VDK Reference version 2.0.0 (beta)

This version is a beta release of next VDK 2.0 series, so take in account that by no means is guaranteed to be stable or API will be matained unchanged across next versions.
- 1. Almost all VDKObjects must be constructed on the heap with the new operator, any copy-initializing and/or assignement operations between objects are prohibited and will be flagged as a compilation error.
- 2. No memory freeing and/or deleting is required, all new'ed objects will be automatically destroyed immediately before application termination or with a timed garbage collection that can be installed/uninstalled by programmer. However VDKObject(s) can be explicitely freed with the Destroy() method.
- 3. Both GTK+ "signals" mechanism and the "event" dispatch are available for programmer use but are handled in a different way.
- 4. VDK uses the "property" concepts introduced with RAD, therefore using properties is encouraged even if it's also possible to have usual functions to set/get objects attributes.
- 5. The word "window" used in Gtk+ is here replaced with "Form".
- 6. VDK is consists into two separated modules:
- VDK Core Library that contains kernel and only Gtk+ wrapped widgets.
- VDK Components that contains totally new widgets and/or those not yet stable enough to be inserted into the core library.
VDK was designed to be more a C++ framework based on Gtk+ widget set library than a thin-layer wrapper. VDK hides on the background as much gtk+ work as possible rather than wrap all gtk+ function calls. Using VDK one will realize that many one-to-one statement with gtk+ are not wrapped. Even if is possible to make use of VDK without knowing gtk+, more experienced user will take advantage of knowing gtk+ calls and conventions. At this end VDK provides method to access and use underlying gtk+ widgets. User should also read and know following gtk+/gdk distribution files:
- gdk/gdktypes.h
- gtk/gtkenums.h
- gdk/gdkkeysyms.h VDK is used as base library of VDKBuilder RAD tool, using VDK with VDKBuilder is highly encouraged since user can concentrate his attention to the application rather than gui construction. Also in this case a good knowledge of VDK is a good way to take advantage from using VDKBuilder.
VDK and VDKBuilder have their own web site: http://vdkbuilder/sourceforge.net (primary site)
A mailing list is available for users support, users are encouraged to subscribe it from web site.
- Author:
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- Note
- This manual is a living document and changes with the development of VDK. I hope that the hints and tips will be useful. More information can be obtained from the examples source files in ./testvdk. Comments and suggestions are welcome.
- Copyright (c) 1998,1999,2000,2001,20020000 VDK Team
- Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the Invariant Sections being "with no Invariants sections", with the Front-Cover Texts being "with no Front-Cover Texts", and with the Back-Cover Texts being "with no Back-Cover Texts".
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