Yes, that is clearer. The big connect is realizing that it is the
.xml from the framework that I can use as the starting point for the
UIDesign app. I had it in mind that the two .xml files were somehow
associated, but how?? Thanks for clarigying that.
Now, how do I get rid of old junk from the list in UIDesign?
Dave
At 10:21 PM 5/7/2012, you wrote:
Well, as to the three tools you mentioned, none of them could really
be excluded. Let's take it all for a walk:
Imagine, you want to write an app. There will - sooner or later -
come the time, when you want to test if a given instruction will
work. You could - like most of us old-guys have been used to - write
a whole section of the app, then try to run it; only to find that
there is a spot that does not work properly. The Immed app, will let
you test any WE instructions. Instead of writing a whole section of
your app, just to realize it did not do what you want, you can try
it out in the Immed environment. If any of the code need changing,
you can keep modifying till it fit your taste. Or, if you have a
read in the manual, you come across an instruction you want to test
so as to know its actual functionality, you don't really need to
write a whole new app, but can test a lot of the instructions
directly in the Immed screen. Let us, in short, tell the Immed app
to be for the app developer, what the drawing board is for the
carpenter. It's here, you will make your try-and-failing. It's here,
you can get to know your pieces of knowledge. And it's here, you can
try out some of it, without breaking your main-project. I stress the
fact of only testing smaller parts, some instructions and only in
simple environments. sometimes, your instructions will have inputs
and outcomes that greatly depend on the rest of your code, and as
such, it would be hard to test the final result any other place but
in your code directly.
Now, what then about the two other app developing tools. The
WEFramework app, is just that - a Framework. It will not create a
fully functional app in itself. And, it will not edit any of the
external files - that is, the Ini and XML files - for your app. All
it does, is to do all the basic writing of the App file (usually a
VBS file), the Ini file, and the XML file. The coding, and
modifications - well see, that is your job. Again, if you were
building a house, someone would have put up all the foundation and
framework for you, but you are the one to insert the doors and
windows, put boards on the walls and paint them, hang a lamp in the
cealing, and put a carpet on the floor. Likewise, the Framework app
'types' all the basics for you, but you have to do all the 'real'
coding of the app.
What should you then use the UI Design app for? It is a matter of
fact, that a framework XML file will automatically be created for
you, when you run the Framework app. But again, this is a basic XML
code. There is no real funcionality in it. OK, you could have opened
the XML file in any plain text editor, like Notepad. And, it would
make totally sense to read the code, if you are familiar with all
the terminology used in the XML code. But there is many things that
could go wrong. You could have misspelled a given instruction,
forgotten a single one, or even miscounted the number of
indentations or tabs on a given line. Each tiny mistake, would cause
great dysfunctions in your final result. To make it all easier for
the end developer, GW has kindly released the UI Design app. Look at
it, as an editor for your XML files. It does not edit anything in
your app code itself. In fact, it does not even bother to look at
your VBS or Ini files for the app. But it sure takes away a ton of
work from your sholders, when creating and maintaining an XML file.
So, then, which one could you do without? Well, if any of them, let
the Immed go to sleep. But as for the Framework and UI Design, you
would pretty soon be lost without any of them. None of them overlap
the other - really. They simply fill each other in. You first use
the Framework app to create the basics in your VBS, Ini and XML
files. Later on, when your app is ready, you use the UI Design, to
modify and maintain your XML file itself.
Hope this put things in a more tidy place with you.
----- Original Message ----- From: "David Helkenn" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 4:45 AM
Subject: RE: Object Assignment
Hi, Chip,
As a matter of fact, the 'hth' has turned into a help! I have the
entire scripting class .mp3 files through Class30.mp3. The only one
that I don't have is #23 which I cannot find. I have also
downloaded the accompanying exercises/example text files. I'm only
up to Class8.mp3 on event handling. I did take a 'peek' (audio
peek?) into Class11 and I have tried out the ui_design app. A
couple of things, and I know I'm probably not quite ready for ui_design, but:
1. It appears that a VB Script can access .xml via objects defined
in the gwToolkit, and elsewhere; and that an .xml file can have
scripting code embedded in it. I'm not yet clear on where to draw
lines. For example, I'm playing with the objects and class
definitions for some rather simple-minded card games and am
planning to use .xml to use for the ... (drum roll here...) User
Interface! I have not yet figured out what the various options are
within the control definitions, but that will come I'm sure.
2. I cannot delete any old, unwanted, out of date, etc. files I've
been playing with. For example, to open an .xml file, I get the
list of dead files that no longer exists ... things like "try1.xml"
and "junk.xml" etc. How do I get rid of these entries? That is, I'd
like to clean up after myself, but I can't seem to delete these
entries -- and this within a User Interface app!
3. There also seems to be some overlap(?) among various app
development apps. I understand what immed is for; and, I thinkI
know what scriptFramework wizard is for, and even the UIDesign app.
But should I use the framework in conjunction with UIDesign or are
they mutually exclusive? Should I use one first, then the other?
I hope to use some of my retirement time in developing useful apps,
like an archivist or file locaters. (Unless one knows where MS puts
a file, one usually cannot find it ... at least I have a lot of trouble.)
Anyway, I'm hoping for a fruitful relationship with this app stuff.
Thanks, again...
Dave
At 06:49 PM 5/7/2012, you wrote:
Hi David (Helkenn),
I happened to see your comments for the app UIDesign, and it appears you are
looking for more information on how to use it.
In my scripting classes archived on the GW developer resources web pages, I
tried to cover this in classes #11, 13, and 14. They are at:
https://www.gwmicro.com/App_Central/Developers/Interactive_Classes/
It's not much, but it's all I know about in the way of
tutorials/documentation for UIDesign.
Also, if you want to understand all the terminology used by UIDesign, your
other choice is to read the entire section of the App Developer reference
manual on "Designing Custom User Interfaces", until you're familiar with the
XML for WE UI.
Until you've done these things, I think this mailing list is a more
appropriate (and more likely to help you) place for your questions and
frustrations than the comments section of the app (in appGet).
hth,
Chip
