PHP WinBinder: Template: Difference between revisions

If you don’t like Uniform Server’s control interface solution is to create you own windows application to replace it. WinBinder is a perfect match it allows you to write a windows application in PHP which can tap into Uniforms Server’s control core also written in PHP.

There are two tutorials in this series these provide a step-by-step guide to producing a windows application using WinBinder. In the main it’s a copy and paste exercise with a bit of scripting thrown.

Each Windows application starts with a basic script (template). This page covers the design of a basic windows application and how to run it. From this starting point concludes with a working temple. This is used for all examples in the tutorial.

If you have created a Windows application using another program you will appreciate the complexity WinBinder hides from a user.  

This really is an elegant script it masks everything of complexity associated with creating a Windows application.

It produces a blank window (canvas), which is fully functional all that is required is to add user functionality in terms of input and output.

An understanding of the underlying code is not essential to using this template in reality consider it a tool to be used and worry about any detail later.  

To run the above script navigate to folder UniServer\plugins\winbinder\'''examples''' and double click on the batch file '''test_1.bat''' this runs the script '''test_1.phpw''' containing the above code.

'''''Note'':''' Closing the command window also closes your Windows application this will be addressed later see [[#Run Window App Batch File | '''Run Window App Batch File''']].  

Every windows script you create must contain this line. It pulls in all the WinBinder functions. If your script is located in another folder change the path accordingly.

This function creates an application window with title XXX (change this to something meaningful). The widow will have a width of 320 pixels and height of 240 again these are changeable.  

Generally every window action (mouse movement button click) requires processing this is performed by a single function assigned to the main window. The function receives the ID of an event that requires processing. The function "process_main" is referred to as an handler. Hence Assign handler to main window. Note if this function cannot handle the request it is passed onto a system default handler.   

This function effectively keeps the window alive. The call to wb_main_loop() must be the last executable statement of the PHP script. All statements after it will be ignored (does not apply to any functions after it).   

The handler function process all events occurring in our window $window, each event produces an ID any event not handled is passed onto a default system handler.

The handler consists of a switch statement each case corresponds to a specific ID. In this example a single case is shown '''IDCLOSE''' this constant is set to 8 closing a window (clicking cross top right) sends ID 8 to the handler.   

Every program must include this function it destroys the window and performs a clean-up operation  

In addition I want to avoid any compiling hence to launch these Windows applications a batch file is used.

It may seem a negative step however any errors produced are written to standard I/O hence to a batch file command window (cmd).  

pause - Do not close command window until a key is pressed

 

Change the above code to use php-win.exe runs your final application without displaying a command window:

'''''Note'':''' You will see an annoying flicker produced by the command window opening and closing this issue will be addressed later see     

The file is divided into sections these are required for all windows applications.   

The above introduced WinBinder and demonstrated how easy it is to create a basic Windows application.