PtGen, a Prototype Generator for Turbo Pascal programs, is a full featured program intended to help you to quickly produce programs, prototypes. A prototype is saved to disk in TP-unit source code format. PtGen can read such a file back for additional editting. H
It's assumed that you are familiar with Turbo Pascal type helpscreens.
You can learn about the Prototype Generator by following the build-in tutorials, by using this on-line Help system and by consulting the manual. 2
Choose any of the following for more information p
Product
features
Machine
requirements
Contacting
Nederware
PtGen's
hot-keys
Mouse
operation
Product featurs
Product features:
build-in tutorials to become quickly
acquainted with PtGen
quickly making the most advanced menu
structures, including complete helptext
support
creating of a statusbar
comfortably creating of dialogboxes
3D TVTool support
Machine requirements
What you need:
Borland or Turbo Pascal 7.0
Turbo Vision (included with TP 7.0)
enough knowlegde of both
the TVTool package if you want to use the
3D views
Contact the author
You can contact Berend de Boer from Nederware, the author of this program by using one of the following electronic addresses: Q
fidonet: 2:281/527.23
email: berend@beard.nest.nl
compuserve: 100120,3121
or by regular mail: P
Nederware
c/o Berend de Boer
Burgerstaaat 22
5311 CX GAMEREN
HOLLAND
PtGen's hot-keys
Operation of PtGen is consistent throughout the program.
Alt-F5 Pop-up local position menu for
positioning the current object
Alt-F10 Pop-up local menu
Ctrl-F7 Delete current object/item
Ctrl-F8 Edit current object/item
Ctrl-F9 Link other objects to current object
Ins Insert an item
Del Delete an item
See also mouse
operation
Ptgen
Mouse operation in PtGen
Left button Click on background to pop up
the local menu
Right button Click on object to pop up a
menu with actions you can
apply to that object or item.
Sometimes no menu exist and
the right button click goes
directly into the edit mode
for this object.
See also hot
Ptgen
TVTool
The TVTool 2.0 package contains among others 3D widgets for Turbo Vision. J
If you have TVTool you can use PtGen to design complete 3D dialog boxes. q
The author of TVTool is Richard Hansen and he can be reached at compuserve as 70242,3367 or by regular mail at: 3
PO Box 18571
Saint Paul, MN 55118-0571
USA
File (Alt-F)
The File menu offers choices for opening and
loading existing files, creating new files,
saving files, and exiting PtGen.
Edit (Alt-E)
Edit a new or a loaded application. You may also press Edit (Ctrl-F8).
App (Alt-A)
Set application options like application name, language (dutch or english), if it uses help, etc.
File
Open (F3)
Load a previously saved application. Q
PtGen only accepts source code that conforms entirely to the source it creates. [
You can edit the source code, but be carefull not to introduce not-PtGen compatible code.
File
New creates a new application. You are prompted to specify characteristics of this new application.
File
Save (F2)
The Save command saves the application to disk.
If the file has no name, PtGen opens the Save File As dialog box so you can rename the file and save it in a different directory or on a different drive.
File
Exit (Alt-X)
The Exit command exits PtGen, removes it from memory, and returns you to DOS. `
If you've modified a source file without saving it, PtGen prompts you to do so before exiting.
Enter the name of the application. Omit the proceeding 'T' (convention of Turbo Pascal) as PtGen will add a T to every objectname when writing the source file. T
The name you enter will become the name of the application object you will create.
Default language
When you choose the default language option (the default) you use DEFAULT.TVR and DEFAULT.TXT.
Copy ENGLISH.TVR or DUTCH.TVR to DEFAULT.TVR when you create only or mostly english or dutch applications. In this manner you don't have to change this option everytime you create a new application.
You can use the default language option to use a different language
too. Create a DEFAULT.TVR and DEFAULT.TXT containing the strings and texts in the language you wish.
English language
Use the english language for this application. t
The file ENGLISH.TVR will be used as the base file for STRINGS.TVR, the string resource file for this application.
Dutch language
Maak gebruik van de nederlandse taal voor deze applicatie. q
De file DUTCH.TVR zal worden gebruikt als basis voor STRINGS.TVR, de string resource file voor deze applicatie.
Settings
Change dialog box settings like its name and title.
Listviewer
Place a dummy listviewer on this dialog box. The created code can be changed by pressing the code button in the listviewer edit dialog box.
Spinbutton
Place a spinbutton (one line radiobutton) on its owner.
Radiobuttons
Place a radiobutton view on its owner.
Checkboxes
Place a Checkboxes view on its owner.
Memo
Place a memo view on its owner.
Label
Label an already inserted view. After you have specified the labeled text, you should select the view to be labeled. e
Select that view by clicking on it with the mouse button or using Tab/Shift-Tab and pressing Enter.
Static text
Place text on its owner.
Button
Create a button yourself.
Buttons
Place a button on the current dialog box. Choose between user defined and predefined as OK or Cancel.
You are prompted to specify a string resource file (.TVR) and a identifier file (.PAS or .INC). ~
The strings from in the resource file should be saved as 'Strings'. The strings are copied into the current string resource. >
The identifiers are copied into the current identifier file. T
In this way you can quickly merge different string resources and identifier files.
App configuration
Specify configuration settings for the application you are creating.
Code
Change some parameters of the code that will be generated for this view as its pointer type and parameters.
Range validator
A range validator checks the input the user types and restricts it to longints only which should be between the specified Min and Max value.
Inputline
Access to various inputlines, as the standard TInputLine and the PtGen TXInputLine
PtGen now supports the TbxXXXXLine inputlines. They are part of TVTool and you need TVTool to be able to compile the resulting program.
Validator
Add a validator to an already inserted inputline. You can choose between different validators. L
Select a validator, next select the inputline which needs to be validated.
Note that already existing validators are disposed. The Validator option is meant to change the validation of an inputline or to upgrade inputlines of previous versions of PtGen.
Enter the name of the source helptext file for this application. Usually this will be something like MYHELP.TXT. K
You should call TVHC to convert this file to the corresponding .HLP file.
Specify size of the editorbuffer in paragraphs (1 paragraph = 16 bytes). D
Usually a value of 2 000 will suffice (16 x 2 000 = 32 000 bytes).
(System) menu (Alt-Spacebar)
The System menu appears on the far left of the menu bar and is represented by the
symbol. <
When you pull down the
menu, you see the system command:
About
About ProtoType Generator
When you choose the About command from the
(System) menu, a dialog box appears, showing copyright and version information. 8
Press Esc, click OK, or click Cancel to close the box.
File
Save As...
Give a new name to the source file for the current application. Before writing, PtGen checks if a file with such a name exist. If so, you're prompted if you want to overwrite it. When you choose Yes, the previous file is saved with the .BAK extension. If you choose No, you're prompted for another filename.
Tutorial (Alt-T)
PtGen contains three online tutorials: H
Creating
menubars
Creating
statuslines
Creating
dialogboxes
They quickly and conveniently learn you to work with PtGen. Choose the Introduction first to learn the basics of working with PtGen.
Tutorial
Introduction
Introduction to working with PtGen for mouse and keyboard users. You learn about PtGen's mouse buttons and about its hotkeys. 0
You are introduced to some basic concepts too.
Tutorial
Statusline
Learn conveniently to create statuslines in PtGen.
This tutorial is the same as found in the manual except that the manual contains a bit more explanation and discusses some more advanced concepts.
Tutorial
MenuBar
Learn conveniently to create menubars in PtGen.
This tutorial is the same as found in the manual except that the manual contains a bit more explanation and discusses some more advanced concepts.
Tutorial
Dialogbox
Learn conveniently to create dialogboxes in PtGen.
This tutorial is the same as found in the manual except that the manual contains a bit more explanation and discusses some more advanced
Total number of columns for this TListViewer object.
Reporter
Not included in this version of PtGen.
Schema creation
Create a semantic abstraction hierarchie.
Not included with this version of PtGen.
Helptext
Add, edit or delete helptexts. You can change the statusline hints as well as the helpwindow text. G
You can also use it to change the constant values of the hcConstants.
Objects
Display all the objects which are created for this application. You can add, edit or delete objects.
Statusline
Edit the statusline.
Validator error text
Specify the resource string identifier which contains the custom warning string for this validator.
Specify only an identifier if you want to override the default. If you want to change the default message itself, change ENGLISH.TVR (or any of the other string resource files like DUTCH.TVR).
