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Creating custom dialog boxes, User interface elements, Containers

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CHAPTER 5: Creating a User Interface for Your Plug-in User interface elements 84 X Confirmations and prompts In addition to your text message, these dialogs have configurable OK and Cancel buttons. These return different values to the invocation function, which you use to decide on the action to be taken. Again, there is a "Don't show again" version. These dialogs are extensible; you can define an optional third button, or a small UI section that you define using LrView; see "Creating custom dialog boxes" on page 84. X Errors You can display a simple error message with a single OK button, or you can wrap an error dialog around a function context, so that if the wrapped function throws an error, the dialog appears. See "Using function contexts for error handling" on page 18. X Platform Open File and Save File You can bring up the platform-defined file-selection dialogs, so that the user can choose a file system location. Creating custom dialog boxes You can use the LrDialogs.presentModalDialog() function to create a completely customized dialog box, which you can, for example, invoke from a menu item that your plug-in adds to the Lightroom menu bar, using one of the menu service items: LrExportMenuItems, LrLibraryMenuItems, or LrHelpMenuItems. Most of the contents of this dialog are defined by an LrView hierarchy that you define. To build the contents of a custom dialog, obtain a factory object using the LrView namespace function LrView.osFactory(). Like the confirmation dialogs, this dialog automatically contains configurable OK and Cancel buttons. You can choose to make this dialog user-resizeable, and can also choose to save its most recent frame size as one of your plug-in settings. The location of the dialog is also saved, if the user moves it. The example code in "Building a basic dialog" on page 110 demonstrates how to build and invoke a custom dialog within a function context. User interface elements This section provides details of the types of container and control nodes you can create with an LrView factory object. Containers When creating a dialog or a section for the Plug-in Manager or Export dialog, you generally begin with a top-level container, then, within that container, create its children. Depending on the complexity of your interface, the children can be nested containers (such as a tabbed view that contains tabbed pages), placement containers (rows and columns), or the visible controls (such as text and buttons). X All containers have the shared view properties listed in "General view properties" on page 91, except as mentioned. X All containers except spacer have the layout properties listed in "Determining layout" on page 107.

Section	Page
Lightroom SDK 3.0	1
Preface	8
The Lightroom SDK	8
The Lua language	9
About this document	9
Conventions used in this document	10
Using the Lightroom SDK	11
Writing plug-ins for Lightroom	11
The Lightroom SDK scripting environment	12
Namespaces, classes, and objects	12
Accessing namespace functions directly	12
Creating objects	14
Accessing object functions and properties	18
Using function contexts for error handling	18
Using built-in Lua features	19
Defining function contexts and tasks	20
Including scripts with require()	20
Lua syntax notes	21
Writing a Lightroom Plug-in	22
Writing standard plug-ins for Lightroom	22
Declaring the contents of a plug-in	22
The loader environment	26
Delivering a standard plug-in	27
Automatic plug-in loading	29
Debugging standard plug-ins	30
Customizing plug-in load behavior	30
Initialization and termination functions for the Plug-in Manager	31
Adding custom sections to the Plug-in Manager	32
Defining menu items for a plug-in	33
Creating Export and Publish Services	35
Creating an export or publish service	35
Defining an export service	35
Initialization and termination functions for services	38
Defining a publish service	39
Publish service options	40
Adding an export post-process action	41
Inserting and removing actions	41
Action dependencies	43
Declaring export post-process actions	44
Defining a post-process action	45
Removing photos from the export operation	46
Defining post-processing of rendered photos	46
How post-process actions are executed	47
Stage 1: Deciding how the photos should be rendered	49
Stage 2: Deciding what photos should be rendered	49
Stage 3: Requesting renditions	49
Stage 4: Processing rendered photos	50
Stage 5: Error reporting and clean up	51
Final processing of rendered photos	51
Customizing the Export and Publishing Manager dialogs	52
Customizing the export destination	52
Adding custom sections to the Export or Publishing Manager dialog	53
A custom section example	54
Restricting existing service functionality	55
Remembering user choices	57
Export presets	58
Settings for publish services and post-process actions	59
Lightroom built-in property keys	59
Export Location section properties	59
File Naming section properties	60
Token patterns	60
File Settings section properties	64
Image Sizing section properties	65
Output Sharpening section properties	66
Metadata section properties	66
Watermarking section properties	66
Post-Processing Filter section properties	67
General export properties	67
Publish Service properties	67
Working with Metadata	68
Adding custom metadata	68
Declaring a Metadata Provider	68
Defining metadata fields	69
Metadata field entries	70
Custom metadata example	71
Adding custom metadata tagsets	73
Defining a metadata tagset	74
Custom metadata tagset example	75
Searching for photos by metadata values	75
Combining search criteria	79
Creating searches interactively	80
Creating a User Interface for Your Plug-in	82
Adding custom dialog views	82
Using dialog boxes	83
Displaying predefined dialog boxes	83
Creating custom dialog boxes	84
User interface elements	84
Containers	84
Controls	85
View properties	90
General view properties	91
Control node view properties	92
Edit-field view properties	92
Text view properties	94
Binding UI values to data values	94
Specifying bindings	95
Simple bindings	96
Creating observable property tables	97
Adding observers to tables	97
Bindings for selection controls	98
Binding checkbox selections	98
Binding radio button selections	99
Binding pop-up menu selections	100
Binding combo box selections	101
Complex bindings	103
Transforming values	103
Binding multiple keys	105
Determining layout	107
Relative placement of sibling nodes	108
Placement within the parent	108
Factory functions for obtaining layout values	109
Layout examples	110
Building a basic dialog	110
Making labels line up	111
Changing the contents of a view dynamically	112
Writing a Web-engine Plug-in	115
Creating a web-engine plug-in	115
Folder contents	115
Defining the data model	116
GalleryInfo top-level entries	117
Data model entries	118
Defining a UI for your model	120
Using web view factories	122
Customizing per-image text	123
Localizing the UI	124
Creating a dynamic data model	124
Creating a preview	125
Creating the Flash movie	126
Web SDK manifest API	127
AddPage	127
AddResource	127
AddResources	128
AddPhotoPages	128
AddGridPages	129
AddCustomCSS	130
IdentityPlate	131
importTags()	132
LuaPage syntax	133
Environment variables available to LuaPages	133
LuaPage data types	134
Web SDK tagsets	135
Defining custom tags	135
Using custom tags	136
Custom tag example	136
Lightroom built-in tagset	137
Thumbnail grid tags	137
Pagination tags	138
Web HTML Live Update	139
Defining messages from Lightroom to a previewed page	140
Returning values from live-update functions	140
document.liveUpdate	141
document.liveUpdateImageSize	141
Example live-update implementation	142
Defining messages from a previewed page to Lightroom	142
Specifying in-place edit	143
Using ZStrings for Localization	145
ZString format	145
ZString characters and escape sequences	146
The LOC function	147
Localization dictionary files	148
Localization dictionary file format	148
Example dictionary file	149
Supported languages	149
SDK Sample Plug-ins	150
The FTP Upload sample plug-in	151
Bring up the FTP plug-in	151
Configure the connection	152
Establish the connection	154
The Flickr plug-in	155
The Flickr API	155
Flickr plug-in walkthrough	155
Add photos and publish the collection	157
Publish modified photos	159
Get feedback from viewers	160
Metadata and filtering samples	161
Custom metadata sample walkthrough	161
Metadata filter sample	162
Post-processing samples	164
Post-processing actions walkthrough	164
Web engine sample	166
Getting Started: A Tutorial Example	168
Creating an export plug-in	168
Create the information file	168
Create the service scripts	169
Displaying a dialog	169
Displaying a custom dialog	170
Create a properties table for program data	170
Create UI elements	171
Run the plug-in	172
Transforming data	173
Create multiple bindings to one key	173
Run the plug-in	175
Binding to multiple keys	175
Create multiple bindings to one key	175
Run the plug-in	178
Adding a data observer	180
Set up the dialog and table	180
Create an observer for a data property	181
Create the dialog contents	181
Run the plug-in	182
Debugging your plug-in	183
Specifying a log	183
Viewing trace information using log files	184
Viewing trace information in a platform console	184
Debugging in Windows WinDbg	184
Debugging in Mac OS Console	186
Defining Metadata: A Walkthrough	187
Adding custom metadata	187
Define metadata fields	187
Define a tagset	189
Using the plug-in	190
Customizing the Plug-in Manager	192
Web Gallery Plug-ins: A Tutorial Example	195
Creating a Web Gallery plug-in	195
Add descriptive files	195
Add HTML template files	196
Add subfolders	196
Defining a data model and functionality	197
Add a grid using built-in tags	198
Add pagination using built-in tags	198
Add another photo size	199
Add the “large” photo size	199
Add link functionality	200
Define the large-image frame template	200
Customizing the Web Gallery UI	201
Add a binding to a control	201
Add the title to the HTML template	202
Testing the plug-in	202
Adding a customized tagset	202
Define the tags	203

