Copyright © 2008, 2009 Arndt Roger Schneider

Tk's Dialog under X Window System
Prev Chapter 6. Gstripes  Next

Tk's Dialog under X Window System

Gstripes can be used for the typical »tk_getOpenFile«, »tk_getSaveFile« and »tk_messageBox« based dialogs.

These dialogs are hijacked by Gstripes through an event handler, which is registered on the basic dialog classes: »TkFDialog« and »Dialog«.

Figure 6.56. tk_GetOpenFile with Gstripes


No extra code is required to activate striped varieties for these Tk dialogs. Only the packages, containing the striped implementation, have to be loaded once.

Example 6.31. Package gstripestkfdialog

# Use striped File Open / Close Dialogs under X11.
package require gstripestkfdialog

...
# File Open / Close Dialog with Gstripes!

Example 6.32. Package gstripesdialog

# Use stripes for tk_messageBox.
package require gstripesdialog

...
# tk_messageBox will be striped, now!

Gstripes will change the layout of both dialog types. Buttons are arranged on the fallen diagonal, to better accommodate western-language environments.

Example 6.33. A tk_messageBox

   tk_messageBox \
       -parent . \
      -message "Test Message" \
        -title "Stripes MessageBox" \
         -type yesnocancel \
      -default yes \
         -icon question

Figure 6.57. tk_messageBox with Gstripes

tk_messageBox with Gstripes

The button layout can be changed for the striped tk_messageBox. There is a new Option Database property »layout« for class »Dialog«. These property contains triple entries for each button stating the »ID« inside the w array, the »column« and the on-default state for the button’s default frame.

Example 6.34. Layout definition for tk_messageBox

  # id column state of default frame
  option add *Dialog.layout {
     8 1      disabled
     7 1      disabled
     5 1      disabled
     4 7      disabled
     6 9      active
     3 9      active
  }

#  Button Layout as defined by »layout«
#  abort/retry ~ x ...  cancel ~ no ~ yes/OK
#   1          ~ 3           5 ~ 7  ~ 9
#  Default frames are enabled for yes and OK.

The columns 0,2,4,6,8,10 feature 6 pixels, to distribute the buttons equidistantly. Column 4 has a additional weight attribute.

There is no custom »layout« for the file dialogs.

The striped dialogs are compatible with Tile.

Figure 6.58. tk_messageBox with Gstripes and Tile

tk_messageBox with Gstripes and Tile

tk_messageBox should allow to replace the caption for each dialog button. This could be done for the striped variant! But must also happen for AQUA® and Microsoft-Windows®, which are unaffected by Gstripes! That is why I left it as-it-is, sorry.

Gstripes and Tile

An inoculation package inoculate_gstripes exists for Gstripes–as for all other templates from the Gestalt Items.

Inoculating Gstripes makes it possible to theme menus under X Window System, too. In order to do this: design or customize radio- and checkmarks in such a way that they may reflect the current theme.

If you have custom check- and radiomarks, there is no need to put them under Tile’s supervision at all. This leaves »button«, »menubutton« and »scrollbar«, from the typical controls, under the direct control from Tile.

In Gstripes, the background colour of checkbutton and radiobutton, with indicator, is only used for the indicator itself. The remainder of the control fades into white space .

Button, menubutton, radiobutton and checkbutton organized in groups must not originate from Tile.

Prev Up Next
Menubar  Home Activate and Deactivate
SourceForge Logo Gestalt Items