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1 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
2 %% Name: tsamples.tex
3 %% Purpose: Samples description
4 %% Author: Vadim Zeitlin
5 %% Modified by:
6 %% Created: 02.11.99
7 %% RCS-ID: $Id$
8 %% Copyright: (c) wxWindows team
9 %% License: wxWindows license
10 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
11 % NB: please keep the subsections in alphabetic order!
12
13 \section{wxWindows samples}\label{samples}
14
15 Probably the best way to learn wxWindows is by reading the source of some 50+
16 samples provided with it. Many aspects of wxWindows programming can be learnt
17 from them, but sometimes it is not simple to just choose the right sample to
18 look at. This overview aims at describing what each sample does/demonstrates to
19 make it easier to find the relevant one if a simple grep through all sources
20 didn't help. They also provide some notes about using the samples and what
21 features of wxWindows are they supposed to test.
22
23 There are currently more than 50 different samples as part of wxWindows and
24 this list is not complete. You should start your tour of wxWindows with the
25 \helpref{minimal sample}{sampleminimal} which is the wxWindows version of
26 "Hello, world!". It shows the basic structure of wxWindows program and is the
27 most commented sample of all - looking at its source code is recommended.
28
29 The next most useful sample is probably the \helpref{controls}{samplecontrols}
30 one which shows many of wxWindows standard controls, such as buttons,
31 listboxes, checkboxes, comboboxes etc.
32
33 Other, more complicated controls, have their own samples. In this category you
34 may find the following samples showing the corresponding controls:
35
36 \begin{twocollist}\itemsep=0pt
37 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxCalendarCtrl}{samplecalendar}}{Calendar a.k.a. date picker control}
38 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxListCtrl}{samplelistctrl}}{List view control}
39 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxTreeCtrl}{sampletreectrl}}{Tree view control}
40 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxGrid}{samplegrid}}{Grid control}
41 \end{twocollist}
42
43 Finally, it might be helpful to do a search in the entire sample directory if
44 you can't find the sample you showing the control you are interested in by
45 name. Most of wxWindows classes, occur in at least one of the samples.
46
47 \subsection{Minimal sample}\label{sampleminimal}
48
49 The minimal sample is what most people will know under the term Hello World,
50 i.e. a minimal program that doesn't demonstrate anything apart from what is
51 needed to write a program that will display a "hello" dialog. This is usually
52 a good starting point for learning how to use wxWindows.
53
54 \subsection{Calendar sample}\label{samplecalendar}
55
56 This font shows the \helpref{calendar control}{wxcalendarctrl} in action. It
57 shows how to configure the control (see the different options in the calendar
58 menu) and also how to process the notifications from it.
59
60 \subsection{Checklist sample}\label{samplechecklist}
61
62 This sample demonstrates the use of the \helpref{wxCheckListBox}{wxchecklistbox}
63 class intercepting check, select and double click events. It also tests the
64 use of various methods modifying the control, such as by deleting items
65 from it or inserting new once (these functions are actually implemented in
66 the parent class \helpref{wxListBox}{wxlistbox} so the sample tests that class
67 as well). The layout of the dialog is created using a \helpref{wxBoxSizer}{wxboxsizer}
68 demonstrating a simple dynamic layout.
69
70 \subsection{Config sample}\label{sampleconfig}
71
72 This sample demonstrates the \helpref{wxConfig}{wxconfigbase} classes in a platform
73 indenpedent way, i.e. it uses text based files to store a given configuration under
74 Unix and uses the Registry under Windows.
75
76 See \helpref{wxConfig overview}{wxconfigoverview} for the descriptions of all
77 features of this class.
78
79 \subsection{Controls sample}\label{samplecontrols}
80
81 The controls sample is the main test program for most simple controls used in
82 wxWindows. The sample tests their basic functionality, events, placement,
83 modification in terms of colour and font as well as the possibility to change
84 the controls programmatically, such as adding item to a list box etc. Apart
85 from that, the sample uses a \helpref{wxNotebook}{wxnotebook} and tests most
86 features of this special control (using bitmap in the tabs, using
87 \helpref{wxSizers}{wxsizer} and \helpref{constraints}{wxlayoutconstraints} within
88 notebook pages, advancing pages programmatically and vetoing a page change
89 by intercepting the \helpref{wxNotebookEvent}{wxnotebookevent}.
