Misc Tips and Tricks

I have a large user interface and it takes along time to read it into BX. Is there any way to speed this process up?

You can save time when reading in a large application by setting Delay Shell Realize. To set Delay Shell Realize, select User Preferences from the Browser Options menu, click on the Behavior tab, and select the Delay Shell Realize toggle. A shell will not be created until selected from the Instance list in the Browser.

User code blocks are great! Can I add my own?

No. User code blocks require special handling in the BX code generation phase to preserve your changes. However, user code blocks have been a key BX feature for a long time, and we've taken input from many users over the years on their locations. It is likely that anything you would like to do, can be supported by an existing user code block. If you believe that you have some unique need, please send a description to support@ics.com.

Can I modify the generated code and still use BX?

There will come a time when modifying the generated code will be the most direct solution to a special function or need of your application. When you have to do this, just make sure that your modifications are placed within a user code block in the generated code. If you keep your code there, Builder Xcessory will automatically detect it, save it and restore it after you regenerate the code for your user interface.

How can I edit Compound objects?

Some widgets that appear as a single object on the Palette are actually Compound Objects that are made up of several Motif widgets. For example, the XmMessageBox is a compound object made up 6 child objects. You can toggle whether Compound Objects are expanded or not in the Browser by setting/unsetting the toggle "Show Compound Children" under the View menu of the Main Window. For example, if you did not want an "OK" button, a "Cancel" button, and a "Help" button, you could select "Show Compound Children" and then delete one or more buttons.

I’ve built my user interface with EPak or ViewKit and now I’m getting errors when I try to compile/link my application. Where are these libraries located?

If you have installed extra libraries from ICS, such as ViewKit or EPak, they are installed by default in ${BXHOME}/lib. To use these libraries in your programs just add a link line in "Options->Code Generation Options->Makefile". Then choose "Save As Default".

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