Sub Windows

Higher windows (windows more towards the start of the list), will always handle input events before lower siblings. The extent of windows also obscures lower windows; drawing on lower windows may not be visible because higher windows are above it.

Deferred Child Window Operations

close

   $win->close

Removes the window from its parent and clears any event handlers set using bind_event. Also recursively closes any child windows.

Currently this is an optional method, as child windows are stored as weakrefs, so should be destroyed when the last reference to them is dropped. Widgets should make sure to call this method anyway, because this will be changed in a future version.

make_sub

   $sub = $win->make_sub( $top, $left, $lines, $cols )

Constructs a new sub-window of the given geometry, and places it at the end of the child window list; below any other siblings.

make_hidden_sub

   $sub = $win->make_hidden_sub( $top, $left, $lines, $cols )

Constructs a new sub-window like "make_sub", but the window starts initially hidden. This avoids having to call "hide" separately afterwards.

make_float

   $float = $win->make_float( $top, $left, $lines, $cols )

Constructs a new sub-window of the given geometry, and places it at the start of the child window list; above any other siblings.

make_popup

   $popup = $win->make_popup( $top, $left, $lines, $cols )

Constructs a new floating popup window starting at the given coordinates relative to this window. It will be sized to the given limits.

This window will have the root window as its parent, rather than the window the method was called on. Additionally, a popup window will steal all keyboard and mouse events that happen, regardless of focus or mouse position. It is possible that, if the window has an "on_mouse" handler, that it may receive mouse events from outwide the bounds of the window.

bind_event

   $id = $win->bind_event( $ev, $code, $data )

Installs a new event handler to watch for the event specified by $ev, invoking the $code reference when it occurs. $code will be invoked with the given window, the event name, an event information object, and the $data value it was installed with. "bind_event" returns an ID value that may be used to remove the handler by calling "unbind_event_id".

 $ret = $code->( $win, $ev, $info, $data )

The type of $info will depend on the kind of event that was received, as indicated by $ev. The information structure types are documented in Tickit::Event.

bind_event (with flags)

   $id = $win->bind_event( $ev, $flags, $code, $data )

The $code argument may optionally be preceded by an integer of flag values. This should be zero to apply default semantics, or a bitmask of constants. The constants are documented in "bind_event (with flags)" in Tickit::Term.

unbind_event_id

   $win->unbind_event_id( $id )

Removes an event handler that returned the given $id value.

raise

   $win->raise

lower

   $win->lower

Moves the order of the window in its parent one higher or lower relative to its siblings.

raise_to_front

   $win->raise_to_front

Moves the order of the window in its parent to be the front-most among its siblings.

lower_to_back

   $win->lower_to_back

Moves the order of the window in its parent to be the back-most among its siblings.

parent

   $parentwin = $win->parent

Returns the parent window; i.e. the window on which "make_sub" or "make_float" was called to create this one

subwindows

   @windows = $win->subwindows

Returns a list of the subwindows of this one. They are returned in order, highest first.

root

   $rootwin = $win->root

Returns the root window

term

   $term = $win->term

Returns the Tickit::Term instance of the terminal on which this window lives.

Note that it is not guaranteed that this method will return the same Perl-level terminal instance that the root window was constructed with. In particular, if the root window in fact lives on a mock terminal created by Tickit::Test::MockTerm this method may "forget" this fact, returning an object instance simply in the "Tickit::Term" class instead. While the instance will still be useable as a terminal, the fact it was a mock terminal may get forgotten.

tickit

   $tickit = $win->tickit

Returns the Tickit instance with which this window is associated.

show

   $win->show

Makes the window visible. Allows drawing methods to output to the terminal. Calling this method also exposes the window, invoking the "on_expose" handler. Shows the cursor if this window currently has focus.

hide

   $win->hide

Makes the window invisible. Prevents drawing methods outputting to the terminal. Hides the cursor if this window currently has focus.

is_visible

   $visible = $win->is_visible

Returns true if the window is currently visible.

resize

   $win->resize( $lines, $cols )

Change the size of the window.

reposition

   $win->reposition( $top, $left )

Move the window relative to its parent.

change_geometry

   $win->change_geometry( $top, $left, $lines, $cols )

A combination of "resize" and "reposition", to atomically change all the coordinates of the window. Will only invoke "on_geom_changed" once, rather than twice as would be the case calling the above methods individually.

expose

   $win->expose( $rect )

Marks the given region of the window as having been exposed, to invoke the "on_expose" event handler on itself, and all its child windows. The window's own handler will be invoked first, followed by all the child windows, in screen order (top to bottom, then left to right).

