[ANN] Data Grid Helper - What is it? - Text rewrote

[zryip theSlug]

On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 8:35 PM, Bob Sneidar <bobs at twft.com> wrote:
> Perfect!
>
> Bob

Bob,

Thanks for your opinion 8-)


>
>
> On Oct 10, 2010, at 10:30 AM, zryip theSlug wrote:
>
>> Dear LiveCode users,
>>
>> It seems that I was not really explicit about what exactly DGH is and
>> what it can do. So I rewrote a text and I send it to the list to have
>> your opinion about this new explanation.
>> Do you think that is more clear?
>>
>> Thanks for any advice! 8-)
>>
>>
>> What is DGH?
>>
>> DGH is a plugin for LiveCode. This plugin is a special and - we hope -
>> intuitive interface for building LiveCode's Data Grids.
>>
>>
>> DGH has:
>>
>> 1) its own interface for managing properties of a datagrid
>>
>> With the standard LiveCode interface you have to manage the properties
>> of a datagrid for a part in the inspector palette and for another part
>> by code.
>> In DGH all the properties have an interface.
>>
>> Some examples of properties that you have to manage habitually by code
>> with datagrids but fully integrated in DGH:
>> - text margins for header and rows
>> - text color for header
>> - gradient colors for header background and header background hilite
>> - color for header separators
>> - default header behavior and default column behavior. Here DGH allows
>> you to define default behavior by pointing an empty button or a button
>> with a behavior and clicking on it. If the script of the button is
>> empty, DGH will fill it with the required code from the datagrid
>> library. This future is named "Behavior picker".
>> - etc
>>
>>
>> 2) its own interface for managing columns of a datagrid
>>
>> DGH allows the creation or the deletion of columns in a datagrid with
>> a visual interface. When you are defining columns in DGH you are
>> really working on a datagrid:
>>
>> - you can select a column by clicking on it (invisible columns included)
>> - you can reorder columns by drag & drop
>> - and you have an interface for managing properties that you have
>> habitually to manage by code like, define a column to be editable or
>> not, add a tooltip to a column.
>> - etc
>>
>>
>> 3) Its own interface for managing templates in a datagrid
>>
>> In a datagrid,  a template is the way to add custom objects in a
>> column or a datagrid form, like popup menus, radio buttons, etc.
>> In the standard datagrid to define a column template, you have to edit
>> two groups. Not in DGH.
>> In DGH, you select a column by clicking on its header and you open its
>> template directly in DGH in a special area named "TMPL area". You have
>> two ways to open the TMPL area:
>> - by double clicking on the header column
>> - with an expand button
>>
>> Once the template updated, you click on the update button in the "TMPL
>> area" to save it and you can switch to another template by clicking on
>> the next column. No need to juggle between groups.
>>
>>
>> 4) Can create scripts for column or form behaviors
>>
>> If you have defined a template for a column, DGH can build for you the
>> required script to manage it.
>>
>> For example, if you have a template with a popup menu, DGH knows what
>> code is required to manage it, in
>> - the fillindata handler
>> - the menupick handler
>>
>> The name of this feature in DGH is "Script builder". Script builder is
>> actually capable to build on the fly the required structure of
>> handlers needed to manage a template. It possess its own dictionary
>> and is fully capable to build a coherent code by detecting all the
>> controls in the template.
>>
>> For text, script builder manages the truncatetail feature of the
>> datagrid library.
>>
>>
>> 5) Can install code in a datagrid group
>>
>> DGH can install scripts for specific needs. The first script available
>> allows to reorder lines in a datagrid. Other scripts will come with
>> things like reorder columns (already existing in the column builder of
>> DGH) or sorting.


Regards,
-- 
-Zryip TheSlug- wish you the best! 8)
http://www.aslugontheroad.co.cc