BIL(special file)

NAME
BIL — Builder Interface Language for the CDE Application Builder

SYNOPSIS

:bil-version major minor
:project project_name
(
        project_attributes
[:connection
(
        connection_attributes
)]
)
:module module_name
(
:element element_name
(
        element_attributes
        [children]
)
[:connection
(
        connection_attributes
)]
)

DESCRIPTION

BIL, the Builder Interface Language, is a specialized representation syntax designed to meet the intermediate storage requirements of the CDE Application Builder. It describes the overall attributes of the application (also known as a "project"), the modules that it contains, the elements that comprise modules, and the behavioral relationships between objects ("connections").

BIL is not a compiled language. It is read and written as data by the CDE Application Builder and its associated code generator. Even so, the format of BIL is printable ASCII characters with a "human readable" nature, making it possible for users to examine the contents of a BIL-formatted file and to process a BIL file using simple ASCII string-oriented tools and techniques.

Two distinct types of BIL files are recognized by the CDE Application Builder. One type is known as a project file, and is used to describe overall attributes of the project (application) as well as identify the modules that comprise it. It will also contain any cross-module information, such as connections that bind together objects in different modules.

A second type of BIL file exists for each module and is known as a module file. It contains all module-specific information, including definition of the elements that comprise the module and connections that exist within it.

BIL is structured in an object-oriented fashion. Objects are defined and named, and sets of parenthesis are used to enclose declarations of all the object's attributes. Object types recognized by BIL include project, module, element and connection.

:bil-version major minor
    Version information is useful to the CDE Application Builder and code generators in determining how to handle BIL files that may date from earlier releases.

:project project_name
    The :project directive names the project (application). It encloses a declaration of project_attributes as well as a list of any cross-module connections that may exist within the project.

:module module_name
    The :module directive names a module. It encloses a declaration of all elements that comprise the module as well as a list of any connections that may exist within the module.

:element element_name
    The :element directive names an element. It encloses a declaration of all element_attributes, including a list of any children that may be part of the element.

:connection
    The :connection directive names a connection and specifies its attributes. It can occur as part of a project or a module.

:children
    The :children directive appears as an attribute of any element which contains ("parents") other elements. It encloses a list of all child elements, referencing each by its element name.

    Project, element and connection attributes take the form: :attribute_name attribute_value Where attribute_name is an attribute appropriate for the project, element or connection, and attribute_value is typed according to the attribute. Attribute types include integer, string, object name, and keyword, where the keyword is one of a fixed list used by BIL to identify specific data values (e.g. :true, :none). Some attribute values are ordered N-tuples, in which case the complete set is enclosed in parentheses.

    Comments may be placed in a BIL file by starting a line with two slashes (//). Any comments that occur in a BIL file prior to the :bil-version line will be preserved by the CDE Application Builder across successive updates to the file. Comments that occur after the :bil-version line will not be retained.

RETURN VALUE

None.

EXAMPLES

The following is an example of a project file:

:bil-version    1 0
:project todotool
(
    :files      (main_window.bil task_dialog.bil)
:connection
(
    :from       main_window.add_item_btn
    :to task_dialog.task_dialog
    :when       :activate
    :action-type        :builtin
    :action     :show
    :arg-type   :void
)
)

A typical module file would contain:

:bil-version    1 0
:module task_dialog
(
:element        task_dialog
(
    :type       :dialog
    :x  649
    :y  499
    :width      354
    :height     57
    :bg-color   "white"
    :label      "Adding a New Task"
    :resizable  :true
    :has-footer :false
    :visible    :false
    :children   (
        ctrl_panel
        activate_panel)
)
:element        ctrl_panel
(
    :type       :container
    :container-type     :relative
    :x  0
    :y  0
    :width      354
    :height     57
    :visible    :true
    :border-frame       :none
    :north-attachment   (:obj task_dialog 0)
    :south-attachment   (:obj task_dialog 0)
    :east-attachment    (:obj task_dialog 0)
    :west-attachment    (:point 0 0)
    :children   (
        task)
)
:element        task
(
    :type       :text-field
    :text-type  :alphanumeric
    :x  28
    :y  6
    :width      -1
    :height     -1
    :border-frame       :none
    :label-type :string
    :label      "Task:"
    :label-position     :west
    :num-columns        32
    :max-length 80
    :read-only  :false
    :active     :true
    :visible    :true
    :north-attachment   (:point 0 6)
    :south-attachment   (:none 0 0)
    :east-attachment    (:none 0 0)
    :west-attachment    (:point 0 28)
)
:element        activate_panel
(
    :type       :container
    :container-type     :activate
    :x  -1
    :y  -1
    :width      -1
    :height     -1
    :visible    :true
    :border-frame       :etched-in
    :children   (
        ok_button
        cancel_button
        help_button)
)
:element        ok_button
(
    :type       :button
    :button-type        :push-button
    :x  -1
    :y  -1
    :width      -1
    :height     -1
    :border-frame       :none
    :label-type :string
    :label-alignment    :center
    :label      "OK"
    :active     :true
    :visible    :true
    :north-attachment   (:grid-line 5 0)
    :south-attachment   (:grid-line 95 0)
    :east-attachment    (:grid-line 30 0)
    :west-attachment    (:grid-line 10 0)
)
:element        cancel_button
(
    :type       :button
    :button-type        :push-button
    :x  -1
    :y  -1
    :width      -1
    :height     -1
    :border-frame       :none
    :label-type :string
    :label-alignment    :center
    :label      "Cancel"
    :active     :true
    :visible    :true
    :north-attachment   (:grid-line 5 0)
    :south-attachment   (:grid-line 95 0)
    :east-attachment    (:grid-line 60 0)
    :west-attachment    (:grid-line 40 0)
)
:element        help_button
(
    :type       :button
    :button-type        :push-button
    :x  -1
    :y  -1
    :width      -1
    :height     -1
    :border-frame       :none
    :label-type :string
    :label-alignment    :center
    :label      "Help"
    :active     :true
    :visible    :true
    :north-attachment   (:grid-line 5 0)
    :south-attachment   (:grid-line 95 0)
    :east-attachment    (:grid-line 90 0)
    :west-attachment    (:grid-line 70 0)
)
:connection
(
    :from       ok_button
    :to task_dialog
    :when       :activate
    :action-type        :builtin
    :action     :hide
    :arg-type   :void
)
:connection
(
    :from       cancel_button
    :to task_dialog
    :when       :activate
    :action-type        :builtin
    :action     :hide
    :arg-type   :void
)
:connection
(
    :from       ok_button
    :when       :create
    :action-type        :call-function
    :action     confirm_taskCB
    :arg-type   :void
)
:connection
(
    :from       cancel_button
    :when       :create
    :action-type        :call-function
    :action     cancel_taskCB
    :arg-type   :void
)
)

APPLICATION USAGE

Applications and application developers typically do not work directly with BIL files, instead using them indirectly through the CDE Application Builder. It may, however, be useful for them to understand the layout and scope of BIL to satisfy particular application development needs (e.g. to add specialized comments to BIL files or to examine them to examine useful information (such as help text built-into a application)).

SEE ALSO

dtbuilder(1) dtcodegen(1)