The Layout of the Widgets

Index

Introduction
The Layout Types

The Frame Layout
The Origin Layout
The Origin Alignment Layout
The Point Layout
The Rectangle Layout
The Extent Layout

Introduction

The GUI Painter allows you to change the geometry layout of each widget. At the time of writing this document, five types of layouts are available. (excluding an 'extented' layout, which is set automatically to all widgets whose container organizes the layouts automatically - for example a panel).

The Layout section of the GUI Painter for the widgets provides two major services:

changing the layout type of a widget
changing the set of values assigned to the current layout type

To access the layout of a widget, the widget and the Layout section in the control window of the GUI Painter must be selected:

On the bottom of the Layout section, a list of all Layout types available for the selected widget is shown (as tabs).
The default layout type of a widget is derived from its template widget from the gallery window. The values can be changed or by selecting another layout type, values of the new layout type are computed from the current positions of the widget.

The Layout Types

The Frame Layout

In the Frame layout the origin of the widget is controlled by the left and top, the corner or extent is defined by the right and bottom settings. Each setting has a relative part plus an offset. In case of relative values, the edges will change in relationship to that of its container widget.

The Frame section

For example, to arrange for a widget to always fill the top half of its container, give it the following frame values:
- 0.0 relative origin left
- 0.0 relative origin top;
- 1.0 relative corner right
- 0.5 relative corner bottom
- all offsets 0
A Frame layout with zero relative parts is equal to a Rectangle layout.
If a widget has been given a frame layout, the widgets own preferences are ignored - the size is completely controlled by the window specification.

The Origin Layout

The Origin layout controls the origin of the widget via a relative part plus an offset. In case of relative values the origin will change in relationship to that of its container widget. The right and bottom value derives from the widget extent.

The Layout/Origin section

If a widget has been given an origin-layout , the widgets extent is controlled by the widget itself (i.e. its preferred extent is taken). However, the widgets origin is controlled by the window specification.

The AlignmentOrigin Layout

Since the extent of a widget could be configured variable (not fixed), the user may want to define a fixed edge to its current origin. The left and top settings controls the origin of the widget. The user can now define any reference point within the widget to be fixed. If the extent of the widget changed, for example by switching the font, the widget is resized whereby the reference point keeps its position. The reference point itself is specified as a fraction of the widget size.

The Layout/Origin Alignment section

Notice, that the Origin layout above is a special case of the AlignmentOrigin layout (reference point is the top-left corner).

The Point Layout

In the Point layout the origin of the widget is controlled by the left and top settings via a fixed offset within its container widget. The right and bottom value are derived from the widget extent.

The Layout/Point section

Notice, that the Point layout is a special case of the Origin layout above (zero relative parts).

The Rectangle Layout

In the Rectangle layout all edges of the widget are fixed within its container widget. Each setting is defined via an absolute offset. There is no relationship of the sizes to that of its container. When the container's size is variable, you may want to arrange the widget size in relation to that of the container. Thus you may use a Frame layout with all settings set to relative.

The Layout/Rectangle section

Notice, that the Rectangle layout is a special case of the Frame layout above (zero relative parts).

The Extent Layout

In the Extent layout the widget's origin is controlled by its container widget; only the extent of the widget is specified.

The Layout/Extent section