Dialog settings
Change dialog settings like its name and title. You can specify the help text too which should appear when the Help button (if inserted) is pressed.
Button
In this dialog box you can define the characteristics of a button. *
All button flags (bfXXXX) are supported.
Lefthand
Specify the local variable the view is assigned to.
Before the view is inserted into its owner it is first assigned to a variable. You can use this variable to acces the view later on.
Parameters
Specify the parameters for this view. For some views you can only specify the extra parameters. The fixed parameters are not visible. h
A fixed parameter is for example the Bounds of a view. This is always needed so you can't change that.
Pointer name
The object type that should be allocated. For example for an inputline you can specify
PRealInputLine
PtGen will in that case not write code to insert an inputline into its owner but to insert a RealInputLine. PtGen will write something like: "
New(PRealInputLine, Init(..));
Helptext
Enter the helptext which should be displayed as hint on the statusline when this item is selected.
Help window
The help window object is meant for linking a help window to a command. @
After the command is executed, a defined help window pops up. 2
The help windows are the standard help windows.
You can insert, edit or delete objects. *
* Insert an object by pressing Ins or by
clicking on the New button.
* Edit an object by selecting it and pressing -
Ctrl-F8 or by clicking on the Edit button.
* Delete on object by selecting it and 5
pressing Ctrl-F7 or by clicking on the Del button.
You can insert, edit or delete statusline items. -
* To insert, press Ins or click on the New
button
* To edit, select the item and press Edit (
(Ctrl-F8) or click on the Edit button
* To delete, select the item and press Del or
click on the Del button
Insert an item.
Delete an item.
Enter the text which will be displayed on the statusline.
Enter the keycode to generate the command which you will enter below. Valid keycodes are kbF1, kbF2, kbAltA etc.
Command to generate when keycode is pressed.
Enter the text to display for this item. Surround the hotkey with tildes (~).
Command to generate when this item is selected. This command will be listed in the interface section of the unit you create so you can use it in your programs. F
TIP: if you want this menuitem to behave as a DosShell just type in:
cmDosShell,
add some helptexts (if you want) and press Enter.
Enter the helptext which should be displayed on the statusline when this item is selected.
hcXXXX
Enter the name which will be used to refer to this particular statusline helptext and helptext window. This is useful for crossreferencing.
When no hcConstant is specified a default one is created. The default one consists of a 'H' + the value of the helpcontext. For example: H2022 or H2072.
You can modify the stringslist by clicking on the New/Edit/Del buttons or by pressing Ins, Edit (Ctrl-F8) or Del.
Enter the static text you want to display. You may enter the ^C and ^M directives by typing first a '^' than a 'C' or 'M'. 9
^C will center the text
^M will go to the next line
Characters lower than ascii 32 are not supported.
Enter the text for the label. Characters surrounded by tildes (~) are highlighted.
Enter the text to display on the button. You can use tildes (~) to highlight certain characters.
Command to generate when button is selected. command will be listed in the interface section of the unit you create so you can use it in your programs.
Code dialog box
This dialog box lets you change the code that will be generated for the selected subview.
Menuitem dialog box
Edit this menuitem by filling in the various fields. 7
Notes: * Leave all fields empty if you want a divider
line.
* Leave the Command and Param fields empty if
you want to create a submenu
Unitnames
Insert, edit or delete units by pressing Ins, Edit (Ctrl-F8) or Del respectively. #
Or press the appropriate buttons.
Units dialog box
You can insert, edit or delete the units that will appear as the last units in the implementation uses clause in the created unit.
In this manner you can `import' your views into the created code. Press the code button when you create a view (for example an inputline) to change the generated code.
Units
Specify units to be included in the implementation clause of the to be created unit. q
If you make use of the user generated code you usually need to include units of your own which define the view.
STRINGS.TVR
The file STRINGS.TVR contains all strings for this application including the statusline hints. Q
Using string resources internationalizing your application becomes much easier. ;
Use the BBStRRes unit for easy acces to string resources.
Cluster Dialog box
Enter Cluster item string including its hint and a helptext to be shown when Help (F1) is pressed.
HelpItems
Insert, edit or delete helpitems. q
You can change the identifier (hcConstant), the value of the hcConstant, the helptext and the help window text.
