IDL GUIBuilder Tools

You will use the following tools to design and construct a graphical interface using the IDL GUIBuilder:

The IDL GUIBuilder Toolbar, which you use to create the widgets that make up your interface. See Using the IDL GUIBuilder Toolbar and Widget Operations.

The Widget Properties dialog, which you use to set widget attributes and event properties. See Using the Properties Dialog and Widget Properties.

The Widget Browser, which you can use to see the widget hierarchy and to modify certain aspects of the widgets in your application. See Using the Widget Browser.

The Menu Editor, which you use to define menus to top-level bases and buttons. See Using the Menu Editor.

The Bitmap Editor, which you use to create or modify bitmap images to be displayed on button widgets. See Using the Bitmap Editor.

The IDLDE to modify, compile, and run the generated code (see The IDL Development Environment.

Using the IDL GUIBuilder Toolbar

The IDL GUIBuilder has its own toolbar in the IDE, which you use to create the widgets for your user interface. The following figure shows the toolbar.

Table 3-1: Widget Types

Table 3-1: Widget Types
Widget	Description
Base	Creates a container for a group of widgets within a top-level base container. A top-level base is contained in the IDL GUIBuilder window, and you build your interface in it. Use base widgets within the top-level base to set up the widget hierarchy, layout, and to organize the application. For example, you can use a base widget to group a set of buttons. See Base Widget Properties for property and event information.
Button	Creates a push button. The easiest way to allow a user to interact with your application is through a button click. You can have button widgets display labels, menus, or bitmaps. See Button Widget Properties for property and event information.
Radio Button	Creates a toggle button that is always grouped within a base container. Use radio buttons to present a set of choices from which the user can pick only one. See Button Widget Properties for property and event information.
Checkbox	Creates a checkbox, which you can use either as a single toggle button to indicate a particular state is on or off or as a list of choices from which the user can select none to all choices. Checkboxes are created within a base container. See Button Widget Properties for property and event information.
Text	Creates a text widget. Use text widgets to get input from users or to display multiple lines of text. For information on text widget properties, see Text Widget Properties.
Label	Creates a label. Use label widgets to identify areas of your application or to label widgets that do not have their own label property. Use labels when you have only a single line of text and you do not want the user to be able to change the text. For information on label widget properties, see Label Widget Properties.
Horizontal and Vertical Sliders	Creates a slider with a horizontal or vertical layout. Use slider widgets to allow the user to control program input, such as adjust the speed of movement for a rotating image. For information on slider properties, see Slider Widget Properties.
Droplist	Creates a droplist widget, which you can use to present a scrollable list of items for the user to select from. The droplist is an effective way to present a lot of choices without using too much interface space. For information on droplist properties, see Droplist Widget Properties.
Listbox	Creates a list widget, which you can use to present a scrollable list of items for the user to select from. For information on listbox properties, see Listbox Widget Properties.
Draw Area	Creates a draw area, which you can use to display graphics in your application. The draw area can display IDL Direct Graphics or IDL Object Graphics, depending on how you set its properties. For information on the draw area properties, see Draw Widget Properties.
Table	Creates a table widget, which you can use to display data in a row and column format. You can allow users to edit the contents of the table. For information on the table widget properties, see Table Widget Properties.
Tab	Creates a tab widget on which different "pages" (base widgets and their children) can be displayed by selecting the appropriate tab. For information on the tab widget properties, see Tab Widget Properties.
Tree	Creates a tree widget, which presents a hierarchical view that can be used to organize a wide variety of data structures and information. For information on the tree widget properties, see Tree Widget Properties.

Creating Widgets

All widgets for a user interface must be descendents of a top-level base; in the IDL GUIBuilder window, all widgets must be contained in a top-level base widget. When you open an IDL GUIBuilder window, it contains a top-level base. You can add base widgets to that top-level widget to form a widget hierarchy. The added bases can act as containers for groups of widgets.

After you add widgets to a top-level base, you can resize, move, and delete them, and you can change their parent base. You can also set properties for each widget. For information on how to operate on widgets, see Widget Operations, and for information on setting properties, see Using the Properties Dialog.