90
91 The various controls tested are listed here:
92
93 \begin{twocollist}\itemsep=0pt
94 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxButton}{wxbutton}}{Push button control, displaying text}
95 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxBitmapButton}{wxbitmapbutton}}{Push button control, displaying a bitmap}
96 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxCheckBox}{wxcheckbox}}{Checkbox control}
97 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxChoice}{wxchoice}}{Choice control (a combobox without the editable area)}
98 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxComboBox}{wxcombobox}}{A choice with an editable area}
99 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxGauge}{wxgauge}}{A control to represent a varying quantity, such as time remaining}
100 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxStaticBox}{wxstaticbox}}{A static, or group box for visually grouping related controls}
101 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxListBox}{wxlistbox}}{A list of strings for single or multiple selection}
102 \twocolitem{wxSpinCtrl}{A spin ctrl with a text field and a `up-down' control}
103 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxSpinButton}{wxspinbutton}}{A spin or `up-down' control}
104 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxStaticText}{wxstatictext}}{One or more lines of non-editable text}
105 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxStaticBitmap}{wxstaticbitmap}}{A control to display a bitmap}
106 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxRadioBox}{wxradiobox}}{A group of radio buttons}
107 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxRadioButton}{wxradiobutton}}{A round button to be used with others in a mutually exclusive way}
108 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxSlider}{wxslider}}{A slider that can be dragged by the user}
109 \end{twocollist}
110
111 \subsection{Database sample}\label{sampledb}
112
113 The database sample is a small test program showing how to use the ODBC
114 classes written by Remstar Intl. Obviously, this sample requires a
115 database with ODBC support to be correctly installed on your system.
116
117 \subsection{Dialogs sample}\label{sampledialogs}
118
119 This sample shows how to use the common dialogs available from wxWindows. These
120 dialogs are described in details in the \helpref{Common dialogs overview}{commondialogsoverview}.
121
122 \subsection{Dialup sample}\label{sampledialup}
123
124 This sample shows \helpref{wxDialUpManager}{wxdialupmanager}
125 class. It displays in the status bar the information gathered through itsi
126 nterface: in particular, the current connection status (online or offline) and
127 whether the connection is permanent (in which case a string `LAN' appears in
128 the thrid status bar field - but note that you may have be on a LAN not
129 connected to the Internet, in which case you will not see this) or not.
130
131 Using the menu entries, you may also dial or hang up the line if you have a
132 modem attached and (this only makes sense for Windows) list the available
133 connections.
134
135 \subsection{DnD sample}\label{samplednd}
136
137 This sample shows both clipboard and drag and drop in action. It is quite non
138 trivial and may be safely used as a basis for implementing the clipboard and
139 drag and drop operations in a real-life program.
140
141 When you run the sample, its screen is split in several parts. On the top,
142 there are two listboxes which show the standard derivations of
143 \helpref{wxDropTarget}{wxdroptarget}:
144 \helpref{wxTextDropTarget}{wxtextdroptarget} and
145 \helpref{wxFileDropTarget}{wxfiledroptarget}.
146
147 The middle of the sample window is taken by the log window which shows what is
148 going on (of course, this only works in debug builds) and may be helpful to see
149 the sequence of steps of data transfer.
150
151 Finally, the last part is used for dragging text from it to either one of the
152 listboxes (only one will accept it) or another application. The last
153 functionality available from the main frame is to paste a bitmap from the
154 clipboard (or, in the case of Windows version, also a metafile) - it will be
155 shown in a new frame.