Calculator
Use the calculator object with your application. This is the same calculator as found in CALC.PAS which came with your Borland package. 3
It should be somewhere in the examples directory.
Center Y
Center X
Make First
Make this view the first view (lowest in Z-order) of this dialog box.
Specify next view
Specify the view that should be come next after this view. Use this option to specify the Tab/ Shift-Tab path through your dialog box. 5
That view becomes higher in Z-order than this view.
Enter the name of the dialog box while omitting the usually preceding 'T'. PtGen adds a 'T' when writing the source file. J
This name will be exported in the interface section of the created unit.
Enter the title which will appear at the top of the dialog box. All characters, up to 30, should be supported.
Strings (Alt-S)
Edit the string resources for this application. This string resource editor for Turbo Vision is very much like the Windows resource editor. E
Strings are saved in .TVR files, identifiers in .PAS or .INC files.
String resource files dialog box
This is the string resource files main dialog. You can add string resource files, delete or edit them. g
When your application is saved, one big string resource file is created with the name 'STRINGS.TRV'.
String resources file list
This is the main list of all the string resource files this application uses. z
You can add, delete or edit files by pressing Ins, Del or Edit (Ctrl-F8) or by clicking on the New, Del or Edit buttons.
[ New ]
A file dialog box will pop up to help selecting a string resource file and a identifier file.
[ Edit ]
After choosing edit, the selected string resource file can be editted. <
Strings with identifiers can be added, edited, or deleted.
[ Delete ]
The selected string resource file is deleted from the files list. The copy on your disk is not deleted.
Resource strings
You can add, change or delete strings in this string resource file. This file will be included in the main string resource file (STRINGS.TVR) for this application.
Edit a resource string
You can add, edit or delete strings by pressing Ins, Edit (Ctrl-F8) or Del respectively or by clicking on the New, Edit or Delete buttons after you have selected an item. d
For each item you can specify the name of the constant, the value of that constant and the string. H
NOTE: The value of the constant should be unique for this application.
Insert a string. You have to specify constant name, value and the string itself.
Edit a string. You can change the name of the constant, its value and the string itself.
Delete the selected string.
Resource String
You can edit the name of the constant of this string, the value of the constant and the string itself.
Resource Constant Name
Specify the constant name. This name will be put into the include file 'STRINGS.INC'. This file is created when you save your application. t
For example, when you specify as name sOutOfMemory and as a value for this constant 100, the output will be: const
sOutofMemory = 100;
To discriminate between other constants and string recource constants the 's' prefix is suggested.
Resource Constant Value
Specify the constant value. This value will be put into the include file 'STRINGS.INC'. This file is created when you save your application. t
For example, when you specify as name sOutOfMemory and as a value for this constant 100, the output will be: const
sOutofMemory = 100;
NOTE: Don't use values within the PtGen value range (1000..3999). All texts are stored in one string resource file so each string should be assigned a unique identifier.
Resource string
Specify the resource string itself. You can embed %d, %s or other format specifiers. /
A maximum of 255 characters can be specified.
Changes
Pop up a window containing changes.doc, a document which describes all changes/new things for this release.
TInputLine
The TInputLine view is the normal TurboVision view. Full validator support is provided.
Objects dialog box
The objects dialog box shows all objects defined for this application. You can edit, delete or insert new objects.
Picture validator
Real validator
A real validator checks if the entered string corresponds to the TurboPascal real type.
Let the validator do the DataSize, GetData and SetData methods.
TbxByteEdit dialog box
Procedure call
Enter the name of a procedure to call. Parameters may be included between the familiar parens.
Examples: (
foo
foo(a, b)
foo('Hello world.')
Leave the semicolon out.
File menu
Insert the standard File menu using the StdFileMenuItems call at the current menu level.
Procedure call
Link a procedure to this object. After you have choosen this object, you are asked to specify a procedure name.
Compile help file
All help texts are compiled to a .hlp file. Compilation stops after the first error.
Dialog|Open
Read a previous saved single dialog.
Dialog|Create
Create a single dialog without creating a whole application. You don't have to choose File|New but can directly execute Dialog|New
Dialog (Alt-D)
Acces to dialog only functions. No application is created. .
Only a single dialog source file is created.
