tepam_argument_dialogbox(3)



tepam::argument_dTcl'sbEnhanced Procedure and Atepam::argument_dialogbox(3tcl)

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NAME
       tepam::argument_dialogbox - TEPAM argument_dialogbox, reference manual

SYNOPSIS
       package require Tcl  8.3

       package require Tk  8.3

       package require tepam  ?0.5?

       tepam::argument_dialogbox item_name item_attributes ?item_name item_at-
       tributes? ?...?

       tepam::argument_dialogbox   {item_name    item_attributes    ?item_name
       item_attributes? ?...?}

______________________________________________________________________________

DESCRIPTION
ARGUMENT DIALOGBOX CALL
       The TEPAM argument_dialogbox is a flexible and easily usable data entry
       form generator that is available if Tk has been loaded. Each data entry
       element of a form is defined via a data entry item that can be provided
       to argument_dialogbox in two formats:

       tepam::argument_dialogbox item_name item_attributes ?item_name item_at-
       tributes? ?...?
              Using  this  first format, each data entry item is defined via a
              pair of two arguments. The first one is the item name  that  de-
              fines the entry widget that has to be used in the form. The sec-
              ond argument, called item  attributes,  specifies  the  variable
              which  is  attributed to the data entry element as well as even-
              tual formatting and context information.

              The argument_dialogbox returns ok if the entered data have  been
              acknowledged  (via  the  OK  button)  and  validated  by  a data
              checker. If the entered data have been rejected (via the  Cancel
              button) the argument_dialogbox returns cancel.

              A  small  example  illustrates how the argument_dialogbox can be
              employed:

              set DialogResult [tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -title "Itinerary selection" \
                 -file {-label "Itinerary report" -variable report_file} \
                 -frame {-label "Itinerary start"} \
                    -comment {-text "Specify your itinerary start location"} \
                    -entry {-label "City" -variable start_city -type string} \
                    -entry {-label "Street" -variable start_street -type string -optional 1} \
                    -entry {-label "Street number" -variable start_street_nbr -type integer -optional 1} \
                 -frame {-label "Itinerary destination"} \
                    -comment {-text "Specify your itinerary destination"} \
                    -entry {-label "City" -variable dest_city -type string} \
                    -entry {-label "Street" -variable dest_street -type string -optional 1} \
                    -entry {-label "Street number" -variable dest_street_nbr -type integer -optional 1} \
                 -frame {} \
                 -checkbutton {-label "Don't use highways" -variable no_highway}]

              This example opens a dialog box that has the title Itinerary se-
              lection. A first entry widget in this box allows selecting a re-
              port file. It follows two frames to define respectively an itin-
              erary  start  and end location. Each of these locations that are
              described with a comment has three entry widgets to specify  re-
              spectively  the  city,  street and the street number. Bellow the
              second frame there is a check button that allows  specifying  if
              eventual highways should be ignored.

       tepam::argument_dialogbox    {item_name    item_attributes   ?item_name
       item_attributes? ?...?}
              Sometimes it is simpler to provide all the data entry item defi-
              nitions  in form of a single list to argument_dialogbox, and not
              as individual arguments. The second format that is supported  by
              argument_dialogbox  corresponds exactly to the first one, except
              that all item definitions are packed into a single list that  is
              provided  to argument_dialogbox. The previous example can there-
              fore also be written in the following way:

              set DialogResult [tepam::argument_dialogbox {
                 -title "Itinerary selection"
                 -file {-label "Itinerary report" -variable report_file}
                 ...
                 -checkbutton {-label "Don't use highways" -variable no_highway} }]

       The commands argument_dialogbox as well as procedure are exported  from
       the  namespace  tepam.  To use these commands without the tepam:: name-
       space prefix, it is sufficient to import them into the main namespace:

              namespace import tepam::*

              set DialogResult [argument_dialogbox \
                 -title "Itinerary selection"
                 ...
       The following subsections explain the  different  argument  item  types
       that  are  accepted  by  the  argument_dialogbox, classified into three
       groups. The first data entry item definition format will be used in the
       remaining  document, knowing that this format can always be transformed
       into the second format by putting all arguments into a single list that
       is then provided to argument_dialogbox.

