Editing Dialogs

#### Search Results

Search

# Editing Dialogs

The following topics are covered below:

- Editing a Dialog's Source Code

- Editing a Dialog's Attributes

- Editing a Dialog's Event Handlers

- Defining a Dialog's Menu Bar

- Defining a Dialog's Toolbar

- Creating and Maintaining Timers for a Dialog

- Creating and Maintaining Signals for a Dialog

- Creating and Maintaining Context Menus

- Creating and Maintaining Wallpapers

- Adding a Comment Section to a Dialog

- Defining a Parameter or Local Data Area for a Dialog

- Selecting a Global Data Area for a Dialog

- Defining an Inline Subroutine for a Dialog

- Defining the Control Sequence in a Dialog

## Editing a Dialog's Source Code

To edit a dialog's source code

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu, choose Source Code.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+C.

   The dialog's source code window appears and the program editor is loaded. This editor enables you to scan for text strings, replace them, and so on.

   You can switch between the dialog editor and the program editor by selecting the source code window or the dialog window. If you edit in either window, you need to synchronize your updates: (graphically) modifying the dialog locks the source code window and you may not make changes there. Correspondingly, if you change the source code, you may not make changes in the dialog window, which is locked. If your editor is locked, its status bar displays "Locked".

   If a source code window is open, but not active, you can activate it by choosing Source Code from the Dialog menu.

   When you issue a command from the program editor window that affects the source code, such as Save or Run, the dialog editor updates itself automatically by scanning the source code, displaying the modified dialog, and then regenerating the source code. When you issue a command from the dialog editor window after you have modified the code in the source code window, you are prompted whether you want to update the source code or not.

3. To stow any modified source code: from the program editor's Object menu, choose Stow.

Whenever you want to save a dialog under a new name, select Save as from the Object menu, where for the Save dialog as dialog box appears.

## Editing a Dialog's Attributes

To edit a dialog's attributes

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu or from the dialog's context menu, choose Attributes.

   Or:
   Double-click on the dialog.

   Or:
   Press ENTER.

   The dialog's attributes window appears. To find out what the entries in the attributes window mean, choose "Help". For context-sensitive help, select the attribute entry and press F1.

3. Enter the desired attribute values.

4. Choose OK to confirm your changes.

## Editing a Dialog's Event Handlers

To edit a dialog's event handlers

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu or from the dialog's context menu, choose Event handlers.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+E or SHIFT+ENTER.

   The dialog's event handler section appears.

3. Select the type of event (such as BEFORE-OPEN or ERROR).

   Or:
   Choose "New" to enter a user-defined event.

   Or:
   Choose "Rename" to save a user-defined event with a new name.

4. Enter the desired event code in free form either in the edit window in the Dialog Event Handler window itself, or using the Program Editor. To use the Program Editor, select the Editor push button, then close the Dialog Event Handler window using the OK push button. This code will be executed when the event occurs for the dialog. Note that if you have specified code in the before-any and after-any event sections, this will be triggered before and after the code entered here. So if you need common event code, you only have to enter it once in your dialog's before-any and after-any event section.

5. Choose OK to save your code, if using the Dialog Event Handler window. If using the Program Editor, the code can be saved by choosing Save from the Object menu, or by closing the Program Editor and selecting to save the changes when prompted.

## Defining a Dialog's Menu Bar

To define a dialog's menu bar

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu, choose Menu bar.

   Or:

   Press CTRL+ALT+M.

   A dialog box appears asking you whether you want to turn the dialog's menu bar setting on.

3. Choose Yes.

   A blank default menu bar is added to the dialog and the menu bar's attributes window appears. For more information on the attributes window, see the section Menu Editor Window.

4. Choose OK to confirm your changes.

## Defining a Dialog's Toolbar

To define a dialog's toolbar

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu, choose Toolbar.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+T.

   A dialog box appears asking you whether you want to turn the dialog's toolbar setting on.

3. Choose Yes.

   A blank default toolbar is added to the dialog and the toolbar's attributes window appears. For more information on the attributes window, see the section Toolbar Control Attributes Window. In this section you will also find information on new toolbar control features.

4. Choose OK to confirm your changes.

## Creating and Maintaining Timers for a Dialog

You use timers to trigger a dialog event periodically.

To create and maintain a timer for a dialog

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu, choose Timers.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+I.

   The timer's attributes window appears. For more information on the attributes window, see the section Timer Attributes Window.

3. Choose OK to confirm your changes.

## Creating and Maintaining Signals for a Dialog

You use signals to efficiently implement user commands, allowing their re-use by multiple user interface elements (such as menu or toolbar items).

To create and maintain signals for a dialog

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu, choose Signals.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+N.

   The signal attributes window appears. For more information on the attributes window, see the section Signal Attributes Window.

3. Choose OK to confirm your changes.

4. To associate a menu or toolbar item with the signal, select the signal from the list presented in the Same as field for the item in the menu editor or toolbar attributes window. The menu or toolbar item will then inherit the attributes from the signal. Furthermore, when the menu or toolbar item is clicked on running the dialog, the signal's `CLICK` event is invoked.

## Creating and Maintaining Context Menus

You use context menus to define context-specific menus that can be associated with the dialog and/or any number of dialog elements within it. For more information, see the section Defining and Using Context Menus.

To create and maintain context menus

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu, choose Context Menus.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+X.

