The Sapphire/Web User Interface

2

Introduction

This chapter introduces you to all the aspects of the Sapphire/Web for UNIX user interface. Use it as a reference for using all the screens you may encounter.

Project Window

The Project Window is the first visible interface displayed when Sapphire/Web is started. It is also the Control Center of Sapphire/Web. Any projects built from within Sapphire/Web are managed through the Project Window.

Interface Overview

These are the areas shown on the screen shot on the preceding page.

Area Description

Menu Bar Pulldown menu options.

Button Bar Quick access buttons to common interface operations.

Activators Area A list of all Activators in the current project. Each Activator is represented by its Activator ID String. (See Activator ID Strings later in this section)

Selected Activators Button Bar Quick access to operations that act upon the Activator that is selected in the Activators Area.

Messages Window The Messages Window displays detailed information on errors, warnings and statuses that occur during the course of project development.

Selected Activators Popup Menu This menu can be invoked by pressing mouse button 3 while in the Activators Area. These options act upon the selected Activator in the Activators Area.

Messages Popup Menu This menu can be invoked by pressing mouse button 3 while the pointer is over the Messages Window. These options act upon the message text contained in the Messages Window.

Area	Description
`Menu Bar`	Pulldown menu options.
`Button Bar`	Quick access buttons to common interface operations.
`Activators Area`	A list of all Activators in the current project. Each Activator is represented by its Activator ID String. (See Activator ID Strings later in this section)
`Selected` `Activators Button Bar`	Quick access to operations that act upon the Activator that is selected in the Activators Area.
`Messages Window`	The Messages Window displays detailed information on errors, warnings and statuses that occur during the course of project development.
`Selected Activators Popup Menu`	This menu can be invoked by pressing mouse button 3 while in the Activators Area. These options act upon the selected Activator in the Activators Area.
`Messages Popup Menu`	This menu can be invoked by pressing mouse button 3 while the pointer is over the Messages Window. These options act upon the message text contained in the Messages Window.

Pulldown Menus

File

Option Description

`New` This option will create a new project. You will be prompted to save the old project if it hasn't been saved. For a new project, you must give a path, which becomes the current working directory, and a project name.

`Open` Invokes the file section box that allows an existing project to be chosen. Once a project file `(.pj)` is chosen, it is loaded. If a project was already loaded before selecting Open, you will be prompted to save it.

`Save` Writes the project files to disk for the currently loaded project. If it has never been saved, you will be prompted for a project filename.

`Save As` Permits you to save the current project under a new name and in a different directory. All associated project files are transferred to the new area and becomes the current project and directory.

`Revert` Discards the current changes to your project and re-loads the last saved version of the current project.

`Build Project` Generates the code and builds the CGI executable for the current project. It does not copy files to the test directory.

`Rebuild All` This option builds every file in the project, regardless of whether it has changed since the last build.

`Test` Generates the code and builds the executable for the current project. It then copies the executable and HTML documents to the Test area specified in the Project Options. Finally, Test invokes your HTML browser with the project's Startup HTML Document, for testing.

`Install` Install the project's files into the directory defined in the project options.

`Release Project` Creates a `release` subdirectory in your project directory. It then copies all files in your project to the new directory. The project is rebuilt in the `release` directory with your Release Project Options as opposed to your Test Project Options.

`Exit` Exits Sapphire/Web.

`Most Recently Used List` A Most Recently Used list, or MRU, contains the paths to the projects most recently worked on. This provides a quick and easy way to work with multiple projects. The default number of MRU items is 4.

Option	Description
`New`	This option will create a new project. You will be prompted to save the old project if it hasn't been saved. For a new project, you must give a path, which becomes the current working directory, and a project name.
`Open`	Invokes the file section box that allows an existing project to be chosen. Once a project file `(.pj)` is chosen, it is loaded. If a project was already loaded before selecting Open, you will be prompted to save it.
`Save`	Writes the project files to disk for the currently loaded project. If it has never been saved, you will be prompted for a project filename.
`Save As`	Permits you to save the current project under a new name and in a different directory. All associated project files are transferred to the new area and becomes the current project and directory.
`Revert`	Discards the current changes to your project and re-loads the last saved version of the current project.
`Build Project`	Generates the code and builds the CGI executable for the current project. It does not copy files to the test directory.
`Rebuild All`	This option builds every file in the project, regardless of whether it has changed since the last build.
`Test`	Generates the code and builds the executable for the current project. It then copies the executable and HTML documents to the Test area specified in the Project Options. Finally, Test invokes your HTML browser with the project's Startup HTML Document, for testing.
`Install`	Install the project's files into the directory defined in the project options.
`Release Project`	Creates a `release` subdirectory in your project directory. It then copies all files in your project to the new directory. The project is rebuilt in the `release` directory with your Release Project Options as opposed to your Test Project Options.
`Exit`	Exits Sapphire/Web.
`Most Recently Used List`	A Most Recently Used list, or MRU, contains the paths to the projects most recently worked on. This provides a quick and easy way to work with multiple projects. The default number of MRU items is 4.

