19 The Interface Builder

The Interface Builder helps you to construct graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for your applications. You design and test each window or dialog in your application, and the Interface Builder generates the necessary source code to create the windows you have designed.

You then need to add callbacks to the generated code to connect each window to your application routines.

As you create each window, it is automatically displayed and updated on-screen, so that you can see what you are designing without having to type in, evaluate, or compile large sections of source code.

As well as making code development significantly faster, the Interface Builder allows you to try out different GUI designs, making it easier to ensure that the final design best suits your users' needs.

Note: the Interface Builder is intended for testing interface designs and for generation of the initial versions of the source code that implements your design. It is not suitable for the complete development of complex interfaces. Eventually you should work on the source code directly using the Editor tool (see 12 The Editor).

Note: the Interface Builder is available on Windows, Linux, x86/x64 Solaris and FreeBSD platforms only.

19.1 Description of the Interface Builder

19.2 Creating or loading interfaces

19.3 Creating an interface layout

19.4 Creating a menu system

19.5 Editing and saving code

19.6 Performing operations on objects

19.7 Performing operations on the current interface

19.8 Performing operations on elements

19.9 Example: Using The Interface Builder