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 (the former makes it possible to store all resources in since file and the latter
  13 is useful when you want to embed the resources into the executable).
  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 If you are going to use \helpref{XRS files}{binaryresourcefiles}, install
  73 wxFileSystem ZIP handler first with {\tt wxFileSystem::AddHandler(new wxZipFSHandler);}
  74 \item call {\tt wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers()} from your wxApp::OnInit function,
  75 and then call {\tt wxXmlResource::Get()->Load("myfile.xrc")} to load the resource file;
  76 \item to create a dialog from a resource, create it using the default constructor, and then
  77 load using for example {\tt wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(\&dlg, this, "dlg1");}
  78 \item set up event tables as usual but use the {\tt XRCID(str)} macro to translate from XRC string names
  79 to a suitable integer identifier, for example {\tt EVT\_MENU(XRCID("quit"), MyFrame::OnQuit)}.
  80 \end{itemize}
  81
  82 To create an XRC file, you can use one of the following methods.
  83
  84 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
  85 \item Create the file by hand;
  86 \item use \urlref{wxDesigner}{http://www.roebling.de}, a commercial dialog designer/RAD tool;
  87 \item use \urlref{DialogBlocks}{http://www.anthemion.co.uk/dialogblocks}, a commercial dialog editor;
  88 \item use \urlref{XRCed}{http://xrced.sf.net}, a wxPython-based
  89 dialog editor that you can find in the {\tt wxPython/tools} subdirectory of the wxWindows
  90 CVS archive;
  91 \item use \urlref{Glade}{http://wxglade.sf.net}, a GUI designer written in wxPython. At the moment it can generate Python, C++ and XRC;
  92 \item use wxrcedit ({\tt utils/contrib/wxrcedit}) (under development);
  93 \item convert WIN32 RC files to XRC with the tool in {\tt contrib/utils/convertrc}.
  94 \end{itemize}
  95
  96 A complete list of third-party tools that write to XRC can be found at \urlref{www.wxwindows.org/lnk\_tool.htm}{http://www.wxwindows.org/lnk\_tool.in}.
  97
  98 It is highly recommended that you use a resource editing tool, since it's fiddly writing
  99 XRC files by hand.
 100
 101 You can use \helpref{wxXmlResource::Load}{wxxmlresourceload} in a number of ways.
 102 You can pass an XRC file (XML-based text resource file)
 103 or a \helpref{zip-compressed file}{binaryresourcefiles} (extension ZIP or XRS) containing other XRC.
 104
 105 You can also use \helpref{embedded C++ resources}{embeddedresource}
 106
 107 \subsection{Using binary resource files}\label{binaryresourcefiles}
 108
 109 To compile binary resource files, use the command-line wxrc utility. It takes one or more file parameters
 110 (the input XRC files) and the following switches and options:
 111 \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
 112 \item -h (--help): show a help message
 113 \item -v (--verbose): show verbose logging information
 114 \item -c (--cpp-code): write C++ source rather than a XRS file
 115 \item -u (--uncompressed): do not compress XML files (C++ only)
 116 \item -g (--gettext): output .po catalog (to stdout, or a file if -o is used)
 117 \item -n (--function) <name>: specify C++ function name (use with -c)
 118 \item -o (--output) <filename>: specify the output file, such as resource.xrs or resource.cpp
 119 \item -l (--list-of-handlers) <filename>: output a list of necessary handlers to this file
 120 \end{itemize}
 121
 122 For example:
 123 \begin{verbatim}
 124   % wxrc resource.wrc
 125   % wxrc resource.wrc -o resource.wrs
 126   % wxrc resource.wrc -v -c -o resource.cpp
 127 \end{verbatim}
 128
 129 \wxheading{Note}
 130
 131 XRS file is esentially a renamed ZIP archive which means that you can manipulate
 132 it with standard ZIP tools. Note that if you are using XRS files, you have
 133 to initialize \helpref{wxFileSystem}{wxfilesystem} ZIP handler first! It is a simple
 134 thing to do:
 135 \begin{verbatim}
 136   #include <wx/filesys.h>
 137   #include <wx/fs_zip.h>
 138   ...