If $rect is not supplied it defaults to exposing the entire window area.

The "on_expose" event handler isn't invoked immediately; instead, the "Tickit" "later" method is used to invoke it at the next round of IO event handling. Until then, any other window could be exposed. Duplicates are suppressed; so if a window and any of its ancestors are both queued for expose, the actual handler will only be invoked once per unique region of the window.

getctl

setctl

   $value = $win->getctl( $ctl )

   $success = $win->setctl( $ctl, $value )

Accessor and mutator for window control options. $ctl should be one of the following options:

cursor-blink (bool)

cursor-shape (int)

cursor-visible (bool)

Cursor properties to set for the terminal cursor when this window has input focus.

focus-child-notify (bool)

Whether the window will also receive focus events about child windows.

steal-input (bool)

Whether the window is currently stealing input from its siblings.

set_focus_child_notify

   $win->set_focus_child_notify( $notify )

If set to a true value, the "on_focus" event handler will also be invoked when descendent windows gain or lose focus, in addition to when it gains or loses focus itself. Defaults to false; meaning the "on_focus" handler only receives notifications about the window itself.

top

bottom

left

right

   $top    = $win->top

   $bottom = $win->bottom

   $left   = $win->left

   $right  = $win->right

Returns the coordinates of the start of the window, relative to the parent window.

abs_top

abs_left

   $top  = $win->abs_top

   $left = $win->abs_left

Returns the coordinates of the start of the window, relative to the root window.

cols

lines

   $cols  = $win->cols

   $lines = $win->lines

Obtain the size of the window

selfrect

   $rect = $win->selfrect

Returns a Tickit::Rect containing representing the window's extent within itself. This will have "top" and "left" equal to 0.

rect

   $rect = $win->rect

Returns a Tickit::Rect containing representing the window's extent relative to its parent

pen

   $pen = $win->pen

Returns the current Tickit::Pen object associated with this window

set_pen

   $win->set_pen( $pen )

Replace the current Tickit::Pen object for this window with a new one. The object reference will be stored, allowing it to be shared with other objects. If "undef" is set, then a new, blank pen will be constructed.

getpenattr

   $val = $win->getpenattr( $attr )

Returns a single attribue from the current pen

get_effective_pen

   $pen = $win->get_effective_pen

Returns a new Tickit::Pen containing the effective pen attributes for the window, combined by those of all its parents.

get_effective_penattr

   $val = $win->get_effective_penattr( $attr )

Returns the effective value of a pen attribute. This will be the value of this window's attribute if set, or the effective value of the attribute from its parent.

scrollrect

   $success = $win->scrollrect( $rect, $downward, $rightward )

   $success = $win->scrollrect( $top, $left, $lines, $cols, $downward, $rightward )

   $success = $win->scrollrect( ..., $pen )

   $success = $win->scrollrect( ..., %attrs )

Attempt to scroll the rectangle of the window (either given by a "Tickit::Rect" or defined by the first four parameters) by an amount given by the latter two. Since most terminals cannot perform arbitrary rectangle scrolling, this method returns a boolean to indicate if it was successful. The caller should test this return value and fall back to another drawing strategy if the attempt was unsuccessful.

Optionally, a "Tickit::Pen" instance or hash of pen attributes may be provided, to override the background colour used for erased sections behind the scroll.

The cursor may move as a result of calling this method; its location is undefined if this method returns successful. The terminal pen, in particular the background colour, may be modified by this method even if it fails to scroll the terminal (and returns false).

