+% Note: -e/C++ header generation documentation added by
+% Eduardo Marques <edrdo@netcabo.pt>
+%
\section{XML-based resource system overview}\label{xrcoverview}
Classes: \helpref{wxXmlResource}{wxxmlresource}, \helpref{wxXmlResourceHandler}{wxxmlresourcehandler}
-{\bf IMPORTANT NOTE:} XRC is not yet a part of the core wxWindows library, so
-please see the next section for how to compile and link it. Otherwise if you
-try to use it, you will get link errors.
-
The XML-based resource system, known as XRC, allows user interface elements such as
dialogs, menu bars and toolbars, to be stored in text files and loaded into
the application at run-time. XRC files can also be compiled into binary XRS files or C++
-code, so an XML parser does not need to be linked with the application and load times
-are faster.
+code (the former makes it possible to store all resources in a single file and the latter
+is useful when you want to embed the resources into the executable).
There are several advantages to using XRC resources.
\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
\item Recompiling and linking an application is not necessary if the
resources change.
-\item If you use a dialog designers that generates C++ code, it can be hard
+\item If you use a dialog designer that generates C++ code, it can be hard
to reintegrate this into existing C++ code. Separation of resources and code
is a more elegant solution.
\item You can choose between different alternative resource files at run time, if necessary.
\item The XRC format uses sizers for flexibility, allowing dialogs to be resizable
and highly portable.
-\item The XRC format is a wxWindows standard,
+\item The XRC format is a wxWidgets standard,
and can be generated or postprocessed by any program that understands it. As it is based
on the XML standard, existing XML editors can be used for simple editing purposes.
\end{itemize}
XRC was written by Vaclav Slavik.
-\subsection{Compiling and using XRC}\label{compilingxrc}
-
-XRC can be found under the 'contrib' hierarchy, in the following directories:
-
-\begin{verbatim}
- contrib/src/xrc ; XRC source
- contrib/include/wx/xrc ; XRC headers
- contrib/samples/xrc ; XRC sample
- contrib/utils/wxrc ; XRC resource compiler
- contrib/utils/wxrcedit ; XRC editor (in progress)
-\end{verbatim}
-
-To compile XRC:
-
-\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
-\item Under Windows using VC++, open the contrib/src/xrc/XrcVC.dsw project
-and compile. Also compile contrib/utils/wxrc using wxBase if you wish to compile
-resource files.
-\item Under Unix, XRC should be configured when you configured
-wxWindows. Make XRC by changing directory to contrib/src/xrc and
-type 'make'. Similarly compile contrib/utils/wxrc using wxBase if you wish to compile
-resource files. {\bf Note:} there is currently a
-problem with the wxWindows build system that means that
-only the static version of library can be built at present.
-\end{itemize}
-
-To use XRC:
-
-\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
-\item Under Windows using VC++, link with wxxrc[d].lib.
-\item Under Unix, link with libwxxrc[d].a.
-\end{itemize}
-
\subsection{XRC concepts}\label{xrcconcepts}
These are the typical steps for using XRC files in your application.
\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
\item Include the appropriate headers: normally "wx/xrc/xmlres.h" will suffice;
+\item If you are going to use \helpref{XRS files}{binaryresourcefiles}, install
+wxFileSystem ZIP handler first with {\tt wxFileSystem::AddHandler(new wxZipFSHandler);}
\item call {\tt wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers()} from your wxApp::OnInit function,
and then call {\tt wxXmlResource::Get()->Load("myfile.xrc")} to load the resource file;
\item to create a dialog from a resource, create it using the default constructor, and then
-load using for example {\tt wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(\&dlg, this, "dlg1");}
+load it using for example {\tt wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadDialog(\&dlg, this, "dlg1");}
\item set up event tables as usual but use the {\tt XRCID(str)} macro to translate from XRC string names
to a suitable integer identifier, for example {\tt EVT\_MENU(XRCID("quit"), MyFrame::OnQuit)}.
\end{itemize}
-To create an XRC file, use one of the following methods.
+To create an XRC file, you can use one of the following methods.