   CONTEXT DEFINITION ITEMS
       The first item group allows specifying some context aspects of an argu-
       ment dialog box. These items are taking a simple  character  string  as
       item attribute:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -<argument_name> string \
                 ...
       The following items are classified into this group:

       -title string
              The  dialog  box  window title which is by default Dialog can be
              changed with the -title item:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -title "System configuration" \
                 ...

       -window string
              The argument dialog box uses by default .dialog  as  dialog  top
              level window. This path can be changed with the -window item:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -window .dialog \
                 ...

       -parent string
              By  defining  a  parent  window, the argument dialog box will be
              displayed beside this one. Without explicit parent window  defi-
              nition,  the  top-level window will be considered as parent win-
              dow.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -parent .my_appl \
                 ...

       -context string
              If a context is defined the dialog box state, e.g.  the  entered
              data  as  well as the window size and position, is  restored the
              next time the argument dialog box is called. The assignment of a
              context  allows  saving  the  dialog box state in its context to
              distinguish between different usages of the argument dialog box.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -context destination_definitions \
                 ...

   FORMATTING AND DISPLAY OPTIONS
       Especially for big, complex forms it becomes important that the differ-
       ent  data entry widgets are graphically well organized and commented to
       provide an immediate and clear overview to the user. A couple of  items
       allow structuring and commenting the dialog boxes.

       The  items  of  this  classification group require as item attributes a
       definition list, which contains itself attribute name and value pairs:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 ...
                 -<argument_name> {
                    ?-<attribute_name> <attribute_value>?
                    ?-<attribute_name> <attribute_value>?
                    ?...?
                 }
                 ...
       The following items are classified into this group:

       -frame list
              The -frame item allows packing all following entry widgets  into
              a labeled frame, until a next frame item is defined or until the
              last entry widget has been defined. It recognizes the  following
              attributes inside the item attribute list:

              -label string
                     An  optional frame label can be specified with the -label
                     statement.

              Example:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 ...
                 -frame {-label "Destination address"}
                 ...

              To close an open frame without opening a new one, an empty  list
              has to be provided to the -frame statement.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 ...
                 -frame {}
                 ...

       -sep [const {{}}]
              Entry  widgets  can  be  separated with the -sep statement which
              doesn't require additional definitions. The  related  definition
              list has to exist, but its content is ignored.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 ...
                 -sep {}
                 ...

       -comment string
              Comments  and descriptions can be added with the -text attribute
              of the -comment item. Please note that each entry widget  itself
              can  also  contain  a  -text attribute for comments and descrip-
              tions. But the -comment item allows for  example  adding  a  de-
              scription between two frames.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 ...
                 -comment {-text "Specify bellow the destination address"}
                 ...

       -yscroll 0|1|auto
              This  attribute  allows controlling an eventual vertical scroll-
              bar. Setting it to 0 will  permanently  disable  the  scrollbar,
              setting  it  to  1 will enable it. By default it is set to auto.
              The scrollbar is enabled in this mode only if the vertical  data
              entry form size exceeds 66% of the screen height.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 ...
                 -yscroll auto
                 ...

   GLOBAL CUSTOM DATA VALIDATION
       This  item group allows specifying global custom checks to validate the
       entered data.

       -validatecommand script
              Custom data checks can be performed via validation commands that
              are defined with the -validatecommand item. Example:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-label "Your comment" -variable YourCom} \
                 -validatecommand {IllegalWordDetector $YourCom}

              The validation command is executed in the context of the calling
              procedure, once all the basic data checks  have  been  performed
              and  data  variables  are assigned. All data is accessed via the
              data variables. Note that there is also an entry widget specific
              attribute  -validatecommand  that allows declaring custom checks
              for specific data entries.

              The attribute -validatecommand can be repeated to declare multi-
              ple custom checks.

       -validatecommand_error_text string
              This  item  allows  overriding  the  default error message for a
              global custom argument validation (defined by -validatecommand).
              Also  this attribute can be repeated in case multiple checks are
              declared.

       -validatecommand2 script

       -validatecommand2_error_text string
              These items are mainly for TEPAM internal usage.

              These items corrspond respectively to -validatecommand and -val-
              idatecommand_error_text.  However,  the  data  validation is not
              performed in the next upper stack level, but  two  stack  levels
              higher.

   DATA ENTRY WIDGET ITEMS
       Data  entry  widgets are created with the widget items. These items re-
       quire as item attributes a definition list, which contains  itself  at-
       tribute name and value pairs:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 ...
                 -<argument_name> {
                    ?-<attribute_name> <attribute_value>?
                    ?-<attribute_name> <attribute_value>?
                    ?...?
                 }
                 ...
       The  attribute list can contain various attributes to describe and com-
       ment an entry widget and to constrain its entered value. All entry wid-
       gets are accepting a common set of attributes that are described in the
       section Entry Widget Item Attributes.

       TEPAM defines a rich set of entry widgets. If necessary, this  set  can
       be extended with additional application specific entry widgets (see AP-
       PLICATION SPECIFIC ENTRY WIDGETS):

       -entry list
              The -entry item generates the simplest but most  universal  data
              entry  widget.  It  allows  entering any kind of data in form of
              single line strings.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-label Name -variable Entry}

       -text list
              The -text item generates a multi line  text  entry  widget.  The
              widget height can be selected with the -height attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -text {-label Name -variable Text -height 5}

       -checkbox list
              A  group  of check boxes is created with the -checkbox item. The
              number of check boxes and their option values are specified with
              a  list assigned to the -choices attribute or via a variable de-
              clared with the -choicevariable attribute:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -checkbox {-label "Font sytle" -variable FontStyle \
                             -choices {bold italic underline} -default italic}

              If the labels of the check boxes should differ from  the  option
              values,  their  labels can be defined with the -choicelabels at-
              tribute:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -checkbox {-label "Font sytle" -variable FontStyle \
                            -choices {bold italic underline} \
                            -choicelabels {Bold Italic Underline} \
                            -default italic}

              In contrast to a radio box group, a check box group  allows  se-
              lecting  simultaneously several choice options. The selection is
              stored for this reason inside the defined variable in form of  a
              list, even if only one choice option has been selected.

       -radiobox list
              A  group  of radio boxes is created with the -radiobox item. The
              number of radio boxes and their option values are specified with
              a  list assigned to the -choices attribute or via a variable de-
              clared with the -choicevariable attribute.

              In contrast to a check box group, a radio box group  allows  se-
              lecting  simultaneously only one choice option. The selected op-
              tion value is stored directly, and not in form of a list, inside
              the defined variable.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -radiobox {-label "Text adjustment" -variable Adjustment \
                            -choices {left center right} -default left}

              If  the  labels of the radio boxes should differ from the option
              values, their labels can be defined with the  -choicelabels  at-
              tribute:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -radiobox {-label "Text adjustment" -variable Adjustment \
                            -choices {left center right} \
                            -choicelabels {Left Center Right} -default left}

       -checkbutton list
              The  -checkbutton entry widget allows activating or deactivating
              a single choice option. The result  written  into  the  variable
              will  either  be 0 if the check button was not activated or 1 if
              it was activated. An eventually provided default value has  also
              to be either 0 or 1.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -checkbutton {-label Capitalize -variable Capitalize -default 1}

       Several types of list and combo boxes are available to handle selection
       lists.

