Empress Software GUI User's Guide
Empress v8.62
May 2006

(Unix only)

© 1983, 2006 Empress Software Inc.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of this document in whole or part, by electronic or any other means, is prohibited without written consent from Empress Software Inc.

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05/06


This manual explains what Empress GUI Builder is all about, its concepts and usage. It also provides some examples to show how to create Empress GUI Builder applications.


Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: Introduction

1.1 What is Empress GUI Builder
1.2 Capabilities of Empress GUI Builder
1.3 System Requirements for Empress GUI Builder
1.4 Reference Manual
1.5 Invoking Empress GUI Builder

1.5.1 Initialization
1.5.2 Starting Empress GUI Builder

1.6 Exiting Empress GUI Builder
1.7 Simple Exercises

1.7.1 Help
1.7.2 Message Area

1.7.2.1 Sample Applications

1.8 Changing the Color of the Empress GUI Builder Environment
1.9 Where To Go From Here

CHAPTER 2: The Default Application Generator

2.1 Creating the Default Application
2.2 Running the Default Application

2.2.1 Inserting Records
2.2.2 Selecting Records
2.2.3 Choosing Records
2.2.4 Updating Records
2.2.5 Deleting Records
2.2.6 Clearing the Record Window

2.3 Exiting the Default Application
2.4 Deleting the Default Application

CHAPTER 3: Basic Concepts

3.1 Pooled Resources

3.1.1 Actions
3.1.2 Pixmaps
3.1.3 Hypertext
3.1.4 Styles

3.2 Components

3.2.1 Audio Controller

3.2.1.1 Individual Properties
3.2.1.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.2 Cascade Button

3.2.2.1 Individual Properties
3.2.2.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.3 Field

3.2.3.1 Individual Properties
3.2.3.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.4 Hypertext Field

3.2.4.1 Individual Properties
3.2.4.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.5 Image Field

3.2.5.1 Individual Properties
3.2.5.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.6 Label

3.2.6.1 Individual Properties
3.2.6.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.7 List

3.2.7.1 Individual Properties
3.2.7.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.8 Multilist

3.2.8.1 Individual Properties
3.2.8.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.9 Option Menu

3.2.9.1 Individual Properties
3.2.9.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.10 Push Button

3.2.10.1 Individual Properties
3.2.10.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.11 Radio Box

3.2.11.1 Individual Properties
3.2.11.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.12 Scale

3.2.12.1 Individual Properties
3.2.12.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.13 Separator

3.2.13.1 Individual Properties
3.2.13.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.14 Toggle Button

3.2.14.1 Individual Properties
3.2.14.2 Common Properties/Style

3.2.15 User-Defined Object

3.2.15.1 Individual Properties
3.2.15.2 Common Properties/Style

3.3 Containers

3.3.1 Windows
3.3.2 Bins

3.3.2.1 Menu Bar
3.3.2.2 Menu Bar Help
3.3.2.3 Pull-down Menu
3.3.2.4 Pop-up Menu
3.3.2.5 Radio Box
3.3.2.6 Option Menu
3.3.2.7 Dialog Box

3.4 Applications

CHAPTER 4: Sample Applications

4.1 Example 1

4.1.1 Application Definition
4.1.2 Window Component Editor
4.1.3 Selecting and Positioning a Component
4.1.4 Deleting Components
4.1.5 Text Entry
4.1.6 Saving Your Window
4.1.7 Application Module Manager
4.1.8 Window Manager
4.1.9 Window Property Editor
4.1.10 Running the Application
4.1.11 Running Several Versions of the Application
4.1.12 Quitting the Application
4.1.13 Quitting the Application Module Manager
4.1.14 Modifying the Application
4.1.15 Running the Empress-provided Version
4.1.16 Quitting Empress GUI Builder

4.2 Example 2

4.2.1 Create Two Fields with Labels
4.2.2 Tidying Labels
4.2.3 Specifying Fields
4.2.4 Moving Groups of Fields
4.2.5 Saving Your Work
4.2.6 Testing the Result
4.2.7 Adding Scripts
4.2.8 Adding Push Buttons
4.2.9 Adding Actions for the Push Buttons
4.2.10 Attaching Actions and Labels to the Push Buttons

CHAPTER 5: Using Styles in Empress GUI Builder Applications

5.1 Introduction
5.2 Create Color Styles
5.3 Create Font Styles
5.4 Create Label Styles
5.5 Choosing a Color Style for the Label Style
5.6 Choosing a Font Style for the Label Style
5.7 Create Push Button Style
5.8 Applying Styles to the Labels and Push Buttons

APPENDIX A: User Interaction Concepts