Activation Type Description

What is an Activation Type?

OPEN LOOK defines a set of semantics that a user can invoke to control the user interface. Some examples of these semantics are:

MENU	Popup a menu
SCROLLDOWN	Scroll the view down one screen
NEXTFIELD	Move focus to the next object

See the OPEN LOOK GUI Functional Specification and the OPEN LOOK Mouseless Specification for more information on GUI semantics.

Currently, OLIT maps these semantics to virtual events inside the toolkit (termed "virtual" because they do not necessarily correspond to a particular X11 input event). OLIT's convention is to add a prefix of "OL_" to the semantic name to name the type of virtual event, which is called the Activation Type.

Activation Type Description

For example, for the semantics listed previously, the corresponding OLIT Activation Types are:

OL_MENU and OL_MENUKEY (for Mouseless mode) OL_SCROLLDOWN

OL_NEXTFIELD

Each OLIT widget supports a set of Activation Types for which it knows how to respond. Some Activation Types are supported by all widgets, such as OL_HELP, and those used for Mouseless operation (described later in this chapter), and some are specific to a certain widget.

So, when a user performs an input action, OLIT translates the generated XEvent (or combination of XEvents) into an Activation Type defined by a set of configurable toolkit bindings (described later) and then delivers the corresponding "virtual event" to the widget. If the widget supports that Activation Type, it performs the corresponding action. For example, if the user presses the MENU mouse button on a MenuButton widget, OLIT translates this to the OL_MENU Activation Type, delivers an OL_MENU activation to the MenuButton widget, and the MenuButton responds by popping up its menu.

Interposing on Activation Types

If an application wishes to monitor or interpose on the virtual events delivered to a particular widget, it can register an XtNconsumeEvent callback on the widget. (For detailed information on this callback, see "XtNconsumeEvent" on page 26 for the Primitive or Manager classes.) This callback will get called just before the Activation Type is delivered to the widget. If the application wishes to prevent this Activation from being delivered to the widget, it can change the consumed Boolean field in the call_data to TRUE inside the callback. This callback allows the application to perform some custom action in replacement of, or in addition to, the standard widget behavior.

Programmatically Activating Widgets

Since the widgets respond to Activation Types (not just X11 events), the application can easily simulate these user semantics by calling OlActivateWidget() with the desired Activation Type. For example, if an application wants text to scroll down in response to an OblongButton being pressed, it simply needs to put the following statement in the XtNselect callback for the button:

Activation Type Description

OlActivateWidget(scrolledwindow, OL_SCROLLDOWN, NULL);

OLIT also supports "associating" widgets with each other such that if a widget is activated with an Activation Type that it does not support, the Activation will be automatically passed on to an associated widget, called a "follower." Applications can associate widgets using the OlAssociateWidget() routine. For example, if an application wants any scrolling Activation Types to be passed from an OblongButton widget to a Scrollbar, the application simply needs to make the Scrollbar a "follower" of the OblongButton:

OlAssociateWidget(button, scrollbar, FALSE);

See "Initialization and Activation Functions" on page 92 for more information on programmatically activating widgets.

Mapping X11 Events to Activation Types

By making the widget respond to high-level Activation Types, as opposed to having it respond to particular X11 input events, this model allows more flexibility for both the user and the programmer. The Activation Types are mapped to actual X11 input events through a set of toolkit resources. These toolkit resources have a set of default bindings that the user can easily change using the standard resource mechanism. For example, the resources and default bindings for the Activation Types mentioned previously are the following:

Activation Type	Resource	Default Binding	Description
OL_MENU	XtNmenuBtn	<Button3>	(MENU mouse button)
OL_MENUKEY	XtNmenuKey	a<Space>	(Alt+Space key)
OL_SCROLLDOWN	XtNscrollDownKey	a<Down>	(Alt+R14 key)
OL_NEXTFIELD	XtNnextFieldKey	<Tab>,c<Tab>	(Tab or Control+Tab)

The syntax of the "Default Bindings" column is explained below. The OL_MENU Activation Type could be mapped instead to the MENU mouse button by putting the following line in a Resource file:

*menuBtn:    <Button2>

Activation Type Description

A complete table of the OLIT Activation Types and their default bindings is in Table 3-1 on page 65. The following abbreviations for modifier keys are used to shorten the "Default Bindings" column of the table, and can also be used in resource specifications:

No Modifiers     n           Meta key      m           Mod2 key      2
Alt key         a           Hyper key     h           Mod3 key      3
Ctrl key        c           Super key     su          Mod4 key      4
Shift key       s           Mod1 key      1           Mod5 key      5

