AIS Essay Template

The RAD mainWindow class is the principal tool for AIS Lisp to surface a graphic user interface (GUI). Opening and showing the mainWindow object causes the AIS Lisp .exe to move from the Background Processes list to the Apps list in the Windows Task Manager. The mainWindow is one of the key words accepted by the qt function. There can be only one mainWindow object.

Instantiating and showing the mainWindow object paints a GUI background containing

a title bar
a horizontal menu bar
a horizontal tab bar

The functions surfaced with the mainWindow object allow the AIS Lisp programmer to manage the various features and services available via the mainWindow object.

Title Bar

The Title Bar appears along the top of the application main window GUI and contains the .exe icon followed by whatever contents are specified by the AIS Lisp programmer.

Horizontal Menu Bar

The Horizontal Menu Bar appears along the top of the application main window GUI just below the Title Bar. It contains the drop down menus specified by the AIS Lisp programmer.

Horizontal Tab Bar

The Horizontal Tab Bar appears along the top of the application main window GUI just below the Horizontal Menu Bar. It contains the tab panes specified by the AIS Lisp programmer.

Overview

The mainWindow aboutQt function displays the contents of the special QT about message box. The mainWindow object must be showing for the aboutQt message box to work properly. The aboutQt function returns control when the GUI user presses the OK button on the message box. The contents of the message box are provided by QT and contain general information about the current release of QT. To display the current properties of the main window, use the maximize function.

Syntax

(qt mainWindow: aboutQt:)

Arguments

Returns

Always returns 0.

Example1


        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Message Box Demo."))

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window.

        (qt mainWindow: aboutQt:) ;; Display the standard QT message box

Overview

The mainWindow addTab function adds a tab to the right on the horizontal tab bar of the main window. The tab must have a title, a GUI object descendant of RadWidget as its contents, and a tab manger Lambda to handle tab events properly. The aboutQt function returns control when the GUI user presses the OK button on the message box. The contents of the new tab are provided by radWidgetPtr argument, which muist be the returned value from a previous (qt new: RadWidget: ...) function call. The tabManager Lambda must provide the proper management of tab events.

Syntax

(setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: addTab: radWidgetPtr title tabManager))

Arguments

radWidgetPtr	A pointer to ANY QT GUI object with RadWidget as an ancestor.
title	The text title to appear on the tab.
tabManager	The Lambda tab manger function which must provide the proper behavior for tab events.
tabIndex	Always returns the index of the tab on the main window horizontal tab bar.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: addTab: radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow addMenu function adds a manu to the right on the horizontal menu bar of the main window. The menu must have a title which is displayed on the main window horizontal menu bar. The returned main menu object pointer can be used to add vertical menu items beneath the main menu on the horizontal menu bar.

Syntax

(setq radMainMenuPtr (qt mainWindow: addMenu: title))

Arguments

title	The text title to appear on the menu.
radMainMenuPtr	Always returns a pointer to the menu object on the main window horizontal menu bar.

Example1


        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Menu Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radMainMenuPtr (qt mainWindow: addMenu: "Help")) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal menu bar

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow count function returns the number of tabs on the horizontal tab bar of the main window.

Syntax

(setq tabCount (qt mainWindow: count:))

Arguments

tabCount

Always returns the count of tabs on the main window horizontal tab bar.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: addTab: radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (setq tabCount (qt mainWindow: count:)) ;; Return the count of tabs

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: (string tabCount)) ;; Display the main window

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow getAis function returns and sets the global _ais Structure. The global _ais Structure contains important information about the current .exe context including the following elements.

