a43801df
changes.txt files git-svn-id: https://svn.wxwidgets.org/svn/wx/wxWidgets/trunk@1292 c3d73ce0-8a6f-49c7-b76d-6d57e0e08775
107 lines
5.4 KiB
TeX
107 lines
5.4 KiB
TeX
\chapter{Introduction}\label{introduction}
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\pagenumbering{arabic}%
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\setheader{{\it CHAPTER \thechapter}}{}{}{}{}{{\it CHAPTER \thechapter}}%
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\setfooter{\thepage}{}{}{}{}{\thepage}%
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The Property Sheet Classes help the programmer to specify complex dialogs and
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their relationship with their associated data. By specifying data as a
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wxPropertySheet containing wxProperty objects, the programmer can use
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a range of available or custom wxPropertyView classes to allow the user to
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edit this data. Classes derived from wxPropertyView act as mediators between the
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wxPropertySheet and the actual window (and associated panel items).
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For example, the wxPropertyListView is a kind of wxPropertyView which displays
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data in a Visual Basic-style property list (see \helpref{the next section}{appearance} for
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screen shots). This is a listbox containing names and values, with
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an edit control and other optional controls via which the user edits the selected
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data item.
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wxPropertyFormView is another kind of wxPropertyView which mediates between
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the data and a panel or dialog box which has already been created. This makes it a contender for
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the replacement of wxForm, since programmer-controlled layout is going to be much more
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satisfactory. If automatic layout is desired, then wxPropertyListView could be used instead.
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The main intention of this class library was to provide property {\it list} behaviour, but
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it has been generalised as much as possible so that the concept of a property sheet and its viewers
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can reduce programming effort in a range of user interface tasks.
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For further details on the classes and how they are used, please see \helpref{Property classes overview}{propertyoverview}.
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\section{The appearance and behaviour of a property list view}\label{appearance}
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The property list, as seen in an increasing number of development tools
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such as Visual Basic and Delphi, is a convenient and compact method for
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displaying and editing a number of items without the need for one
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control per item, and without the need for designing a special form. The
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controls are as follows:
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\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
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\item A listbox showing the properties and their current values, which has double-click
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properties dependent on the nature of the current property;
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\item a text editing area at the top of the display, allowing the user to edit
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the currently selected property if appropriate;
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\item `confirm' and `cancel' buttons to confirm or cancel an edit (for the property, not the
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whole sheet);
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\item an optional list that appears when the user can make a choice from several known possible values;
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\item a small Edit button to invoke `detailed editing' (perhaps showing or hiding the above value list, or
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maybe invoking a common dialog);
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\item optional OK/Close, Cancel and Help buttons for the whole dialog.
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\end{itemize}
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The concept of `detailed editing' versus quick editing gives the user a choice
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of editing mode, so novice and expert behaviour can be catered for, or the user can just
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use what he feels comfortable with.
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Behaviour alters depending on the kind of property being edited. For example, a boolean value has
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the following behaviour:
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\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
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\item Double-clicking on the item toggles between TRUE and FALSE.
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\item Showing the value list enables the user to select TRUE or FALSE.
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\item The user may be able to type in the word TRUE or FALSE, or the edit control
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may be read-only to disallow this since it is error-prone.
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\end{itemize}
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A list of strings may pop up a dialog for editing them, a simple string just allows text editing,
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double-clicking a colour property may show a colour selector, double-clicking on a filename property may
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show a file selector (in addition to being able to type in the name in the edit control), etc.
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Note that the `type' of property, such as string or integer, does not
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necessarily determine the behaviour of the property. The programmer has
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to be able to specify different behaviours for the same type, depending
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on the meaning of the property. For example, a colour and a filename may
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both be strings, but their editing behaviour should be different. This
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is why objects of type wxPropertyValidator need to be used, to define
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behaviour for a given class of properties or even specific property
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name. Objects of class wxPropertyView contain a list of property
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registries, which enable reuse of bunches of these validators in
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different circumstances. Or a wxProperty can be explicitly set to use a
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particular validator object.
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The following screen shot of the property classes test program shows the
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user editing a string, which is constrained to be one of three possible
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values.
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$$\image{8cm;0cm}{prop1.eps}$$\\
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The second picture shows the user having entered a integer that
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was outside the range specified to the validator. Note that in this picture,
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the value list is hidden because it is not used when editing an integer.
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$$\image{8cm;0cm}{prop2.eps}$$
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\chapter{Files}\label{files}
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\setheader{{\it CHAPTER \thechapter}}{}{}{}{}{{\it CHAPTER \thechapter}}%
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\setfooter{\thepage}{}{}{}{}{\thepage}%
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The property class library comprises the following files:
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\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
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\item prop.h: base property class header
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\item proplist.h: wxPropertyListView and associated classes
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\item propform.h: wxPropertyListView and associated classes
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\item prop.cpp: base property class implementation
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\item proplist.cpp: wxPropertyListView and associated class implementions
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\item propform.cpp: wxPropertyFormView and associated class implementions
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\end{itemize}
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