ugh. Nesting the (per class) plugin sentries can require them to

[wxWidgets.git] / docs / latex / wx / tevent.tex

diff --git a/docs/latex/wx/tevent.tex b/docs/latex/wx/tevent.tex
index 363f403a7061f874ef69be6d27b03079a9264524..ed4760d0fcdc1b87747d0a5aa0e293898d1d8159 100644 (file)
--- a/docs/latex/wx/tevent.tex
+++ b/docs/latex/wx/tevent.tex
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ From wxWindows 2.0, {\it event tables} are used instead, with a few exceptions.
 
 An event table is placed in an implementation file to tell wxWindows how to map
 events to member functions. These member functions are not virtual functions, but
 
 An event table is placed in an implementation file to tell wxWindows how to map
 events to member functions. These member functions are not virtual functions, but

-they all similar in form: they take a single wxEvent-derived argument, and have a void return
+they are all similar in form: they take a single wxEvent-derived argument, and have a void return

 type.
 
 Here's an example of an event table.
 type.
 
 Here's an example of an event table.


@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ work, because event tables are searched up through the hierarchy of windows. In
 case, the button's event table will be searched, then the parent panel's, then the frame's.
 
 As mentioned before, the member functions that handle events do not have to be virtual.
 case, the button's event table will be searched, then the parent panel's, then the frame's.
 
 As mentioned before, the member functions that handle events do not have to be virtual.

+Indeed, the member functions should not be virtual as the event handler ignores that
+the functions are virtual, i.e. overriding a virtual member function in a derived class
+will not have any effect.

 These member functions take an event argument, and the class of event differs according
 to the type of event and the class of the originating window. For size
 events, \helpref{wxSizeEvent}{wxsizeevent} is used. For menu commands and most control
 These member functions take an event argument, and the class of event differs according
 to the type of event and the class of the originating window. For size
 events, \helpref{wxSizeEvent}{wxsizeevent} is used. For menu commands and most control


@@ -67,8 +70,51 @@ protected:
 
 \subsection{How events are processed}\label{eventprocessing}
 
 
 \subsection{How events are processed}\label{eventprocessing}
 

-When an event is received from the windowing system, wxWindows calls \helpref{wxEvtHandler::ProcessEvent}{wxevthandlerprocessevent} on
-the first event handler object belonging to the window generating the event.
+When an event is received from the windowing system, wxWindows calls 
+\helpref{wxEvtHandler::ProcessEvent}{wxevthandlerprocessevent} on the first
+event handler object belonging to the window generating the event.
+
+It may be noted that wxWindows' event processing system implements something
+very close to virtual methods in normal C++, i.e. it is possible to alter
+the behaviour of a class by overriding its event handling functions. In
+many cases this works even for changing the behaviour of native controls.
+For example it is possible to filter out a number of key events sent by the
+system to a native text control by overriding wxTextCtrl and defining a
+handler for key events using EVT\_KEY\_DOWN. This would indeed prevent
+any key events from being sent to the native control - which might not be
+what is desired. In this case the event handler function has to call Skip()
+so as to indicate that the search for the event handler should continue.
+
+To summarize, instead of explicitly calling the base class version as you
+would have done with C++ virtual functions (i.e. {\it wxTextCtrl::OnChar()}),
+you should instead call \helpref{Skip}{wxeventskip}.
+
+In practice, this would look like this if the derived text control only
+accepts 'a' to 'z' and 'A' to 'Z':
+
+{\small%
+\begin{verbatim}
+void MyTextCtrl::OnChar(wxKeyEvent& event)
+{
+    if ( isalpha( event.KeyCode() ) )
+    {
+       // key code is within legal range. we call event.Skip() so the
+       // event can be processed either in the base wxWindows class
+       // or the native control.
+
+       event.Skip();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+       // illegal key hit. we don't call event.Skip() so the
+       // event is not processed anywhere else.
+
+       wxBell();
+    }
+}
+\end{verbatim}
+}%
+