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HAPTER

5: Creating a User Interface for Your Plug-in

User interface elements

Confirmations and prompts

In addition to your text message, these dialogs have configurable OK and Cancel buttons. These return

different values to the invocation function, which you use to decide on the action to be taken. Again,

there is a "Don’t show again" version.

These dialogs are extensible; you can define an optional third button, or a small UI section that you

define using

LrView

; see

“Creating custom dialog boxes” on page 84

Errors

You can display a simple error message with a single OK button, or you can wrap an error dialog

around a function context, so that if the wrapped function throws an error, the dialog appears. See

“Using function contexts for error handling” on page 18

Platform Open File and Save File

You can bring up the platform-defined file-selection dialogs, so that the user can choose a file system

location.

Creating custom dialog boxes

You can use the

LrDialogs.presentModalDialog()

function to create a completely customized dialog

box, which you can, for example, invoke from a menu item that your plug-in adds to the Lightroom menu

bar, using one of the menu service items:

LrExportMenuItems

LrLibraryMenuItems

, or

LrHelpMenuItems

Most of the contents of this dialog are defined by an

LrView

hierarchy that you define. To build the

contents of a custom dialog, obtain a factory object using the

LrView

namespace function

LrView.osFactory()

. Like the confirmation dialogs, this dialog automatically contains configurable OK

and Cancel buttons.

You can choose to make this dialog user-resizeable, and can also choose to save its most recent frame size

as one of your plug-in settings. The location of the dialog is also saved, if the user moves it.

The example code in

“Building a basic dialog” on page 110

demonstrates how to build and invoke a

custom dialog within a function context.

User interface elements

This section provides details of the types of container and control nodes you can create with an

LrView

factory object.

Containers

When creating a dialog or a section for the Plug-in Manager or Export dialog, you generally begin with a

top-level container, then, within that container, create its children. Depending on the complexity of your

interface, the children can be nested containers (such as a tabbed view that contains tabbed pages),

placement containers (rows and columns), or the visible controls (such as text and buttons).

All containers have the shared view properties listed in

“General view properties” on page 91

, except

as mentioned.

All containers except

spacer

have the layout properties listed in

“Determining layout” on page 107