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bil(4)
CDE
NAME
bil, BIL - Builder Interface Language for the CDE Application Builder
SYNOPSIS
:bil-versionmajor minor:projectproject_name(
project_attributes[:connection(
connection_attributes)] )
:modulemodule_name(:elementelement_name(
element_attributes [children] )[:connection(
connection_attributes)] )
DESCRIPTION
BIL, the Builder Interface Language, is a specialized representation syntax
designed to meet the intermediate storage requirements of the CDE
Application Builder. It describes the overall attributes of the application
(also known as a "project"), the modules that it contains, the elements
that comprise modules, and the behavioral relationships between objects
("connections").
BIL is not a compiled language. It is read and written as data by the CDE
Application Builder and its associated code generator. Even so, the format
of BIL is printable ASCII characters with a "human readable" nature, making
it possible for users to examine the contents of a BIL-formatted file and
to process a BIL file using simple ASCII string-oriented tools and
techniques.
Two distinct types of BIL files are recognized by the CDE Application
Builder. One type is known as a "projectfile" and is used to describe
overall attributes of the project (application) as well as identify the
modules that comprise it. It will also contain any cross-module
information, such as connections that bind together objects in different
modules.
A second type of BIL file exists for each module and is known as a
"modulefile" It contains all module-specific information, including
definition of the elements that comprise the module and connections that
exist within it.
BIL is structured in an object-oriented fashion. Objects are defined and
named, and sets of parenthesis are used to enclose declarations of all the
object's attributes. Object types recognized by BIL include project,
module, element and connection.
:bil-version major minor
Version information is useful to the CDE Application Builder and code
generators in determining how to handle BIL files that may date from
earlier releases.
:project project_name
The :project directive names the project (application). It encloses a
declaration of project_attributes as well as a list of any cross-module
connections that may exist within the project.
:module module_name
The :module directive names a module. It encloses a declaration of all
elements that comprise the module as well as a list of any connections
that may exist within the module.
:element element_name
The :element directive names an element. It encloses a declaration of
all element_attributes, including a list of any children that may be
part of the element.
:connection
The :connection directive names a connection and specifies its
attributes. It can occur as part of a project or a module.
:children
The :children directive appears as an attribute of any element which
contains ("parents") other elements. It encloses a list of all child
elements, referencing each by its element name.
Project, element and connection attributes take the form:
:attribute_name
attribute_value
where attribute_name is an attribute appropriate for the project, element
or connection, and attribute_value is typed according to the attribute.
Attribute types include integer, string, object name, and keyword, where
the keyword is one of a fixed list used by BIL to identify specific data
values (e.g. :true, :none). Some attribute values are ordered N-tuples, in
which case the complete set is enclosed in parentheses. Comments may be
placed in a BIL file by starting a line with two slashes (//). Any
comments that occur in a BIL file prior to the :bil-version line will be
preserved by the CDE Application Builder across successive updates to the
file. Comments that occur after the :bil-version line will not be retained.
RETURN VALUE
None.
EXAMPLES
The following is an example of a project file:
:bil-version 1 0
:project todotool
(
:files (main_window.bil task_dialog.bil)
:connection
(
:from main_window.add_item_btn
:to task_dialog.task_dialog
:when :activate
:action-type :builtin
:action :show
:arg-type :void
)
)
A typical module file would contain:
:bil-version 1 0
:module task_dialog
(
:element task_dialog
(
:type :dialog
:x 649
:y 499
:width 354
:height 57
:bg-color "white"
:label "Adding a New Task"
:resizable :true
:has-footer :false
:visible :false
:children (
ctrl_panel
activate_panel
)
)
:element ctrl_panel
(
:type :container
:container-type :relative
:x 0
:y 0
:width 354
:height 57
:visible :true
:border-frame :none
:north-attachment(:obj task_dialog 0)
:south-attachment(:obj task_dialog 0)
:east-attachment(:obj task_dialog 0)
:west-attachment(:point 0 0)
:children (
task
)
)
:element task
(
:type :text-field
:text-type :alphanumeric
:x 28
:y 6
:width -1
:height -1
:border-frame :none
:label-type :string
:label "Task:"
:label-position :west
:num-columns 32
:max-length 80
:read-only :false
:active :true
:visible :true
:north-attachment(:point 0 6)
:south-attachment(:none 0 0)
:east-attachment(:none 0 0)
:west-attachment(:point 0 28)
)
:element activate_panel
(
:type :container
:container-type :activate
:x -1
:y -1
:width -1
:height -1
:visible :true
:border-frame :etched-in
:children (
ok_button
cancel_button
help_button
)
)
:element ok_button
(
:type :button
:button-type :push-button
:x -1
:y -1
:width -1
:height -1
:border-frame :none
:label-type :string
:label-alignment :center
:label "OK"
:active :true
:visible :true
:north-attachment(:grid-line 5 0)
:south-attachment(:grid-line 95 0)
:east-attachment(:grid-line 30 0)
:west-attachment(:grid-line 10 0)
)
:element cancel_button
(
:type :button
:button-type :push-button
:x -1
:y -1
:width -1
:height -1
:border-frame :none
:label-type :string
:label-alignment :center
:label "Cancel"
:active :true
:visible :true
:north-attachment(:grid-line 5 0)
:south-attachment(:grid-line 95 0)
:east-attachment(:grid-line 60 0)
:west-attachment(:grid-line 40 0)
)
:element help_button
(
:type :button
:button-type :push-button
:x -1
:y -1
:width -1
:height -1
:border-frame :none
:label-type :string
:label-alignment :center
:label "Help"
:active :true
:visible :true
:north-attachment(:grid-line 5 0)
:south-attachment(:grid-line 95 0)
:east-attachment(:grid-line 90 0)
:west-attachment(:grid-line 70 0)
)
:connection
(
:from ok_button
:to task_dialog
:when :activate
:action-type :builtin
:action :hide
:arg-type :void
)
:connection
(
:from cancel_button
:to task_dialog
:when :activate
:action-type :builtin
:action :hide
:arg-type :void
)
:connection
(
:from ok_button
:when :create
:action-type :call-function
:action confirm_taskCB
:arg-type :void
)
:connection
( :from cancel_button
:when :create
:action-type :call-function
:action cancel_taskCB
:arg-type :void
)
)
APPLICATION USAGE
Applications and application developers typically do not work directly with
BIL files, instead using them indirectly through the CDE Application
Builder. It may, however, be useful for them to understand the layout and
scope of BIL to satisfy particular application development needs [e.g. to
add specialized comments to BIL files or to examine them to examine useful
information (such as help text built-into a application)].
SEE ALSO
dtbuilder(1) dtcodegen(1)
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Index for
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Alphabetical
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