       -combobox list
              The combobox is a combination of a normal entry widget  together
              with  a  drop-down  list box. The combobox allows selecting from
              this drop-down list box a single element. The list of the avail-
              able  elements  can be provided either as a list to the -choices
              attribute, or via a variable that is specified with the -choice-
              variable attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -combobox {-label "Text size" -variable Size -choices {8 9 10 12 15 18} -default 12}

              And  here is an example of using a variable to define the selec-
              tion list:

              set TextSizes {8 9 10 12 15 18}
              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -combobox {-label "Text size" -variable Size -choicevariable TextSizes -default 12}

       -listbox list
              In contrast to the combo box, the list box is  always  displayed
              by  the listbox entry widget. Only one element is selectable un-
              less the -multiple_selection attribute  is  set.  The  list  box
              height can be selected with the -height attribute. If the height
              is not explicitly defined, the list box height is  automatically
              adapted to the argument dialog box size.  The first example uses
              a variable to define the available choices:

              set set AvailableSizes
              for {set k 0} {$k<16} {incr k} {lappend AvailableSizes [expr 1<<$k]}

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -listbox {-label "Distance" -variable Distance \
                           -choicevariable AvailableSizes -default 6 -height 5}

              Here is a multi-element selection example. Please note that also
              the default selection can contain multiple elements:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -listbox {-label "Text styles" -variable Styles \
                           -choices {bold italic underline overstrike} \
                           -choicelabels {Bold Italic Underline Overstrike} \
                           -default {bold underline} -multiple_selection 1 \
                           -height 3}

       -disjointlistbox list
              A  disjoint list box has to be used instead of a normal list box
              if the selection order is important. The disjoint list box entry
              widget  has  in  fact two list boxes, one to select elements and
              one to display the selected elements in the chosen order.

              Disjoint listboxes allow  always  selecting  multiple  elements.
              With  the  exception  of the -multiple_selection attribute, dis-
              jointed list boxes are accepting the same attributes as the nor-
              mal listbox, e.g. -height, -choices, -choicevariable, -default.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -disjointlistbox {-label "Preferred scripting languages" -variable Languages \
                           -comment "Please select your preferred languages in the order" \
                           -choices {JavaScript Lisp Lua Octave PHP Perl Python Ruby Scheme Tcl} \
                           -default {Tcl Perl Python}}

       The  file and directory selectors are building a next group of data en-
       try widgets. A paragraph of section Entry Widget  Item  Attributes  ex-
       plains  the  widget  specific attributes that allow specifying the tar-
       geted file types, active directory etc.

       -file list
              The item -file creates a group composed by an entry  widget  to-
              gether  with  a  button  that allows opening a file browser. The
              data type file is automatically selected for this  entry  if  no
              data type has been explicitly defined with the -type attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -file {-label "Image file" -variable ImageF \
                        -filetypes {{"GIF" {*.gif}} {"JPG" {*.jpg}}} \
                        -initialfile "picture.gif"}

       -existingfile list
              The item -existingfile creates a group composed by an entry wid-
              get together with a button that allows opening a browser to  se-
              lect  an  existing file. The data type existingfile is automati-
              cally selected for this entry if no data type has  been  explic-
              itly defined with the -type attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -existingfile {-label "Image file" -variable ImageF \
                                -filetypes {{"GIF" {*.gif}} {"JPG" {*.jpg}}} \
                                -initialfile "picture.gif"}

       -directory list
              The  item -directory creates a group composed by an entry widget
              together with a button that allows opening a directory  browser.
              The data type directory is automatically selected for this entry
              if no data type has been explicitly defined with the  -type  at-
              tribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -directory {-label "Report directory" -variable ReportDir}

       -existingdirectory list
              The item -existingdirectory creates a group composed by an entry
              widget together with a button that allows opening a  browser  to
              select an existing directory. The data type existingdirectory is
              automatically selected for this entry if no data type  has  been
              explicitly defined with the -type attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -existingdirectory {-label "Report directory" -variable ReportDir}

       Finally,  there  is  a last group of some other special data entry wid-
       gets.

       -color list
              The color selector is composed by an entry widget together  with
              a  button  that  allows  opening  a color browser. The data type
              color is automatically selected for this entry widget type if no
              data type has been explicitly defined with the -type attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -color {-label "Background color" -variable Color -default red}

       -font list
              The font selector is composed by an entry widget together with a
              button that allows opening a font browser. The data type font is
              automatically  selected  for  this  entry widget type if no data
              type has been explicitly defined with the -type  attribute.  The
              entry  widget  displays an example text in the format of the se-
              lected font.

              The font browser allows selecting by default the  font  families
              provided by the font families Tk command as well as a reasonable
              set of different font sizes between 6 points and 40 points. Dif-
              ferent sets of font families and font sizes can be specified re-
              spectively via the -font_families or -font_sizes attributes.

              If no default font is provided via the -default  attribute,  the
              default  font  of  the label widget to display the selected font
              will be used as default selected font. If  the  font  family  of
              this  label  widget  is  not  part of the available families the
              first available family is used as default. If the font  size  of
              this  label  widget  is not part of the available sizes the next
              close available size is selected as default size.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -font {-label "Font" -variable Font \
                        -font_sizes {8 10 12 16} \
                        -default {Arial 20 italic}}

   ENTRY WIDGET ITEM ATTRIBUTES
       All the entry widget items are accepting the following attributes:

       -text string
              Eventual descriptions and comments specified with the -text  at-
              tribute are displayed above the entry widget.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-text "Please enter your name bellow" -variable Name}

       -label string
              The label attribute creates left to the entry widget a label us-
              ing the provided string as label text:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-label Name -variable Name}

       -variable string
              All entry widgets require a specified variable. After  accepting
              the  entered  information  with  the OK button, the entry widget
              data is stored inside the defined variables.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -existingdirectory {-label "Report directory" -variable ReportDir}

       -default string
              Eventual default data for the entry widgets can be provided  via
              the  -default  attribute.  The default value is overridden if an
              argument dialog box with a defined  context  is  called  another
              time.  The value acknowledged in a previous call will be used in
              this case as default value.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -checkbox {-label "Font sytle" -variable FontStyle \
                             -choices {bold italic underline} -default italic}

       -optional 0|1
              Data can be specified as optional or  mandatory  with  the  -op-
              tional  attribute  that  requires either 0 (mandatory) or 1 (op-
              tional) as attribute data.

              In case an entry is optional and no data has been entered,  e.g.
              the  entry contains an empty character string, the entry will be
              considered as undefined and the assigned variable  will  not  be
              defined.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-label "City" -variable start_city -type string} \
                 -entry {-label "Street" -variable start_street -type string -optional 0} \
                 -entry {-label "Street number" -variable start_street_nbr -type integer -optional 1} \

       -type string
              If  the  data type is defined with the -type attribute the argu-
              ment dialog box will automatically perform a data type check af-
              ter  acknowledging  the entered values and before the dialog box
              is closed. If a type incompatible value is found an  error  mes-
              sage box appears and the user can correct the value.

              The  argument dialog box accepts all types that have been speci-
              fied by the TEPAM package and that are also used by  tepam::pro-
              cedure (see the tepam::procedure reference manual).

              Some  entry widgets like the file and directory widgets, as well
              as the color and font widgets are specifying  automatically  the
              default  data type if no type has been specified explicitly with
              the -type attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-label "Street number" -variable start_street_nbr -type integer} \

       -range string
              Values can be constrained with the -range attribute.  The  valid
              range  is defined with a list containing the minimum valid value
              and a maximum valid value.

              The -range attribute has to be used  only  for  numerical  argu-
              ments, like integers and doubles.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-label Month -variable Month -type integer -range {1 12}}

       -validatecommand string
              Custom  argument value validations can be performed via specific
              validation commands that are defined with  the  -validatecommand
              attribute.  The  provided  validation  command can be a complete
              script in which the pattern %P is placeholder for  the  argument
              value that has to be validated.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -entry {-label "Your comment" -variable YourCom \
                         -validatecommand "IllegalWordDetector %P"}

              While  the  purpose of this custom argument validation attribute
              is the validation of a specific argument, there is also a global
              data  validation attribute -validatecommand that allows perform-
              ing validation that involves multiple arguments.