   The context menus window appears, which displays a list of context menus currently defined for the dialog. For more information on this window, see the section Dialog Context Menus Window. To edit the menu items for a context menu listed in this window, select the respective context menu in the list, then select the Edit pushbutton to invoke the Menu Editor Window.

3. Choose OK to confirm your changes.

4. To associate the context menu with the dialog or a dialog element within the dialog, open the corresponding attributes window (e.g. by double-clicking on the dialog or dialog element) and select the context menu from the list presented in the Context Menu field. Note, however, that not all dialog element types support context menus.

## Creating and Maintaining Wallpapers

You use wallpapers to define background images that can be associated with the dialog and/or any number of dialog elements within it.

To create and maintain wallpapers

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu, choose Dialog Wallpapers.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+W.

   The wallpaper attributes window appears. For more information on the attributes window, see the section Wallpaper Attributes Window.

3. Choose OK to confirm your changes.

4. To associate the wallpaper with the dialog or a dialog element within the dialog, open the corresponding attributes window (e.g. by double-clicking on the dialog or dialog element) and select the wallpaper from the list presented in the Wallpaper field. Note, however, that not all dialog element types support wallpapers.

## Adding a Comment Section to a Dialog

To add a comment section to a dialog

1. From the Dialog menu, choose Dialog comment.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+O.

   The dialog comment section appears where you can enter your comments in free form. Please note that you do not have to use the "/*" notation when entering comments in the text area. If you are listing your dialog code, you will find your comment at the beginning.

2. Choose OK to save your comment.

## Defining a Parameter or Local Data Area for a Dialog

To define a local data area for a dialog

1. From the Dialog menu or from the dialog's context menu, choose Local Data Area.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+L.

   The definition section for the local data area appears. In a local data area, you must include all the user-defined variables or other variables that you want to use in an event handler code section or a subroutine of the current dialog. Note that the dialog editor automatically generates the data definitions for the dialog elements.

   The Using button opens a dialog box that enables you to include existing inline data definitions.

2. Choose OK to save your data definition.

To define a parameter data area for a dialog

1. From the Dialog menu, choose Parameter Data Area.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+P.

   The definition section for the parameter data area appears. In a parameter data area, you must include all the parameters that you want to be passed on to the current dialog in an `OPEN DIALOG` or `SEND EVENT` statement.

   The Using button opens a dialog box that enables you to include existing inline data definitions.

2. Choose OK to save your data definition.

## Selecting a Global Data Area for a Dialog

To select a global data area for a dialog

1. From the Dialog menu, choose Global Data Area.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+G.

   A dialog box appears where you can select a global data area for the dialog.

2. Select an entry in the Available Global Data Areas list box.

3. Choose OK.

## Defining an Inline Subroutine for a Dialog

To define an inline subroutine for a dialog

1. Load the dialog into the editor.

2. From the Dialog menu or from the dialog's context menu, choose Inline Subroutines.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+S.

   The "Dialog inline subroutines" code section appears.

3. Choose "New" to enter a new subroutine.

   Or:
   Select the name of an existing subroutine you want to edit.

   If you have chosen "New", a dialog box prompts you for a name.

4. Enter the name of the new subroutine.

5. Choose OK.

6. Enter the desired subroutine code in free form, either directly in the window itself or using the Program Editor by selecting the Editor push button, then close the window using the OK push button.

7. Choose OK to save your code.

## Defining the Control Sequence in a Dialog

The control sequence is the keyboard navigation sequence in which the end user will go through the dialog elements.

To define the control sequence of a dialog

1. From the Dialog menu, choose Control sequence.

   Or:
   Press CTRL+ALT+Q.

   The control sequence is displayed as a number at the top left corner of each dialog element. The editor is now in navigation sequence definition mode.

2. Use the mouse to select the dialog elements in the desired sequence.

If you do not select a dialog element before enabling navigation sequence definition mode, the next dialog element that you select will be the first in the navigation sequence. Its number is greyed and you can select the next dialog element in the sequence, and so on.

If you do select a dialog element, you can redefine the sequence from this element onwards. You can also select a dialog element when in control sequence editing mode without resequencing it by holding down the SHIFT key whilst making the selection. This is especially useful if the selected dialog element is one of the last elements in the sequence - you do not have to redefine the sequence of all preceding dialog elements. Note that instead of selecting each dialog element with the mouse, you can also select them from the selection box in the status bar of the dialog editor. This selection box always shows the dialog elements in their control sequence.

You can exit control sequence editing mode implicitly, by selecting another command (e.g. 'Insert Push Button') or explicitly by selecting the 'control sequence' menu of this again, or by pressing ESC.

Note
The control sequence also decides the order in which the dialog elements overlap.

### On this page

- Editing a Dialog's Source Code
- Editing a Dialog's Attributes
- Editing a Dialog's Event Handlers
- Defining a Dialog's Menu Bar
- Defining a Dialog's Toolbar
- Creating and Maintaining Timers for a Dialog
- Creating and Maintaining Signals for a Dialog
- Creating and Maintaining Context Menus
- Creating and Maintaining Wallpapers
- Adding a Comment Section to a Dialog
- Defining a Parameter or Local Data Area for a Dialog
- Selecting a Global Data Area for a Dialog
- Defining an Inline Subroutine for a Dialog
- Defining the Control Sequence in a Dialog