156
157 So far, everything we mentioned was implemented with minimal amount of code
158 using standard wxWindows classes. The more advanced features are demonstrated
159 if you create a shape frame from the main frame menu. A shape is a geometric
160 object which has a position, size and color. It models some
161 application-specific data in this sample. A shape object supports its own
162 private \helpref{wxDataFormat}{wxdataformat} which means that you may cut and
163 paste it or drag and drop (between one and the same or different shapes) from
164 one sample instance to another (or the same). However, chances are that no
165 other program supports this format and so shapes can also be rendered as
166 bitmaps which allows them to be pasted/dropped in many other applications
167 (and, under Windows, also as metafiles which are supported by most of Windows
168 programs as well - try Write/Wordpad, for example).
169
170 Take a look at DnDShapeDataObject class to see how you may use
171 \helpref{wxDataObject}{wxdataobject} to achieve this.
172
173 \subsection{Dynamic sample}\label{sampledynamic}
174
175 This sample is a very small sample that demonstrates the use of the
176 \helpref{wxEvtHandler::Connect}{wxevthandlerconnect} method. This method
177 should be used whenever it is not known at compile time, which control
178 will receive which event or which controls are actually going to be in
179 a dialog or frame. This is most typically the case for any scripting
180 language that would work as a wrapper for wxWindows or programs where
181 forms or similar datagrams can be created by the uses.
182
183 See also the \helpref{event sample}{sampleevent}
184
185 \subsection{Event sample}\label{sampleevent}
186
187 The event sample demonstrates various features of the wxWindows events. It
188 shows using dynamic events and connecting/disconnecting the event handlers
189 during the run time and also using
190 \helpref{PushEventHandler()}{wxwindowpusheventhandler} and
191 \helpref{PopEventHandler()}{wxwindowpopeventhandler}.
192
193 It replaces the old dynamic sample.
194
195 \subsection{Exec sample}\label{sampleexec}
196
197 The exec sample demonstrates the \helpref{wxExecute}{wxexecute} and
198 \helpref{wxShell}{wxshell} functions. Both of them are used to execute the
199 external programs and the sample shows how to do this synchronously (waiting
200 until the program terminates) or asynchronously (notification will come later).
201
202 It also shows how to capture the output of the child process in both
203 synchronous and asynchronous cases and how to kill the processes with
204 \helpref{wxProcess::Kill}{wxprocesskill} and test for their existence with
205 \helpref{wxProcess::Exists}{wxprocessexists}.
206
207 \subsection{Font sample}\label{samplefont}
208
209 The font sample demonstrates \helpref{wxFont}{wxfont},
210 \helpref{wxFontEnumerator}{wxfontenumerator} and
211 \helpref{wxFontMapper}{wxfontmapper} classes. It allows you to see the fonts
212 available (to wxWindows) on the computer and shows all characters of the
213 chosen font as well.
214
215 \subsection{Grid sample}\label{samplegrid}
216
217 TODO.
218
219 \subsection{HTML samples}\label{samplehtml}
220
221 Eight HTML samples (you can find them in directory {\tt samples/html})
222 cover all features of HTML sub-library.
223
224 {\bf Test} demonstrates how to create \helpref{wxHtmlWindow}{wxhtmlwindow}
225 and also shows most of supported HTML tags.
226
227 {\bf Widget} shows how you can embed ordinary controls or windows within
228 HTML page. It also nicely explains how to write new tag handlers and extend
229 the library to work with unsupported tags.
230
231 {\bf About} may give you an idea how to write good-looking about boxes.
232
233 {\bf Zip} demonstrates use of virtual file systems in wxHTML. The zip archives
234 handler (ships with wxWindows) allows you to access HTML pages stored
235 in compressed archive as if they were ordinary files.
236
237 {\bf Virtual} is yet another virtual file systems demo. This one generates pages at run-time.
238 You may find it useful if you need to display some reports in your application.
239
240 {\bf Printing} explains use of \helpref{wxHtmlEasyPrinting}{wxhtmleasyprinting}
241 class which serves as as-simple-as-possible interface for printing HTML
242 documents without much work. In fact, only few function calls are sufficient.
