docs/latex/wx/txrc.tex

   1 \section{XML-based resource system overview}\label{xrcoverview}
   2
   3 Classes: \helpref{wxXmlResource}{wxxmlresource}, \helpref{wxXmlResourceHandler}{wxxmlresourcehandler}
   4
   5 {\bf IMPORTANT NOTE:} XRC is not yet a part of the core wxWindows library, so
   6 please see the next section for how to compile and link it. Otherwise if you
   7 try to use it, you will get link errors.
   8
   9 The XML-based resource system, known as XRC, allows user interface elements such as
  10 dialogs, menu bars and toolbars, to be stored in text files and loaded into
  11 the application at run-time. XRC files can also be compiled into binary XRS files or C++
  12 code, so an XML parser does not need to be linked with the application and load times
  13 are faster.
  14
  15 There are several advantages to using XRC resources.
  16
  17 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
  18 \item Recompiling and linking an application is not necessary if the
  19 resources change.
  20 \item If you use a dialog designers that generates C++ code, it can be hard
  21 to reintegrate this into existing C++ code. Separation of resources and code
  22 is a more elegant solution.
  23 \item You can choose between different alternative resource files at run time, if necessary.
  24 \item The XRC format uses sizers for flexibility, allowing dialogs to be resizable
  25 and highly portable.
  26 \item The XRC format is a wxWindows standard,
  27 and can be generated or postprocessed by any program that understands it. As it is based
  28 on the XML standard, existing XML editors can be used for simple editing purposes.
  29 \end{itemize}
  30
  31 XRC was written by Vaclav Slavik.
  32
  33 \subsection{Compiling and using XRC}\label{compilingxrc}
  34
  35 XRC can be found under the 'contrib' hierarchy, in the following directories:
  36
  37 \begin{verbatim}
  38   contrib/src/xrc           ; XRC source
  39   contrib/include/wx/xrc    ; XRC headers
  40   contrib/samples/xrc       ; XRC sample
  41   contrib/utils/wxrc        ; XRC resource compiler
  42   contrib/utils/wxrcedit    ; XRC editor (in progress)
  43 \end{verbatim}
  44
  45 To compile XRC:
  46
  47 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
  48 \item Under Windows using VC++, open the contrib/src/xrc/XrcVC.dsw project
  49 and compile. Also compile contrib/utils/wxrc using wxBase if you wish to compile
  50 resource files.
  51 \item Under Unix, XRC should be configured when you configured
  52 wxWindows. Make XRC by changing directory to contrib/src/xrc and
  53 type 'make'.  Similarly compile contrib/utils/wxrc using wxBase if you wish to compile
  54 resource files. {\bf Note:} there is currently a
  55 problem with the wxWindows build system that means that
  56 only the static version of library can be built at present.
  57 \end{itemize}
  58
  59 To use XRC:
  60
  61 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
  62 \item Under Windows using VC++, link with wxxrc[d].lib.
  63 \item Under Unix, link with libwxxrc[d].a.
  64 \end{itemize}
  65
  66 \subsection{XRC concepts}\label{xrcconcepts}
  67
  68 These are the typical steps for using XRC files in your application.
  69
  70 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
  71 \item Include the appropriate headers: normally "wx/xrc/xmlres.h" will suffice;
  72 \item call \verb$wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers()$ from your wxApp::OnInit function,
  73 and then call \verb$wxXmlResource::Get()->Load("myfile.xrc")$ to load the resource file;
  74 \item to create a dialog from a resource, create it using the default constructor, and then
  75 load using for example \verb$wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(&dlg, this, "dlg1")$;
  76 \item set up event tables as usual but use the \verb$XRCID(str)$ macro to translate from XRC string names
  77 to a suitable integer identifier, for example \verb$EVT_MENU(XRCID("quit"), MyFrame::OnQuit)$.
  78 \end{itemize}
  79
  80 To create an XRC file, use one of the following methods.
  81
  82 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0
  83 \item Create the file by hand;
  84 \item use \urlref{wxDesigner}{http://www.roebling.de}, a commercial dialog designer/RAD tool;
  85 \item use \urlref{XRCed}{http://www.mema.ucl.ac.be/~rolinsky/xrced/}, a wxPython-based
  86 dialog editor that you can find in the {\tt wxPython/tools} subdirectory of the wxWindows
  87 CVS archive;
  88 \item use \urlref{wxWorkshop}{http://wxworkshop.sourceforge.net} (under development);
  89 \item use wxrcedit ({\tt utils/contrib/wxrcedit}) (under development);
  90 \item convert WIN32 RC files to XRC with the tool in {\tt contrib/utils/convertrc}.
