Layout XML files.

Author

Paul D Turner

A layout XML file defines a hierachy of window based objects to be created, with property and event binding information for each window.

Layout Element List:

<AutoWindow> Element
<Event> Element
<GUILayout> Element
<LayoutImport> Element
<Property> Element
<Window> Element

Overview

The reference for each element is arranged into sections, as described below:

• Purpose:
  • This section describes what the elements general purpose is within the specifications.

• Attributes:
  • This section describes available attributes for the elements, and whether they are required or optional.

• Usage:
  • Describes where the element may appear, whether the element may have sub-elements, and other important usage information.

• Examples:
  • For many elements, this section will contain brief examples showing the element used in context.

<GUILayout> Element

• Purpose:
  • <GUILayout> is the root element in layout XML files.

• Attributes:
  • Parent: Specifies the name of an existing window that root window of this gui layout should be attached to after loading the layout. Optional attribute, if this is not specified the root window is not automatically attached to any existing window.

• Usage:
  • The <GUILayout> element is the root element for layout files.
  • The <GUILayout> element must contain a single <Window> element.
  • No element may contain a <GUILayout> element as a sub-element.

• Examples:

<Window> Element

• Purpose:
  • The <Window> element is used to specify a new window object to be created.

• Attributes:
  • Type: Specifies the type of window to be created. This may refer to a concrete window type, an alias, or a falagard mapped type. Required attribute.
  • Name: Specifies the name to give the window. Window names must be unique within the system. Optional attribute, if the attribute is not specified a name will be generated automatically.

• Usage:
  • The <Window> may appear as a sub-element of the following:
    • <GUILayout> elements.
    • <Window> elements.
    • <AutoWindow> elements.
  • The <Window> element may contain the following sub-elements:
    • Any number of <LayoutImport> elements. Followed by,
    • Any number of <Property> elements. Followed by,
    • Any number of <Event> elements. Followed by,
    • Any number of <Window> elements.
    • Any number of <AutoWindow> elements.
    • Finally, any number of <Property> elements (again).

• Examples:

<Property> Element

• Purpose:
  • The <Property> element is used to set properties on the Window created by the containing <Window> element.

• Attributes:
  • Name: Specifies the name of the property to set. Required attribute.
  • Value: Specifies the value to set on the property. Optional attribute, if the attribute is not specified the value to be set should be given via the element text content.

• Usage:
  • The <Property> may appear as a sub-element of <Window> elements and <AutoWindow> elements.
  • The <Property> element may not contain any sub-elements.
  • The <Property> element may contain text content to be used as the value.

• Examples:

<Event> Element

• Purpose:
  • The Event element is used to create bindings between GUI elements and script functions.

• Attributes:
  • Name: Specifies the name of the event to which the handler function specified by the Function attribute will be subscribed. Required attribute.
  • Function: Specifis the name of a script function to be subscribed to the event specified by the Name attribute. Required attribute.

• Usage:
  • The <Event> may appear as a sub-element of <Window> elements and <AutoWindow> elements.
  • The <Event> element may not contain any sub-elements.

• Examples:

<LayoutImport> Element

• Purpose:
  • The <LayoutImport> element is used to reference (import) a layout file into another. The root window of the imported layout is attached to the Window where the import occurrs.

• Attributes:
  • Filename: Specifies the path to the xml layout file to be imported. Required attribute.
  • Prefix: Specifies a prefix that will be prepended to the window name of each window created from the imported layout. Optional attribute.
  • ResourceGroup: Specifies the resource group identifier to pass to the ResourceProvider when loading the file given in the Filename attribute. Optional attribute, default is the WindowManager default group.

• Usage:
  • The <LayoutImport> may appear as a sub-element of <Window> elements and <AutoWindow> elements.
  • The <LayoutImport> element may not contain any sub-elements.

• Examples:

<AutoWindow> Element

• Purpose:
  • The <AutoWindow> element is used to target property settings, events and other content on to an automatically created child window of the current Window (or AutoWindow).

• Attributes:
  • NameSuffix: Specifies the name suffix of the target auto-window. Required attribute.

• Usage:
  • The <AutoWindow> may appear as a sub-element of the following:
    • <Window> elements.
    • <AutoWindow> elements.
  • The <AutoWindow> element may contain the following sub-elements:
    • Any number of <LayoutImport> elements. Followed by,
    • Any number of <Property> elements. Followed by,
    • Any number of <Event> elements. Followed by,
    • Any number of <Window> elements.
    • Any number of <AutoWindow> elements.
    • Finally, any number of <Property> elements (again).

• Examples: