UI base class

[Petfactory]

Hi!

I want to create a ui "base class" that I can reuse. I have done a test that works when I launch it from ESTK but when launched from within Illustrator the window flashes then disappears. The idea was to create a function that returns the window and a group to which I can add more controls to from the class that "instantiates the base class".

Below is a simplified example of the base class.

#target Illustrator
#targetengine main
function UIBase(aTitle)
{
    var win = new Window ("palette", aTitle);  
    win.margins = 0;
    var banner = win.add ("group",[0,0,200,60]);
    banner.graphics.backgroundColor = banner.graphics.newBrush (banner.graphics.BrushType.SOLID_COLOR, [0.2, 0.2, 0.2]);
    var body = win.add ("group");
    body.margins = 10;
    return {"win":win, "body":body};
}

The script that uses the base class looks like this.

#include UIBase.jsx
winObj = new UIBase("Hello World!");
win = winObj["win"];
body = winObj["body"];
var btn = body.add("button", undefined, "Button!");
win.show();

It would be super handy to do something like this so that I dont have to rewrite code for the basic ui. Like I said it works from the ESTK but not from within illustrator. Does anyone have any ideas why this is not working? I am also interested if you have some examples of another way implementing a "ui base class" that can be extended.

Best Regards,

Johan

[Larry G. Schneider]

You might check out this

http://www.kahrel.plus.com/indesign/scriptui-2-0.pdf

[Petfactory]

Hi!

That pdf is a really good resource, but I did not find exactly was I was looking for. After some additional googeling I found the $.evalFile() command. I used that command to "import" the base file instead of #include and it seems to work fine.

BR,

Johan

[milligramme]

Hi. that code doesnt work for me.

1. remove #target and #targetengine line from UIBase.jsx
2. add only #target Illustrator to execute.jsx
3. change to #targetengine session or something, NOT main
4. or try with 'dialog' instead of 'palette'
5. add #includepath /dirpath/to/UIBase.jsx to execute.jsx

I tried this lists, and works fine both 'dialog' and 'palette'

thank you.

mg

[Petfactory]

Hi,

I tried what you suggested but I did not get the palette window to stay open. If I use  a "dialog" it works but I want to be able to have the window open while I work, and that is not possible with a window of the dialog type.

The "base class" UIBase.jsx:

function UIBase(aTitle)
{    
    var win = new Window ("palette", aTitle);  
    var body = win.add ("group");
    return {"win":win, "body":body};
}

The files that includes "the base class":

#target Illustrator
#targetengine session
#include UIBase.jsx
winObj = new UIBase("Hello World!");
win = winObj["win"];
body = winObj["body"];
var runBtn = body.add ("button", undefined, "Button");
win.show ();

I changed the targetengine to session in the file that calls the "base class". I used just the #include since the file I wish to include is in the same folder. Like I said it works fine with a dialog type window, and it works from ESTK ( when the targetengine is set to main, I assume that I can not use a custom targetengine from ASTK ?)

What am I missing to make this work with a window of the palette type ?

Thank you,

Johan

[Muppet Mark]

#targetengine main will cause a palette to stay open…

[Petfactory]

Hi Mark,

When using #targetengine main in a script with a palette window created form a single jsx file it works as expected, the palette stays open. But I am including a "base class" UI file which has some code that I wish to reuse across multiple scripts. When using the #targetengine main in this file the windows disappears a short moment after it becomes visible. I am using a mac by the way.

Any ideas?

Best Regards,

Johan

[Petfactory]

This is a strange behaviour. When I include a file useing the #include preprocessor the palette window flashes and disappears. If I remove the #include it works... hmmmm.

#target illustrator
#targetengine main
//#include INCLUDE.jsx
var win = new Window ("palette", "Palette");  
win.show();

Anyone got an idea why this is ?

BR,

Johan