       -validatecommand_error_text string
              This attribute allows overriding the default error message for a
              custom argument validation (defined by -validatecommand).

       Some other attributes are supported by the list and combo boxes as well
       as by the radio and check buttons.

       -choices string
              Choice lists can directly be defined with  the  -choices  attri-
              bute.  This way to define choice lists is especially adapted for
              smaller, fixed selection lists.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -listbox {-label "Text styles" -variable Styles \
                           -choices {bold italic underline} -default underline

       -choicelabels string (only check and radio buttons)
              If the labels of the check and radio boxes  should  differ  from
              the  option  values,  they can be defined with the -choicelabels
              attribute:

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -checkbox {-label "Font sytle" -variable FontStyle \
                            -choices {bold italic underline} \
                            -choicelabels {Bold Italic Underline}

       -choicevariable string
              Another way to define the choice lists is using the -choicevari-
              able  attribute.  This  way to define choice lists is especially
              adapted for huge and eventually variable selection lists.

              set TextSizes {8 9 10 12 15 18}
              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -combobox {-label "Text size" -variable Size -choicevariable TextSizes}

       -multiple_selection 0|1
              The list box item (-listbox) allows by  default  selecting  only
              one  list  element. By setting the -multiple_selection attribute
              to 1, multiple elements can be selected.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -listbox {-label "Text styles" -variable Styles \
                           -choices {bold italic underline} -default underline \
                           -multiple_selection 1 -height 3}

       Some additional attributes are supported by the file and directory  se-
       lection widgets.

       -filetypes string
              The  file  type attribute is used by the -file and -existingfile
              items to define the file endings that are searched by  the  file
              browser.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -file {-label "Image file" -variable ImageF \
                        -filetypes {{"GIF" {*.gif}} {"JPG" {*.jpg}}}}

       -initialfile string
              The initial file used by the file browsers of the -file and -ex-
              istingfile widgets are by default the file defined with the -de-
              fault  attribute,  unless a file is specified with the -initial-
              file attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -file {-variable ImageF -initialfile "picture.gif"}

       -activedir string
              The -activedir attribute will override the default active search
              directory  used  by  the file browsers of all file and directory
              entry widgets. The default active search directory is defined by
              the  directory of a specified initial file (-initialfile) if de-
              fined, and otherwise by the directory of the default file/direc-
              tory, specified with the -default attribute.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -file "-variable ImageF -activedir $pwd"

       Finally, there is a last attribute supported by some widgets:

       -height string
              All   widgets  containing  a  selection  list  (-listbox,  -dis-
              jointlistbox, -font) as well as the multi line -text widget  are
              accepting  the -height attribute that defines the number of dis-
              played rows of the selection lists.

              tepam::argument_dialogbox \
                 -listbox {-label "Text size" -variable Size \
                           -choices {8 9 10 12 15 18} -default 12 -height 3}

              If the no height has been explicitly specified the height of the
              widget  will  be  dynamically adapted to the argument dialog box
              size.

APPLICATION SPECIFIC ENTRY WIDGETS
       An application specific entry widget can be made available to the argu-
       ment dialog box by adding a dedicated procedure to the tepam namespace.
       This procedure has three arguments; the first one is the  widget  path,
       the  second  one  a  subcommand and the third argument has various pur-
       poses:

              proc tepam::ad_form(<WidgetName>) {W Command {Par ""}} {
                 upvar Option Option; # if required
                 variable argument_dialogbox; # if required
                 switch $Command {
                    "create" <CreateCommandSequence>
                    "set_choice" <SetChoiceCommandSequence>
                    "set" <SetCommandv>
                    "get" <GetCommandSequence>
                 }
              }
       Argument_dialogbox takes care about the -label and -text attributes for
       all  entry  widgets.  For any data entry widget it creates a frame into
       which the data entry widget components can be placed. The path to  this
       frame is provided via the W argument.