\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
\item Create the file by hand;
\item use \urlref{wxDesigner}{http://www.roebling.de}, a commercial dialog designer/RAD tool;
-\item use \urlref{XRCed}{http://www.mema.ucl.ac.be/~rolinsky/xrced/}, a wxPython-based
-dialog editor that you can find in the {\tt wxPython/tools} subdirectory of the wxWindows
+\item use \urlref{DialogBlocks}{http://www.anthemion.co.uk/dialogblocks}, a commercial dialog editor;
+\item use \urlref{XRCed}{http://xrced.sf.net}, a wxPython-based
+dialog editor that you can find in the {\tt wxPython/tools} subdirectory of the wxWidgets
CVS archive;
-\item use \urlref{wxWorkshop}{http://wxworkshop.sourceforge.net} (under development);
-\item use wxrcedit ({\tt utils/contrib/wxrcedit}) (under development);
+\item use \urlref{wxGlade}{http://wxglade.sf.net}, a GUI designer written in wxPython. At the moment it can generate Python, C++ and XRC;
\item convert WIN32 RC files to XRC with the tool in {\tt contrib/utils/convertrc}.
\end{itemize}
-It is highly recommended that you use a tool such as wxDesigner, since it's fiddly writing
+A complete list of third-party tools that write to XRC can be found at \urlref{www.wxwidgets.org/lnk\_tool.htm}{http://www.wxwidgets.org/lnk\_tool.htm}.
+
+It is highly recommended that you use a resource editing tool, since it's fiddly writing
XRC files by hand.
You can use \helpref{wxXmlResource::Load}{wxxmlresourceload} in a number of ways.
-You can pass an XRC file (XML-based text resource file), an XMB file (compiled binary file)
-or a zip-compressed file (extension ZIP or RSC) containing other XRC or XMB files.
+You can pass an XRC file (XML-based text resource file)
+or a \helpref{zip-compressed file}{binaryresourcefiles} (extension ZIP or XRS) containing other XRC.
-TODO: is the compiled binary format XMB or XRS? How do you handle a C++ resource file?
+You can also use \helpref{embedded C++ resources}{embeddedresource}
\subsection{Using binary resource files}\label{binaryresourcefiles}
-To compile binary resource files, use the command-line wxrc utility. It takes a single file parameter (the
-input XRC file) and the following switches and options.
-
+To compile binary resource files, use the command-line wxrc utility. It takes one or more file parameters
+(the input XRC files) and the following switches and options:
\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt
\item -h (--help): show a help message
\item -v (--verbose): show verbose logging information
-\item -c (--cpp-code): write C++ source rather than a RSC file
+\item -c (--cpp-code): write C++ source rather than a XRS file
+\item -e (--extra-cpp-code): if used together with -c, generates C++ header file
+containing class definitions for the windows defined by the XRC file (see special subsection)
\item -u (--uncompressed): do not compress XML files (C++ only)
-\item -g (--gettext): output .po catalog (to stdout, or a file if -o is used)
+\item -g (--gettext): output underscore-wrapped strings that poEdit or gettext can scan. Outputs to stdout, or a file if -o is used
\item -n (--function) <name>: specify C++ function name (use with -c)
\item -o (--output) <filename>: specify the output file, such as resource.xrs or resource.cpp
\item -l (--list-of-handlers) <filename>: output a list of necessary handlers to this file
\end{itemize}
For example:
+\begin{verbatim}
+ % wxrc resource.xrc
+ % wxrc resource.xrc -o resource.xrs
+ % wxrc resource.xrc -v -c -o resource.cpp
+\end{verbatim}
+
+\wxheading{Note}
+
+XRS file is essentially a renamed ZIP archive which means that you can manipulate
+it with standard ZIP tools. Note that if you are using XRS files, you have
+to initialize the \helpref{wxFileSystem}{wxfilesystem} ZIP handler first! It is a simple
+thing to do:
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+ #include <wx/filesys.h>
+ #include <wx/fs_zip.h>
+ ...
+ wxFileSystem::AddHandler(new wxZipFSHandler);
+\end{verbatim}
+
+\subsection{Using embedded resources}\label{embeddedresource}
+
+It is sometimes useful to embed resources in the executable itself instead
+of loading an external file (e.g. when your app is small and consists only of one
+exe file). XRC provides means to convert resources into regular C++ file that
+can be compiled and included in the executable.
+
+Use the {\tt -c} switch to
+{\tt wxrc} utility to produce C++ file with embedded resources. This file will
+contain a function called {\it InitXmlResource} (unless you override this with
+a command line switch). Use it to load the resource:
\begin{verbatim}
- % wxrc resource.wrc
- % wxrc resource.wrc -o resource.wrs
- % wxrc resource.wrc -v -c -o resource.cpp
+ extern void InitXmlResource(); // defined in generated file
+ ...
+ wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers();
+ InitXmlResource();
+ ...
\end{verbatim}
\subsection{XRC C++ sample}\label{xrccppsample}
void OnDlg2(wxCommandEvent& event);
private:
- // any class wishing to process wxWindows events must use this macro
+ // any class wishing to process wxWidgets events must use this macro
DECLARE_EVENT_TABLE()
};
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// event tables and other macros for wxWindows
+// event tables and other macros for wxWidgets
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEGIN_EVENT_TABLE(MyFrame, wxFrame)
MyFrame *frame = new MyFrame("XML resources demo",
wxPoint(50, 50), wxSize(450, 340));
- frame->Show(TRUE);
- return TRUE;
+ frame->Show(true);
+ return true;
}
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// event handlers
void MyFrame::OnQuit(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
{
- // TRUE is to force the frame to close
- Close(TRUE);
+ // true is to force the frame to close
+ Close(true);
}
void MyFrame::OnAbout(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
\subsection{XRC file format}\label{xrcfileformat}
-Please see Technical Note 14 (docs/tech/tn0014.txt) in your wxWindows
+Please see Technical Note 14 (docs/tech/tn0014.txt) in your wxWidgets
distribution.
+\subsection{C++ header file generation}\label{xrccppheader}
+
+Using the {\tt -e} switch together with {\tt -c}, a C++ header file is written
+containing class definitions for the GUI windows defined in the XRC file.
+This code generation can make it easier to use XRC and automate program
+development.
+The classes can be used as basis for development, freeing the
+programmer from dealing with most of the XRC specifics (e.g. {\tt XRCCTRL}).
+
+For each top level window defined in the XRC file a C++ class definition is
+generated, containing as class members the named widgets of the window.
+A default constructor for each class is also generated. Inside the constructor
+all XRC loading is done and all class members representing widgets are initialized.
+
+A simple example will help understand how the scheme works. Suppose you have
+a XRC file defining a top level window {\tt TestWnd\_Base}, which subclasses {\tt wxFrame} (any
+other class like {\tt wxDialog} will do also), and has subwidgets {\tt wxTextCtrl} A and {\tt wxButton} B.
+The XRC file and corresponding class definition in the header file will be something like:
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<resource version="2.3.0.1">
+ <object class="wxFrame" name="TestWnd_Base">
+ <size>-1,-1</size>
+ <title>Test</title>
+ <object class="wxBoxSizer">
+ <orient>wxHORIZONTAL</orient>
+ <object class="sizeritem">
+ <object class="wxTextCtrl" name="A">
+ <label>Test label</label>
+ </object>
+ </object>
+ <object class="sizeritem">
+ <object class="wxButton" name="B">
+ <label>Test button</label>
+ </object>
+ </object>
+ </object>
+ </object>
+</resource>
+
+
+class TestWnd_Base : public wxFrame {
+protected:
+ wxTextCtrl* A;
+ wxButton* B;
+
+private:
+ void InitWidgetsFromXRC(){
+ wxXmlResource::Get()->LoadObject(this,NULL,"TestWnd","wxFrame");
+ A = XRCCTRL(*this,"A",wxTextCtrl);
+ B = XRCCTRL(*this,"B",wxButton);
+ }
+public:
+TestWnd::TestWnd(){
+ InitWidgetsFromXRC();
+ }
+};
+\end{verbatim}
+
+The generated window class can be used as basis for the full window class. The
+class members which represent widgets may be accessed by name instead of using
+{\tt XRCCTRL} every time you wish to reference them (note that they are {\tt protected} class members),
+though you must still use {\tt XRCID} to refer to widget IDs in the event
+table.
+
+Example:
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+#include "resource.h"
+
+class TestWnd : public TestWnd_Base {
+ public:
+ TestWnd(){
+ // A, B already initialised at this point
+ A->SetValue("Updated in TestWnd::TestWnd");
+ B->SetValue("Nice :)");
+ }
+ void OnBPressed(wxEvent& event){
+ Close();
+ }
+ DECLARE_EVENT_TABLE();
+};
+
+BEGIN_EVENT_TABLE(TestWnd,TestWnd_Base)
+EVT_BUTTON(XRCID("B"),TestWnd::OnBPressed)
+END_EVENT_TABLE()
+
+\end{verbatim}
+
\subsection{Adding new resource handlers}\label{newresourcehandlers}
Coming soon.
projects / wxWidgets.git / blobdiff