Tk/Wizard - Wizard GUI Framework - Release 1.07
===============================================
INSTALLATION
To install this module type the following:
perl Makefile.PL
make all test
make install
Be careful with the tests: some are currently interactive.
DESCRIPTION
In the context of this namespace, a Wizard is defined as a graphic user
interface (GUI) that presents information, and possibly performs tasks,
step-by-step via a series of different pages. Pages (or 'screens', or
'Wizard frames') may be chosen logically depending upon user input.
The "Tk::Wizard" module automates a large part of the creation of a
wizard program to collect information and then perform some complex task
based upon it.
The wizard feel is largly based upon the Microsoft(TM,etc) wizard style:
the default is simillar to that found in Microsoft Windows 95; a more
Windows 2000-like feel is also supported (see the "-style" entry in
"WIDGET-SPECIFIC OPTIONS". Subclassing the module to provide different
look-and-feel is highly encourage: please see "NOTES ON SUB-CLASSING
Tk::Wizard".
NB: THIS IS AN ALPHA RELEASE: ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE WELCOME!
Please also see "IMPLEMENTATION NOTES".
STANDARD OPTIONS
-title -background -width -height
Please see the Tk::options documentation for details of the standard
options.
WIDGET-SPECIFIC OPTIONS
Name: style
Class: ""
Switch: -style
Sets the display style of the Wizard.
The default 95 value creates a traditional, Windows 95-style wizard,
with every page being "SystemButtonFace" coloured, with a large
image on the left ("-imagepath", below).
A value of "top", the Wizard will be more of a Windows 2000-like
affair, with the initial page being a white-backgrounded version of
the traditional style, and subsequent pages being "SystemButtonFace"
coloured, with a white strip at the top holding a title and
subtitle, and a smaller image (see "-topimagepath", below).
Name: imagepath
Class: ""
Switch: -imagepath
Path to an image file that will be displayed on the left-hand side
of the screen. Dimensions are not been restrained (yet).
Notes:
* This is a "Tk::Photo" object without the format being specified
- this has been tested only on GIF and JPEG.
* No checking is done, but paths ought to be absolute, as no
effort is made to maintain or restore any initial current
working directory.
* The supplied images wizard_blue.gif and wizard_blue_top.gif are
used by default. If you supply others you will probably have to
set the Wizard's "-width" and "-height" properties, as there is
(currently) no image-sized checking performed.
Name: topimagepath
Class: ""
Switch: -topimagepath
Only required if "-style=>'top'" (as above): the image this filepath
specifies will be displayed in the top-right corner of the screen.
Dimensions are not restrained (yet), but only 50px x 50px has been
tested.
Please see notes for the "-imagepath" entry, above.
Name: nohelpbutton
Class: ""
Switch: -nohelpbutton
Set to anything to disable the display of the *Help* buton.
Name: resizable
Class: ""
Switch: -resizable
Supply a boolean value to allow resizing of the window: default is
to disable that feature to minimise display issues.
Please see also "ACTION EVENT HANDLERS".
METHOD addPage
$wizard->addPage ($page_code_ref1 ... $page_code_refN)
Adds a page to the wizard. The parameters must be references to code
that evaluate to "Tk::Frame" objects, such as those returned by the
methods "blank_frame" and "addDirSelectPage".
Pages are (currently) stored and displayed in the order added.
Returns the index of the page added, which is useful as a page UID when
peforming checks as the *Next* button is pressed (see file test.pl
supplied with the distribution).
See also "METHOD blank_frame" and "METHOD addDirSelectPage".
METHOD Show
C<wizard>->Show()
This method must be dispatched before the Wizard will be displayed, and
must preced the "MainLoop" call.
METHOD forward
Convenience method to move the Wizard on a page by invoking the callback
for the "nextButton".
METHOD backward
Convenience method to move the Wizard back a page by invoking the
callback for the "backButton".
METHOD currentPage
my $current_page = $wizard->currentPage()
This returns the index of the page currently being shown to the user.
Page are indexes start at 1, with the first page that is associated with
the wizard through the "addPage" method. See also the "METHOD addPage"
entry.
METHOD parent
my $apps_main_window = $wizard->parent;
This returns a reference to the parent Tk widget that was used to create
the wizard. Returns a reference to the Wizard's "MainWindow".
METHOD blank_frame
my $frame = wizard>->blank_frame(-title=>$title,-subtitle=>$sub,-text=>$standfirst);
Returns a "Tk::Frame" object that is a child of the Wizard control, with
some "pack"ing parameters applied - for more details, please see
"-style" entry elsewhere in this document.
Arguments are name/value pairs:
-title =>
Printed in a big, bold font at the top of the frame as a title
=subtitle =>
Subtitle/standfirst.
-text =>
Main body text.
Also:
-width -height -background -font
See also "METHOD addDirSelectPage".
