ButtonBarEdit 1.0 Documentation

The difference between ButtonBarEdit and AppearanceEdit is that AppearanceEdit allows you to change the appearance of a program but not the layout or function of the user interface. Whereas ButtonBarEdit gives you complete control over the window, including adding and removing buttons. AppearanceEdit works for any window in any program, whereas ButtonBarEdit is only for certain specific windows in specific programs.

There are 2 types of Bars that you can make with ButtonBarEdit. You can make one that will change according to the current Appearance file and thus will match other windows in the program, OR you can make a Bar that ignores the Appearance and implements its own design using pictures that you have created.

When creating a new Button Bar, you must make the above choice. Then you are presented with a new blank Button Bar window. To create a new button or item, second-click in the blank area to show the context menu. To edit the properties of an item, double-click it. To move an item, just click and drag it anywhere within the window. For precise movements, click once to select the item, then use the arrow keys to move 1 pixel at a time. To resize an item, click once to select it, then drag the squares at the corners. To select multiple items to move them as a group, click them with the shift key held down.

Item Types (When Using Appearance)

• Standard Button -- A button that is drawn using the current Appearance. It can optionally display an icon from the current Appearance, and a title. Buttons can also be made to show menus supplied by the host program (the program that uses the Button Bar you create).
• Standard WonderLight -- A WonderLight is a light that flashes or changes color to indicate status or alerts. Standard WonderLight draws the WonderLight using the current Appearance.
• Standard Icon -- Draws an icon from the current Appearance.
• Text Label -- Draws some text using the current Appearance.
• Program-Supplied Text -- Some text supplied by the host program can appear in the area defined by this item. For example, in KDX this is used to define where statistic information should appear such as the number of servers that you are connected to.
• Program-Supplied Image -- An image supplied by the host program can appear in the area defined by this item. For example, in KDX this is used to define where the Server Icon should appear.
• Hint Area -- This is used to display a short description when you move the mouse over a button. NOTE: This feature is not yet functional, it will be completed in a later version.

Item Types (When Using Pictures)

• Picture Button -- Same as a Standard Button, except that it is drawn using pictures that you have created. You must supply an picture of what the button looks like when it is clicked ("Mouse-Down Picture"), and what it looks like when it is disabled/deactivated, and optionally what it looks like when the mouse is within the button. You also need to make a picture of how the button looks normally (when none of these other situations are applicable), however this should be part of the background picture of your Bar and the button is actually overlayed on top of it (it is more efficient that way).
• Picture WonderLight -- Same as Standard WonderLight, except that it is drawn using pictures that you have created. Like Picture Button, the normal or "off" state of the WonderLight should be part of the background picture.
• Window Mover -- When creating a bar using pictures, the window has no frame. You make your own frame as part of the background picture, then use this item to define an area that the user can click in for moving the window around the screen.
• Program-Supplied Text -- Some text supplied by the host program can appear in the area defined by this item. For example, in KDX this is used to define where statistic information should appear such as the number of servers that you are connected to.
• Program-Supplied Image -- An image supplied by the host program can appear in the area defined by this item. For example, in KDX this is used to define where the Server Icon should appear.
• Hint Area -- This is used to display a short description when you move the mouse over a button. NOTE: This feature is not yet functional, it will be completed in a later version.

Generic Item Properties

• ID -- This is a number or four character code that identifies to the host program which button this is. The host program uses this to determine what action should be performed when the button is clicked. To know what numbers/codes to use, you must consult a list provided with the program documentation or in this documentation.
• Bounds -- This is the location and size of the item in the window. Normally you change this by dragging or resizing the item visually. However if you wish to change it numerically, you can do so here. The 4 numbers correspond the left, top, right, bottom co-ordinates in pixels. The left, top corner of the window content is the origin (0,0). "Litterbug" (LiTteRBug) is a useful mnemonic to remember the order of the co-ordinates. If you think that "top,left" would make more sense, that would actually be contrary to the standard mathematical x,y (width,height) convention.

Preview

Edit Bar Properties

• Background Picture -- If you copy & paste an picture into this area, it will be displayed as the background of your Bar window. Note that the size (width/height) of your Bar will be automatically resized to exactly match the size of your background picture.

