Trying to use the Segmented Control

R.H. roland.huettmann at gmail.com
Thu Dec 3 13:08:55 EST 2020


@ Richmond

Richmond, to be honest, I am quite ignorant about developing widgets. I
never took the time to dig deep into them. It is certainly my fault.

So, I cannot say whether or not it is hard work and how much work. But from
a user (developer) perspective, I think we can freely formulate our wishes?
If this is ignorant -- then, yes, I am in this case ) -- so even if this is
the case, I am trying to create (my) a wishlist.

(1) To me, most widgets make sense only when they can be used universally.
This also means that they work on all platforms LiveCode is supporting. I
guess that it is hard, but the fundaments were provided by LiveCode Ltd.

(3) I understand that certain widgets are based on DLLs or functions of the
OS that might be different on different platforms or not available at all.
I do not like it, but I have to accept this fact. But any widget that
breaks the universal rule stands out breaching the promise of
platform-interoperability.

(3) For widgets, I wish that it should be possible during development to
simply enable or disable all messages that also other controls in LiveCode
receive. At least a list of checkboxes that enables the developer to work
all types of messages when enabled. For example, why this segmented control
does not receive a mouseDown message, I cannot explain. I do not understand
it. I have to script around it and that should not be.

(4) I think that a standard widget must support all properties as in all
other controls, but the list of properties might be limited to the specific
use, of course. If a widget is not visual then it makes no sense to change
it's rect. But if visual, then it usually has the properties and way for
manipulation as at least other such controls.

(5) A well documented API to access properties and functions that is based
on a standard. I guess this is more or less already the case?

(5) One of my biggest wishes for all LCS controls (fields, buttons, ...) is
the same as for all widgets: Enable to manipulate details as they are found
using CSS (at least a good-enough subset), and that includes settings for
individual borders, etc. If that would be the case, even using CSS could be
parsed in such a way that it would reflect in our graphical objects. When
scripting in CSS and HTML, I really have quite some detailed control.

(6) If (5) would work then it would also be possible to script an "engine"
to transform LC into a webpage using CSS. The problem would still exist to
transform LiveCode Script into JavaScript. Probably, that is not really
possible. The platforms are very different. But again, we are allowed to
express wishful thinking...) -- I am not now going into the "HTML"
possibility. The user opinions are quite obvious.

Slowly, I am working on a general usage product to eventually sell, I am
thinking ahead to offer solutions for the major platforms (Android,
Windows, iOS, OSX and Linux). But definitely, there also must be a web
application. So far, I only worked either in-house (hobby, private usage),
or for very specific solutions in a vertical market.

So, big thanks for your comment. I just tried to elaborate a bit.

If you or others can correct me -- that is fine. I am always eager to learn.

Wishing all here the best
Roland



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