Useful morphs
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Some useful morphs
The Self system comes with a large library of morphs. While some morphs
exist solely to supporting the programming environment, many are general-
purpose and can be reused to construct new applications. Here we mention a few.
To find out more about a given morph, use the programming environment to
examine its prototype and traits objects. Useful comments are sometimes buried in
the bodies of methods.
Widget morphs are interactive, allowing the user to invoke an action or input some
data.
- sliderMorph
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Allows the user to specify a numerical value in some range.
When the slider is manipulated, its target object is sent a user-specified
message with the new slider value as an argument.
- ui2Button
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Executes a user-specified script when the button is pressed. The
script can refer to the button's target. The target of a button or slider morph
can be set by using the middle-mouse menu "Set Target" command. This
sets the target slot of the button or slider to the morph directly below it.
Buttons are often decorated with a textual label, but a button can contain
arbitrary morphs instead of, or in addition to, this label.
- ui2Menu
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A column full of buttons. A menu can be "pinned down" using
the unlabeled button at its top. It can then be manipulated or disassembled
like any other morph. Menus support a rich set of messages for adding
normal or grayed out buttons and for inserting dividing lines.
- checkBoxMorph, checkCircleMorph, checkMarkMorph
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These morph provide bi-state indicators with different visual
representations. They can be arranged in "radio button" groups so that the
states are mutually exclusive.
- Structural morphs
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are typically used to bind morphs together and arrange them into
a pleasing layout.
- rowMorph and columnMorph
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Pack their submorphs into a row or column.
These morphs offer several justification options and can also provide a
border of empty space around their contents.
- frameMorph
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Like a columnMorph, except that it can display various kinds of
borders around its contents. Bezelled frameMorphs are used heavily in the
programming environment to provide a three-dimensional look.
- spacerMorph
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While many types of morph (such as an empty rowMorph) could
be used to fill a space between morphs, it is preferable to use a spacerMorph
to make it clear that the only purpose of the morph is to control spacing.
(Just as is it important to write readable programs, it is important to build
composite morphs with "readable structure.")
Other morphs supply decorative or information content for user interfaces.
- labelMorph
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displays a single-line string in a single font style, size, and color.
- circleMorph
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displays a filled circle.
- imageMorph
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displays an image (currently, at most 8 bits deep).
The library includes two kinds of text editors.
- editorMorph
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a general editor that allows arbitrary morphs to be embedded in
the text.
- uglyTextEditor
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a simple, text-only editor that is a bit faster for editing larger
amounts of text.
Dialogs can be constructed using a userQueryMorph. This provides methods for
simple yes/no questions, prompts for a string response, and multiple choice
questions. The more general userQuery object has similar interface. If the user
interface is not running, userQuery will conduct the dialog through the controlling
terminal; otherwise it will construct an appropriate userQueryMorph.
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