In this operation mode, PtGen resembles DlgDsn in the way that only dialogs can be created and written. However, you retain the full editing power of PtGen.
Use a function of a DLL in your application.
In the protected mode version of PtGen you can directly acces this function. The real mode version can write the code to access a DLL only.
Popup menu
Create a complete popup including full helptext and statusline hint support.
Status item dialog box
Identifier
Fill in a record identifier. Initially this record identifier is equal to the label of this view.
This identifier is written in the record structure for this dialog box which can subsequently be used by GetData and SetData.
Record identifier type
Enter the record identifier type. Most of the time this type is automatically provided by the view itself, but you can override this.
Center X
Center this view horizontally within its owner's boundaries.
Center Y
Center this view vertically within its owner's boundaries.
Create a record
Create a record for this dialog box for use with GetData and SetData. $
The created record is of the form: e
<dialog name>Rec = record
<identifier1> : <type1>;
<identifier2> : <type2>;
...
end;
The subviews know their types. If you have labeled the subviews their identifier will be equal to their label. You can override this default settings though.
3D dialog box
Create a three dimensional dialog box with three dimensional subviews. You need TVTool 2.0 to compile such programs.
ValidChars
Enter the set of all characters the user can type. For example to allow only numeric digits, type
'0'..'9'
To allow only uppercase characters type
'A'..'Z'
Clone
Create an almost identical copy of the current selected object.
Picture
Enter the format for the type of string the user has to enter. A picture may consist of the following characters: (note that / stands for a curlet brace) -
Type of character Character Description
Special # Accept only a digit
? Accept only a letter (case-insensitive)
& Accept only a letter, force to uppercase
@ Accept any character
! Accept any character, force to uppercase
Match ; Take next character literally
* Repetition count
A number after the '*' specifies how many
the next character should be repeted
[] Option
// Grouping operators
, Set of alternatives
All others Taken literally
Examples (from the TVTool package): %
- unsigned int with optional commas
#[#][#]*/[;,]###/
- dollars, with comma and optinal dollar sign
[$]*#./##,00/
- phone number with optional area code
[(###) ]###-####
- filename (no path) with extension
/&*7[&]/./*3[&]/
None
Don't use a validator.
Filter validator
Add the TFilterValidator to this inputline.
Range validator
Add a range validator to this inputline.
Real validator
Add a real validator to this inputline to let the user input a TurboPascal real type. b
The real validator is identical to the RangeValidator except that a real range can be specified.
Picture validator
Add the TPXPictureValidator to this inputline.
TXinputLine
The TXInputLine is defined in BBDLG.PAS, a unit that came with your PtGen package. P
TXInputLine supports the word left and right (Ctrl-Left and Ctrl-Right) keys.
Cut & Paste is also possible.
voFill
Fill in literal characters as the user types.
Validate on append
Set if you want to validate on append only. This option is there to save your users from some unexpected, although logical, behaviour. m
An example might clarify this. Let your picture be $##.##. Let this option be on. If your user has entered
$23.
he can place the cursor on '2' and enter a 'a' so the input becomes
$2a3.
This is valid because you specified that the input should be checked on append only. If you have turned this option off, this could not happen. But, assuming the original input, if the user places his cursor on the '2' and wants to delete it, that will not be possible, because the then existing string violates the picture. The user can only delete characters in this case when he starts deleting them at the end of the input using backspace.
Your choice.
TbxEditLine
The TbxEditLine is part of TVTool. You need TVTool to compile the unit that PtGen will write.
InputLine Dialog Box
MaxLen
Specify the maximum number of characters one can type in this inputline.
EditLine Dialog Box
EditLine Dialog Box.
Minimum allowed value for this real.
Maximum value allowed for this real.
TbxByteEdit
Insert TVTool's TbxByteEdit inputline.
TbxIntegerEdit
Insert TVTool's TbxIntegerEdit inputline.
dfRequired
Field entry is required.
dfRJustify
Trim and right justify result.
dfLJustify
Trim and left justify result.
dfTrim
Remove leading and trailing spaces from result.
Hide
Typed characters are not visible on the screen, instead the HideChar (default '*') character is written of any typed character.
dfDefaults
Use default values if available. Currently (TVTools 2.00) only applicable for use with the TbxDateEdit inputline to set a specified day, month or year to the current day, month or year (if SetDateDefaults has been called).