ContextName The name of the current context.
Heap The size in bytes of the current heap space allocated.
Objects The naximum number of objects allocated.
CStack The size in bytes of the current C stack space allocated.
MaxRecursions The maximum number of Lisp recursions allocated.
ExeFileName The path and file name of the executable currently running.
ExePath The path name of the folder containing the executable currently running.
LogFileName The path and file name of the AIS writeln log file.
ScriptFileName The path and file name of the start up script file.
ScriptPath The path name of the folder containing the start up script file.
MySQLDataDir The path name of the folder containing the MySQL directory.
MachineName The name of the current machine on the Internet.
HostIP The IP address of the current machine on the Internet.
AisHelpURL The URL of the AIS Help HTML directory index on the Internet.
QtHelpURL The URL of the Qt Help HTML directory index on the Internet.
MySQLHelpURL The URL of the MySQL Help HTML directory index on the Internet.
TcpPort The local Tcp Port address on the current machine on the Internet.
OS The name of the host operating system currently executing.

Syntax

(setq _ais (qt mainWindow: getAis:))

Arguments

_ais

Always returns and sets the global _ais Structure.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: addTab: radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt mainWindow: getAis:) ;; Set the global _ais Structure

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: (string _ais true)) ;; Display the _ais Structure contents in the main window

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow getClipboardText function returns the text currently stored in the main window clipboard.

Syntax

(setq text (qt mainWindow: getClipboardText:))

Arguments

text

Always returns the text currently stored in the main window clipboard.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: addTab: radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (setq text (qt mainWindow: getClipboardText:)) ;; Set the clipboard text

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: text) ;; Display the clipboard contents in the main window

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow getCurrentIndex function returns the index of the currently selected tab in the main window horizontal tab bar.

Syntax

(setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: getCurrentIndex:))

Arguments

tabIndex

Always returns the the index of the currently selected tab in the main window horizontal tab bar.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: addTab: radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: getCurrentIndex:)) ;; Set the index of the currently selected tab

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: (string tabIndex true)) ;; Display the index of the currently selected tab

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow insertTab function inserts a new tab on the main window horizontal tab bar at the specified tab index.

Syntax

(setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: tabIndex radWidgetPtr title tabManager))

Arguments

tabIndex

Always returns the the index of the newly inserted tab in the main window horizontal tab bar.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: (string tabIndex true)) ;; Display the index of the newly inserteded tab

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow maximize function displays the main window in its full screen format.

Syntax

(qt mainWindow: maximize:))

(qt mainWindow: maximize: title))

Arguments

title	(Optional) title to be set into the title bar of the main window.
Returns	Always returns void.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: (string tabIndex true)) ;; Display the index of the newly inserteded tab

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow minimize function displays the main window in its minimal format for the host operating system.

Syntax

(qt mainWindow: minimize:))

(qt mainWindow: minimize: title))

Arguments

title	(Optional) title to be set into the title bar of the main window.
Returns	Always returns void.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: (string tabIndex true)) ;; Display the index of the newly inserteded tab

        (qt mainWindow: minimize:) ;; Display the main window in its most minimal format for the host operating system

Overview

The mainWindow removeTab function removes the specified tab fromthe main window horizontal tab bar.

Syntax

(qt mainWindow: removeTab: tabIndex)

Arguments

tabIndex

The index of the tab to be removed from the main window horizontal tab bar.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: (string tabIndex true)) ;; Display the index of the newly inserteded tab

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

        (sleep 5000.0) ;; Wait for 5 seconds
        (qt mainWindow: removeTab:) ;; Remove the edit tab from the main window

Overview

The mainWindow setCurrentIndex function sets the main window horizontal tab bar to focus on specified tab.

Syntax

(qt mainWindow: setCurrentIndex: tabIndex)

Arguments

tabIndex

The index of the tab to become the focused tab on the main window horizontal tab bar.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtrE (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtrE "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt radTextEditPtrE setText: "Edit Tab Focused") ;; Display on the newly inserteded tab

        (setq radTextEditPtrH (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 1 radTextEditPtrH "Help" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt radTextEditPtrH setText: "Help Tab Focused") ;; Display on the newly inserteded tab

        (qt mainWindow: setCurrentIndex: 0) ;; Focus on the edit tab in the main window

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

        (sleep 5000.0) ;; Wait for 5 seconds
        (qt mainWindow: setCurrentIndex: 1) ;; Focus on the edit tab in the main window

Overview

The mainWindow setClipboardText function sets the main window clipboard text to the specified value.