There are three different ways to specify key bindings (and keyboard accelerators) in a resource file:

1. A key event specified using a subset of the Xt translation manager syntax. The syntax is specified in EBNF notation, following the same conventions used in the Xt Intrinsics Reference Manual, Appendix B.

         keyseq           = [modifier_list] "<Key>" <keysym_name>
         modifier_list    = {modifier_name} | "None" | "n"
         modifier_name    = <see modifier names table above>

2. The existing OLIT syntax, which is similar to the Xt translation manager syntax and maintained for backward compatibility.

         keyseq           = [modifier_list] "<" <keysym_name> ">"

3. A general OpenWindows syntax that is understood by OLIT, xview(1), and olwm(1).

keyseq           = {[modifier_name] "+"} <keysym_name>

For example, to bind the SELECTKEY command to be activated when the space bar is pressed and the Meta modifier key ( . ) is held down, any of the following may be used:

    *selectKey: Meta<Key>space         ; Xt translation syntax
    *selectKey: Meta<space>            ; OLIT syntax
    *selectKey: Meta+space             ; generic syntax

---

Note - On keyboards that don't have an actual meta key, the meta-key event is generated by pressing the Control and Alt keys at the same time.

---

Up to two bindings may be specified for a virtual event as a comma-separated list; for example:

*selectKey: Meta<Key>space, Ctrl<Key>space

Activation Type Description

Keyboard accelerators may also be specified using any of the three methods, but only one binding can be associated with an accelerator.

Table 3-1

Activation Type	Semantic	Resource Name	Default Binding
OL_ADJUST	ADJUST	XtNadjustBtn	<Button2>
OL_ADJUSTKEY	ADJUSTKEY	XtNadjustKey	a<Insert>
OL_CANCEL	CANCEL	XtNcancelKey	<Escape>
OL_CHARBAK	CHARBAK	XtNcharBakKey	<Left>
OL_CHARFWD	CHARFWD	XtNcharFwdKey	<Right>
OL_CONSTRAIN	CONSTRAIN	XtNconstrainBtn	s<Button1>
OL_COPY	COPY	XtNcopyKey	<F16>
OL_CUT	CUT	XtNcutKey	<F20>
OL_DEFAULTACTION	DEFAULTACTION	XtNdefaultActionKey	<Return>, c<Return>
OL_DELCHARBAK	DELCHARBAK	XtNdelCharBakKey	<BackSpace>, <Delete>
OL_DELCHARFWD	DELCHARFWD	XtNdelCharFwdKey	s<BackSpace>, c<d>
OL_DELLINE	DELLINE	XtNdelLineKey	m<BackSpace>, m<Delete>
OL_DELLINEBAK	DELLINEBAK	XtNdelLineBakKey	c<BackSpace>, c<v>
OL_DELLINEFWD	DELLINEFWD	XtNdelLineFwdKey	c<Delete>, c<k>
OL_DELWORDBAK	DELWORDBAK	XtNdelWordBakKey	s<BackSpace>, c<w>
OL_DELWORDFWD	DELWORDFWD	XtNdelWordFwdKey	c s<Delete>
OL_DOCEND	DOCEND	XtNdocEndKey	c<R13>
OL_DOCSTART	DOCSTART	XtNdocStartKey	c<R7>
OL_DRAG	DRAG	XtNdragKey	<F5>
OL_DROP	DROP	XtNdropKey	<F2>
OL_DUPLICATE	DUPLICATE	XtNduplicateBtn	c<Button1>
OL_DUPLICATEKEY	DUPLICATEKEY	XtNduplicateKey	s<space>
OL_HELP	HELP	XtNhelpKey	<Help>
OL_HSBMENU	HSBMENU	XtNhorizSBMenuKey	a<h>
OL_LINEEND	LINEEND	XtNlineEndKey	<R13>, c<e>