Mask
Specify the mask to use for this inputline. the mask characters are: V
X any character
U any character, force to uppercase
L any character, force to lowercase
a alpha numeric character only
u alpha numerIc character only, force to
uppercase
l alpha numeric character only, force to
lowercase
# numbers, minus, period
9 digit only
& hexadecimal numbers
@ dates
Examples:
Date:
99/99/9999
Phone number:
(999) 999-9999 [9999]
Money:
$#####.##
Hexadecimal:
&&&&
TbxIntegerEdit dialog box
The minimum should be between -32768 and 32767.
The maximum allowed value should be between -32768 and 32767.
TbxDateEdit dialog box
Date picture
In the date picture teh characters 'y', 'Y', 'm', 'M', 'd' and 'D' are used to specify the positions of the year, month and day in the input string. p
Tne only editable characters in the input line will be in the positions indicated by these special characters.
Examples: $
MM/DD/YY
mm/dd/yyyy
dd/mm/yy
If dfDefault is set, missing data will be filled in using DefaultYear, DefaultMonth and DefaultDay (set these using SetDateDefaults).
TbxDateEdit
TbxDateEdit implements an input line for formatted dates. ?
You need the TVTool package to compile the resulting program.
StatusDef
Insert, edit or delete a status definition.
StatusDef dialog box
Selectable
Set if view should be selectabe.
ofValidate
Set if the view should validate itself before giving up its focus. 1
A view can retain the focus if it is not valid.
ofFramed
Set this option if you want the view to be framed.
TextViewer
After selecting this menu item, you are promted for a file name. &
This file will be shown in a window.
HistoryID
Type the history ID number to use for this inputline.
Help
Enable this option if you want to use helptexts in your application.
Enabling this option will cause PtGen to put the Help directive in DEFINES.DEF which will cause the help code in PREAPP.PAS to be compiled.
Editor
Enable if you want to use the Editors unit in your application.
Bufferend Printer
Not supplied with this release.
3D Turbo Vision
Enable to support the TVTool package of Richard Hansen. TVTool lets you create Three Dimensional dialog boxes.
HeapViewer
If this option is enabled the HeapViewer from the Gadgets unit (/bp/examples/dos/tvdemo) is included in the source of this program.
Clock
If this option is enabled the Clok from the Gadgets unit (/bp/examples/dos/tvdemo) is included in the source of this program.
Window menu
Insert the standard Window menu using the StdWindowMenuItems call at the current menu level.
Edit menu
Insert the standard Edit menu using the StdEditMenuItems call at the current menu level.
Sort menuview
Sort the currently selected menuview (either the horizontal menubar or a vertical list of menu items). e
Use this option when menu items cannot be logically grouped. An alphabetical sorting is best than.
Menu name
Change the name of this menubar or popup.
Menubar
Create a new menubar object, use for example when you want multiple menubars. v
Tip: if you want different 'versions' of the same main menubar, just clone the main menubar and change the new copy.
Which help window dialog
Enter the information where the to be shown help window can be found.
Help filename
Enter the help file to use. If you leave this one empty the application help file will be used. g
The application help file is the one you have specified in the Application configuration dialog box.
hcXXXX or value
Enter the help identifier or value which refers to the to be shown help screen.
Remove link
Remove the current link between this command and an object? O
Only the link is removed. To delete the object, go to the Objects dialog box.
You're in Point mode now
Mouse users
-----------
Select an object by clicking on it.
Keyboard users
--------------
Select an object with the arrow or
Tab/Shift-Tab keys and press Enter.
