Adding a grid function to the Toolkit

Part XI
Adding a grid function to the Toolkit

We can now add DsCalendar ( ) to the PDE Toolkit Window. The addition of our new grid function to the Toolkit means that we will be able to insert the calendar grid into any GUI program.

Add the new grid function to the master toolkit file \xb\xxx\xtool0.xxx
Each grid function that is shown in the Toolkit is listed in the master toolkit file xtool0.xxx. This file acts as a switchboard to tell the PDE where it can find each grid function and which BMP image is used to represent the grid function in the Toolkit. There is one line per grid function, and each line contains five fields separated on each side by one or more tabs. They are listed in the order that they appear in the Toolkit window. The Grid Type name should be the same as the Grid Function name.

DLL filename Grid Type       Grid Function   Toolkit Image Category
=====================================================================
   xb         XuiPressButton XuiPressButton xpress.bmp     Button
...
   calendar   DsCalendar      DsCalendar      calendar.bmp   Calendar

I will add the above line for DsCalendar ( ) at the bottom of this file, and then rename the file xtool3.xxx.

Select the master toolkit file in \xb\xxx\xtoolkit.xxx
The file xtoolkit.xxx lists the filenames of master toolkit files. The first enabled toolkit file will be the file that is used for the PDE Toolkit Window. We want to use the new toolkit we just created above, xtool3.xxx, so we will add this file to the list and enable it. We disable the other toolkits by commenting them out.

'       xtool0.xxx
'       xtool1.xxx
        xtool3.xxx

Create a BMP image

We will need an image for our new calendar grid. Toolkit images must be 32x32 pixel 16-color bitmaps. You can alter one of the existing toolkit images in \xb\xxx\ such as xpress.bmp and then save it with a new filename. Place the image file in \xb\xxx\.

To use new grid function, IMPORT "myNewGridDll"
The standard GuiDesigner grid functions are available to your program once you IMPORT "xui". In the same fashion, remember that in order to use your grid function, your program must import the grid function library. In our example we need the following IMPORT statement in the PROLOG :

IMPORT "calendar"

Restart XB and Create a New GUI program

If we restart Xbasic and select File > New > Gui Program, then open the Toolkit window, you will see that the calendar image has been added to the bottom row of images in the Toolkit. If you select Window > New from the Toolkit menu, you will be able to select the calendar grid and add it to the new window just like any of the other grids. Viola!

Conclusion

Hopefully you are now ready to begin creating your own custom tools (AKA grid functions) for XBasic. These GUI tools are both reusable and portable. If you have created your custom tool using strictly XBasic statements and functions, then it should also be x-platform compatible between Windows and Linux.

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