  91 \end{itemize}
  92
  93 It is highly recommended that you use a tool such as wxDesigner, since it's fiddly writing
  94 XRC files by hand.
  95
  96 You can use \helpref{wxXmlResource::Load}{wxxmlresourceload} in a number of ways.
  97 You can pass an XRC file (XML-based text resource file), an XMB file (compiled binary file)
  98 or a zip-compressed file (extension ZIP or RSC) containing other XRC or XMB files.
  99
 100 TODO: is the compiled binary format XMB or XRS? How do you handle a C++ resource file?
 101
 102 \subsection{Using binary resource files}\label{binaryresourcefiles}
 103
 104 To compile binary resource files, use the command-line wxrc utility. It takes a single file parameter (the
 105 input XRC file) and the following switches and options.
 106
 107 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0
 108 \item -h (--help): show a help message
 109 \item -v (--verbose): show verbose logging information
 110 \item -c (--cpp-code): write C++ source rather than a RSC file
 111 \item -u (--uncompressed): do not compress XML files (C++ only)
 112 \item -g (--gettext): output .po catalog (to stdout, or a file if -o is used)
 113 \item -n (--function) <name>: specify C++ function name (use with -c)
 114 \item -o (--output) <filename>: specify the output file, such as resource.xrs or resource.cpp
 115 \item -l (--list-of-handlers) <filename>: output a list of necessary handlers to this file
 116 \end{itemize}
 117
 118 For example:
 119
 120 \begin{verbatim}
 121   % wxrc resource.wrc
 122   % wxrc resource.wrc -o resource.wrs
 123   % wxrc resource.wrc -v -c -o resource.cpp
 124 \end{verbatim}
 125
 126 \subsection{XRC C++ sample}\label{xrccppsample}
 127
 128 This is the C++ source file (xrcdemo.cpp) for the XRC sample.
 129
 130 \begin{verbatim}
 131 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 132 // Name:        xmldemo.cpp
 133 // Purpose:     XML resources sample
 134 // Author:      Vaclav Slavik
 135 // RCS-ID:      $Id$
 136 // Copyright:   (c) Vaclav Slavik
 137 // Licence:     wxWindows licence
 138 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 139
 140 // ============================================================================
 141 // declarations
 142 // ============================================================================
 143
 144 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 145 // headers
 146 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 147 #ifdef __GNUG__
 148     #pragma implementation "xrcdemo.cpp"
 149     #pragma interface "xrcdemo.cpp"
 150 #endif
 151
 152 // For compilers that support precompilation, includes "wx/wx.h".
 153 #include "wx/wxprec.h"
 154
 155 #ifdef __BORLANDC__
 156     #pragma hdrstop
 157 #endif
 158
 159 // for all others, include the necessary headers (this file is usually all you
 160 // need because it includes almost all "standard" wxWindows headers)
 161 #ifndef WX_PRECOMP
 162     #include "wx/wx.h"
 163 #endif
 164
 165 #include "wx/image.h"
 166 #include "wx/xrc/xmlres.h"
 167
 168 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 169 // resources
 170 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 171 // the application icon
 172 #if defined(__WXGTK__) || defined(__WXMOTIF__) || defined(__WXMAC__)
 173     #include "rc/appicon.xpm"
 174 #endif
 175
 176 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 177 // private classes
 178 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 179
 180 // Define a new application type, each program should derive a class from wxApp
 181 class MyApp : public wxApp
 182 {
 183 public:
 184     // override base class virtuals
 185     // ----------------------------
 186
 187     // this one is called on application startup and is a good place for the app
 188     // initialization (doing it here and not in the ctor allows to have an error
 189     // return: if OnInit() returns false, the application terminates)
 190     virtual bool OnInit();
 191 };
 192
 193 // Define a new frame type: this is going to be our main frame
 194 class MyFrame : public wxFrame
 195 {
 196 public:
 197     // ctor(s)
 198     MyFrame(const wxString& title, const wxPoint& pos, const wxSize& size);
 199
 200     // event handlers (these functions should _not_ be virtual)
 201     void OnQuit(wxCommandEvent& event);
 202     void OnAbout(wxCommandEvent& event);
 203     void OnDlg1(wxCommandEvent& event);
 204     void OnDlg2(wxCommandEvent& event);
 205
 206 private:
 207     // any class wishing to process wxWindows events must use this macro
 208     DECLARE_EVENT_TABLE()
 209 };
 210
 211 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 212 // event tables and other macros for wxWindows
 213 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 214
 215 // the event tables connect the wxWindows events with the functions (event
 216 // handlers) which process them. It can be also done at run-time, but for the
 217 // simple menu events like this the static method is much simpler.
