NAME
TixIntro - Introduction to the Tix library
DESCRIPTION
Tix, which stands for Tk Interface Extension, is an extension library
for Tcl/Tk. Tix adds many new widgets, image types and other commands
that allows you to create compelling Tcl/Tk-based GUI applications.
One advantage of Tix over other Tk widget libraries is many of the Tix
standard widgets are implemented in native code. This enhances
performance and provides native look-and-feel for your applications.
This version of Tix works with Tcl/Tk version 8.0 or above. If Tix has
been installed properly on your system, you can load the package into
any Tk script by invoking the command package require Tix After this
command has successfully returned, you can start using the
functionalities of the Tix library. See the EXAMPLES section below for
example scripts that use Tix.
If the "package require Tix" command fails, you probably need to
install a new copy of Tix on your system. You can download the latest
version of Tix from the web site http://tix.sourceforge.net/.
STANDARD WIDGETS
Tix includes the following standard widgets which, like their
counterparts in Tk, are implemented in native code to achieve high
performance and native look-and-feel.
tixGrid
The tixGrid widget displays items in a spread-sheet format.
tixHList
Hierarchical listbox widget. This widget display entries in a
tree-like format.
tixInputOnly
A transparent window that can be used to cover another widget so
as to disable mouse input.
tixNBFrame
The tixNBFrame widget is used internally by the tixNoteBook
widget to display choices among a set of overlapping pages.
tixTList
Tabular listbox widget. This widget is similar to the built-in
Tk listbox widget but provides more flexibility in displaying
the list entries.
MEGA WIDGETS
Tix provides many new types of mega widgets: these are widgets that are
composed of built-in Tk widgets and the Tix standard widgets mentioned
above.
tixBalloon
The tixBalloon widget provides context-sensitive on-screen help.
tixButtonBox
A convenience class for creating a box of button widgets.
tixCheckList
A subclass of tixTree that presents single- or multiple choices
to the user in a tree-like format.
tixComboBox
A combination of the listbox and entry widgets that allows the
user to input an item by typing or by selecting from a list of
items.
tixControl
The tixControl widget allows the user to adjust a value using
arrow buttons.
tixDirList
A directory selection widget that displays the file system as a
cascading list.
tixDirSelectDialog
A dialog for selecting a directory. This widget is deprecated.
Use tk_chooseDirectory instead.
tixDirTree
A directory selection widget that displays the file system in a
tree format.
tixExFileSelectBox
A widget for selecting a file. This widget is deprecated. Use
tk_getOpenFile instead.
tixExFileSelectDialog
A dialog for selecting a file. This widget is deprecated. Use
tk_getOpenFile instead.
tixFileEntry
A special entry widget that allows the user to choose a file by
typing in its name or by selecting from a file dialog.
tixFileSelectBox
A widget for selecting a file. This widget is deprecated. Use
tk_getOpenFile instead.
tixFileSelectDialog
A dialog for selecting a file. This widget is deprecated. Use
tk_getOpenFile instead.
tixLabelEntry
A convenience class for creating an entry with an associated
label widget.
tixLabelFrame
A labelled frame widget for grouping together a set of related
widgets.
tixListNoteBook
The tixListNoteBook widget allows the user to choose from a set
of over-lapping pages by selecting from a list box.
tixMeter
The tixMeter widget displays a bar graph to indicate progress.
tixNoteBook
The tixNoteBook widget allows the user to choose from a set of
over-lapping pages with a tabbed notebook metaphore.
tixOptionMenu
The tixOptionMenu widget allows the user to choose a value from
a pop-up menu.
tixPanedWindow
The tixPanedWindow widgets allows the user to adjust the visible
size of several frame widgets with handle bars.
tixPopupMenu
The tixPopupMenu widget can be used to implement context-
sensitive pop-up menu.
tixScrolledHList
A tixHList widget with smart scrollbars. Like other Tix scrolled
widgets, the scroll bars can be displayed on an as-needed basis.
tixScrolledListBox
A Tk listbox widget with smart scrollbars.
tixScrolledText
A Tk text widget with smart scrollbars.
tixScrolledWindow
A Tk frame widget with smart scrollbars.
tixSelect
The tixSelect widget uses a set of buttons to present single- or
multiple selection options to the user.
tixStdButtonBox
A subclass of tixButtonBox that provides four standard buttons
(OK, Apply, Cancel Help) for Motif(TM)-like dialog boxes.
tixTree
A subclass of tixScrolledHList that supports expanding and
collapsing of entries in a hierarchical list.
DISPLAY ITEMS
Three Tix standard widgets tixGrid, tixHList and tixTList support the
Display Items mechanism. Display items are created by the widget
command of these standard widgets. You can customize the items using
styles objects.
tixDisplayStyle
Create style objects to customize display items.
IMAGE TYPES
Tix provides two additional image types to the Tk image framework.
compound
The compound image type allows you to combine images, widgets,
and text strings into a single Tk image object.
pixmap The pixmap image type supports the XPM format.
OTHER COMMANDS
The following Tcl command are also included in the Tix library to
perform various functions.
tixDestroy
Destroy Tix objects instances of classes defined by tixClass
construct.
tixForm
A geometry manager based on attachment rules. This geometry
manager is deprecated. Use the Tk grid geometry manager instead.
tixMwm A command to communicate with the Mwm, the Motif(TM) Window
Manager. Works on Unix only.
tix The tix command controls the Tix application context.
tixGetBoolean
The tixGetBoolean command converts a string to a boolean value.
tixGetInt
The tixGetInt command converts a string to a integer value.
tixUtils
The tixUtils manual page describes some utility Tix commands.
EXECUTABLE PROGRAM
tixwish
The tixwish program can be used to execute Tix-based
applications. tixwish is deprecated. You shuld use the standard
wish program from Tk and access Tix via the "package require
Tix" command.
EXAMPLES
The following is an example script that uses a tixTree widget.
set tree [tixTree .t] pack $tree -expand yes -fill both for {set i 0}
{$i < 2} {incr i} {
$tree subwidget hlist add $i -itemtype imagetext \
-text "Folder $i" -image [tix getimage folder]
for {set j 0} {$j < 5} {incr j} {
$tree subwidget hlist add $i.$j -itemtype imagetext \
-text "File $i.$j" -image [tix getimage textfile]
} } $tree autosetmode
KEYWORDS
Tix, mega widgets