 139   wxFileSystem::AddHandler(new wxZipFSHandler);
 140 \end{verbatim}
 141
 142 \subsection{Using embedded resources}\label{embeddedresource}
 143
 144 It is sometimes useful to embed resources in the executable itself instead
 145 of loading external file (e.g. when your app is small and consists only of one
 146 exe file). XRC provides means to convert resources into regular C++ file that
 147 can be compiled and included in the executable.
 148
 149 Use the {\tt -c} switch to
 150 {\tt wxrc} utility to produce C++ file with embedded resources. This file will
 151 contain a function called {\it InitXmlResource} (unless you override this with
 152 a command line switch). Use it to load the resource:
 153 \begin{verbatim}
 154   extern void InitXMLResource(); // defined in generated file
 155   ...
 156   wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers();
 157   InitXmlResource();
 158   ...
 159 \end{verbatim}
 160
 161 \subsection{XRC C++ sample}\label{xrccppsample}
 162
 163 This is the C++ source file (xrcdemo.cpp) for the XRC sample.
 164
 165 \begin{verbatim}
 166 #include "wx/wx.h"
 167 #include "wx/image.h"
 168 #include "wx/xrc/xmlres.h"
 169
 170 // the application icon
 171 #if defined(__WXGTK__) || defined(__WXMOTIF__) || defined(__WXMAC__)
 172     #include "rc/appicon.xpm"
 173 #endif
 174
 175 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 176 // private classes
 177 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 178
 179 // Define a new application type, each program should derive a class from wxApp
 180 class MyApp : public wxApp
 181 {
 182 public:
 183     // override base class virtuals
 184     // ----------------------------
 185
 186     // this one is called on application startup and is a good place for the app
 187     // initialization (doing it here and not in the ctor allows to have an error
 188     // return: if OnInit() returns false, the application terminates)
 189     virtual bool OnInit();
 190 };
 191
 192 // Define a new frame type: this is going to be our main frame
 193 class MyFrame : public wxFrame
 194 {
 195 public:
 196     // ctor(s)
 197     MyFrame(const wxString& title, const wxPoint& pos, const wxSize& size);
 198
 199     // event handlers (these functions should _not_ be virtual)
 200     void OnQuit(wxCommandEvent& event);
 201     void OnAbout(wxCommandEvent& event);
 202     void OnDlg1(wxCommandEvent& event);
 203     void OnDlg2(wxCommandEvent& event);
 204
 205 private:
 206     // any class wishing to process wxWindows events must use this macro
 207     DECLARE_EVENT_TABLE()
 208 };
 209
 210 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 211 // event tables and other macros for wxWindows
 212 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 213
 214 BEGIN_EVENT_TABLE(MyFrame, wxFrame)
 215     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_quit"),  MyFrame::OnQuit)
 216     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_about"), MyFrame::OnAbout)
 217     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_dlg1"), MyFrame::OnDlg1)
 218     EVT_MENU(XRCID("menu_dlg2"), MyFrame::OnDlg2)
 219 END_EVENT_TABLE()
 220
 221 IMPLEMENT_APP(MyApp)
 222
 223 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 224 // the application class
 225 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 226
 227 // 'Main program' equivalent: the program execution "starts" here
 228 bool MyApp::OnInit()
 229 {
 230     wxImage::AddHandler(new wxGIFHandler);
 231     wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers();
 232     wxXmlResource::Get()->Load("rc/resource.xrc");
 233
 234     MyFrame *frame = new MyFrame("XML resources demo",
 235                                  wxPoint(50, 50), wxSize(450, 340));
 236     frame->Show(true);
 237     return true;
 238 }
 239
 240 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 241 // main frame
 242 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 243
