BUILD METHODS

  build_form  ( ... )
  build_label ( ... )
  build_table ( ... )

The method prototype looks like this:

$layout->build_TYPE ($widget)

$widget is the actual Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Widget, e.g. Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Form for build_form($form).

The build_TYPE method actually creates the necessary Gtk2 widgets, e.g. a Gtk2::Table for a Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Form and adds these to the FormFactory's widget instance using the set_gtk_widget() and set_gtk_parent_widget() methods of Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Widget.

Call $widget->set_gtk_widget($gtk_widget) for the primary Gtk2 widget which directly displays the value in question, e.g. a Gtk2::Entry if you're dealing with a Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Entry.

If you like to do more layout things which require to add the primary Gtk2 widget to a container, e.g. a Gtk2::Frame, you must call $widget->set_gtk_parent_widget($gtk_parent_widget) with the most top level container widget.

Note: the implemenations of all the FormFactory's widgets expect a specific gtk_widget to be set. If you like to change the primary Gtk widget you need to create your own Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Widget for this, because the default implemention most probably won't work with a another Gtk2::Widget.

ADD...TO... METHODS

$layout->add_TYPE_to_TYPE ($widget, $container)

$widget is the actual Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Widget, e.g. Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Form for build_form($form).

Examples:

  add_form_to_window ( ... )
  add_table_to_form  ( ... )

This way you can adjust layout at a very detailed level, but you need not. E.g. the implementation of these methods is most likely the same:

  add_entry_to_form ( ... )
  add_popup_to_form ( ... )

because the implemenation mainly depends on the form (the container widget) and not on the widget which is added to the form.

That's why Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Layout knows a default mechanism: if no add-to method is found for a specific widget/container pair, a generic default implementation is used instead. These are named as follows:

  add_widget_to_window ( ... )
  add_widget_to_form   ( ... )
  add_widget_to_table  ( ... )
  add_widget_to_vbox   ( ... )
  ...

For a new Container you just need to implement the generic add_widget_to_TYPE method, and everything will work. If you want to slightly modify the implementation for specific child widgets, you implement only the methods for these and you're done.

For a example for such a specific add-to message refer to add_menu_to_window() which attaches the menu without any space around it. The default of a Gtk2::Ex::FormFactory::Window is to have some spacing, which looks ugly around a menu.