How To Tutorials

How to Create a .NET Button (NOMADS)

1.

In Library Object Selection, launch the NOMADS Panel Designer by clicking the Panel toolbar button or selecting Objects > Panel Object in the menu bar. Enter the name of the new panel.

For this example, enter the panel name:  Net_Button

Click OK.

2.

Select the External Controls button on the toolbar. Draw an External Control on the panel.

3.

The External Control Properties window opens.

4.

In the Object Name field, enter the control name or object handle.

For this example, enter:  Net_BSave

5.

For the Ext. Control field, click the Query button. From the list that displays, select the type of External Control you want to create.

For this example, select:  .NET Controls

6.

Additional fields display for specifying a .NET DLL Name, Object Name and any optional Arguments.

For the DLL Name, you can either choose a specific path location for the .dll file by clicking the Browse button or enter the .NET DLL name.

For this example, enter:  System.Windows.Forms

Note:
The DLL Name does not require the .dll extension.

7.

In the Object Name field, enter the name of the .NET object.

Note:
.NET object names are case sensitive.

For this example, you will be creating a .NET button object.

Enter:  System.Windows.Forms.Button

8.

You can optionally pass in arguments when creating .NET objects. These arguments can be strings, numbers, or .NET object handles. See PvxHandle$.

In the Arguments (Optional) field, enter any optional arguments used by the .NET control.

For this example, leave this field blank.

9.

Click OK to exit the External Control Properties window and return to the NOMADS Panel Designer.

10.

Save and test the panel by clicking the Save and Test buttons on the toolbar. The button will look similar to the one below:

1.

In the NOMADS Panel Designer, double click on the .NET button control on the panel to invoke the External Control Properties window.

In the External Control Properties window, click the Properties tab to choose the properties, methods or events you would like to set.

2.

For this example, you will be adding the text "Save" to the .NET button.

Under the Item grid column, scroll down the list until you find the word Text.

On this row, enter the Value/Expression:  Save

3.

Click OK. Save and Test the panel. The button will look similar to the one below:

1.

In the header Panel Definition window, click the Logic tab. In the Pre-Display section, you will define a method in the program where you will set some logic to define the other objects needed for adding appearance.

2.

Select Perform from the drop box. Create a method called:  ";Pre_Display_Logic"

This will perform the method where all the main objects and variables will be defined.

3.

Click the Program Logic button to the right of the drop box. The default PxPlus program editor will launch and will have created the method.

Keep the program editor open as you will be adding to the program later.

4.

You will now create a new object for Color.

Insert this line and save the program:

     def object color,"[.NET]System.Drawing,System.Drawing.Color"

5.

Save the program in the editor if you haven't already done this.

6.

In the NOMADS Panel Designer, double click on the .NET button control on the panel to invoke the External Control Properties window.

In the External Control Properties window, click the Properties tab. In the first grid, look for BackColor in the Item column.

For this example, you will be setting the color PaleGoldenrod.

Select the Exp check box and enter the Value/Expression:  color'PaleGoldenrod'Pvxhandle$

7.

Click OK. Save and Test the panel. The button will look similar to the one below:

1.

In the External Control Properties window, click the Properties tab. In the first grid, look for ForeColor in the Item column.

Select the Exp check box and enter the Value/Expression:  color'FromArgb(220,20,60)'Pvxhandle$

2.

Click OK. Save and Test the panel. The button will look similar to the one below:

1.

Load the default program, NOM_DOTNET_Button, which you created earlier.

For this example, you will be defining another object called Image. The Image object will allow the placement of an image.

Insert this line and save the program:

     def object img,"[.NET]System.Drawing,System.Drawing.Image"

2.

Create a variable to hold the path to the image file using the PTH() function.

For this example, the variable name is image_path$. The path will be dependent on the location of the image you will be using.

Insert this line and save the program:

     image_path$=pth("*plus\inomads\sysimage\checkmark.png")

3.

In the NOMADS Panel Designer, invoke the External Control Properties window.

Click the Properties tab. In the first grid, look for Image in the Item column.

Select the Exp check box and enter the Value/Expression: img'fromfile(image_path$)'pvxhandle$. The FromFile object will look for the specified image location.

The Image will default to the center of the text. In the next set of steps, you will be changing the alignment.

4.

Click OK. Save and Test the panel. The button will look similar to the one below:

1.

Load the default program, NOM_DOTNET_Button, which you created earlier.

For this example, you will be defining another object called ContentAlignment. The ContentAlignment object will allow the alignment of an image. The default is Centered.

For this example, you will be applying a Left alignment.

Insert this line and save the program:

     def object img_align,"[.NET]System.Drawing,System.Drawing.ContentAlignment"

2.

In the NOMADS Panel Designer, invoke the External Control Properties window.

Click the Properties tab. In the first grid, look for ImageAlign in the Item column.

For this example, align the image to the left of the text. The MiddleLeft property will be used with the ImageAlign property.

Select the Exp check box and enter the Value/Expression:  img_align'Middleleft'pvxhandle$

3.

Click OK. Save and Test the panel. The button will look similar to the one below:

1.

In the NOMADS Panel Designer, invoke the External Control Properties window.

Click the Properties tab. In the second grid, look for Click in the Event column.

In the Function column, select Perform from the drop box

In the Logic cell, enter:  ";Save_Clicked"

2.

Load the default program, NOM_DOTNET_Button, which you created earlier.

Insert this method and save the program:

Save_Clicked:
     msgbox "Information has been updated!","Save Confirmation"
     return

3.

Click OK. Save and Test the panel. In Test mode, click the button, and a message box will display.

1.

In the Extended Control Properties window, click the Properties tab. In the first grid, look for Enabled in the Item column.

·  If the button is to be Enabled, leave everything blank or enter 1 in the Value/Expression cell.
·  If the button is to be Disabled, enter 0 (zero) in the Value/Expression cell.

For this example, enter 0 in the Value/Expression cell.

2.

Click OK. Save and Test the panel. The button is disabled.

1.

From the NOMADS Panel Designer, invoke the header Panel Definition window for the Net_Button panel by clicking the Header Panel option on the toolbar or selecting Panel > Header from the menu bar.

2.

Click the Logic tab. In the On Exit section, perform the cleanup of any objects defined.

3.

Select Perform from the drop box. Create a method called:  ";On_Exit_Logic"

This will perform the method where all the objects will be dropped.

4.

If the program is not already loaded in the editor, click the Program Logic button to the right of the drop box to load the default program, NOM_DOTNET_Button.

Insert this method and save the program:

On_Exit_Logic:
     drop object color,err=*next
     drop object img,err=*next
     drop object img_align,err=*next
     return