Application Builder Main Window

This Help topic includes the following sections:

• Application Builder Main Window

• Services Window

• Workstation Views Window

• Application Builder Objects

• Menu Options

• Toolbar Buttons

 

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Application Builder Main Window

As shown in Figure  3-1, the Application Builder main window is divided into two parts: the Services window and the Workstation Views window.

Figure 3-1 Application Builder Main Window

 

When you start the Application Builder, the main window displays one Services window and one Workstation Views window. You can use the New option on the File menu to create additional Services and Workstation Views windows. You can also use the Window Menu options to change the arrangement of the Services and Workstation Views windows.

 

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Services Window

The Services window presents all the CORBA modules, interfaces, and operations contained in the Interface Repository in the local BEA Tuxedo domain. You can create bindings for all the items in the Interface Repository.

At the top of the Services window are entries for each object system that is available from the BEA Tuxedo domain. This release of the ActiveX Client supports only the BEA Tuxedo object system. The objects are displayed in the same hierarchical format used in the Interface Repository, that is, as modules, interfaces, methods, and the parameters contained in methods. The [+] symbol indicates an object that can be expanded to display the other objects.

The Services window also can be used to display other kinds of Interface Repository definitions such as attributes, methods, and data types. Use the options on the Display tab page on the Options window to select which kinds of Interface Repository definitions are displayed in the Services window. (For information about the Display tab page, see Filtering Objects Displayed in the Main Window.)

To open an additional Services window from within the Application Builder, choose File->New->Services Window.

 

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Workstation Views Window

The Workstation Views window presents all the ActiveX bindings that have been created for CORBA interfaces. To create a binding for a CORBA interface, you drag an entry in the Services window and drop it into the Workstation Views window.

The ActiveX object system does not support a hierarchical module structure; therefore, the tree structure of the ActiveX bindings in the Workstation Views window does not necessarily match the tree structure in the Services window. The Application Builder alters the names of the bindings to ensure uniqueness and to conform with the naming convention of the ActiveX object model.

The Workstation Views window also can be used to display other kinds of Interface Repository definitions such as attributes, methods, and data types. Use the options on the Display tab page on the Options Window to select which kinds of Interface Repository definitions are displayed in the Workstation Views window. (For more information about the Display tab page, see Filtering Objects Displayed in the Main Window.)

To open an additional Workstation Views window from within the Application Builder, choose File->New->Workstation Views Window.

 

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Application Builder Objects

Table  3-1 explains the objects represented in the Application Builder main window.

 

Table 3-1 Explanation of Objects in the Application Builder  

Icons	Description
	Indicates the available object systems such as BEA Tuxedo and ActiveX. For this release of the ActiveX Client, only the BEA Tuxedo system is supported.
	An argument that is passed as a parameter to a method. An argument is based on a single data type (for example, integer, floating point, character) or a structure (for example, float, string, enumerator).
	An input argument.
	An output argument.
	An input/output argument.
	A data structure (for example, float, string, enumerator).
	An exception.
	An interface which is a set of methods and properties.
	A method which is an operation that can be invoked on an object.
	A module which is a group of one or more interfaces.
	A property which is a data attribute associated with an object.
	Indicates that this ActiveX view is a server application that can be a source of objects.

 

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Menu Options

This Help describes the menu options in the Application Builder.

File Menu Options

Figure  3-2 shows the File menu options.

Figure 3-2 Expanded File Menu

 

From the File menu, you can use:

• The New->Services Window option to open an additional Services window.

• The New->Workstation Views Window option to open an additional Workstation Views window.

• The Exit option to end the Application Builder session.

Edit Menu Options

Figure  3-3 shows the Edit menu options.

Figure 3-3 Expanded Edit Menu

 

From the Edit menu, you can use:

• The Copy option to copy a CORBA object from the Services window to the clipboard. You can then paste the CORBA object into the Workstation Views window to create a view of the CORBA object. You can also use the CTRL+C keyboard shortcut to perform the copy action. The Copy option is not enabled from the Workstation Views window.

• The Paste option to copy a CORBA object from the Services window to the Workstation Views window. You can also use the CTRL+V keyboard shortcut to perform this paste action. Pasting the CORBA object into the Workstation Views window creates an ActiveX view of the CORBA object.

View Menu Options

Figure  3-4 shows the View menu options.

Figure 3-4 Expanded View Menu

 

From the View menu, you can use:

• The Toolbar option to hide or display the toolbar of shortcuts.

• The Status Bar option to hide or display the status window at the bottom of the Application Builder main window.

• The Properties option to view the characteristics of a CORBA object or an ActiveX view of a CORBA object.

• The Refresh option to update all the windows with new data from the Interface Repository.

Tools Menu Options

Figure  3-5 shows the Tools menu options.

Figure 3-5 Expanded Tools Menu

 

From the Tools menu, you can use the Options option to open the Options window which has the following dialog windows:

• Workstation Bindings—use this window to control the default settings used when creating bindings.

• Deployment Packages—use this window to change the default directory location for the deployment packages.

• Display—use this window to determine the types of objects displayed in the Services window and the Workstation Views window.

Window Menu Options

Figure  3-6 shows the Window menu options.

Figure 3-6 Expanded Window Menu

 

From the Window menu, you can use:

• The New option to open either a new Services or Workstation Views window. The Application Builder creates a new window of the same type as the active window.

• The Cascade option to arrange the open Services and Workstation Views windows in an overlapping titled pattern.

• The Tile option to arrange the open Services and Workstation Views windows in a nonoverlapping titled pattern.

The bottom half of the menu lists the open Services and Workstation Views windows. A check mark indicates the active window.

Help Menu Options

The Help menu options direct you to categories of the Application Builder component descriptions.

Figure  3-7 shows the Help Menu options.

Figure 3-7 Expanded Help Menu

 

From the Help menu, you can bring up descriptions of the Application Builder windows and features.

 

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Toolbar Buttons

Figure  3-8 shows the Application Builder toolbar.

Figure 3-8 Application Builder Toolbar

 

The toolbar is located below the menu bar on the main window. The toolbar buttons, from left to right, perform the following functions:

• Opens a new Services window

• Opens a new Workstation Views window

• Copies the selected interface to the clipboard

• Pastes the contents of the clipboard to the designated window

• Displays the properties of the selected interface or view

• Refreshes the active window

• Creates a deployment package for the selected interface

• Provides information about the product, version number, and copyright

• Provides context-sensitive help