[Newbies] [4.1] How do I use ToolBuilder to construct a three pane browser?

[Bert Freudenberg]

On 19.04.2010, at 11:45, Hannes Hirzel wrote:
> 
> Hello
> 
> I would like to construct a three pane browser to inspect a dictionary
> of dictionaries (see data structure example code below). How do I do
> this using the ToolBuilder? I would like to learn to use it.
> 
> The class comment of ToolBuilder
> "I am a tool builder, that is an object which knows how to create
> concrete widgets from abstract specifications. Those specifications
> are used by tools which want to be able to function in diverse user
> interface paradigms, such as MVC, Morphic, Tweak, wxWidgets etc"
> 
> What I have done so far it to construct a two pane browser for
> browsing a dictionary showing only the keys not the instance
> variables. I did this by subclassing DictionaryInspector and
> overriding 4 methods. (see screen shot)
> 
> I assume for the Three pane browser I'd have to construct a three pane
> browser from scratch using ToolBuilder.
> 
> myLessons := Dictionary new.
> 
> myLessons at: 'lesson1' put: ((((Dictionary new
> 	at: 'section1' put: 'the string for section 1 of lesson01'; yourself)
> 	at: 'section2' put: 'the string for section 2 of lesson01';  yourself)
> 	at: 'section3' put: 'the string for section 3 of lesson01'; yourself)).
> 	
> myLessons at: 'lesson2' put: (((((Dictionary new
> 	at: 'section1' put: 'the string for section 1 of lesson2'; yourself)
> 	at: 'section2' put: 'the string for section 2 of lesson2';  yourself)
> 	at: 'section3' put: 'the string for section 3 of lesson2'; yourself))
> 	at: 'section4' put: 'the string for section 4 of lesson2'; yourself).
> 	
> myLessons at: 'lesson3' put: ((((Dictionary new
> 	at: 'section1' put: 'the string for section 1 of lesson3'; yourself)
> 	at: 'section2' put: 'the string for section 2 of lesson3';  yourself)
> 	at: 'section3' put: 'the string for section 3 of lesson3'; yourself)).
> 	
> myLessons explore
> 
> Thank you for suggestions/hints or maybe just the answer in advance.
> For me this is an example for constructing more complex things.
> 
> Hannes

Maybe look at Browser>>buildWith: or all the other buildWith: implementations? No need to subclass DictionaryInspector, I'd simply subclass Model. 

You would have two lists, and a text pane. Your model will have to provide methods to get the list and get/set the current index. E.g. #lessonList, #lessonListIndex, #lessonListIndex: and #sectionList, #sectionListIndex, #sectionListIndex:.

When you select something in the lesson list, #lessonListIndex: will be sent. In response, you would send "self changed: #sectionList" which will cause the section list to be updated. Etc.

- Bert -