Progress
Application Development
Environment — Getting Started
AppBuilder Main Window
When you start the AppBuilder, the main window and the Object Palette open. You can move these two windows independently on your screen. The Object Palette has several display options that do not depend on the AppBuilder main window. For a discussion of these options, see the "AppBuilder Object Palette" section of this chapter.
The AppBuilder main window has four elements, as shown in Figure 1–3.
Figure 1–3: The AppBuilder Main Window
![]()
The following sections describe the four elements of the AppBuilder main window.
Menu Bar
The menu bar provides access to most of the AppBuilder functions. Some menu options are not available when working in WebSpeed development mode:
- File — Provides access to file and window operations such as New, Open, Close, Save, and Print. You can also use this option to view and select from a list of most recently used files. The Most Recently Used File List option is enabled by default, and you can specify the number of files you want to appear in this list through the Options
Preferences menu item.
- Edit — Provides access to general editing operations such as copying, deleting, and pasting objects. In addition to these general operations, the Edit menu provides options for copying and inserting files, specifying the tab order for a frame, and accessing a specific page.
- Compile — Provides access to a number of options you can use to run, view, test, and debug your code.
- Tools — Provides access to a number of AppBuilder tools, such as the Data Dictionary and Procedure Editor, and a number of other options to help you design and build applications, such as a Color Editor and Property Sheets.
- Options — Provides access to AppBuilder preference options including colors and grid alignments.
- Layout — Provides access to options that you use to align objects using predefined layouts or customized layouts.
- Window — Provides access to the Section Editor, properties windows, and editors.
- Help — Provides access to help information, including error message explanations and Cue Cards for SmartObjects.
As you complete the tutorial exercises in this guide, you will become familiar with many of the menu selections. The menus and icons of the AppBuilder main window also provide access to all of the functions available in the ADE Desktop, including the ability to start other tools and to access the Progress online help system.
For more detailed information about the AppBuilder menu bar options, see the online help for that menu or the chapter on the AppBuilder interface in the Progress AppBuilder Developer’s Guide .
Toolbar
Each icon in the AppBuilder toolbar provides quick access to frequently used menu options. Table 1–1 describes the function of each icon.
Table 1–1: Toolbar Icons Icon ToolTip Description
![]()
New Creates a new object file and displays an associated design window or tree view. The New icon on the toolbar corresponds to the FileNew menu option.
The AppBuilder creates a design window or displays a tree view when you create a new object or open an existing procedure file. The design window is analogous to a canvas on which you visually assemble all or part of an application. For each action you take that modifies the appearance or functionality of the object, the AppBuilder adds, deletes, or modifies the 4GL code contained in the object’s procedure file
![]()
Open Opens an existing procedure file and displays its associated design window. The Open icon corresponds to the FileOpen menu option.
![]()
Save Saves the current procedure file. The Save icon corresponds to the FileSave menu option.
![]()
Prints the currently selected procedure. When you select the Print icon, a Windows Print dialog box opens. From this Print dialog box, you can specify printing options and properties. By default, the Print dialog box is enabled. You can use OptionsPreferences on the AppBuilder menu bar to disable the Print dialog box or to specify preferences for the page length and font. For more information on enabling the Windows Print dialog box and setting preferences, see the Progress AppBuilder Developer’s Guide .
![]()
Procedure Settings Displays and allows editing of the procedure settings for the current procedure file. The Procedure Settings icon corresponds to the ToolsProcedure Settings menu option.
Procedure settings maintain information about procedure files, the attributes they possess, and standardized ways in which they interact with other procedures.
![]()
Run Compiles and runs the current procedure file. The Run icon corresponds to the CompileRun menu option.
![]()
Stop Stops the currently running procedure. The Stop icon replaces the Run icon when you run a procedure.
![]()
Edit Code Opens the Section Editor, which enables you to edit certain sections of the procedure file. The Edit Code icon corresponds to the WindowCode Section Editor menu option.
![]()
List Objects Opens the List Objects dialog box. This dialog box lists all of the objects currently in use in any design window. You can access an individual object’s property sheet by double-clicking an object in the list.
![]()
Object Properties Opens the property sheet for the current object. A property sheet gives you control over settings that pertain to individual objects, including fonts, geometry (window size), and other window settings. The Object Properties icon corresponds to the ToolsProperty Sheet menu option.
![]()
Colors Opens the Choose Color dialog box. Use this dialog box to specify a foreground and background color for the selected objects. The Colors icon corresponds to the ToolsColor menu option.
![]()
Switch to Remote/Local Development Changes the development mode between local (client/server) mode and remote (WebSpeed) mode. The tutorial exercises require that you run in local mode. For more information on using the remote mode, see the WebSpeed Developer’s Guide .NOTE: You might not see this icon, depending upon your license.
Current Object Fields
The current object fields display information about the current object, which is a single object in a design window that has design focus. If you select multiple objects in a design window, then no current object information is displayed.
The current object fields display the following information:
- Object — Specifies the name of the current object.
- Title/Label/Text/Master/File/OCX — For a basic object, this field specifies the object’s title or label, if it has one. Text objects, for example, have no label or title, so for a text object this field displays its contents.
For SmartObject instances, which are based on prefabricated masters stored in separate files, this field displays the object’s title bar text (SmartWindows and SmartDialogs) or the pathname of the master file (all other SmartObjects).
For an ActiveX (OCX), this field displays the name of the ActiveX object.
Status Area
From left to right, the four fields in the status area display are:
- File status — Information about current AppBuilder processing.
- Page status — The current page (applicable to SmartContainers only).
- Object Palette status — The type of object currently selected on the Object Palette.
- Lock status — For inserting objects. For more information on lock status, see the "How the Object Palette Responds To the Mouse" section in this chapter.
Copyright © 2004 Progress Software Corporation www.progress.com Voice: (781) 280-4000 Fax: (781) 280-4095 |