Syntax

(qt mainWindow: setClipboardText: theText)

Arguments

theText

The text value to be set in the main window clipboard.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt mainWindow: setClipboardText: "I set this text in the clipboard") ;; Set text into the main window clipboard

        (setq theText (qt mainWindow: getClipboardText:)) ;; Get the contents of the main window clipboard

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: theText) ;; Display on the newly inserteded tab

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

Overview

The mainWindow setTitle function sets the contents of the main window title bar (but does not display the title bar). The AIS Lisp programmer has full control over the contents of the .exe title bar. To display the title bar and all other current properties of the main window, use the maximize function.

Syntax

(qt mainWindow: setTitle: textData)

Arguments

textData	The text data to appear in the title bar.
Returns	Always returns void.

Example1


        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My Application with [" (inspect) "] bytes of free heap memory."))

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window.

Overview

The mainWindow showMsgBox function displays a standard message box and returns the button pressed. Several styles of standard message box may be shown. The standard message box may contain one or more buttons. If more than one button is displayed, the button pressed will be returned.

Syntax

(setq index (qt mainWindow: showMsgBox: style title message buttons))

Arguments

style	The style of standard message box to display. The style options are - (information question warning critical)
title	The text title of the standard message box.
message	The message to be displayed in the standard message box. May be RichText with basic HTML tags, etc.
buttons	The buttons to be displayed in the standard message box. The button options are - Ok: Yes: No: YesNo: YesNo displays two buttons and returns which button the user pressed (0=No, 1=Yes)
index	Always returns the button pressed.

Example1


        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My Application with [" (inspect) "] bytes of free heap memory."))

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window.

        (setq index (qt mainWindow: showMsgBox: critical: "Warning" "Alien attack! Do you wish to resist?" YesNo:)) ;; Display a standard message box.

Overview

The mainWindow showOpenFileDialog function displays a standard Open File dialog box and returns the file and path name selected.

Syntax

(setq pathFileName (qt mainWindow: showOpenFileDialog: title pathName wildCards))

Arguments

title	The text title of the standard open file dialog box.
pathName	The path name to be used for browsing.
wildCards	The wild cards to be used to limit browing choices.
pathFileName	Always returns the path and file name selected.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

        (setq pathFileName (qt mainWindow: showOpenFileDialog: "Select a file" "" "*.sl")) ;; Display a standard open file dialog box.

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: pathFileName) ;; Display on the newly inserteded tab

Overview

The mainWindow showOpenFileDialog function displays a standard Save File dialog box and returns the file and path name selected.

Syntax

(setq pathFileName (qt mainWindow: showSaveFileDialog: title pathName wildCards))

Arguments

title	The text title of the standard save file dialog box.
pathName	The path name to be used for browsing.
wildCards	The wild cards to be used to limit browing choices.
pathFileName	Always returns the path and file name selected.

Example1


        (defun editMgr(...) true) ;; Don't do anything special when the tab is clicked

        (qt mainWindow: setTitle: (append "My QT Horizontal Tab Demo.")) ;; Set the main window title

        (setq radTextEditPtr (qt new: RadTextEdit:)) ;; Create a QT TextEdit object (a GUI descentant of RadWidget).

        (setq tabIndex (qt mainWindow: insertTab: 0 radTextEditPtr "Edit" editMgr)) ;; Add a new tab to the main window horizontal tab bar

        (qt mainWindow: maximize:) ;; Display the main window

        (setq pathFileName (qt mainWindow: showSaveFileDialog: "Select a file" "" "*.sl")) ;; Display a standard open file dialog box.

        (qt radTextEditPtr setText: pathFileName) ;; Display on the newly inserteded tab

QT Class mainWindow

Overview

Title Bar

Horizontal Menu Bar

Horizontal Tab Bar

aboutQt

addTab

addMenu

count

getAis

getClipboardText

getCurrentIndex

insertTab

maximize

minimize

removeTab

setCurrentIndex

setClipboardText

setTitle

showMsgBox

showOpenFileDialog

showSaveFileDialog