Desktop API

Description

Functions and Objects that apply to desktop application written using Alpha Anywhere. Some functions and objects can be used in web and mobile applications, as well.

Name: Description
Layout Objects and Functions: Objects and functions for manipulating various layouts in Desktop applications.
Miscellaneous Functions: Miscellaneous functions.
Popup Methods: Methods available for a POPUP object.
Project Functions: Objects and functions for interacting with the Alpha Anywhere desktop project.
System Functions: Functions for working with system services, such as the clipboard, console, help, menus, toolbars, and more.
Toolbar Functions: Xbasic functions for working with toolbars in a desktop application.
User Interaction (UI) Functions: Alpha Anywhere provides the following functions for enhancing user interfaces.

Most objects in Alpha Anywhere have a collection of methods that let you manipulate the object, or find out information about that object. For example, a form has a <FORM>.NEW_RECORD() method that adds a new record to the form.

Xbasic allows you to call the methods of an object. For example, assume you have a form called "Customer". To add a new record to this form, you would use this Xbasic statement:

:Customer.new_record()

In general, the syntax for calling a method of an object is:

object address.method()

The following Xbasic statements show examples of a method that finds out information about an object and other methods that manipulate an object.

dim tbl as P
tbl = table.open("customer") 'open the customer table and create a table object called "tbl"
number_of_fields = tbl.fields_get()'the fields_get() method returns information about the tbl object
tbl.enter_begin()  'the enter_begin() method manipulates the tbl object by entering a new record.
tbl.customer = "Alpha Software"
tbl.enter_end(.T.)

Alpha Anywhere has a large number of methods. The section Methods for Working with Forms and Browses describes the methods that can be used to manipulate browse windows, form windows and the objects inside a form window.

Report Functions and Report Methods describe the methods that can be used for printing and previewing layouts.

There are a large number of methods for working "behind the scenes" on DBF tables.