Topic group

Using dBASE Plus design tools, you can create the visual elements of an application quickly, in a manner that promotes reuse of design elements rather than repeated reinvention. Using the Component palette, you simply drag and drop both the visible user-interface components (also known as controls or objects) and the invisible data objects onto forms. The Inspector gives you an easy way to set an object’s attributes, or properties, and access its event handlers and methods directly, without hunting.

As you work with the design tools, dBASE Plus writes the corresponding dBL code for you. If you prefer to do most of your developing in the Source editor, the code you write is reflected in the designer, and you can see immediately what your form looks like and how it runs. In either case, the entire source code for your form is available to you in the Source editor at all times. Press F12 to toggle between the source code and the visual designer.

This section discusses the basic steps of creating an application in dBASE Plus. It includes information on

Creating projects and using the Project Explorer to manage them

Using the Project Explorer

Planning and creating forms

Code generated by the Form designer

Types of form windows (MDI, SDI, modal, modeless)

Using ActiveX controls, container components, and multi-page forms

Creating custom classes, custom components, and data modules and using them in a form or report.

Menus are created separately with the Menu designer. You program a form to display a pull-down menu by referencing it in the form’s menuFile property; a popup menu you reference manually in the Source editor.