RE: [Gnue-dev] Issues trying to learn how to use GNUe tools

[Stanley A. Klein]

Robert -

Thanks for the hints.  

My "mutant install" of GNUe 0.4 enables me to easily switch back and forth
between the "stable" version and cvs.  I tried dragging on the form, as you
suggested, and it worked most of the time in both versions.  It didn't work
one time, and I can't remember the situation.

Also, the dropdown worked in the cvs version, but it didn't allow me to set
up a static datasource, only a connection to a database.  I got the static
dialog on another try (in 0.4, IIRC) and it allowed a static datasource but
it didn't create it properly in the gfd file.  It did leave something
(incomplete) in the gfd.  I haven't populated the database yet and actually
tried to use the dropdown.

I also tried dragging widgets to move them.  I found that the moving was
very inexact.  Instead of the widget getting some kind of "object" marking
(such as happens in drawing programs) you get some kind of icon, the proper
placement of which has to be guessed.  More exact positioning is better
with the controls at the bottom of the Designer window.

I tried the object navigator as you suggested.  When you double click on
something it brings up the properties window.  However, I have been
unsuccessful in editing anything in the properties window.  In fact, the
entire set of additional Designer windows seems good only for looking at
information and not for changing it or using it to perform other design
functions.  Perhaps these other capabilities are yet-to-do's.

One other thing I noticed is that the Designer dialogues all look similar
to the wizard dialogues based on the templates.  If this is true, it might
provide a means for spreading some of the gruntwork in Designer development.


Stan Klein


At 11:27 PM 10/26/2002 +0100, Robert Jenkins wrote:
>Hi Stanley,
>
>I've been studying Designer for a while also; it seems to have a lot of
>capabilities that are not obvious, but also a few missing functions (or
>at least I can't find ways of making some things work).
>
>The bits I have figured out that are relevent to your questions:
>
>
>If you click a button on the toolbar, you then need to click & drag on
>the form to set the location and size of the widget.
>
>It seems that you can directly drag widgets about after placement,
>either individually or in groups, but not re-size by dragging so far.
>
>Some things such as blocks don't seem to be visible, but exist and have
>properties.
>Others such as dropdowns don't seem to work yet.
>
>
>The only way I've found of editing some items is to select 'object
>navigator' from the Tools menu, then double-click an item in that to get
>it's properties. The object navigator gives a tree view of the complete
>form structure with all items on it, & is an excellent feature!
>
>
>(Note: I'm using the Windows 0.4.0 version; I assume the Linux version
>functions in a similar manner).
>
>Regards,
>
>Robert A. Jenkins,
>JRW.