RE: [boost] GUI/GDI template library

From: Brock Peabody (brock.peabody_at_[hidden])
Date: 2003-07-28 17:25:51

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden]
[mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]]
> On Behalf Of E. Gladyshev
> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2003 1:00 PM
> To: Boost mailing list
> Subject: RE: [boost] GUI/GDI template library
> 
> 
> >     boost::function<void,CRect> positioner =
> >         row( edit_1, combo_1, column( edit_2,
> > some_static_text));
> 
> Interesing idea about a separate positioner object.
> What are the row/column do exactly?

Take a simple case first:

    row( an_edit_control, a_static_text_control);

This creates an object that positions the edit control to the left of
the static text control.  It gives the static text controls the exact
amount of space it needs to display its static (unchanging) text (it
recalculates this every time in case the text does change).  The
resulting object also knows how big the combination needs to be.  It
knows that due to the edit control that the objects can expand
limitlessly horizontally.  It knows what the minimum amount of
horizontal space is required to display both items (the edit will have
some minimum size).  It knows how to calculate the maximum and minimum
required vertical size too.

   column (control_1, control_2);

works similarly.  The results of column() and row() can be passed to
each other.

I don't know what the formal definition of an expression template system
is, but this is similar.  I don't overload any operators, but the result
of concocted calls to row() and column() (and others, like grid())
contain all of the types of all of the sub objects they were passed.

I've got several other functions that help implement various GUI idioms
I've needed.  Another neet one is group:

   group("Group Label", column( edit(), row("hello", combo())));

The first parameter to group() is the text that will be the groups
label.  The second parameter is any contoction(?) of controls.  The
object returned by group() knows how much space is required to position
the 'group box' and the controls it contains.

Does this make sense?  I'm sorry if I am not explaining this very well.
I'll see if I can dig up the documentation I wrote for our programmers
here.

Brock Peabody
Software Development Manager
NPC International