Applications and Geodes: 3.1 Saving User Options: Saving Generic Object Options

All appropriate generic UI objects have the ability to save their options. For example, a properties GenInteraction could save which of its options are on and which are off when the user presses a "save options" trigger.

To save generic object options, you have to do two basic things:

Create an Options menu
Typically, you will create a menu for user options. This menu should be declared of type GIGT_OPTIONS_MENU as shown in Saving Generic Object Options .
Use a special GCN list
All objects that want to save options must be put on a special GCN list in the application's GenApplication object. The list type should be either GAGCNLT_STARTUP_LOAD_OPTIONS (if the options should be loaded at the time of application startup) or GAGCNLT_SELF_LOAD_OPTIONS (if the options should be loaded when the object deems it necessary, typically when the object is first displayed).

Saving Generic Object Options shows an example of how objects should be declared for saving their options.

Code Display 7-2 Saving Generic Object Options

/* The GenApplication object must declare a GCN list of the type appropriate for
 * the options being saved (or both types if the application uses both types).
 * This GenApplication declares a list of objects whose options do not have to be
 * loaded at startup. */

@object GenApplicationClass SampleApp = {
    GI_visMoniker = "Sample Application";
    GI_comp = SamplePrimary;				/* Primary window object is the only child. */
    gcnList(MANUFACTURER_ID_GEOWORKS, GAGCNLT_WINDOWS) = SamplePrimary;
		/* The above list is to declare windowed objects that must appear
		 * when the application is opened and made usable. */
    gcnList(MANUFACTURER_ID_GEOWORKS, GAGCNLT_SELF_LOAD_OPTIONS) =
					SampleController;
		/* The above list is used for generic objects that save their
		 * options but do not need their options loaded at startup. */
}

/* Some applications that have generic objects save their own options might not
 * have a special Options menu but may just have a trigger somewhere for saving
 * options. In any case, the "save options" trigger sends MSG_META_SAVE_OPTIONS to
 * its GenApplication object. If you use an Options menu with GIGT_OPTIONS_MENU
 * set, this will automatically be built into the menu.
 * The SampleOptionsMenu is a child of SamplePrimary, not shown. */

@object GenInteractionClass SampleOptionsMenu = {
    GI_comp = SampleToolbox, SampleToolControl, SampleSaveOptsTrigger;
    GII_visibility = GIV_POPUP;					/* Make it a menu. */
    ATTR_GEN_INTERACTION_GROUP_TYPE = (GIGT_OPTIONS_MENU);
}

/* The other objects (controllers) are not shown here. Just the "save options"
 * trigger, which sends MSG_META_SAVE_OPTIONS to the GenApplication object. */

@object GenTriggerClass SampleSaveOptsTrigger = {
    GI_visMoniker = `S', "Save Options";
    GTI_destination = SampleApp;
    GTI_actionMsg = MSG_META_SAVE_OPTIONS;
}

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