  If you use a background picture, millions of colors are supported, however for many pictures this is more than needed. To reduce the memory requirements of your Bar, edit the bar properties (double-click the background), then second-click in the background picture area, and choose the command "Reduce to 256 Colors". If the picture looks acceptable in 256 colors, then click the OK button, otherwise Cancel.

• Window Title -- This title is drawn in the window frame. You will probably want to make it the same as the name of the program in which the Bar will be used. Please supply a title even if you are making a Bar using pictures (and thus there is no standard window frame) because the title is also used in other places such as window lists.
• Bar Name -- The name of your Bar. Only for informational/interest purposes, not used otherwise.
• Version -- The version number of your Bar. Only for informational/interest purposes, not used otherwise.
• Creator -- Your name or organization (who created this Bar). Only for informational/interest purposes, not used otherwise.
• Description -- A description or comments about your Bar. Only for informational/interest purposes, not used otherwise.
• Program -- This is used to stop a Bar being accidentally used in the wrong program (Bars are designed for a specific program). You must enter the exact name of the program for which your Bar is designed. For KDX Client, this must be EXACTLY "Haxial KDX Client". The program will verify that its name is present in the Bar. If the name does not match, it will display an error message.

Item List Window

ID Codes for KDX Client

To use a Button Bar file with KDX, place the file into a folder named "Button Bars" in the same folder as the KDX Client program. Then go to the Settings in KDX, and look for the button bar options. You will be able to select the Button Bar to display from a menu. You can simultaneously display up to 3 different bars.

Buttons:

• 'CMDS' (Commands) -- The Commands button which shows a menu containing every top-level command that KDX is capable of. Clicking the button normally has no action, so make it show the menu instead by putting 'CMDM' into the "Program-Supplied Menu ID" property.
• 'CNCT' (Connect) -- Shows the Connect window. You might also want to enable the "Second-Click To Show Menu" option and set the "Program-Supplied Menu ID" property to 'CNCM' (see menu IDs following). This would then allow the user to click normally to show the Connect window, or second-click to show the Connect menu.
• 'ADRB' (Address Book) -- Shows the Address Book window.
• 'MSGS' (Messages) -- Shows the Messages window.
• 'FTRN' (File Transfers) -- Shows the File Transfers window.
• 'FILB' (File Browser) -- Shows the File Browser window.
• 'CHAT' (Chat) -- Shows the Chat window.
• 'NEWS' (News) -- Shows the News window.
• 'USRL' (User List) -- Shows the User List window.
• 'EXIT' (Exit) -- Exits/quits/closes the KDX program.
• 'ABUT' (About) -- Shows the "About" window for the KDX program.
• 'STNG' (Settings) -- Shows the Settings window for the KDX program.
• 'VOCN' (Voice Controls) -- Shows the Voice Controls window.
• 'ADDR' (Show My Address) -- Shows a window with the address of the computer on which the KDX program is running.

• 'MSWL' (Messages Light) -- KDX will animate/flash this WonderLight when messages arrive. Alternatively, if you want the WonderLight as the icon of a Standard Button, then create a Standard Button using this ID, and set its icon to "WonderLight Flash Off".

• 'CCNT' (Connection Count) -- KDX will display the number of connections inside an item of type "Program-Supplied Text" with this ID.
• 'TCNT' (Transfer Count) -- KDX will display the number of active transfers (in the File Transfers window) inside an item of type "Program-Supplied Text" with this ID.

• 'SVRI' (Server Icon) -- KDX will display the current Server Icon inside an item of type "Program-Supplied Image" with this ID. Must be 152x40 pixels, so edit the item and copy & paste 0,0,152,40 into the Bounds property, and click OK. You can then drag it anywhere, but the size must be 152x40. Suggest you set the alignment property to Center.

• 'CMDM' (Commands Menu) -- Shows the Commands menu, which shows every top-level command that KDX is capable of.

• 'CNCM' (Connect Menu) -- Every item in the Address Book with the "Show In Connect Menu" option ticked is added to this menu. When an item in the menu is clicked, KDX connects to that Address Book item.