Edit

Option Description

`Options` Invokes the Project Options interface.

`Save Options` Saves the current Project Options to your home directory so they will be the default for all new projects.

`Project Code` Invokes the Project Code Interface.

`Refresh All Objects` Verifies changes in all Data Objects and HTML documents and updates the project. All discrepancies are displayed in the Messages Window.

`Selected Activators` Provides several choices that act upon the Selected Activator.

Tools

Option Description

`Document Manager` Invokes the Document Manager Interface.

`Alias Manager` Invokes the Alias Manager Interface.

`Object Bind Editor` Invokes the Activator Selector. Once an Activator is selected, the Editor is starts with the selected Activator loaded.

`Object Editor` Invokes an instance of the Object Editor Interface.

`DB Browser` Invokes an instance of the Database Browser Interface.

`Login Manager` Invokes the Login Manager Interface.

`Bind Manager` Invokes the Bind manager Interface.

Option	Description
`Options`	Invokes the Project Options interface.
`Save Options`	Saves the current Project Options to your home directory so they will be the default for all new projects.
`Project Code`	Invokes the Project Code Interface.
`Refresh All Objects`	Verifies changes in all Data Objects and HTML documents and updates the project. All discrepancies are displayed in the Messages Window.
`Selected Activators`	Provides several choices that act upon the Selected Activator.

Option	Description
`Document Manager`	Invokes the Document Manager Interface.
`Alias Manager`	Invokes the Alias Manager Interface.
`Object Bind Editor`	Invokes the Activator Selector. Once an Activator is selected, the Editor is starts with the selected Activator loaded.
`Object Editor`	Invokes an instance of the Object Editor Interface.
`DB Browser`	Invokes an instance of the Database Browser Interface.
`Login Manager`	Invokes the Login Manager Interface.
`Bind Manager`	Invokes the Bind manager Interface.

Help

Option Description

`About` Displays the About Sapphire/Web Dialog.

`Contact Technical Support` Starts a browser with a base HTML page. This page has links to Bluestone's support site on the Web.

`Interface` Provides on-line help for the Project Window interface.

`Authors` A dialog displaying the names of the Sapphire/Web development team.

`Contents` Provides the on-line help Table of Contents.

`API` Invokes an index of on-line help topics for the Sapphire/Web API calls.

`Tutorial` invokes the on-line tutorials.

`Selection` Provides context-sensitive help for text that is highlighted anywhere inside or outside the tool as long as it uses the Motif cut buffers. Highlight an API call or interface name for help on that topic.

Option	Description
`About`	Displays the About Sapphire/Web Dialog.
`Contact Technical Support`	Starts a browser with a base HTML page. This page has links to Bluestone's support site on the Web.
`Interface`	Provides on-line help for the Project Window interface.
`Authors`	A dialog displaying the names of the Sapphire/Web development team.
`Contents`	Provides the on-line help Table of Contents.
`API`	Invokes an index of on-line help topics for the Sapphire/Web API calls.
`Tutorial`	invokes the on-line tutorials.
`Selection`	Provides context-sensitive help for text that is highlighted anywhere inside or outside the tool as long as it uses the Motif cut buffers. Highlight an API call or interface name for help on that topic.

Pop-up Menus

Selected Activators

Option Description

Duplicate Duplicate invokes the Activator Selector (under the name "Duplicate Selector"). Once an Activator is selected from the Activator Selector, it becomes an exact duplicate of the Activator selected in the Activators Area of the Project Window. The new Activator cannot already be a bound Activator or an Alias.

Delete Delete will delete all Object Bindings associated with an Activator as well as any reference to the Activator itself. Delete acts upon the selected Activator in the Activator Area.

Bind Bind will invoke an instance of the Object Bind Editor with the selected Activator in the Activator Area automatically loaded. This can also be achieved by double-clicking the desired Activator with mouse button 1.

