1. Peter Thiem
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. Friday, 29 October 2021 00:43 AM UTC

Hi PB Community...

Is there a built in "tabbed document interface" (TDI), that can be switch to *easily* for a MDI application?

I am porting from Powerbuilder.NET 12.5 to Powerbuilder 2021.

The users came to quite like the "tabbed document interface" (TDI) that Powerbuilder.NET 12.5 presents MDI applications as:

Where as the Powerbuilder 2021 version is typical MDI windows:

If there is no built in batteries included method, what are the alternatives?

Roll my own with a tab control and use in an SDI frame?

Change to SDI and open new separate windows for every sheet?

Other ideas?

Cheers, Peter.

 

Accepted Answer
Chris Pollach @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Tuesday, 2 November 2021 22:55 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # Permalink
In that case Peter if you really want a Tabbed Interface, I would recommend that PB developers create all Window Classes with NO controls. Then add the Window controls via a User Object to support a normal Open / OpenSheet command. However on your tabbed interface, create a Tab Control on the MDI frame or Main Window (if using an SDI interface). Then instead of an Open or OpenSheet use the OpenTab command for each tabbed area your App requires from the *same* UO that it's corresponding Window (sheet) where the UO is attached to. That would allow you to switch the App's look from MDI to Tabbed very easily at runtime. Food for thought. Just my $0.02.
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Ian Wells Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Saturday, 19 November 2022 15:54 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 1

So, with PB 2022 can we simply check a box to change an MDI app to a TDI app?

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  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Saturday, 19 November 2022 17:12 PM UTC
Yes, but in PB 2022 R2. You can see a demo at Elevate 2022 on Monday.
  1. Helpful 1
  1. Chris Pollach @Appeon
  2. Saturday, 19 November 2022 18:15 PM UTC
Yes Armeen, R2 will be a game changer for PB developers that want to use a Tabbed MDI child window look & feel (with no reprogramming required)! I hope everyone tunes into the Elevate 2022 conference on Monday Nov 21st to learn about this & other significant R2 enhancements.

:-)
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Peter Thiem Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Thursday, 16 December 2021 01:33 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 2

FYI

I managed to roll my own, pleasant although limited tab bar/toolbar, which I hope the users will appreciate.

These are actually picture buttons on a Custom MDI frame, and MDI functionality is still present:

It works reasonably well with limits (fixed width, surplus buttons spill off screen, giving focus is not a perfect as from the window menu), but I look forward to replacing one day with native functionality.

I can thank example code from the pbexamples project, for an approach, specifically the "MDI/Custom MDI Frame" example, which was great, there is some clever stuff in those examples:

Cheers, Peter.

Comment
  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Thursday, 16 December 2021 02:26 AM UTC
Hi Peter, Looks cool but try turning on the UI Themes will make your app look more modern. I see you have mish-mash of Windows 7 and Windows 10 look. Ronnie covered this in his Elevate 2021 session: https://www.appeon.com/conference/elevate-2021/live?id=340

BTW, Tabbed Document Interface planned for a revision of PB 2022 not the first release.
  1. Helpful 2
  1. Peter Thiem
  2. Thursday, 16 December 2021 03:01 AM UTC
Thanks, Chris and Armeen,



Armeen, maybe we'll look at in a future upgrade. This change is hard enough - upgrading (more side-grading porting) from PB.Net 12.5. Adding the theming didn't appear to make it better enough to justify increasing the upgrade complexity.



Chris, it will be nice when it comes. This applications release will probably go out sooner than the feature is available to turn on and test.



Cheers, Peter.
  1. Helpful
  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Thursday, 16 December 2021 05:27 AM UTC
Totally understand. Hope your project goes well.
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mike S Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 29 October 2021 15:39 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 3
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Chris Pollach @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 29 October 2021 01:20 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 4

Hi Peter;

  This feature is on the list for PB2022 ...

https://www.appeon.com/developers/roadmap#upcoming

Regards ... Chris

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  1. Peter Thiem
  2. Tuesday, 2 November 2021 22:55 PM UTC
Thanks Chis for you guidance. We'll consider our options! Cheers, Peter.
  1. Helpful
  1. Julie Jiang @Appeon
  2. Wednesday, 3 November 2021 01:12 AM UTC
Hi Peter/Chris,

We will also consider to add "tabbed document interface" for runtime apps in a 2022 revision version.

Best regards, Julie
  1. Helpful 2
  1. Chris Pollach @Appeon
  2. Wednesday, 3 November 2021 14:13 PM UTC
Hi Julie ... that would be "awesome" if engineering could provide this! :-)
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