 
 The normal order of event table searching by ProcessEvent is as follows:
 
 
 The normal order of event table searching by ProcessEvent is as follows:
 


@@ -87,9 +133,91 @@ recursively applied to the parent window's event handler. If this returns TRUE,
 \item Finally, {\bf ProcessEvent} is called on the wxApp object.
 \end{enumerate}
 
 \item Finally, {\bf ProcessEvent} is called on the wxApp object.
 \end{enumerate}
 

+{\bf Pay close attention to Step 5.}  People often overlook or get
+confused by this powerful feature of the wxWindows event processing
+system.  To put it a different way, events derived either directly or
+indirectly from wxCommandEvent will travel up the containment
+hierarchy from child to parent until an event handler is found that
+doesn't call event.Skip().  Events not derived from wxCommandEvent are
+sent only to the window they occurred in and then stop.
+
+Finally, there is another additional complication (which, in fact, simplifies
+life of wxWindows programmers significantly): when propagating the command
+events upwards to the parent window, the event propagation stops when it
+reaches the parent dialog, if any. This means that you don't risk to get
+unexpected events from the dialog controls (which might be left unprocessed by
+the dialog itself because it doesn't care about them) when a modal dialog is
+popped up. The events do propagate beyond the frames, however. The rationale
+for this choice is that there are only a few frames in a typical application
+and their parent-child relation are well understood by the programmer while it
+may be very difficult, if not impossible, to track down all the dialogs which
+may be popped up in a complex program (remember that some are created
+automatically by wxWindows). If you need to specify a different behaviour for
+some reason, you can use 
+\helpref{SetExtraStyle(wxWS\_EX\_BLOCK\_EVENTS)}{wxwindowsetextrastyle} 
+explicitly to prevent the events from being propagated beyond the given window
+or unset this flag for the dialogs which have it on by default.
+
+Typically events that deal with a window as a window (size, motion,
+paint, mouse, keyboard, etc.) are sent only to the window.  Events
+that have a higher level of meaning and/or are generated by the window
+itself, (button click, menu select, tree expand, etc.) are command
+events and are sent up to the parent to see if it is interested in the
+event.
+

 Note that your application may wish to override ProcessEvent to redirect processing of
 events. This is done in the document/view framework, for example, to allow event handlers
 Note that your application may wish to override ProcessEvent to redirect processing of
 events. This is done in the document/view framework, for example, to allow event handlers

-to be defined in the document or view.
+to be defined in the document or view. To test for command events (which will probably
+be the only events you wish to redirect), you may use wxEvent::IsCommandEvent for
+efficiency, instead of using the slower run-time type system.
+
+As mentioned above, only command events are recursively applied to the parents event
+handler. As this quite often causes confusion for users, here is a list of system
+events which will NOT get sent to the parent's event handler:
+
+\begin{twocollist}\itemsep=0pt
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxEvent}{wxevent}}{The event base class}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxActivateEvent}{wxactivateevent}}{A window or application activation event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxCloseEvent}{wxcloseevent}}{A close window or end session event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxEraseEvent}{wxeraseevent}}{An erase background event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxFocusEvent}{wxfocusevent}}{A window focus event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxKeyEvent}{wxkeyevent}}{A keypress event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxIdleEvent}{wxidleevent}}{An idle event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxInitDialogEvent}{wxinitdialogevent}}{A dialog initialisation event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxJoystickEvent}{wxjoystickevent}}{A joystick event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxMenuEvent}{wxmenuevent}}{A menu event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxMouseEvent}{wxmouseevent}}{A mouse event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxMoveEvent}{wxmoveevent}}{A move event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxPaintEvent}{wxpaintevent}}{A paint event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxQueryLayoutInfoEvent}{wxquerylayoutinfoevent}}{Used to query layout information}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxSizeEvent}{wxsizeevent}}{A size event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxScrollWinEvent}{wxscrollwinevent}}{A scroll event sent by a scrolled window (not a scroll bar)}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxSysColourChangedEvent}{wxsyscolourchangedevent}}{A system colour change event}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxUpdateUIEvent}{wxupdateuievent}}{A user interface update event}
+\end{twocollist}
+
+In some cases, it might be desired by the programmer to get a certain number
+of system events in a parent window, for example all key events sent to, but not
+used by, the native controls in a dialog. In this case, a special event handler
+will have to be written that will override ProcessEvent() in order to pass
+all events (or any selection of them) to the parent window.
+
+% VZ: it doesn't work like this, but just in case we ever reenable this
+%     behaviour, I leave it here
+%
+% \subsection{Redirection of command events to the window with the focus}
+% 
+% The usual upward search through the window hierarchy for command event
+% handlers does not always meet an application's requirements. Say you have two
+% wxTextCtrl windows in a frame, plus a toolbar with Cut, Copy and Paste
+% buttons. To avoid the need to define event handlers in the frame
+% and redirect them explicitly to the window with the focus, command events
+% are sent to the window with the focus first, for
+% menu and toolbar command and UI update events only. This means that
+% each window can handle its own commands and UI updates independently. In
+% fact wxTextCtrl can handle Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo and Redo commands and UI update
+% requests, so no extra coding is required to support them in your menus and
+% toolbars.

 
 \subsection{Pluggable event handlers}
 
 
 \subsection{Pluggable event handlers}
 


@@ -119,31 +247,87 @@ the original event handler. Use PushEventHandler/PopEventHandler
 to form a chain of event handlers, where each handler processes a different
 range of events independently from the other handlers.
 
 to form a chain of event handlers, where each handler processes a different
 range of events independently from the other handlers.
 

-\subsection{Event macros summary}\label{eventmacros}
+\subsection{Window identifiers}\label{windowids}

 
 

-\wxheading{Specifying an event table}
+\index{identifiers}\index{wxID}Window identifiers are integers, and are used to uniquely determine window identity in the
+event system (though you can use it for other purposes). In fact, identifiers do not need
+to be unique across your entire application just so long as they are unique within a particular context you're interested
+in, such as a frame and its children. You may use the wxID\_OK identifier, for example, on
+any number of dialogs so long as you don't have several within the same dialog.

 
 

-\twocolwidtha{8cm}%
-\begin{twocollist}\itemsep=0pt
-\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_CUSTOM(eventId, id, func)}}{Allows you to add a custom event table
-entry by specifying the event identifier (such as wxEVT\_SIZE), the window identifier,
-and a member function to call.}
-\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_CUSTOM\_RANGE(eventId, id1, id2, func)}}{The same as EVT\_CUSTOM,
-but responds to a range of window identifiers.}
-\end{twocollist}
+If you pass -1 to a window constructor, an identifier will be generated for you, but beware:
+if things don't respond in the way they should, it could be because of an id conflict. It is safer
+to supply window ids at all times. Automatic generation of identifiers starts at 1 so may well conflict
+with your own identifiers.
+
+The following standard identifiers are supplied. You can use wxID\_HIGHEST to determine the
+number above which it is safe to define your own identifiers. Or, you can use identifiers below
+wxID\_LOWEST.
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+#define wxID_LOWEST             4999
+
+#define wxID_OPEN               5000
+#define wxID_CLOSE              5001
+#define wxID_NEW                5002
+#define wxID_SAVE               5003
+#define wxID_SAVEAS             5004
+#define wxID_REVERT             5005
+#define wxID_EXIT               5006
+#define wxID_UNDO               5007
+#define wxID_REDO               5008
+#define wxID_HELP               5009
+#define wxID_PRINT              5010
+#define wxID_PRINT_SETUP        5011
+#define wxID_PREVIEW            5012
+#define wxID_ABOUT              5013
+#define wxID_HELP_CONTENTS      5014
+#define wxID_HELP_COMMANDS      5015
+#define wxID_HELP_PROCEDURES    5016
+#define wxID_HELP_CONTEXT       5017
+
+#define wxID_CUT                5030
+#define wxID_COPY               5031
+#define wxID_PASTE              5032
+#define wxID_CLEAR              5033
+#define wxID_FIND               5034
+#define wxID_DUPLICATE          5035
+#define wxID_SELECTALL          5036
+
+#define wxID_FILE1              5050
+#define wxID_FILE2              5051
+#define wxID_FILE3              5052
+#define wxID_FILE4              5053
+#define wxID_FILE5              5054
+#define wxID_FILE6              5055
+#define wxID_FILE7              5056
+#define wxID_FILE8              5057
+#define wxID_FILE9              5058
+
+#define wxID_OK                 5100
+#define wxID_CANCEL             5101
+#define wxID_APPLY              5102
+#define wxID_YES                5103
+#define wxID_NO                 5104
+#define wxID_STATIC             5105
+
+#define wxID_HIGHEST            5999
+\end{verbatim}
+
+\subsection{Event macros summary}\label{eventmacros}

 
 \wxheading{Generic event table macros}
 
 \twocolwidtha{8cm}%
 \begin{twocollist}\itemsep=0pt
 
 \wxheading{Generic event table macros}
 
 \twocolwidtha{8cm}%
 \begin{twocollist}\itemsep=0pt

-\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_CUSTOM(eventId, id, func)}}{Allows you to add a custom event table
+\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_CUSTOM(event, id, func)}}{Allows you to add a custom event table

 entry by specifying the event identifier (such as wxEVT\_SIZE), the window identifier,
 and a member function to call.}
 entry by specifying the event identifier (such as wxEVT\_SIZE), the window identifier,
 and a member function to call.}

-\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_CUSTOM\_RANGE(eventId, id1, id2, func)}}{The same as EVT\_CUSTOM,
+\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_CUSTOM\_RANGE(event, id1, id2, func)}}{The same as EVT\_CUSTOM,

 but responds to a range of window identifiers.}
 but responds to a range of window identifiers.}

-\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_COMMAND(eventId, id, func)}}{The same as EVT\_CUSTOM, but
+\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_COMMAND(id, event, func)}}{The same as EVT\_CUSTOM, but

 expects a member function with a wxCommandEvent argument.}
 expects a member function with a wxCommandEvent argument.}

-\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_COMMAND\_RANGE(eventId, id1, id2, func)}}{The same as EVT\_CUSTOM\_RANGE, but
+\twocolitem{\windowstyle{EVT\_COMMAND\_RANGE(id1, id2, event, func)}}{The same as EVT\_CUSTOM\_RANGE, but

 expects a member function with a wxCommandEvent argument.}
 \end{twocollist}
 
 expects a member function with a wxCommandEvent argument.}
 \end{twocollist}
 


@@ -162,9 +346,9 @@ called via \helpref{wxWindow::Close}{wxwindowclose}.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxDropFilesEvent}{wxdropfilesevent}}{The EVT\_DROP\_FILES macros handles
 file drop events.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxEraseEvent}{wxeraseevent}}{The EVT\_ERASE\_BACKGROUND macro is used to handle window erase requests.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxDropFilesEvent}{wxdropfilesevent}}{The EVT\_DROP\_FILES macros handles
 file drop events.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxEraseEvent}{wxeraseevent}}{The EVT\_ERASE\_BACKGROUND macro is used to handle window erase requests.}

-\twocolitem{\helpref{wxFocusEvent}{wxfocusevent}}{The EVT\_SET\_FOCUS and EVT\_KILL\_FOCUS macros are used to handle keybaord focus events.}
-\twocolitem{\helpref{wxKeyEvent}{wxkeyevent}}{EVT\_CHAR and EVT\_CHAR\_HOOK macros handle keyboard
-input for any window.}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxFocusEvent}{wxfocusevent}}{The EVT\_SET\_FOCUS and EVT\_KILL\_FOCUS macros are used to handle keyboard focus events.}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxKeyEvent}{wxkeyevent}}{EVT\_CHAR, EVT\_KEY\_DOWN and
+EVT\_KEY\_UP macros handle keyboard input for any window.}

