[Gambas-user] Rendering of Custom UserControls during development time

[Bruce Steers]

On Wed, 29 Mar 2023 at 12:48, Bruce Steers <bsteers4 at gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Wed, 29 Mar 2023 at 12:33, Claus Dietrich <claus.dietrich at freenet.de>
> wrote:
>
>> Am 24.03.23 um 16:30 schrieb Benoit Minisini:
>>
>> Look at the documentation and at the source code of the SwitchButton
>> control (for example) in the 'gb.form' component for more details.
>>
>> Native Gambas UserControls like Buttons are rendered almost exactly the
>> same during development time as during runtime. That means i.e. that a
>> Button displays a loaded Picture already during development time. This does
>> not apply for self-made controls implemented as class. In that case only a
>> simple box or an icon loaded from the Project/control - directory is
>> displayed. This also applies to native Gambas controls if implemented as
>> class. I tested it with the source code of the Gambas SwitchButton.
>>
>> My question: How can a custom UserControl be rendered during development
>> time so that it looks similar to its appearance at runtime?
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Claus
>>
>
> the IDE can only show components it loads when it first runs.
>
> If that makes sense.
> you component is a part of your project loaded by gambas , not a part of
> gambas.
>
> I made a way to load my controls but it meant hacking the IDE in a way
> that Benoit does not like and is reluctant to implement.
> This is because the controls are loaded by gambas into the IDE itself and
> their code to render in the IDE is part of the component, a custom control
> that is not coded properly can break gambas.
>
> Plus it gives many other issues especially if you are working on the
> control.  as you will make changes to it but the IDE cannot reload the
> already loaded control. so you get glitches that resolve when closing
> gambas and re-opening it.
>
> you best option is to use _DrawWith that will use an official control as
> your preview.
> eg.
>
> Public Const _DrawWith As String = "GridView"
>
> will show your control as a gridview in the IDE
>
> BruceS
>

Or completely customize your gambas IDE like I did mine, as it's written in
gambas,,,,,, and we know gambas ;)
I added a component loader in the IDE preferences.
In the attached pic you can see it working for my ButtonFrame container.

(and note, i give plenty of warnings about the risks, and potential bugs)

gotta love Gambas :)

So Benoit, you still not interested in adding anything like this to the
IDE?
Maybe a way the IDE can load/reload custom components (custom controls
going through some extra error handling n stuff i guess.


Respects
BruceS
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