The Ring programming language version 1.9 book - Part 82 of 210

1. CHAPTER
SIXTYSIX
OBJECTS LIBRARY FOR RINGQT APPLICATION
In this chapter we will learn about the objects library for RingQt applications.
Ring comes with the Objects library for RingQt applications. Instead of using global variables for windows objects
and connecting events to objects using the object name, the Objects Library will manage the GUI objects and will
provide a more natural API to quickly create one or many windows from the same class and the library provide a way
to quickly set methods to be executed when an event is fired. Also the library provide a natural interface to quickly
use the parent or the caller windows from the child or sub windows.
The Objects Library is designed to be used with the MVC Design Pattern.
The Objects Library is merged in RingQt so you can use it directly when you use RingQt
66.1 Library Usage
• Use the Open_Window(cWindowControllerClassName) function to open new Windows
• Create at least Two Classes for each window, The Controller Class and the View Class
• Create each controller class from the WindowsControllerParent Class
• Create each view class from the WindowsViewParent Class
• Use the Last_Window() function to get the object of the last window created (The Controller object).
• When you call a sub window, use the SetParentObject() method and pass the self object.
• In the View Class, To determine the event method use the Method(cMethodName) function.
• The Method(cMethodName) function determine the method in the controller class that will be executed.
• Each controller class contains by default the CloseAction() method that you can call to close the window.
• You don’t need to call the Show() Method for each window, When you use Open_Window() It will be called.
• In the view class, Define the GUI window object as an attribute called win.
• You can use Open_WindowNoShow() to avoid displaying the window.
• You can use Open_WindowAndLink() to quickly get methods to access the windows.
66.2 Example
In the next example we will create two types of windows.
• Main Window contains a button. When the user click on the button a sub window will be opened.
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• The User Can click on the button many times to open many sub windows.
• Each Sub Window contains Two buttons.
• The first button in the sub window change the Main and the Sub Windows Titles.
• The second button in the sub window close the Sub Window.
load "guilib.ring"
new qApp {
open_window( :MainWindowController )
exec()
}
class MainWindowController from WindowsControllerParent
oView = new MainWindowView
func SubWindowAction
Open_window( :SubWindowController )
Last_Window().SetParentObject(self)
class MainWindowView from WindowsViewParent
win = new qWidget() {
SetWindowTitle("Main Window")
btnSub = new qPushButton(win) {
setText("Sub Window")
setClickEvent( Method( :SubWindowAction ) )
}
resize(400,400)
}
class SubWindowController from WindowsControllerParent
oView = new SubWindowView
func SetMainWindowTitleAction
Parent().oView.win.SetWindowTitle("Message from the Sub Window")
oView.win.SetWindowTitle("Click Event Done!")
class SubWindowView from WindowsViewParent
win = new qWidget() {
SetWindowTitle("Sub Window")
btnMsg = new qPushButton(win) {
setText("Set Main Window Title")
setClickEvent( Method( :SetMainWindowTitleAction ) )
}
btnClose = new qPushButton(win) {
Move(200,0)
setText("Close")
setClickEvent( Method( :CloseAction ) )
}
resize(400,400)
}
The next screen shot after creating three sub windows.
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The next screen shot after clicking on the button in each sub window.
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66.3 Open_WindowAndLink() Function
We can use the Open_WindowAndLink() function to connect between the application windows, pass messages (call
methods) between the objects.
This function uses Meta-programming to define dynamic methods in the Caller Class to use the dynamic objects of
other windows that we create.
Example : (Uses the Form Designer)
First Window
1. https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/applications/formdesigner/tests/twowindowspart5/firstwindowView.ring
2. https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/applications/formdesigner/tests/twowindowspart5/firstwindowController.ring
Second Window
1. https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/applications/formdesigner/tests/twowindowspart5/secondwindowView.ring
2. https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/applications/formdesigner/tests/twowindowspart5/secondwindowController.ring
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In the next code for example (from FirstWindowController.ring)
The Open_WindowAndLink() will create an object from the SecondWindowController Class
Then will add the Method : SecondWindow(), IsSecondWindow() Methods to the FirstWindowController Class
Also will add the Method : FirstWindow(), IsFirstWindow() Methods to the SecondWindowController Class
So the SendMessage() method in FirstWindowController class can use the SecondWindow() method to access the
object.
This is more simple than using Last_Window(), Parent() and SetParentObject() methods.
class firstwindowController from windowsControllerParent
oView = new firstwindowView
func OpenSecondWindow
Open_WindowAndLink(:SecondWindowController,self)
func SendMessage
if IsSecondWindow()
SecondWindow().setMessage("Message from the first window")
ok
func setMessage cMessage
oView.Label1.setText(cMessage)
66.4 Open_WindowInPackages() Function
The Open_WindowInPackages() function is the same as Open_Window() but takes an extra list that determine the
packages to import before opening the window.
Syntax:
Open_WindowInPackages(cClassName,aPackagesList)
Example:
The next example from the Form Designer source code, Open the Window Flags window using the
open_windowInPackages() function.
We determine the class name “WindowFlagsController” and the packages name.
The Window Flags window uses the FormDesigner and System.GUI packages.
open_windowInPackages(:WindowFlagsController,[
"formdesigner",
"System.GUI"
])
66.5 Objects Library Source Code
The library source code is very simple, You can check the source code files
• https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/objectslib/objects.ring
• https://github.com/ring-lang/ring/blob/master/extensions/ringqt/objectslib/subwindows.ring
66.4. Open_WindowInPackages() Function 783

6. CHAPTER
SIXTYSEVEN
USING THE FORM DESIGNER
In this chapter we will learn about using the Form Designer.
We can run the From Designer from Ring Notepad
From the Menubar in Ring Notepad - View Menu - We can Show/Hide the Form Designer window.
Also we can run the Form Designer in another window.
From the Ring Notepad - Tools Menu - Select the Form Designer.
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67.1 The Designer Windows
• Toolbox : To select controls to be added to the window.
• Properties : To set the properties of the active window or controls.
• Design Region : To select, move and resize the window and the controls.
67.2 The Toolbox
We have many buttons.
• Lock : We can use it to draw many controls of the same type quickly.
• Select : We can use it to select a control in the Design Region
• Controls Buttons : Select a control to be added to the window.
67.3 The Properties
• When we select the window or one control, We will have the selected object properties.
• Also In the properties window we have a combobox to select the active control.
• Some properties provide a button next to the property value. We can click on the button to get more options.
• When we select more than one control, We will have options for multi-selection
67.1. The Designer Windows 785

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67.4 Running Forms
When we save the form file (*.rform), The Form Designer will create two Ring files
• The Controller Class
• The View Class
For example, if the form file is helloworld.rform
The form designer will generate two files
• helloworldcontroller.ring
• helloworldview.ring
To run the program, Open the controller class file then click the Run button (CTRL+F5)
Tip: When you open a form using Ring Notepad, the controller class will be opened automatically, So we can press
(CTRL+F5) or click on the Run button while the form designer window is active.
67.5 Events Code
1. Just type the method name in the event property.
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(2) Then write the method code in the controller class.
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In this example we write
func CloseWindow
oView.win.close()
Where inside the controller class, We uses the oView object to access the form.
Another Example :
67.5. Events Code 788