In theory, no properties are required for window variables; however,
in practice you generally need to specify the size property.
The following table lists the common properties that are available
for window variables. You can access or update them at run time.
Table 1. Common properties that apply to window variables| Property |
Description |
| color |
Specifies the color of a field in a console
form. |
| highlight |
Specifies the special effect (if any) with which
to display the field. |
| intensity |
Specifies the strength of the displayed font. |
The following properties are unique to window variables, or have
special meaning for them:
- commentLine
- Sets the number of the line at which a comment (if any) is displayed
if the hasCommentLine window property is
set to YES. The line number is calculated from the top of the content
area screen window (in which case the first line is 1) or (if the
value is negative) from the bottom of that area (in which case the
last line is -1, the second to the last line is -2, and so on).
- Type: INT
- Example: commentLine = 10
- Default: Last line of the window (although if the screen
window is the only open window, the comment is on the second to last
line of that window)
- Updatable at run time? Yes, but the update has a visual
effect only if you open the window after the property is updated
The validity of the value is determined only at run time.
- formLine
- Sets the number of the line at which forms are displayed. The
line number is calculated from the top of the content area for the
screen window (in which case the first line is 1) or (if the value
is negative) from the bottom of that area (in which case the last
line is -1, the second-to-last is -2, and so on).
- Type: INT
- Example: formLine = 8
- Default: 3
- Updatable at run time? Yes, but the update has a visual
effect only if the window is displayed after the property is updated
The validity of the value is determined only at run time.
- hasBorder
- Indicates whether the window is surrounded by a border. If the
value is YES, the color of the border is specified in the color window
property.
- Type: BOOLEAN
- Example: hasBorder = yes
- Default: NO
- Updatable at run time? Yes, but the update has a visual
effect only if you open the window after the property is updated
- hasCommentLine
- Indicates whether the window reserves a line for comments,
which are text entries that are displayed when the cursor enters a
console field. If the value is YES, the line number is specified in
the commentLine window property.
- Type: BOOLEAN
- Example: hasCommentLine = yes
- Default: NO
- Updatable at run time? Yes, but the update has a visual
effect only if you open the window after the property is updated
- menuLine
- Sets the number of the line at which a menu (if any) is displayed
in the window. The line number is calculated from the top of the content
area of the screen window (in which case the first line is 1) or (if
the value is negative) from the bottom of that area (in which case
the last line is -1, the second to the last line is -2, and so on).
- Type: INT
- Example: menuLine = 2
- Default: 1
- Updatable at run time? Yes, but the update has a visual
effect only if you open the window after the property is updated
The validity of the value is determined only at run time.
- messageLine
- Sets the number of the line at which a message (if any) is displayed
in the window. The line number is calculated from the top of the content
area of the screen window (in which case the first line is 1) or (if
the value is negative) from the bottom of that area (in which case
the last line is -1, the second to the last line is -2, and so on).
- Type: INT
- Example: messageLine = 3
- Default: 2
- Updatable at run time? Yes, but the update has a visual
effect only if you open the window after the property is updated
The validity of the value is determined only at run time.
- name
- Window name, as used in a programming context in which the name
is resolved at run time. If you use the name property,
give it the same value as the name of the variable.
- Type: STRING
- Example: name = "myWindow"
- Default: none
- Updatable at run time? No
- position
- The location of the top left corner of the window within the content
area of the screen window. The property contains an array of two integers:
the line number followed by the column number. The line number is
calculated from the top of the content area of the screen window (in
which case the first line is 1) or (if the value is negative) from
the bottom of that area (in which case the last line is -1, the second
to the last line is -2, and so on). The column number is calculated
from the left of the content area for the console window, and the
first column is 1.
- Type: INT[2]
- Example: position = [2, 3]
- Default: [1,1]
- Updatable at run time? No
- promptLine
- Sets the number of the line at which a prompt (if any) is displayed
in the window. The line number is calculated from the top of the content
area of the console window, or (if the value is negative) from the
bottom of that area.
- Type: INT
- Example: promptLine = 4
- Default: 1
- Updatable at run time? Yes, but the update has a visual
effect only if you open the window after the property is updated
The validity of the value is determined only at run time.
- size
- An array of two positive integers that represent window dimensions:
the number of lines followed by the number of columns.
- Type: INT[2]
- Example: size = [24, 80]
- Default: none
- Updatable at run time? No
A value is required for practical purposes. If you display
a window that has no value for size, EGL
presents a window that is too small for content.
If either dimension
exceeds the size available in the content area of the screen window,
an error occurs at run time.