Custom Dialog Boxes

VectorScript provides the custom dialog box API for scripts whose interface needs may exceed what is provided by the predefined dialog boxes available in the language. Scripts may create dialog boxes using any combination of controls (up to 512 controls per dialog box) in layouts that can be tailored to meet your specific interface needs. VectorScript allows up to 32 dialog boxes per script, which create sophisticated interfaces for menu commands and tools. All the components required to build and manage dialog boxes for handling complex data entry and user interaction are provided.

Topics discussed in this section include the dialog box control components, dialog box definition and layout, as well as handling user interaction. The section also addresses the use of external resource files for storing image and string data and how to use them in creating custom dialog boxes.

The custom dialog system that was introduced with VectorWorks 8.x is covered here. It is sometimes referred to as the “Modern Dialog” system or the “Layout Manager” dialog system. For a limited time, VectorWorks will continue to support existing scripts which may use the previous dialog box system. These functions are referred to as “Classic Dialogs” in the VectorScript Function Reference.