ITT Rule IDL Version 7.0 User Manual download pdf (Page 90)

90 Chapter 5: Creating an iTool

Overview of iTool Creation iTool Developer’s Guide

Overview of iTool Creation

Creating a new iTool using the iTools component framework is vastly simpler than

creating a similar tool from scratch in IDL. The standard iTool user interface and

functionality can be included in any new iTool with a few simple lines of code. Using

the iTools framework leaves you free to concentrate on developing functionality

unique to your application.

That said, creating even the simplest iTool does require that you have a basic

familiarity with the concepts of object-oriented programming in general, and with the

process of creating object-oriented programs in IDL in particular. If you have written

even very simple object-oriented applications in IDL, or in another language such as

Java or C++, you probably already have the necessary skills. For background

information on writing object-oriented applications in IDL, see Chapter 13, “Creating

Custom Objects in IDL” (Object Programming).

The iTool Creation Process

To create a new iTool, you will do the following:

• Choose an iTool object class on which your new tool will be based. In almost

all cases, you will base new iTools either on the IDLitToolbase class or on an

iTool class that is itself based on IDLitToolbase. The IDLitToolbase class

defines all of the standard iTool functionality exposed by the individual iTools

included with IDL.

• Define the visualization types, data operations, user interface tools

(manipulators), and data import/export features that will be available in your

iTool. You can choose from a variety of predefined features included with the

iTool system as included with IDL, or you can create your own. The process of

defining the features available in your new iTool is discussed in “Creating a

New iTool Class” on page 91.

• Register your new iTool class with the system as described in “Registering a

New Tool Class” on page 101.

• Provide an IDL procedure that creates an instance of your new iTool class, as

described in “Creating an iTool Launch Routine” on page 103.

This chapter describes the process of creating a new iTool from existing visualization

types, operations, manipulators, and file readers and writers. The chapters that follow

describe how to create your own visualization types, operations, manipulators, and

file readers and writers to be incorporated into new iTools.

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ITT Rule IDL Version 7.0 User Manual Page 90