1.43 class dict_item

A dict_item object is an entry in a dictionary (dict object). It consists of four fields: a dict_item<-key, used for indexing purposes; a dict_item<-label to be displayed when the dict_item is visualised in a browser object and and an dict_item<-object, which can be anything that is to be associated with the dict_item and finally a dict_item<-style to indicate the category the object belongs too. Each category may be displayed using another font, colour or attributes. See list_browser->style.

The dict_item<-label defaults to the dict_item<-key, the object and style default to @nil.

See also

class dict

1.43.1 Instance variables

dict_item <- dict: dict*

Dict object I'm part of. When @nil, I'm not part of a dict. Otherwise I'm member of the chain dict<-members.

dict_item <- index: int

Index-number of the dict_item in the dict. The first item has number 0. Used to speed up changes forwarding and repaint.

dict_item <- key: any

The key value of this dict_item. This should be a unique value with respect to the other members of the dict object holding this dict_item. See also dict_item<-label, dict->append and dict<-member.

If the registered key is an instance of class char_array or one of its subclasses, the key is automatically converted to a name object.

See also

- dict<-member
- dict_item<-label
- dict->append

dict_item-label: [char_array]

When @default, the displayed label is the object<-print_name of the dict_item<-key. Otherwise the value of this variable is displayed. See dict_item<-label.

See also

- dict_item-key
- dict_item<-label

dict_item <-> object: any

This value may contain any user-defined information to be associated with this item of the dictionary. It is commonly used for two purposes:

• Store additional info When a dict (normally though a browser object) is used to browse and select some information, dict_item<-object is often used to store additional information. For example, the summary browsers of this online manual store the documentation card represented by an entry in the dict_item<-object slot.
• Store a frame Dict objects where originally intended to store and visualise structured databases. The object was generally filled with a sheet object to store attributes of this entry. For example, a dict object may be used to store a database of clients, The dict_item<-key would be the client's name or identifier. The dict_item<-object a sheet or instance of a user-defined class that contains the client's phone, address and other info.

  Dict items delegate to their dict_item<-object.

dict_item <- style: [name]

Logical name of the category the item belongs too. The sheet list_browser<-styles maps these category names onto style objects describing the font, colour and attributes for the item.

1.43.2 Get methods

dict_item <-contained_in: -> dict

Returns the dict_item<-dict of the item.

dict_item <-convert: any -> dict_item

Convert a name to a dict_item object with default dict_item<-label and dict_item<-object.

dict_item <-image: -> list_browser

Internal method that allows popup menu's to operate on dict_item's. See list_browser->popup.

dict_item <-label: -> char_array

dict_item <-position: -> point

Return a new point object describing the top-left corner of the area used by this dict_item in the coordinate system of the list_browser object it is displayed on.

Fails silently if the dict_item is currently not displayed or outside the visible part of the list_browser.