 218 BEGIN_EVENT_TABLE(MyFrame, wxFrame)
 219     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_quit"),  MyFrame::OnQuit)
 220     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_about"), MyFrame::OnAbout)
 221     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_dlg1"), MyFrame::OnDlg1)
 222     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_dlg2"), MyFrame::OnDlg2)
 223 END_EVENT_TABLE()
 224
 225 // Create a new application object: this macro will allow wxWindows to create
 226 // the application object during program execution (it's better than using a
 227 // static object for many reasons) and also declares the accessor function
 228 // wxGetApp() which will return the reference of the right type (i.e. MyApp and
 229 // not wxApp)
 230 IMPLEMENT_APP(MyApp)
 231
 232 // ============================================================================
 233 // implementation
 234 // ============================================================================
 235
 236 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 237 // the application class
 238 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 239
 240 // 'Main program' equivalent: the program execution "starts" here
 241 bool MyApp::OnInit()
 242 {
 243     wxImage::AddHandler(new wxGIFHandler);
 244     wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers();
 245     wxXmlResource::Get()->Load("rc/resource.xrc");
 246
 247     MyFrame *frame = new MyFrame("XML resources demo",
 248                                  wxPoint(50, 50), wxSize(450, 340));
 249     frame->Show(TRUE);
 250     return TRUE;
 251 }
 252
 253 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 254 // main frame
 255 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 256
 257 // frame constructor
 258 MyFrame::MyFrame(const wxString& title, const wxPoint& pos, const wxSize& size)
 259        : wxFrame((wxFrame *)NULL, -1, title, pos, size)
 260 {
 261     SetIcon(wxICON(appicon));
 262
 263     SetMenuBar(wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadMenuBar("mainmenu"));
 264     SetToolBar(wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadToolBar(this, "toolbar"));
 265 }
 266
 267
 268 // event handlers
 269
 270 void MyFrame::OnQuit(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 271 {
 272     // TRUE is to force the frame to close
 273     Close(TRUE);
 274 }
 275
 276 void MyFrame::OnAbout(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 277 {
 278     wxString msg;
 279     msg.Printf( _T("This is the about dialog of XML resources demo.\n")
 280                 _T("Welcome to %s"), wxVERSION_STRING);
 281
 282     wxMessageBox(msg, "About XML resources demo", wxOK | wxICON_INFORMATION, this);
 283 }
 284
 285 void MyFrame::OnDlg1(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 286 {
 287     wxDialog dlg;
 288     wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(&dlg, this, "dlg1");
 289     dlg.ShowModal();
 290 }
 291
 292
 293 void MyFrame::OnDlg2(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 294 {
 295     wxDialog dlg;
 296     wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(&dlg, this, "dlg2");
 297     dlg.ShowModal();
 298 }
 299 \end{verbatim}
 300
 301 \subsection{XRC resource file sample}\label{xrcsample}
 302
 303 This is the XML file (resource.xrc) for the XRC sample.
 304
 305 \begin{verbatim}
 306 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 307 <resource>
 308   <object class="wxMenuBar" name="mainmenu">
 309     <style>wxMB_DOCKABLE</style>
 310     <object class="wxMenu" name="menu_file">
 311       <label>$File</label>
 312       <style>wxMENU_TEAROFF</style>
 313       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_about">
 314         <label>$About...</label>
 315         <bitmap>filesave.gif</bitmap>
 316       </object>
 317       <object class="separator"/>
 318       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_dlg1">
 319         <label>Dialog 1</label>
 320       </object>
 321       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_dlg2">
 322         <label>Dialog 2</label>
 323       </object>
 324       <object class="separator"/>
 325       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_quit">
 326         <label>E$xit\tAlt-X</label>
 327       </object>
 328     </object>
 329   </object>
 330   <object class="wxToolBar" name="toolbar">
 331     <style>wxTB_FLAT|wxTB_DOCKABLE</style>
 332     <margins>2,2</margins>
 333     <object class="tool" name="menu_open">
 334       <bitmap>fileopen.gif</bitmap>
 335       <tooltip>Open catalog</tooltip>
 336     </object>
 337     <object class="tool" name="menu_save">
 338       <bitmap>filesave.gif</bitmap>
 339       <tooltip>Save catalog</tooltip>
 340     </object>
 341     <object class="tool" name="menu_update">
 342       <bitmap>update.gif</bitmap>
