A single dialog is not only an isolated Natural object like a map or a program but can also represent an entire event-driven application. The dialog editor can be used to create an application with the following basic components:

• Dialog(s)

• Dialog elements

• Attributes

• Event handlers

• Data areas (local and parameter); global data areas can be referenced

• Inline subroutines

For a reference description of dialogs, dialog elements, attributes and event handlers, see the Dialog Component Reference.

For an overview of dialog editor terminology, see Introduction to Event-Driven Programming in the Programming Guide.

You can open a new dialog editor window from the Natural base window by choosing "Object > New > Dialog". Alternatively, you can edit an existing dialog by selecting it from the "Library Workspace" window.

Menus, toolbar buttons, and commands available with the dialog editor can be used to create the components of an event-driven application and edit them in various editor windows. You can create or edit another dialog, or invoke a different editor and create or edit a different type of object (for example, program, DDM or data area).

You can set editor preferences by using the editor options described in Dialog Editor Options and Setting the Options in the Using Natural Studio documentation.

You can open windows and dialog boxes and perform editor functions by using dialog editor shortcut keys and generally available shortcut keys described in the section Shortcut Keys in the Using Natural Studio documentation.