Dialog Boxes

 

A dialog box resource defines the appearance and operation of a dialog box like those typically found in Windows applications. A dialog box contains controls with which the user can interact, and GISDK macros that indicate the program logic to be executed.

 

A dialog box is displayed when:

• A user chooses a menu item

• A user clicks a toolbar button

• The dialog box is invoked with RunDbox()

Dialog boxes are modal: they take over an application. While a dialog box is visible, the user cannot click on menus, maps, dataviews, etc. When a dialog box is invoked, an initialization GISDK macro can be run to set up the dialog box before it is displayed. A dialog box is removed from the screen when Return() is called, usually in response to a user clicking on an OK or Cancel button.

 

The structure of a dialog box resource is:

 

{static} Dbox "Name" {(arg1,arg2...)} {{{{hpos},vpos},width},height} {options}

     <dialog box items go here>

endDbox

 

Dialog box names are case sensitive, and can contain any combination of letters, numbers, and spaces.

 

If you declare a dialog box static it can only be called from resources within the same resource file in which the dialog box is defined.

 

You can use class resources to create a dialog box where the view (the user interface items) and the controller (the data and logic for carrying out the users' choices) are separated. This method is described in Controllers for Dialog Boxes.

 

For more information, see...

Dialog Box Arguments

Dialog Box Return Values

Dialog Box Position

Dialog Box Options

Dialog Box Items

Tab Order

Functions for Dialog Boxes