243
244 {\bf Help} and {\bf Helpview} are variations on displaying HTML help
245 (compatible with MS HTML Help Workshop). {\it Help} shows how to embed
246 \helpref{wxHtmlHelpController}{wxhtmlhelpcontroller} in your application
247 while {\it Helpview} is simple tool that only pops up help window and
248 displays help books given at command line.
249
250 \subsection{Image sample}\label{sampleimage}
251
252 The image sample demonstrates the use of the \helpref{wxImage}{wximage} class
253 and shows how to download images in a variety of formats, currently PNG, GIF,
254 TIFF, JPEG, BMP, PNM and PCX. The top of the sample shows to rectangles, one
255 of which is drawn directly in the window, the other one is drawn into a
256 \helpref{wxBitmap}{wxbitmap}, converted to a wxImage, saved as a PNG image
257 and then reloaded from the PNG file again so that conversions between wxImage
258 and wxBitmap as well as loading and save PNG files are tested.
259
260 At the bottom of the main frame is a test for using a monochrome bitmap by
261 drawing into a \helpref{wxMemoryDC}{wxmemorydc}. The bitmap is then drawn
262 specifying the foreground and background colours with
263 \helpref{wxDC::SetTextForeground}{wxdcsettextforeground} and
264 \helpref{wxDC::SetTextBackground}{wxdcsettextbackground} (on the left). The
265 bitmap is then converted to a wxImage and the foreground colour (black) is
266 replaced with red using \helpref{wxImage::Replace}{wximagereplace}.
267
268 \subsection{Layout sample}\label{samplelayout}
269
270 The layout sample demonstrates the two different layout systems offered
271 by wxWindows. When starting the program, you will see a frame with some
272 controls and some graphics. The controls will change their size whenever
273 you resize the entire frame and the exact behaviour of the size changes
274 is determined using the \helpref{wxLayoutConstraints}{wxlayoutconstraints}
275 class. See also the \helpref{overview}{constraintsoverview} and the
276 \helpref{wxIndividualLayoutConstraint}{wxindividuallayoutconstraint}
277 class for further information.
278
279 The menu in this sample offers two more tests, one showing how to use
280 a \helpref{wxBoxSizer}{wxboxsizer} in a simple dialog and the other one
281 showing how to use sizers in connection with a \helpref{wxNotebook}{wxnotebook}
282 class. See also \helpref{wxNotebookSizer}{wxnotebooksizer} and
283 \helpref{wxSizer}{wxsizer}.
284
285 \subsection{Listctrl sample}\label{samplelistctrl}
286
287 This sample shows \helpref{wxListCtrl}{wxlistctrl} control. Different modes
288 supported by the control (list, icons, small icons, report) may be chosen from
289 the menu.
290
291 The sample also provides some timings for adding/deleting/sorting a lot of
292 (several thousands) controls into the control.
293
294 \subsection{Rotate sample}\label{samplerotate}
295
296 This is a simple example which demonstrates how to rotate an image with
297 the \helpref{wxImage::Rotate}{wximagerotate} method. The rotation can
298 be done without interpolation (left mouse button) which will be faster,
299 or with interpolation (right mouse button) which is slower but gives
300 better results.
301
302 \subsection{Scroll subwindow sample}\label{samplescrollsub}
303
304 This sample demonstrates the use of the \helpref{wxScrolledWindow}{wxscrolledwindow}
305 class including placing subwindows into it and drawing simple graphics. It uses the
306 \helpref{SetTargetWindow}{wxscrolledwindowsettargetwindow} method and thus the effect
307 of scrolling does not show in the scrolled window itself, but in one of its subwindows.
308
309 Additionally, this samples demonstrates how to optimize drawing operations in wxWindows,
310 in particular using the \helpref{wxWindow::IsExposed}{wxwindowisexposed} method with
311 the aim to prevent unnecessary drawing in the window and thus reducing or removing
312 flicker on screen.