This method will enqueue all of the required expose requests before returning, so in this case the return value is not interesting.

scroll

   $success = $win->scroll( $downward, $rightward )

A shortcut for calling "scrollrect" on the entire region of the window.

scroll_with_children

   $win->scroll_with_children( $downward, $rightward )

Similar to "scroll" but ignores child windows of this one, moving all of the terminal content paying attention only to obscuring by newer siblings of ancestor windows.

This method is experimental, intended only for use by Tickit::Widget::ScrollBox. After calling this method, the terminal content will have moved and the windows drawing them will be confused unless the window position was also updated. "ScrollBox" takes care to do this.

cursor_at

   $win->cursor_at( $line, $col )

Sets the position in the window at which the terminal cursor will be placed if this window has focus. This method does not force the window to take the focus though; for that see "take_focus".

cursor_visible

   $win->cursor_visible( $visible )

Sets whether the terminal cursor is visible on the window when it has focus. Normally it is, but passing a false value will make the cursor hidden even when the window is focused.

cursor_shape

   $win->cursor_shape( $shape )

Sets the shape that the terminal cursor will have if this window has focus. This method does not force the window to take the focus though; for that see "take_focus". Valid values for $shape are the various "CURSORSHAPE_*" constants from Tickit::Term.

take_focus

   $win->take_focus

Causes this window to take the input focus, and updates the cursor position to the stored active position given by "cursor_at".

focus

   $win->focus( $line, $col )

A convenient shortcut combining "cursor_at" with "take_focus"; setting the focus cursor position and taking the input focus.

is_focused

   $focused = $win->is_focused

Returns true if this window currently has the input focus

is_steal_input

   $steal = $win->is_steal_input

Returns true if this window is currently stealing input from its siblings

set_steal_input

   $win->set_steal_input( $steal )

Controls whether this window is currently stealing input from its siblings

key

The event handler should return a true value if it considers the keypress dealt with, or false to pass it up to its parent window.

Before passing it to its parent, a window will also try any other non-focused sibling windows of the currently-focused window in order of creation (though note this order is not necessarily the order the child widgets that own those windows were created or added to their container).

If no window actually handles the keypress, then every window will eventually be consulted about it, preferring windows closer to the focused one.

This broadcast-like behaviour allows widgets to handle keypresses that should make sense even though their window does not actually have the keyboard focus. This feature should be used sparingly, to only capture one or two keypresses that really make sense; for example to capture the "PageUp" and "PageDown" keys in a scrolling list, or a numbered function key that performs some special action.

mouse

The following event names may be observed:

press

A mouse button has been pressed down on this cell

drag_start

The mouse was moved while a button was held, and was initially in the given cell

drag

The mouse was moved while a button was held, and is now in the given cell

drag_outside

The mouse was moved outside of the window that handled the "drag_start" event, and is still being dragged.

drag_drop

A mouse button was released after having been moved, while in the given cell

drag_stop

The drag operation has finished. This event is always given directly to the window that handled the "drag_start" event, rather than the window on which the mouse release event happened.

release

A mouse button was released after being pressed

wheel

The mouse wheel was moved. "button" will indicate the wheel direction as a string "up" or "down".

The invoked code should return a true value if it considers the mouse event dealt with, or false to pass it up to its parent window.

Once a dragging operation has begun via "drag_start", the window that handled the event will always receive "drag", "drag_outside", and an eventual "drag_stop" event even if the mouse moves outside that window. No other window will receive a "drag_outside" or "drag_stop" event than the one that started the operation.

geomchange

expose

When invoked, render buffer passed in the event will have its origin set to that of the window, and its clipping will be set to the damage rectangle.

If any child windows overlap the region, these will be exposed first, before the containing window.

focus

If the "focus-child-notify" behavior is enabled, this callback is also invoked for changes of focus on descendent windows. In this case, it is passed an additional argument, being the immediate child window in which the focus chain has now changed (which may or may not be the focused window directly; it could itself be another ancestor).

When a window gains focus, any of its ancestors that have "focus-child-notify" enabled will be informed first, from the outermost inwards, before the window itself. When one loses focus, it is notified first, and then its parents from the innermost outwards.