Welcome to PtGen's online tutorial
PtGen's tutorials are intended to give you a quick start in operating PtGen. This part of the tutorial serves as an introduction to the most import concepts in PtGen. (
WARNING: the tutorials are not bullet-proof and can easily be distorted by not doing exactly what you are asked to do. Pressing Help (F1) will not distort the tutorial. So if you do not know what PtGen is you can press Help (F1) now to learn more about PtGen. Then proceed to read this tutorial g
General guidelines for using PtGen's tutorials
Constantly text will be displayed in the background to guide you through operating PtGen. The same applications as in the user's manual are created, and you will find more explanatory material there. (
There are three tutorials. They cover: S
creating of statuslines
creating of menubars
creating of dialog boxes
General PtGen ideas/usages
Everything in PtGen can be considered an object or an item. You apply operations on these objects/items by first selecting them. In PtGen several keys or mouse-buttons have a special meaning. They are:
Mouse users
-----------
Leftbutton select object/item or popup a local menu if you click
on the background
Rightbutton popup menu with actions you can apply to a object or
item
Keyboard users
--------------
Alt-F5 Pop-up local position menu for
positioning the current object
Alt-F10 Pop-up local menu
Ctrl-F7 Delete current object/item
Ctrl-F8 Edit current object/item
Ctrl-F9 Link other objects to your object
Ins Insert an item
Del Delete an item
OK, now you now enough to start with the first tutorial: creating of statuslines. Select Statusline from the Tutorial menu.
Note: For every application (see the user's manual too) you have to create a separate directory and copy PREAPP.PAS to it. In the current directory are all PtGen created files saved. B
To create a new application: select New from the
File menu.
After that you will be prompted to specify some parameters for this application.
Enter as name for the application: SampleApp. Omit the preceding 'T'.
PtGen will add a 'T' to every name when creating a source file
Choose the English language
Enable the help option and enter as name for the helpfile: sample.txt.
Specify never the compiled (.HLP) version but the text file (.TXT)
That's it. Select OK to close this dialog box
Press Edit (Ctrl-F8) or select Edit from the menubar to start editing your application.
Popup the local menu for your application by pressing Local Menu (Alt-F10) or clicking on the background with the left mouse button and holding that button down.
Choose statusline from this menu.
On the right side of the screen is now the statusline edit dialog box displayed. This dialog box represents the statusline. You can insert, edit or delete statusline definitions and items by pressing Ins, Ctrl-F8 and Delete respectively.
Press Tab to go to the Keys for the selected status definition, press the down arrow key and press Ins or click on the New button.
You can specify in this dialog box the same parameters as when calling the NewStatusKey function. f
Type after Text:
~F2~ Save
Type after Keycode
kbF2
Type after Command
cmSave
Next click on OK to close the dialog box.
If the ListBox is selected, you will see that the statusline has changed according to the information you specified. O
Type now a F3 statusitem by pressing Ins again or clicking on the New button.
P.S. if you made a mistake in the previous statusitem, move the lightbar to that item and press Edit (Ctrl-F8) or click on Edit.
Type after Text
~F3~ Open
Type after Keycode
kbF3
Type after Command
cmOpen
And select the OK button.
Type now the Alt-F3 statusitem by pressing Ins again or selecting the New button.
Leave Text empty
Type after Keycode
kbAltF3
Type after Command
cmClose
and select the OK button to close the dialog box.
If you look at the statusline you will see that the statusline has changed according to your input.
Select now the OK button to close the statusitem dialog box.
Exit now the application you created by pressing Exit (Alt-X).
You have now finished creating your first application. But is has to be saved now in a pascal source file. PtGen is able to read that source file if you want to expand or change your application later on.
You are prompted to specify a filename as this application has not yet a filename. If that file already exists, PtGen prompts you if you want to replace it. The previous file is then saved as .BAK.
To save your application: B
Select Save from the File menu.
Specify as filename: SAMPLE1 (PtGen will add the .PAS) and select OK.
This is the end of your first tutorial. You may either proceed with the second tutorial or do that a next time.
Close this window by clicking on the close icon.
Welcome to the second tutorial!
You are going to learn how to build your own menubar. You will do this by extending the application you saved after the first tutorial. 5
Load that application by selecting Open from the File menu.
Type as filename SAMPLE1 and select the OPEN button to load it
Press Edit (Ctrl-F8) or select Edit from the menubar to start editting your application.
Press Menu (F10) to select the menubar
You selected the system menu. But if you take a look at the statusline you will see that it remains the same. But in the TP60 IDE (disappeared from BP70) a helptext appeared. You want that too?
Press Edit (Ctrl-F8) to edit the system menu (no mouse equivalent).
The menuitem dialog box has appeared. In this dialog box you can edit a menuitem's parameters. Except for helptext and window helptext the parameters are the same as for the NewItem function. !
