IDLitTool::Register

Syntax | Arguments | Keywords | Version History

The IDLitTool::Register procedure method registers a generic object subclassed from the IDLitComponent class with the iTool. Once registered, the iTool has the ability to instantiate this type of component when needed. Unlike the other provided methods to register components, this method is generic.

This method allows items to be registered in the standard registry folders of the IDLitTool object, and can be used as well for the creation of new folders. If the provided identifier specifies a folder that does not currently exist in the iTool, it is created.

Note
For information on registering functionality with the iTool system, making the registered functionality available to all iTools, see IREGISTER.

This method performs none of the validation performed by the specific registration functions. As such, it can cause issues with iTool operation, if used incorrectly. You should use the following related methods for registering certain, specific components to insure validation:

Syntax

Obj->[IDLitTool::]Register, Name, ClassName [, /DEFAULT] [, DESCRIPTION=string] [, ICON=string] [, IDENTIFIER=string] [, PROXY=string]

Arguments

Name

A string containing the human readable name of the component type being registered with the iTool.

Note
If the IDENTIFIER keyword is not supplied, the Name argument will be used as the basis for the component's identifier.

ClassName

A string containing the class name of the component being registered. This class name is used by the iTool object to instantiate a component of this type when requested by the system.

Keywords

Note
Any keywords provided to this routine but not listed here are treated as property defaults for the registered item and applied to the registered object when it is created.

DEFAULT

Set this keyword to specify that the item being registered should be the default item of its type. Making an item the default places the item first in the list of items of its type. When the iTool system chooses an item, it will use the first item in the list that matches the data type of the selected data. When items are displayed in a list for the user to select from, the default item will appear at the top of the list.

For example, if you register a visualization type with the DEFAULT keyword set, your visualization type will be used by the iTool (assuming the selected data is of the proper type) unless you specifically choose a different visualization type.

Note
If you register more than one item with the DEFAULT keyword set, the last item registered will appear first in the list of items of that type.

DESCRIPTION

Set this keyword to a string that provides a brief description of the component being registered.

ICON

Set this keyword to the icon that should be used when displaying the iTool object. See System Resources (iTool Developer's Guide) for additional details.

IDENTIFIER

Set this keyword to the identifier that should be used by the system for this component type. If not provided, an identifier is constructed from the provided Name value.

To use one of the iTool-provided registration locations, the value of this keyword should contain the destination for the new component that is being registered. Valid destinations in the iTool are:

PROXY

Set this keyword to the identifier of the object that this registered item should utilize instead of providing a new object descriptor. If a proxy is registered, all requests and actions performed to this item are routed to the item specified by the identifier provide to this keyword. (See iTool Object Identifiers (iTool Developer's Guide) for a discussion of object descriptors.)

Version History