Property Browser

This is a IDE topic about Oxygene
 

Code Editor | Visual Designers | Build Toolchain | Debugging | Project Management | Templates

Properties browser (also known as Properties window) is used to view and change properties and events of selected objects that are located in visual designers. It is also used to view and edit solution and project items properties in the Solution Explorer. Properties window can be opened with menu command View -> Properties Window or hot keys CTRL+W, P. Properties Window Controls These are some of the controls inside Properties window used to manage properties. Objects List Combo Box This is located at the top of the window and contains a list of editable objects that exist in visual designer. The elected combo box item corresponds to the currently selected item in the designer or Solution Explorer. When neither visual designer nor Solution Explorer are selected, the combo box is empty and other controls of the Properties window become inactive as well. The Toolbar Located below next to objects lict combo box. Availability of buttons may variate depending upon currently selected object or solution item. The buttons are (in left to right order): Categorized. Lists all properties and property values for the selected object, by category. User can collapse a category to reduce the number of visible properties. When a category is collapsed or expanded, a plus (+) or minus (-) is visible to the left of the category name. Categories are listed in alphabetic order. Alphabetic. Hides categories and alphabetically sorts all properties and events listed. Properties. Displays the properties for an object. Events. Displays the events for an object. Property Pages. Displays Project Options for project solution item currently selected in the Solution Explorer or properties for solution itself. This button is active only for Solution Explorer. Properties List Properties list is the main part of the Properties window. It contains all design time properties or events for currently selected object and allows user to edit them. The properties list displays different types of editing fields, depending on the needs of a particular property. These edit fields include edit boxes, drop-down lists, and links to custom editor dialog boxes. Properties shown in gray are read-only.

Description Pane

Shows the property type and a short description of the property. User can turn the description of the property on and off using the context menu of the Properties window.

Properties Window Usage

To edit edit object's properties in the window required object have to be selected first in the visual designner or Solution Explorer. Notice that selection should not shift out of designer before user selects Properties window, e.g. user should not open Code Editor after object is selected in the designer or Properties window will become empty as if nothing is selected.

To edit the object property user should select required property in the list, input new value into the property editor (editor's behavior depends on particular property) then confirm changes with the ENTER key or with selecting another property. Also unconfirmed changes can be rejected with ESC key.

In case of events changing the value in the properties list leads to event handler stub creation. Double-clicking in the event handler editor creates the handler with default name. User can provide a custom name for the handler by typing desirable name and pressing ENTER key. It is possible to select an existing handler for the event. To do this, event handler editor should be used like combo box. Notice, that only methods with suitable signature will be displayed in the list.

It is possible to select several objects in the designer, in this case Properties window will show properties and events common to all selected objects. User can edit properties values for all selected objects, if the property value for all selected objects are equal, this value will be displayed in the property editor. Otherwise property editor will be empty.