313
314 \subsection{Sockets sample}\label{samplesockets}
315
316 The sockets sample demonstrates how to use the communication facilities
317 provided by \helpref{wxSocket}{wxsocketbase}. There are two different
318 applications in this sample: a server, which is implemented using a
319 \helpref{wxSocketServer}{wxsocketserver} object, and a client, which
320 is implemented as a \helpref{wxSocketClient}{wxsocketclient}.
321
322 The server binds to the local address, using TCP port number 3000,
323 sets up an event handler to be notified of incoming connection requests
324 ({\bf wxSOCKET\_CONNECTION} events), and stands there, waiting for clients
325 ({\it listening} in the socket parlance). For each accepted connection,
326 a new \helpref{wxSocketBase}{wxsocketbase} object is created. These
327 socket objects are independent from the server that created them, so
328 they set up their own event handler, and then request to be notified
329 of {\bf wxSOCKET\_INPUT} (incoming data) or {\bf wxSOCKET\_LOST}
330 (connection closed at the remote end) events. In the sample, the event
331 handler is the same for all connections; to find out which socket the
332 event is addressed to, the \helpref{GetSocket}{wxsocketeventgetsocket} function
333 is used.
334
335 Although it might take some time to get used to the event-oriented
336 system upon which wxSocket is built, the benefits are many. See, for
337 example, that the server application, while being single-threaded
338 (and of course without using fork() or ugly select() loops) can handle
339 an arbitrary number of connections.
340
341 The client starts up unconnected, so you can use the Connect... option
342 to specify the address of the server you are going to connect to (the
343 TCP port number is hard-coded as 3000). Once connected, a number of
344 tests are possible. Currently, three tests are implemented. They show
345 how to use the basic IO calls in \helpref{wxSocketBase}{wxsocketbase},
346 such as \helpref{Read}{wxsocketbaseread}, \helpref{Write}{wxsocketbasewrite},
347 \helpref{ReadMsg}{wxsocketbasereadmsg} and \helpref{WriteMsg}{wxsocketbasewritemsg},
348 and how to set up the correct IO flags depending on what you are going to
349 do. See the comments in the code for more information. Note that because
350 both clients and connection objects in the server set up an event handler
351 to catch {\bf wxSOCKET\_LOST} events, each one is immediately notified
352 if the other end closes the connection.
353
354 There is also an URL test which shows how to use
355 the \helpref{wxURL}{wxurl} class to fetch data from a given URL.
356
357 The sockets sample is work in progress. Some things to do:
358
359 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
360 \item More tests for basic socket functionality.
361 \item More tests for protocol classes (wxProtocol and its descendants).
362 \item Tests for the recently added (and still in alpha stage) datagram sockets.
363 \item New samples which actually do something useful (suggestions accepted).
364 \end{itemize}
365
366 \subsection{Statbar sample}\label{samplestatbar}
367
368 This sample shows how to create and use wxStatusBar. Although most of the
369 samples have a statusbar, they usually only create a default one and only
370 do it once.
371
372 Here you can see how to recreate the statusbar (with possibly different number
373 of fields) and how to use it to show icons/bitmaps and/or put arbitrary
374 controls into it.
375
376 \subsection{Text sample}\label{sampletext}
377
378 This sample demonstrates four features: firstly the use and many variants of
379 the \helpref{wxTextCtrl}{wxtextctrl} class (single line, multi line, read only,
380 password, ignoring TAB, ignoring ENTER).
381
382 Secondly it shows how to intercept a \helpref{wxKeyEvent}{wxkeyevent} in both
383 the raw form using the {\tt EVT\_KEY\_UP} and {\tt EVT\_KEY\_DOWN} macros and the
384 higher level from using the {\tt EVT\_CHAR} macro. All characters will be logged
385 in a log window at the bottom of the main window. By pressing some of the function
386 keys, you can test some actions in the text ctrl as well as get statistics on the
387 text ctrls, which is useful for testing if these stastitics actually are correct.
388
389 Thirdly, on platforms which support it, the sample will offer to copy text to the
390 \helpref{wxClipboard}{wxclipboard} and to paste text from it. The GTK version will
391 use the so called PRIMARY SELECTION, which is the pseudo clipboard under X and
392 best known from pasting text to the XTerm program.
