Dialog Designer Version 2.0 Released
Dialog Designer (DD) enables SW developers to create the essential Magik source code for simple or complex GUIs for Smallworld Application Framework (SWAF) in a matter of minutes, rather than hours. This tool allows users to create and manipulate the key portions of a GUI without writing any Magik or XML.
The idea is to develop the GUI quickly to the stage where the GUI activates and its layout, structure and work flow can be analyzed. This provides functionality the developers in other mainstream IDEs have had for years, allowing quick creation of the presentation of a GUI. With an active GUI to view and discuss, designers and end users can spot requirement shortfalls, design flaws and enhancement potential. Quickly defining the form of the GUI supports a quick development, testing, and acceptance cycle.
The DD provides an effective set of tools for the creation of GUIs. The user can place common GUI controls, menubars, statusbar and toolbars without writing Magik code to XML. With a single button the GUI code is generated, compiled and activated. Backend code that makes the GUI functional within a specific environment is for the developer to write but is not modified by DD so that future layout enhancements can be made to a dialog with the DD.
Here’s how the GUI looks with a simple design in progress …
… and here is the GUI, activated directly from the DD, ready for review:
The types of GUI elements that can be placed and manipulated are:
- Canvas
- Check Box
- Date Time
- File or Directory Selection
- Group Box
- Image Button
- Image Toggle
- Imported Plugin or Action
- Label
- Number Input
- Outlook Bar
- Paned Window
- Panel Separator
- Radio Button
- Radio Group
- Recordset GUI Component
- Row Column Grid
- Simple List
- Style Choice
- Tab Box
- Tabular List
- Text Button
- Text Choice
- Text Input
- Text Window
- Tree List
- Unit Text Input
- Window Stack
Dialog Designer 2.0 is available for download here. It is offered for free as a service to the Smallworld community from the Magik experts at iFactor Consulting.