Enter in the helptext inputline
system commands
and select OK to close this dialog box.
If you now look at the statusline, you will see that the statusline has changed and now shows the desired text. /
Editing a menuitem is simple. Adding one too! P
Place the lightbar on the End mark (
) symbol and press Ins to add a menuitem.
You will add the File menu, just like the one in Turbo IDE. y
Enter after Name
~F~ile
Enter after Help text
File management
commands (Open,
New, Save, etc.)
Leave the other fields empty and select OK to close this dialogbox.
The File menu has been added. Because you didn't specify a command, the File menu will contain a submenu. -
Place the lightbar on File and press Enter. D
An empty submenu will appear. Press Ins to insert the first menuitem of this submenu.
Enter after Name
~O~pen
After Command
cmOpen
After Keycode
kbF3
After Param
F3
Skip hcConstant and R
enter after Help text
Locate and open a
file in an Edit
window
Select OK to close this dialogbox.
Exit now the application you created by selecting Exit from the statusline or by pressing Alt-X.
You have now finished creating your second application. Save this application now by selecting
Save as...
from the File menu. If you had choosen Save you would have overwritten the code of the first tutorial.
Specify as filename: SAMPLE2 and select OK to save your application.
This is the end of your second tutorial. You may either proceed with the third tutorial: creating dialogboxes or do that a next time. O
**Bug in PtGen** Please exit and restart PtGen before going to third tutorial
You can close this window by clicking on the close icon.
Welcome to the third tutorial
You are going to learn how to create dialog boxes. You will do this by extending the application you saved after the second tutorial. )
Load that application by selecting Open from the File menu.
Type as filename SAMPLE2 and select the OPEN button to load it
Press Edit (Ctrl-F8) or select Edit from the menubar to start editing your application.
Press Menu (F10) to select the menubar
Press Enter to show the About menuitem, then
read on.
You can "link" objects to menuitems. You will now link a dialog box object to the About menuitem. W
Press Link (Ctrl-F9) to pop-up a list of
objects you can link to this menuitem.
There is no mouse equivalent to link objects.
There are two types of objects: predefined such as a calculator and user-defined. As you will define a dialog box, a user-defined object,
select Define
to pop up a list of objects which can be user-defined. %
From this list select Dialogbox.
The dialog box settings dialog box appears in the upper right corner. You can specify a Name and a Title. You can also specify if you want a record to be created or if you want it to be centered. And full help text support of course. #
Enter after Name
AboutDlg
Enter after Title
About
Press OK to close the dialog box.
You can place objects, like TStaticText or TButton, in the empty dialog box.
Keyboard users:
Pop up a list of objects you can place in this dialog box by pressing Local Menu (Alt-F10).
Mouse users:
Pop up a list of objects you can place in this dialog box by placing the mouse on the dialogbox background and pressing the left mouse button. The mouse location will form the upperleft corner of the view you select.
Select Static text from the pop-up.
You are prompted to specify the static text. Enter the following text just as it appears. So enter for ^C first a "^" than a "C": #
^CTurbo Pascal^M^M^CVersion 7.0
and select the OK button.
You will now place an OK button in this dialog box.
Keyboard users:
Pop up the local menu to select an object by pressing Local Menu (Alt-F10).
Mouse users:
Pop up the local menu by placing the mouse on the dialog box background and pressing the left mouse button.
Select Button and next select OK to insert an OK button in this dialog box.
Press Enter or select the OK button to close this dialog box.
Press Alt-X to exit your application.
You have now finished creating your third application. We will save this one under a new name. *
Select Save as... from the File menu.
Specify as filename: SAMPLE3 and select OK to save your application.
This is the end of your third and last tutorial! Congratulations! To become a real PtGen master I advise you to study the same tutorials in the User Manual too. The User Manual will offer more explanation and mention some more advanced concepts for which in this introductionary tutorial there was no room. 2
Close this window by clicking on the close icon.
File
Change Dir...
Change Dir brings up the Change Directory dialog box, where you can specify a directory to make current. R
The current directory is the one PtGen uses to save files and to look for files.
File
DOS Shell
With the DOS Shell command, you can leave PtGen temporarily to perform a DOS command or enter another program. D
To return to PtGen, type EXIT at the DOS prompt, then press Enter.
(.txt)