Confused - Need some help

[deanathpc]

Hello folks,

I am looking to use ListView (or is ListIcon better?) on the left while the right side will show the items grouped on the right. Something like how some setup / preference windows are done. Like the accounts section of Thunderbird is for example. Like a menu system per se. I'm trying to get away from the tabbed Panel for the main part of the program I guess. Maybe a little neater / cleaner look? Seems like what is the look that is popular. I'm also looking to do tool bars now too but that might be for another post as I'm not sure how to implement those either.

I've searched the forums and am now more confused between splittergadgets and if / when to use them. ScrollArea is what I need on the right side correct?

How does one make these screens then? I'm guessing PureFORM / PureVision is probably out now correct? I'll need to make up these forms on the fly?

Examples might be great here as I'm just not sure where to start. I think I'm just more confused now than when I started researching.

Dean

[Hadrianus]

You are asking a lot. PureVision is still nice to use. The formbuilder inside PB also. I suggest you just start with Listicon. It's a nice gadget for collecting and arranging data. Many great examples have been posted on this forum. With this you can set up something similar as Thunderbird.

[deanathpc]

You are asking a lot. PureVision is still nice to use. The formbuilder inside PB also. I suggest you just start with Listicon. It's a nice gadget for collecting and arranging data. Many great examples have been posted on this forum. With this you can set up something similar as Thunderbird.

I wasn't meaning to ask a lot. So apparently what I'm trying to do is not an easy task. O.K. noted.

I love ListIcon. I used it in other programs I am doing actually. Just not sure how to change the whole right side within the window I create. Unless of course one windows opens while the previous closes. I think that is not as efficient.

I'm not used to PureVision to be honest. And the nesting say a panel on a panel really turns me off. PureFORM can do that but that really isn't what I'm trying to do this time around. And to be honest, I've said this before, the formbuilder in PB just doesn't work for me. I've lost many hours of work over the couple of years of using PB because the formbuilder hiccups and my forms are lost.

Thanks for your response. I'll have to tweak my searches I guess.

[#NULL]

Like the accounts section of Thunderbird is for example. Like a menu system per se.

what about the tree gadget?

[deanathpc]

Like the accounts section of Thunderbird is for example. Like a menu system per se.

what about the tree gadget?

That works too. What is the process to make the rest work though. Does one have to stop using the GUI designers and manually place everything each time? Or would it be similar to separate windows? This is the part that is confusing to me. Although I guess in the end all of this is totally up to me.

[spikey]

Does one have to stop using the GUI designers and manually place everything each time?

No, not if you don't want to. Even if I'm not using form designer generated files in my end application (which I don't sometimes, see below) I still keep the GUI designer file so that I can go back later on and make changes using a visual designer because I find that's easier to work with rather than trying to work out layout changes manually. I just don't include directly the form designer's output in my application, I copy the code into another file and modify it to my own ends. It adds to the complexity of managing the application slightly but I find the ability to see my form design visually invaluable.

Or would it be similar to separate windows?

It all depends upon whether or not you want to be able to have multiple concurrent copies of one or more windows in the application.

If you don't need this capability then you can stick with the form designer quite happily and shouldn't run into major problems.

However, the form designer makes no provision for this at present so you have to make this provision yourself and this will require modifying the form designer's output in some way which will make the code incompatible with the form designer in some way - either you'll lose your additions if you make changes in the designer or you'll render it unrecognisable to the designer. That's why I keep the originals, so I always have something that I can reload to the designer.

[deanathpc]

Does one have to stop using the GUI designers and manually place everything each time?

No, not if you don't want to. Even if I'm not using form designer generated files in my end application (which I don't sometimes, see below) I still keep the GUI designer file so that I can go back later on and make changes using a visual designer because I find that's easier to work with rather than trying to work out layout changes manually. I just don't include directly the form designer's output in my application, I copy the code into another file and modify it to my own ends. It adds to the complexity of managing the application slightly but I find the ability to see my form design visually invaluable.

Or would it be similar to separate windows?

It all depends upon whether or not you want to be able to have multiple concurrent copies of one or more windows in the application.

If you don't need this capability then you can stick with the form designer quite happily and shouldn't run into major problems.

However, the form designer makes no provision for this at present so you have to make this provision yourself and this will require modifying the form designer's output in some way which will make the code incompatible with the form designer in some way - either you'll lose your additions if you make changes in the designer or you'll render it unrecognisable to the designer. That's why I keep the originals, so I always have something that I can reload to the designer.

Thank you for your input. I have been thinking on the future plans / looks of this program I am working on. I have much more to think about also. Thank you!

[netmaestro]

If you lose hours of work because the form designer hiccups (or you have a power failure, etc.) you can get it right back from session history. That thing has saved me countless times since it appeared some versions ago.

[Fangbeast]

I've actually managed to crash the ide a few times and session history has saved me out as well. I could not retrace what happened and why but although I always hit CTRL + S every few lines, I still managed to lose a few important things and session history was very, very useful.

[deanathpc]

I will have to take a look at the history part then. Thanks!