Interface/form generation from formatted text/ code

[MarcoMenapace]

Good morning,
I'm working on the refactoring of a cad solution for elevators.
I've choosen to use ODCL to develop the new interfaces.
There is a way to specify the views/object on the form and their proprierties via a formatted code like in standard dcl interfaces?
The idea is that, due to the dimension and redundancy of data handled by the application, a model of interface can be generated automatically.
After this generation the further refinements will be done "by hands" using the ODCL form editor.
Thanks a lot for any answer.
Marco :)

[owenwengerd]

The current version of OpenDCL has very limited support for working programmatically with .odcl files. It is possible to modify existing .odcl files from lisp code, but it is not possible to create or remove controls or forms in this way.

One feature planned for the next version of OpenDCL is an ability to import and export ODCL projects in an XML format that can be easily created and modified outside of OpenDCL Studio.

[MarcoMenapace]

Thank you

[MarcoMenapace]

There is a Beta version of this feature?
I'm working on a project for my master thesis and the interface I'm working on is one of the case study of the project. I'm implementing an automatic gui generator based on guidelines, data from user test and some machine learning feauture.
My idea is to make a further test on user for evaluate the difference between "hand generated" and automatically generated.
I can implement a parser for xml file if there's a way to implement the object insertion on a form.
Any suggestion?
Thanks for any reply

[roy_043]

Maro, have you considered the option of making controls visible/invisible? This can be done with the current versions of ODCL.

[MarcoMenapace]

Hi roy,
making the controls visible/invisible could be a partial solution of the problem.
Let me explan, I've got some object on the drawing. Connected to these object there is one list of feature connected to the object itself.
Each feature has one property that define the type of most suitable style of interacion to be specified (E.g. plain text , data from database, color from palette).
Considering that I've developed an engine that can generate live time the interface.
But the only way to do that is by adding the controls and their behaviour "online".

Thank you anyway for your answer

[owenwengerd]

A grid control can host a few different styles of controls in its cells. Grid control cells can be added, removed, and modified at runtime, so this might be a solution to the problem of runtime generated controls.

[MarcoMenapace]

Thank you Owen,
I never tried the grid control.
I will give it a try.
best regards
MM