       The  entry  widget procedure has to support 3 mandatory and an optional
       command that are selected via the argument Command:

       create The entry widget is called a first time with the command  create
              to build the data entry widget.

              The frames that are made available by argument_dialogbox for the
              entry widgets are by default only extendable in the X direction.
              To make them also extendable in the Y direction, for example for
              extendable list boxes, the command  ad_form(make_expandable)  $W
              has to be executed when an entry widget is built.

       set_choice
              The  entry  widget  procedure is only called with the set_choice
              command if the -choices or -choicevariable has  been  specified.
              The command is therefore only relevant for list and combo boxes.

              The  available  selection list that is either specified with the
              -choices or -choicevariable attribute is provided  via  the  Par
              argument to the entry widget procedure. This list can be used to
              initialize an available choice list.

       set    If a default value is either defined via the -default  attribute
              or  via  a  preceding  call the entry widget procedure is called
              with the set command. The argument Par contains in this case the
              value to which the entry widget has to be initialized.

       get    The entry widget procedure command get has to return the current
              value of the entry widget.

       Eventually specified entry widget item attributes are available via the
       Option  array  variable of the calling procedure. This variable becomes
       accessible inside the entry widget procedure via the upvar command.

       There may be a need to store some information in a variable. The  array
       variable  argument_dialogbox  has  to be used for this purpose together
       with array indexes starting with "$W,", e.g. argument_dialogbox($W,val-
       ues).

       Examples  of entry widget procedures are directly provided by the TEPAM
       package source file that specifies the  standard  entry  widget  proce-
       dures. The simplest procedure is the one for the basic entry widget:

              proc tepam::ad_form(entry) {W Command {Par ""}} {
                 switch $Command {
                    "create" {pack [entry \$W.entry] -fill x \
                                      -expand yes -pady 4 -side left}
                    "set" {\$W.entry insert 0 $Par}
                    "get" {return [\$W.entry get]}
                 }
              }
       It  is  also possible to relay on an existing entry widget procedure to
       derive a new, more specific one. The radiobox widget is used for  exam-
       ple,  to  create  a new entry widget that allows selecting either left,
       center or right. The  original  radiobox  widget  is  called  with  the
       set_choice  command immediately after the create command, to define the
       fixed list of selection options.

              proc tepam::ad_form(rcl) {W Command {Par ""}} {
                 set Res [ad_form(radiobox) $W $Command $Par]
                 if {$Command=="create"} {
                    ad_form(radiobox) $W set_choice {left center right}
                 }
                 return $Res
              }
       Please consult the TEPAM package source file  to  find  additional  and
       more complex examples of entry widget procedures.

VARIABLES
       The  argument_dialogbox  is  using  two  variables inside the namespace
       ::tepam:

       argument_dialogbox
              Application specific entry widget procedures can use this  array
              variable to store their own data, using as index the widget path
              provided to the procedure,  e.g.  argument_dialogbox($W,<sub_in-
              dex>).

       last_parameters
              This  array  variable  is only used by an argument dialog box if
              its context has been specified via the -context  attribute.  The
              argument  dialog  box  position  and size as well as its entered
              data are stored inside this variable if the  data  are  acknowl-
              edged  and  the  form is closed. This allows the form to restore
              its previous state once it is called another time.

              To reuse the saved parameters not just in the actual application
              session  but  also in another one, it is sufficient to store the
              last_parameter array variable contents in a  configuration  file
              which is loaded the next time an application is launched.

SEE ALSO
       tepam(3tcl), tepam::procedure(3tcl)

KEYWORDS
       data entry form, parameter entry form

CATEGORY
       Argument entry form, mega widget

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (c) 2009-2013, Andreas Drollinger

tcllib                               0.5.0     tepam::argument_dialogbox(3tcl)

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