Code Invokes the Activator Code Interface for the selected Activator.

Add Alias Invokes the Alias Manager Interface for the selected Activator in the Activator Area.

Option	Description
`Duplicate`	Duplicate invokes the Activator Selector (under the name "Duplicate Selector"). Once an Activator is selected from the Activator Selector, it becomes an exact duplicate of the Activator selected in the Activators Area of the Project Window. The new Activator cannot already be a bound Activator or an Alias.
`Delete`	Delete will delete all Object Bindings associated with an Activator as well as any reference to the Activator itself. Delete acts upon the selected Activator in the Activator Area.
`Bind`	Bind will invoke an instance of the Object Bind Editor with the selected Activator in the Activator Area automatically loaded. This can also be achieved by double-clicking the desired Activator with mouse button 1.
`Code`	Invokes the Activator Code Interface for the selected Activator.
`Add Alias`	Invokes the Alias Manager Interface for the selected Activator in the Activator Area.

Messages

Option Description

Save Prompts for a file name to save all of the messages in the Messages Window. The saved file is in ASCII format.

Clear Clears all of the Messages from the Messages Window.

Option	Description
`Save`	Prompts for a file name to save all of the messages in the Messages Window. The saved file is in ASCII format.
`Clear`	Clears all of the Messages from the Messages Window.

Button Bars

Main

Figure 2-1 The Main Button Bar

Option Description

Document Manager Invokes the Document Manager Interface.

Database Browser Invokes an instance of the Database Browser.

Object Editor Invokes an instance of the Object Editor.

Object Bind Editor (New Activator) Invokes the Activator Selector. Once an Activator is selected in the Activator Selector, an instance of the Object Bind Editor is invoked with the newly selected Activator loaded.

Alias Manager Invokes the Alias Manager interface.

Test Project Generates the code and builds the CGI executable for the current project. It then copies the CGI executable and HTML documents to the Test area specified in the Project Options. Finally, it invokes your HTML browser with the project's Startup HTML Document, for testing.

Exit Tool Exits Sapphire/Web.

Option	Description
`Document Manager`	Invokes the Document Manager Interface.
`Database Browser`	Invokes an instance of the Database Browser.
`Object Editor`	Invokes an instance of the Object Editor.
`Object Bind Editor (New Activator)`	Invokes the Activator Selector. Once an Activator is selected in the Activator Selector, an instance of the Object Bind Editor is invoked with the newly selected Activator loaded.
`Alias Manager`	Invokes the Alias Manager interface.
`Test Project`	Generates the code and builds the CGI executable for the current project. It then copies the CGI executable and HTML documents to the Test area specified in the Project Options. Finally, it invokes your HTML browser with the project's Startup HTML Document, for testing.
`Exit Tool`	Exits Sapphire/Web.

Selected Activators

Figure 2-2 The Selected Activators Button Bar

Option Description

Bind Bind will invoke an instance of the Object Bind Editor with the selected Activator in the Activator Area automatically loaded. This can also be achieved by double-clicking the desired Activator with mouse button 1.

Code Invokes the Activator Code Interface for the selected Activator in the Activator Area.

Duplicate Duplicate invokes the Activator Selector. Once an Activator is selected from the Activator Selector, it becomes an exact duplicate of the Activator selected in the Activators Area of the Project Window. The new Activator cannot already be a bound Activator or an Alias in the current project.

Alias Manager This invokes the Alias Manager Interface for the selected Activator in the Activator Area.

Delete Delete will delete all Object Bindings associated with an Activator as well as any reference to the Activator itself. Delete acts upon the selected Activator in the Activator Area.

Option	Description
`Bind`	Bind will invoke an instance of the Object Bind Editor with the selected Activator in the Activator Area automatically loaded. This can also be achieved by double-clicking the desired Activator with mouse button 1.
`Code`	Invokes the Activator Code Interface for the selected Activator in the Activator Area.
`Duplicate`	Duplicate invokes the Activator Selector. Once an Activator is selected from the Activator Selector, it becomes an exact duplicate of the Activator selected in the Activators Area of the Project Window. The new Activator cannot already be a bound Activator or an Alias in the current project.
`Alias Manager`	This invokes the Alias Manager Interface for the selected Activator in the Activator Area.
`Delete`	Delete will delete all Object Bindings associated with an Activator as well as any reference to the Activator itself. Delete acts upon the selected Activator in the Activator Area.