METHOD addTextFrame
Add to the wizard a frame containing a scroll box of text, specified in
the paramter "-boxedtext". If this is a reference to a scalar, it is
taken to be plain text; if a plain scalar, it is taken to be a file to
be opened and read.
Accepts the usual "-title", "-subtitle", and "-text" like "blank_frame".
METHOD addDirSelectPage
$wizard->addDirSelectPage ( -variable => \$chosen_dir )
Adds a page ("Tk::Frame") that contains a scrollable texxt box of all
directories including, on Win32, logical drives.
Supply in "-variable" a reference to a variable to set the initial
directory, and to have set with the chosen path.
Supply "-nowarnings" with a value of 1 to list only drives which are
accessible, thus avoiding "Tk::DirTree" warnings on Win32 where
removable drives have no media. Supply "-nowarnings" with any other
value to avoid listing drives which are both inacessible and - on Win32
- are either fixed drives, network drives, or RAM drives (that is types
3, 4, and 6, according to "Win32API::File::GetDriveType".
You may also specify the "-title", "-subtitle" and "-text" paramters, as
in "METHOD blank_frame".
See "CALLBACK callback_dirSelect".
CALLBACK callback_dirSelect
A callback to check that the directory, passed as a reference in the
sole argument, exists, and can and should be created.
Will not allow the Wizard to continue unless a directory has been
chosen. If the chosen directory does not exist, Setup will ask if it
should create it. If the user affirms, it is created; otherwise the user
is again asked to chose a directory.
Returns a Boolean value.
This method relies on "Win32API::File" on MS Win32 machines only.
METHOD addTaskListPage
Adds a page to the Wizard that will perform a series of tasks, keeping
the user informed by ticking-off a list as each task is accomplished.
Whilst the task list is being executed, both the *Back* and *Next*
buttons are disabled.
Paramters are as for "blank_frame" (see "METHOD blank_frame"), plus:
-tasks
The tasks to perform, supplied as a reference to an array, where
each entry is a pair (ie a two-member list), the first of which is a
text string to display, the second a reference to code to execute.
-delay
The length of the delay, in milliseconds, after the page has been
displayed and before execution the task list is begun. See the entry
for the 'after' routine in the Tk::After manpage.
-continue
Display the next Wizard page once the job is done: invokes the
callback of the *Next* button at the end of the task.
-todo_photo
-done_photo
Optional: both "Tk::Photo" objects, the former displayed before an
item on the taks list has been executed, which is changed to the
latter after completion of the item. If not provided, then not
displayed.
If I knew more about TK bitmaps, or any bitmaps other than Vic-20,
I'd extend this to have defaults.
-label_frame_title
The label above the "Tk::LabFrame" object which contains the task
list. Default label is the boring "Performing Tasks:".
-frame_args
Optional: the arguments to pass in the creation of the "Frame"
object used to contain the list.
-frame_pack
Optional: array-refernce to pass to the "pack" method of the "Frame"
containing the list.
$wizard->addTaskListPage(
-title => "Toy example",
-tasks => [
"Wait five seconds" => sub { warn "waiting for 5 ...."; sleep 5; print "ok 8\n"},
"Wait ten seconds!" => sub { warn "waiting for 10...."; sleep 10; print "ok 9\n"},
],
);
METHOD page_taskList
The same as "addTaskListPage" (see "METHOD addTaskListPage") but does
not add the page to the Wizard.
Note that unlink "addTaskListPage", arguments are expected in a hash
reference.
Useful for a task list that cannot be filled before the call to
"Show()".
Parameter "-label_frame_title" is the label above the "Tk::LabFrame"
object which contains the task list. Default label is the boring
"Performing Tasks:".
DIALOGUE METHOD prompt
Equivalent to the JavaScript method of the same name: pops up a dialogue
box to get a text string, and returns it. Arguemnts are:
-parent =>
"Tk" object that is our parent window. Default's to our "parent"
field.
-title =>
The title of the dialogue box.
-text =>
The text to display above the "Entry" widget.
-value =>
The initial value of the "Entry" box.
-wraplength =>
Text "Label"'s wraplength: defaults to 275.
-width =>
The "Entry" widget's width: defaults to 40. =back
ACTION EVENT HANDLERS
A Wizard is a series of pages that gather information and perform
tasks based upon that information. Navigated through the pages is
via *Back* and *Next* buttons, as well as *Help*, *Cancel* and
*Finish* buttons.
In the "Tk::Wizard" implementation, each button has associated with
it one or more action event handlers, supplied as code-references
executed before, during and/or after the button press.
The handler code should return a Boolean value, signifying whether
the remainder of the action should continue. If a false value is
returned, execution of the event handler halts.
-preNextButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched before
the Next button is processed.
-postNextButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched after
the Next button is processed.
-preBackButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched before
the Previous button is processed.
-postBackButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched after
the Previous button is processed.
-preHelpButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched before
the Help button is processed.
-helpButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched to
handle the Help button action.
-postHelpButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched after
the Help button is processed.
-finishButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a funciton that will be dispatched to
handle the Finish button action.
-postFinishButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched after
the Finish button is processed.
-preCancelButtonAction =>
This is a reference to a function that will be dispatched before
the Cancel button is processed. Default is to exit on user
confirmation - see "METHOD DIALOGUE_really_quit".
-preCloseWindowAction =>
This is a reference to a funciton that will be dispatched before
the window is issued a close command. Default is to exit on user
confirmation - see "DIALOGUE METHOD DIALOGUE_really_quit".
All active event handlers can be set at construction or using
"configure" - see "WIDGET-SPECIFIC OPTIONS" and "METHOD configure".
BUTTONS
backButton nextButton helpButton cancelButton
If you must, you can access the Wizard's button through the object
fields listed above, each of which represents a "Tk::Button" object.
Yes, this is not a good way to do it: patches always welcome ;)
This is not advised for anything other than disabling or re-enabling
the display status of the buttons, as the "-command" switch is used
by the Wizard:
$wizard->{backButton}->configure( -state => "disabled" )
Note: the *Finish* button is simply the "nextButton" with the label
$LABEL{FINISH}.
See also INTERNATIONALISATION.
INTERNATIONALISATION
The labels of the buttons can be changed (perhaps into a language
other an English) by changing the values of the package-global
%LABELS hash, where keys are "BACK", "NEXT", "CANCEL", "HELP", and
"FINISH".
The text of the callbacks can also be changed via the %LABELS hash:
see the top of the source code for details.
IMPLEMENTATION NOTES
This widget is implemented using the Tk 'standard' API as far as
possible, given my almost three weeks of exposure to Tk. Please, if
you have a suggestion, or patch, send it to me directly:
"LGoddard@CPAN.org".
The widget is a "MainWindow" and not a "TopLevel" window. The
reasoning is that Wizards are applications in their own right, and
not usually parts of other applications. Although at the time of
writing, I had only three weeks of Tk, I believe it should be
possible to embed a "Tk::Wizard" into another window using "-use"
and "-container" -- but any info on this practice would be
appreciated.
There is one outstanding bug which came about when this Wizard was
translated from an even more naive implementation to the
more-standard manner. That is: because "Wizard" is a sub-class of
"MainWIndow", the "-background" is inacessible to me. Advice and/or
patches suggestions much appreciated.
THE Tk::Wizard NAMESPACE
In discussion on comp.lang.perl.tk, it was suggested by Dominique
Dumont (would you mind your address appearing here?) that the
following guidelines for the use of the "Tk::Wizard" namespace be
followed:
1 That the module "Tk::Wizard" act as a base module, providing all
the basic services and components a Wizard might require.
2 That modules beneath the base in the hierachy provide
implementations based on aesthetics and/or architecture.
NOTES ON SUB-CLASSING Tk::Wizard
If you are planning to sub-class "Tk::Wizard" to create a different
display style, there are three routines you will need to over-ride:
initial_layout
render_current_page
blank_frame
This may change, please bear with me.
CAVEATS / BUGS / TODO
* 20 January 2003: the directory tree part does not create
directories unless the eponymous button is clicked.
* In Windows, with the system font set to > 96 dpi (via Display
Properties / Settings / Advanced / General / Display / Font
Size), the Wizard will not display propertly. This seems to be a
Tk feature.
* Still not much of a Tk widget inheritance - any pointers
welcome.
* Nothing is currently done to ensure text fits into the window -
it is currently up to the client to make frames "Scrolled"), as
I'm having problems making &blank_frame produce them.
CHANGES
Please see the file CHANGES.txt included with the distribution.
VERSION 1.036 04 April 2003
* New page type, text_frame via addTextFrame.
* New page type, multiple choice.
VERSION 1.035 02 April 2003
* -nohelpbutton bug now corrected
* -continue now works for empty task lists
(previously it asked for a key to be pressed)
VERSION 1.034 21 January 2003
* Typed = instead of =~, resulting in
incomplete dir listings in DirTrees.
VERSION 1.033 20 January 2003
* Fixed lack of require of File::Path
VERSION 1.032
* Added &forward> and &backward, mainly to automate tests.
* Added -continue method to &Tk::Wizard::Installer::addFileListPage
and &Tk::Wizard::addTaskListPage.
AUTHOR
Lee Goddard (lgoddard@cpan.org) based on work Daniel T Hable.
KEYWORDS
Wizard; set-up; setup; installer; uninstaller; install; uninstall;
Tk; GUI.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) Daniel T Hable, 2/2002.
Modifications Copyright (C) Lee Goddard, 11/2002 - 01/2003.
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files
(the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction,
including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
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EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS
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CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.
THIS SOFTWARE AND THE AUTHORS OF THIS SOFTWARE ARE IN NO WAY
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