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 (the former makes it possible to store all resources in since file and the latter
+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.
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
-wxWidgets. 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 wxWidgets 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.
\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}
\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{Glade}{http://wxglade.sf.net}, a GUI designer written in wxPython. At the moment it can generate Python, C++ and XRC;
-\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}
-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.in}.
+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.
\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
For example:
\begin{verbatim}
- % wxrc resource.wrc
- % wxrc resource.wrc -o resource.wrs
- % wxrc resource.wrc -v -c -o resource.cpp
+ % wxrc resource.xrc
+ % wxrc resource.xrc -o resource.xrs
+ % wxrc resource.xrc -v -c -o resource.cpp
\end{verbatim}
\wxheading{Note}
-XRS file is esentially a renamed ZIP archive which means that you can manipulate
+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 \helpref{wxFileSystem}{wxfilesystem} ZIP handler first! It is a simple
+to initialize the \helpref{wxFileSystem}{wxfilesystem} ZIP handler first! It is a simple
thing to do:
\begin{verbatim}
\subsection{Using embedded resources}\label{embeddedresource}
It is sometimes useful to embed resources in the executable itself instead
-of loading external file (e.g. when your app is small and consists only of one
+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.
a command line switch). Use it to load the resource:
\begin{verbatim}
- extern void InitXMLResource(); // defined in generated file
+ extern void InitXmlResource(); // defined in generated file
...
wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers();
InitXmlResource();
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 specifities (e.g. {\tt XRCCTRL}).
+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.
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
+though you must still use {\tt XRCID} to refer to widget IDs in the event
table.
Example: