+% 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++
\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.
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{Glade}{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.in}.
+
+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.
\item -h (--help): show a help message
\item -v (--verbose): show verbose logging information
\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 -n (--function) <name>: specify C++ function name (use with -c)
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
thing to do:
+
\begin{verbatim}
#include <wx/filesys.h>
#include <wx/fs_zip.h>
{\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}
+ extern void InitXmlResource(); // defined in generated file
+ ...
wxXmlResource::Get()->InitAllHandlers();
InitXmlResource();
...
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)
\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