 244 // frame constructor
 245 MyFrame::MyFrame(const wxString& title, const wxPoint& pos, const wxSize& size)
 246        : wxFrame((wxFrame *)NULL, -1, title, pos, size)
 247 {
 248     SetIcon(wxICON(appicon));
 249
 250     SetMenuBar(wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadMenuBar("mainmenu"));
 251     SetToolBar(wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadToolBar(this, "toolbar"));
 252 }
 253
 254 // event handlers
 255 void MyFrame::OnQuit(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 256 {
 257     // true is to force the frame to close
 258     Close(true);
 259 }
 260
 261 void MyFrame::OnAbout(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 262 {
 263     wxString msg;
 264     msg.Printf( _T("This is the about dialog of XML resources demo.\n")
 265                 _T("Welcome to %s"), wxVERSION_STRING);
 266
 267     wxMessageBox(msg, "About XML resources demo", wxOK | wxICON_INFORMATION, this);
 268 }
 269
 270 void MyFrame::OnDlg1(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 271 {
 272     wxDialog dlg;
 273     wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(&dlg, this, "dlg1");
 274     dlg.ShowModal();
 275 }
 276
 277 void MyFrame::OnDlg2(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 278 {
 279     wxDialog dlg;
 280     wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(&dlg, this, "dlg2");
 281     dlg.ShowModal();
 282 }
 283 \end{verbatim}
 284
 285 \subsection{XRC resource file sample}\label{xrcsample}
 286
 287 This is the XML file (resource.xrc) for the XRC sample.
 288
 289 \begin{verbatim}
 290 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 291 <resource version="2.3.0.1">
 292   <object class="wxMenuBar" name="mainmenu">
 293     <style>wxMB_DOCKABLE</style>
 294     <object class="wxMenu" name="menu_file">
 295       <label>_File</label>
 296       <style>wxMENU_TEAROFF</style>
 297       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_about">
 298         <label>_About...</label>
 299         <bitmap>filesave.gif</bitmap>
 300       </object>
 301       <object class="separator"/>
 302       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_dlg1">
 303         <label>Dialog 1</label>
 304       </object>
 305       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_dlg2">
 306         <label>Dialog 2</label>
 307       </object>
 308       <object class="separator"/>
 309       <object class="wxMenuItem" name="menu_quit">
 310         <label>E_xit\tAlt-X</label>
 311       </object>
 312     </object>
 313   </object>
 314   <object class="wxToolBar" name="toolbar">
 315     <style>wxTB_FLAT|wxTB_DOCKABLE</style>
 316     <margins>2,2</margins>
 317     <object class="tool" name="menu_open">
 318       <bitmap>fileopen.gif</bitmap>
 319       <tooltip>Open catalog</tooltip>
 320     </object>
 321     <object class="tool" name="menu_save">
 322       <bitmap>filesave.gif</bitmap>
 323       <tooltip>Save catalog</tooltip>
 324     </object>
 325     <object class="tool" name="menu_update">
 326       <bitmap>update.gif</bitmap>
 327       <tooltip>Update catalog - synchronize it with sources</tooltip>
 328     </object>
 329     <separator/>
 330     <object class="tool" name="menu_quotes">
 331       <bitmap>quotes.gif</bitmap>
 332       <toggle>1</toggle>
 333       <tooltip>Display quotes around the string?</tooltip>
 334     </object>
 335     <object class="separator"/>
 336     <object class="tool" name="menu_fuzzy">
 337       <bitmap>fuzzy.gif</bitmap>
 338       <tooltip>Toggled if selected string is fuzzy translation</tooltip>
 339       <toggle>1</toggle>
 340     </object>
 341   </object>
 342   <object class="wxDialog" name="dlg1">
 343     <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 344       <object class="sizeritem">
 345         <object class="wxBitmapButton">
 346           <bitmap>fuzzy.gif</bitmap>
 347           <focus>fileopen.gif</focus>
 348         </object>