393
394 Last not least: some of the text controls have tooltips and the sample also shows
395 how tooltips can be centrally disabled and their latency controlled.
396
397 \subsection{Thread sample}\label{samplethread}
398
399 This sample demonstrates the use of threads in connection with GUI programs.
400 There are two fundamentally different ways to use threads in GUI programs and
401 either way has to take care of the fact that the GUI library itself usually
402 is not multi-threading safe, i.e. that it might crash if two threads try to
403 access the GUI class simultaneously. One way to prevent that is have a normal
404 GUI program in the main thread and some worker threads which work in the
405 background. In order to make communication between the main thread and the
406 worker threads possible, wxWindows offers the \helpref{wxPostEvent}{wxpostevent}
407 function and this sample makes use of this function.
408
409 The other way to use a so called Mutex (such as those offered in the \helpref{wxMutex}{wxmutex}
410 class) that prevent threads from accessing the GUI classes as long as any other
411 thread accesses them. For this, wxWindows has the \helpref{wxMutexGuiEnter}{wxmutexguienter}
412 and \helpref{wxMutexGuiLeave}{wxmutexguileave} functions, both of which are
413 used and tested in the sample as well.
414
415 See also \helpref{Multithreading overview}{wxthreadoverview} and \helpref{wxThread}{wxthread}.
416
417 \subsection{Toolbar sample}\label{sampletoolbar}
418
419 The toolbar sample shows the \helpref{wxToolBar}{wxtoolbar} class in action.
420
421 The following things are demonstrated:
422
423 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
424 \item Creating the toolbar using \helpref{wxToolBar::AddTool}{wxtoolbaraddtool}
425 and \helpref{wxToolBar::AddControl}{wxtoolbaraddcontrol}: see
426 MyApp::InitToolbar in the sample.
427 \item Using {\tt EVT\_UPDATE\_UI} handler for automatically enabling/disabling
428 toolbar buttons without having to explicitly call EnableTool. This is done
429 in MyFrame::OnUpdateCopyAndCut.
430 \item Using \helpref{wxToolBar::DeleteTool}{wxtoolbardeletetool} and
431 \helpref{wxToolBar::InsertTool}{wxtoolbarinserttool} to dynamically update the
432 toolbar.
433 \end{itemize}
434
435 \subsection{Treectrl sample}\label{sampletreectrl}
436
437 This sample demonstrates using \helpref{wxTreeCtrl}{wxtreectrl} class. Here
438 you may see how to process various notification messages sent by this control
439 and also when they occur (by looking at the messages in the text control in
440 the bottom part of the frame).
441
442 Adding, inserting and deleting items and branches from the tree as well as
443 sorting (in default alphabetical order as well as in custom one) is
444 demonstrated here as well - try the corresponding menu entries.
445
446 \subsection{Wizard sample}\label{samplewizard}
447
448 This sample shows so-called wizard dialog (implemented using
449 \helpref{wxWizard}{wxwizard} and related classes). It shows almost all
450 features supported:
451
452 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
453 \item Using bitmaps with the wizard and changing them depending on the page
454 shown (notice that wxValidationPage in the sample has a different image from
455 the other ones)
456 \item Using \helpref{TransferDataFromWindow}{wxwindowtransferdatafromwindow}
457 to verify that the data entered is correct before passing to the next page
458 (done in wxValidationPage which forces the user to check a checkbox before
459 continuing).
460 \item Using more elaborated techniques to allow returning to the previous
461 page, but not continuing to the next one or vice versa (in wxRadioboxPage)
462 \item This (wxRadioboxPage) page also shows how the page may process {\tt
463 Cancel} button itself instead of relying on the wizard parent to do it.
464 \item Normally, the order of the pages in the wizard is known at compile-time,
465 but sometimes it depends on the user choices: wxCheckboxPage shows how to
466 dynamically decide which page to display next (see also
467 \helpref{wxWizardPage}{wxwizardpage})
468 \end{itemize}
469