The control's template uses the X-Script language to initialize the control's content. Use the Template property page of the control to update the control's Template property. Use the Template property to execute code by passing instructions as a string ( template string ). Use the ToTemplate property to generate the control's content to template format. Use the ExecuteTemplate property to get the result of executing a template script.
The Exontrol's eXHelper tool helps you to find easy and quickly the answers and the source code for your questions regarding the usage of our UI components.
Most of our UI components provide a Template page that's accessible in design mode. No matter what programming language you are using, you can have a quick view of the component's features using the WYSWYG Template editor.
- Place the control to your form or dialog.
- Locate the Properties item, in the control's context menu, in design mode. If your environment doesn't provide a Properties item in the control's context menu, please try to locate in the Properties browser.
- Click it, and locate the Template page.
- Click the Help button. In the left side, you will see the component, in the right side, you will see a x-script code that calls methods and properties of the control.
The control's Template page helps user to initialize the control's look and feel in design mode, using the x-script language that's easy and powerful. The Template page displays the control on the left side of the page. On the right side of the Template page, a simple editor is displayed where user writes the initialization code. The control's look and feel is automatically updated as soon as the user types new instructions. The Template script is saved to the container persistence ( when Apply button is pressed ), and it is executed when the control is initialized at runtime. Any component that provides a WYSWYG Template page, provides a Template property. The Template property executes code from a string ( template string ).
The Template or x-script is composed by lines of instructions. Instructions are separated by "\n\r" ( newline characters ) or ";" character. The ; character may be available only for newer versions of the components.
An x-script instruction/line can be one of the following:
- Dim list of variables Declares the variables. Multiple variables are separated by commas. ( Sample: Dim h, h1, h2 )
- variable = property( list of arguments ) Assigns the result of the property to a variable. The "variable" is the name of a declared variable. The "property" is the property name of the object in the context. The "list or arguments" may include variables or values separated by commas. ( Sample: h = InsertItem(0,"New Child") )
- property( list of arguments ) = value Changes the property. The value can be a variable, a string, a number, a boolean value or a RGB value.
- method( list of arguments ) Invokes the method. The "list or arguments" may include variables or values separated by commas.
- { Beginning the object's context. The properties or methods called between { and } are related to the last object returned by the property prior to { declaration.
- } Ending the object's context
- object. property( list of arguments ).property( list of arguments ).... The .(dot) character splits the object from its property. For instance, the Columns.Add("Column1").HeaderBackColor = RGB(255,0,0), adds a new column and changes the column's header back color.
The x-script may uses constant expressions as follow:
- boolean expression with possible values as True or False
- numeric expression may starts with 0x which indicates a hexa decimal representation, else it should starts with digit, or +/- followed by a digit, and . is the decimal separator. Sample: 13 indicates the integer 13, or 12.45 indicates the double expression 12,45
- date expression is delimited by # character in the format #mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss#. Sample: #31/12/1971# indicates the December 31, 1971
- string expression is delimited by " or ` characters. If using the ` character, please make sure that it is different than ' which allows adding comments inline. Sample: "text" indicates the string text.
Also , the template or x-script code may support general functions as follows:
- Me property indicates the original object.
- RGB(R,G,B) property retrieves an RGB value, where the R, G, B are byte values that indicates the R G B values for the color being specified. For instance, the following code changes the control's background color to red: BackColor = RGB(255,0,0)
- LoadPicture(file) property loads a picture from a file or from BASE64 encoded strings, and returns a Picture object required by the picture properties.
- CreateObject(progID) property creates and retrieves a single uninitialized object of the class associated with a specified program identifier.
BeginUpdate
Expanded = True
PicturesPath = "C:\Program Files\Exontrol\ExRadialMenu\Sample\Images"
HTMLPicture("arrow") = "arrow.png"
SubItemsBackColor = RGB(190,190,190)
ShadowColor = SubItemsBackColor
RadialLineColor(6) = SubItemsBackColor
RadialLineColor(5) = -1
Items
{
Add("Foreground-Color","color_line.png").Items.ToString = "Foreground"
Add("Background-Color","color_fill.png").Items.ToString = "Background"
Add("Font","format_font_size_less.png").Items.ToString = "Font"
Add("Undo","edit_undo.png").Items.ToString = "Undo"
Add("Redo","edit_redo.png").Items.ToString = "Redo"
Add("Copy","edit_copy.png").Items.ToString = "Copy"
Add("List","fileview_text.png").Items.ToString = "List"
Add("Tag","checkmark_korganizer.png").Items.ToString = "Tag"
}
EndUpdate
generates:
