Description

In PowerBuilder 8, the Library painter has been enhanced to serve as a tool for developing both PowerScript and Web targets. The Library painter now works like Windows Explorer. In addition to displaying PowerBuilder library files (PBLs) and the objects they contain, the Library painter displays all the objects in your computer's file system. Web applications can include a variety of file types and the enhanced Library painter lets you search your system for these files and include them in your Web application.

How does the Library painter compare to the new System Tree? Most tasks that you perform in the Library painter can now be done in the System Tree. However, there is some functionality available in the Library painter's List view that is not available in the System Tree. The List view lets you:

• Select multiple objects at a time
• Sort objects
• Set up multiple views for comparing library contents

Usage

Opening objects The Library painter allows you to open most of the different file types it displays. When you double-click an object, PowerBuilder first determines if the object can be opened in the file editor. For example, files with the extensions .txt, .ini, and .sr* open in the file editor. If not, PowerBuilder then determines if the object can be opened in a painter or HTML editor. PowerBuilder objects, such as windows and menus, are only opened if they are in a PBL in the current workspace. Finally, PowerBuilder checks to see if the object is associated with a program in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section of the Windows registry and, if so, launches the application.

Setting the root In either the Tree view or the List view, you can set the root location of the view. In PowerBuilder 8 you can set the current workspace as the root. You can also set the root location to your computer, a directory, library, or current selection as you did in PowerBuilder 7. However, you can no longer set the root to the Library List. To get a similar display, set the root to your current workspace.

Global searches In PowerBuilder 8 you can search PowerScript targets (not Web targets), libraries, and objects to locate where a specified text string is used. If your PowerScript target contains multiple PBLs, searching at the target level allows to quickly search multiple PBLs at once. Search results are displayed in the Output window, are easy to scan, and double-clicking a result opens the object.