 349       </object>
 350       <object class="sizeritem">
 351         <object class="wxPanel">
 352           <object class="wxStaticText">
 353             <label>fdgdfgdfgdfg</label>
 354           </object>
 355           <style>wxSUNKEN_BORDER</style>
 356         </object>
 357         <flag>wxALIGN_CENTER</flag>
 358       </object>
 359       <object class="sizeritem">
 360         <object class="wxButton">
 361           <label>Buttonek</label>
 362         </object>
 363         <border>10d</border>
 364         <flag>wxALL</flag>
 365       </object>
 366       <object class="sizeritem">
 367         <object class="wxHtmlWindow">
 368           <htmlcode>&lt;h1&gt;Hi,&lt;/h1&gt;man</htmlcode>
 369           <size>100,45d</size>
 370         </object>
 371       </object>
 372       <object class="sizeritem">
 373         <object class="wxNotebook">
 374           <object class="notebookpage">
 375             <object class="wxPanel">
 376               <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 377                 <object class="sizeritem">
 378                   <object class="wxHtmlWindow">
 379                     <htmlcode>Hello, we are inside a &lt;u&gt;NOTEBOOK&lt;/u&gt;...</htmlcode>
 380                     <size>50,50d</size>
 381                   </object>
 382                   <option>1</option>
 383                 </object>
 384               </object>
 385             </object>
 386             <label>Page</label>
 387           </object>
 388           <object class="notebookpage">
 389             <object class="wxPanel">
 390               <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 391                 <object class="sizeritem">
 392                   <object class="wxHtmlWindow">
 393                     <htmlcode>Hello, we are inside a &lt;u&gt;NOTEBOOK&lt;/u&gt;...</htmlcode>
 394                     <size>50,50d</size>
 395                   </object>
 396                 </object>
 397               </object>
 398             </object>
 399             <label>Page 2</label>
 400           </object>
 401           <usenotebooksizer>1</usenotebooksizer>
 402         </object>
 403         <flag>wxEXPAND</flag>
 404       </object>
 405       <orient>wxVERTICAL</orient>
 406     </object>
 407   </object>
 408   <object class="wxDialog" name="dlg2">
 409     <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 410       <orient>wxVERTICAL</orient>
 411       <object class="sizeritem" name="dfgdfg">
 412         <object class="wxTextCtrl">
 413           <size>200,200d</size>
 414           <style>wxTE_MULTILINE|wxSUNKEN_BORDER</style>
 415           <value>Hello, this is an ordinary multiline\n         textctrl....</value>
 416         </object>
 417         <option>1</option>
 418         <flag>wxEXPAND|wxALL</flag>
 419         <border>10</border>
 420       </object>
 421       <object class="sizeritem">
 422         <object class="wxBoxSizer">
 423           <object class="sizeritem">
 424             <object class="wxButton" name="wxID_OK">
 425               <label>Ok</label>
 426               <default>1</default>
 427             </object>
 428           </object>
 429           <object class="sizeritem">
 430             <object class="wxButton" name="wxID_CANCEL">
 431               <label>Cancel</label>
 432             </object>
 433             <border>10</border>
 434             <flag>wxLEFT</flag>
 435           </object>
 436         </object>
 437         <flag>wxLEFT|wxRIGHT|wxBOTTOM|wxALIGN_RIGHT</flag>
 438         <border>10</border>
 439       </object>
 440     </object>
 441     <title>Second testing dialog</title>
 442   </object>
 443 </resource>
 444 \end{verbatim}
 445
 446 \subsection{XRC file format}\label{xrcfileformat}
 447
 448 Please see Technical Note 14 (docs/tech/tn0014.txt) in your wxWindows
 449 distribution.
 450
 451 \subsection{Adding new resource handlers}\label{newresourcehandlers}
 452
 453 Coming soon.
 454