itk(n)                             [incr Tk]                            itk(n)



NAME
       itk - framework for building mega-widgets in Tcl/Tk


DESCRIPTION
       Mega-widgets  are high-level widgets that are constructed using Tk wid-
       gets as component parts, usually without any C code.  A  fileselection-
       box, for example, may have a few listboxes, some entry widgets and some
       control buttons.  These individual widgets are put together  in  a  way
       that  makes them act like one big widget.  A fileselectionbox mega-wid-
       get can be created with a command like:  fileselectionbox  .fsb  -back-
       ground  blue  -foreground  white  Once  it  has been created, it can be
       reconfigured with a command  like:  .fsb  configure  -background  green
       -foreground black and all of its internal components will change color.
       Each mega-widget has a set of methods that can be  used  to  manipulate
       it.   For  example, the current selection can be queried from a filese-
       lectionbox like this: set fileName [.fsb get] In effect, a  mega-widget
       looks  and acts exactly like a Tk widget, but is considerably easier to
       implement.

       [incr Tk] is a framework for building mega-widgets.  It uses [incr Tcl]
       to  support  the  object  paradigm, and adds base classes which provide
       default widget behaviors.

       All [incr Tk] widgets are derived from the Archetype base class.   This
       class  manages  internal  component  widgets, and provides methods like
       "configure" and "cget" to access configuration options.

       The Widget base class inherits everything from Archetype, and adds a Tk
       frame  which  acts  as  a container for the mega-widget.  It is used to
       build mega-widgets that sit  inside  of  other  frames  and  toplevels.
       Derived classes create other internal components and pack them into the
       "hull" frame created by the Widget base class.

       The Toplevel base class inherits everything from Archetype, but adds  a
       Tk  toplevel which acts as a container for the mega-widget.  It is used
       to build mega-widgets, such  as  dialog  boxes,  that  have  their  own
       toplevel  window.  Derived classes create other internal components and
       pack them into the "hull" toplevel created by the Toplevel base  class.


[incr Widgets] LIBRARY
       [incr Widgets]  is a mega-widget library built using [incr Tk].  It can
       be used right out of the box, and contains more than 30 different  wid-
       get classes, including:

       -      fileselectiondialog

       -      tabnotebook

       -      panedwindow

       -      combobox

       -      optionmenu

       -      scrolledlistbox

       -      scrolledframe

       -      messagedialog

       -      and many others...

       The  catalog  demo  in  the "iwidgets/demos" directory shows all of the
       available widgets in action.  Each widget class has its  own  man  page
       describing the features available.


KEYWORDS
       class, object, object-oriented, mega-widget



itk                                   3.0                               itk(n)