 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxIdleEvent}{wxidleevent}}{The EVT\_IDLE macro handle application idle events
 (to process background tasks, for example).}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxInitDialogEvent}{wxinitdialogevent}}{The EVT\_INIT\_DIALOG macro is used
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxIdleEvent}{wxidleevent}}{The EVT\_IDLE macro handle application idle events
 (to process background tasks, for example).}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxInitDialogEvent}{wxinitdialogevent}}{The EVT\_INIT\_DIALOG macro is used


@@ -174,15 +358,17 @@ to handle dialog initialisation.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxMouseEvent}{wxmouseevent}}{Mouse event macros can handle either individual
 mouse events or all mouse events.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxMoveEvent}{wxmoveevent}}{The EVT\_MOVE macro is used to handle a window move.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxMouseEvent}{wxmouseevent}}{Mouse event macros can handle either individual
 mouse events or all mouse events.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxMoveEvent}{wxmoveevent}}{The EVT\_MOVE macro is used to handle a window move.}

-\twocolitem{\helpref{wxUpdateUIEvent}{wxupdateuievent}}{The EVT\_UPDATE\_UI macro is used to handle user interface
-update pseudo-events, which are generated to give the application the chance to update the visual state of menus,
-toolbars and controls.}

 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxPaintEvent}{wxpaintevent}}{The EVT\_PAINT macro is used to handle window paint requests.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxPaintEvent}{wxpaintevent}}{The EVT\_PAINT macro is used to handle window paint requests.}

-\twocolitem{\helpref{wxScrollEvent}{wxscrollevent}}{These macros are used to handle scroll events from
-windows, \helpref{wxScrollBar}{wxscrollbar}, and \helpref{wxSpinButton}{wxspinbutton}.}
+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxScrollEvent}{wxscrollevent}}{These macros are used to handle scroll events from 
+\helpref{wxScrollBar}{wxscrollbar}, \helpref{wxSlider}{wxslider},and \helpref{wxSpinButton}{wxspinbutton}.}

 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxSizeEvent}{wxsizeevent}}{The EVT\_SIZE macro is used to handle a window resize.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxSizeEvent}{wxsizeevent}}{The EVT\_SIZE macro is used to handle a window resize.}

+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxSplitterEvent}{wxsplitterevent}}{The EVT\_SPLITTER\_SASH\_POS\_CHANGED, EVT\_SPLITTER\_UNSPLIT
+and EVT\_SPLITTER\_DOUBLECLICKED macros are used to handle the various splitter window events.}

 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxSysColourChangedEvent}{wxsyscolourchangedevent}}{The EVT\_SYS\_COLOUR\_CHANGED macro is used to handle
 events informing the application that the user has changed the system colours (Windows only).}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxTreeEvent}{wxtreeevent}}{These macros handle \helpref{wxTreeCtrl}{wxtreectrl} events.}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxSysColourChangedEvent}{wxsyscolourchangedevent}}{The EVT\_SYS\_COLOUR\_CHANGED macro is used to handle
 events informing the application that the user has changed the system colours (Windows only).}
 \twocolitem{\helpref{wxTreeEvent}{wxtreeevent}}{These macros handle \helpref{wxTreeCtrl}{wxtreectrl} events.}

+\twocolitem{\helpref{wxUpdateUIEvent}{wxupdateuievent}}{The EVT\_UPDATE\_UI macro is used to handle user interface
+update pseudo-events, which are generated to give the application the chance to update the visual state of menus,
+toolbars and controls.}

 \end{twocollist}
 
 \end{twocollist}