 343       <tooltip>Update catalog - synchronize it with sources</tooltip>
 344     </object>
 345     <separator/>
 346     <object class="tool" name="menu_quotes">
 347       <bitmap>quotes.gif</bitmap>
 348       <toggle>1</toggle>
 349       <tooltip>Display quotes around the string?</tooltip>
 350     </object>
 351     <object class="separator"/>
 352     <object class="tool" name="menu_fuzzy">
 353       <bitmap>fuzzy.gif</bitmap>
 354       <tooltip>Toggled if selected string is fuzzy translation</tooltip>
 355       <toggle>1</toggle>
 356     </object>
 357   </object>
 358   <object class="wxDialog" name="dlg1">
 359     <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 360       <object class="sizeritem">
 361         <object class="wxBitmapButton">
 362           <bitmap>fuzzy.gif</bitmap>
 363           <focus>fileopen.gif</focus>
 364         </object>
 365       </object>
 366       <object class="sizeritem">
 367         <object class="wxPanel">
 368           <object class="wxStaticText">
 369             <label>fdgdfgdfgdfg</label>
 370           </object>
 371           <style>wxSUNKEN_BORDER</style>
 372         </object>
 373         <flag>wxALIGN_CENTER</flag>
 374       </object>
 375       <object class="sizeritem">
 376         <object class="wxButton">
 377           <label>Buttonek</label>
 378         </object>
 379         <border>10d</border>
 380         <flag>wxALL</flag>
 381       </object>
 382       <object class="sizeritem">
 383         <object class="wxHtmlWindow">
 384           <htmlcode>&lt;h1&gt;Hi,&lt;/h1&gt;man</htmlcode>
 385           <size>100,45d</size>
 386         </object>
 387       </object>
 388       <object class="sizeritem">
 389         <object class="wxNotebook">
 390           <object class="notebookpage">
 391             <object class="wxPanel">
 392               <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 393                 <object class="sizeritem">
 394                   <object class="wxHtmlWindow">
 395                     <htmlcode>Hello, we are inside a &lt;u&gt;NOTEBOOK&lt;/u&gt;...</htmlcode>
 396                     <size>50,50d</size>
 397                   </object>
 398                   <option>1</option>
 399                 </object>
 400               </object>
 401             </object>
 402             <label>Page</label>
 403           </object>
 404           <object class="notebookpage">
 405             <object class="wxPanel">
 406               <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 407                 <object class="sizeritem">
 408                   <object class="wxHtmlWindow">
 409                     <htmlcode>Hello, we are inside a &lt;u&gt;NOTEBOOK&lt;/u&gt;...</htmlcode>
 410                     <size>50,50d</size>
 411                   </object>
 412                 </object>
 413               </object>
 414             </object>
 415             <label>Page 2</label>
 416           </object>
 417           <usenotebooksizer>1</usenotebooksizer>
 418         </object>
 419         <flag>wxEXPAND</flag>
 420       </object>
 421       <orient>wxVERTICAL</orient>
 422     </object>
 423   </object>
 424   <object class="wxDialog" name="dlg2">
 425     <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 426       <orient>wxVERTICAL</orient>
 427       <object class="sizeritem" name="dfgdfg">
 428         <object class="wxTextCtrl">
 429           <size>200,200d</size>
 430           <style>wxTE_MULTILINE|wxSUNKEN_BORDER</style>
 431           <value>Hello, this is an ordinary multiline\n         textctrl....</value>
 432         </object>
 433         <option>1</option>
 434         <flag>wxEXPAND|wxALL</flag>
 435         <border>10</border>
 436       </object>
 437       <object class="sizeritem">
 438         <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 439           <object class="sizeritem">
 440             <object class="wxButton" name="wxID_OK">
 441               <label>Ok</label>
 442               <default>1</default>
 443             </object>
 444           </object>
 445           <object class="sizeritem">
 446             <object class="wxButton" name="wxID_CANCEL">
 447               <label>Cancel</label>
 448             </object>
 449             <border>10</border>
 450             <flag>wxLEFT</flag>
 451           </object>
 452         </object>
 453         <flag>wxLEFT|wxRIGHT|wxBOTTOM|wxALIGN_RIGHT</flag>
 454         <border>10</border>
 455       </object>
 456     </object>
 457     <title>Second testing dialog</title>
 458   </object>
 459 </resource>
 460 \end{verbatim}
 461
 462 \subsection{XRC file format}\label{xrcfileformat}
 463
 464 Please see Technical Note 14 (docs/tech/tn0014.txt) in your wxWindows
 465 distribution.
 466
 467 \subsection{Adding new resource handlers}\label{newresourcehandlers}
 468
 469 Coming soon.
 470