Activation Type Description

Table 3-1

Activation Type	Semantic	Resource Name	Default Binding
OL_LINESTART	LINESTART	XtNlineStartKey	<R7>, c<a>
OL_MENU	MENU	XtNmenuBtn	<Button3>
OL_MENUDEFAULT	MENUDEFAULT	XtNmenuDefaultBtn	c<Button3>
OL_MENUDEFAULTKEY	MENUDEFAULTKEY	XtNmenuDefaultKey	c<space>
OL_MENUKEY	MENUKEY	XtNmenuKey	a<space>
OL_MOVEDOWN	MOVEDOWN	XtNdownKey	<Down>
OL_MOVELEFT	MOVELEFT	XtNleftKey	<Left>
OL_MOVERIGHT	MOVERIGHT	XtNrightKey	<Right>
OL_MOVEUP	MOVEUP	XtNupKey	<Up>
OL_MULTIDOWN	MULTIDOWN	XtNmultiDownKey	c<Down>
OL_MULTILEFT	MULTILEFT	XtNmultiLeftKey	c<Left>
OL_MULTIRIGHT	MULTIRIGHT	XtNmultiRightKey	c<Right>
OL_MULTIUP	MULTIUP	XtNmultiUpKey	c<Up>
OL_NEXT_FIELD	NEXT_FIELD	XtNnextFieldKey	<Tab>, c<Tab>
OL_PAGEDOWN	PAGEDOWN	XtNpageDownKey	a<R15>
OL_PAGELEFT	PAGELEFT	XtNpageLeftKey	a c<R9>
OL_PAGERIGHT	PAGERIGHT	XtNpageRightKey	a c<R15>
OL_PAGEUP	PAGEUP	XtNpageUpKey	a<R9>
OL_PAN	PAN	XtNpanBtn	c s <Button1>
OL_PANEEND	PANEEND	XtNpaneEndKey	c s<R13>
OL_PANESTART	PANESTART	XtNpaneStartKey	c s<R7>
OL_PASTE	PASTE	XtNpasteKey	<F18>, c<y>
OL_PREV_FIELD	PREV_FIELD	XtNprevFieldKey	s<Tab>, c s<Tab>
OL_PROPERTY	PROPERTY	XtNpropertiesKey	<F13>
OL_RETURN	RETURN	XtNreturnKey	<Return>
OL_ROWDOWN	ROWDOWN	XtNrowDownKey	<Down>
OL_ROWUP	ROWUP	XtNrowUpKey	<Up>

Activation Type Description

Table 3-1

Activation Type	Semantic	Resource Name	Default Binding
OL_SCROLLBOTTOM	SCROLLBOTTOM	XtNscrollBottomKey	a c<R13>
OL_SCROLLDOWN	SCROLLDOWN	XtNscrollDownKey	a<Down>
OL_SCROLLLEFT	SCROLLLEFT	XtNscrollLeftKey	a<Left>
OL_SCROLLLEFTEDGE	SCROLLLEFTEDGE	XtNscrollLeftEdgeKey	a <R7>
OL_SCROLLRIGHT	SCROLLRIGHT	XtNscrollRightKey	a<Right>
OL_SCROLLRIGHTEDGE	SCROLLRIGHTEDGE	XtNscrollRightEdgeKey	a <R13>
OL_SCROLLTOP	SCROLLTOP	XtNscrollTopKey	a c<R7>
OL_SCROLLUP	SCROLLUP	XtNscrollUpKey	a<up>
OL_SELCHARBAK	SELCHARBAK	XtNselCharBakKey	s<Left>, s c<b>
OL_SELCHARFWD	SELCHARFWD	XtNselCharFwdKey	s<Right>, s c<f>
OL_SELECT	SELECT	XtNselectBtn	<Button1>
OL_SELECTKEY	SELECTKEY	XtNselectKey	<space>
OL_SELFLIPENDS	SELFLIPENDS	XtNselFlipEndsKey	a<Insert>
OL_SELLINE	SELLINE	XtNselLineKey	c a<Left>
OL_SELLINEBAK	SELLINEBAK	XtNselLineBakKey	s<R7>, s c<p>
OL_SELLINEFWD	SELLINEFWD	XtNselLineFwdKey	s<R13>, s c<n>
OL_SELWORDBAK	SELWORDBAK	XtNselWordBakKey	c s<Left>
OL_SELWORDFWD	SELWORDFWD	XtNselWordFwdKey	c s<Right>
OL_STOP	STOP	XtNstopKey	<F11>
OL_TOGGLEPUSHPIN	TOGGLEPUSHPIN	XtNtogglePushpinKey	c<t>
OL_UNDO	UNDO	XtNundoKey	<F14>
OL_VSBMENU	VSBMENU	XtNvertSBMenuKey	a<v>
OL_WORDBAK	WORDBAK	XtNwordBakKey	c<Left>
OL_WORDFWD	WORDFWD	XtNwordFwdKey	c<Right>

Common Activation Types

Common Activation Types

All OLIT widget classes that accept input focus support the semantics described in section 2.3 of the OPEN LOOK Mouseless Specification and at least the Activation Types shown in Table 3-2.

Table 3-2

Activation Type	Semantics	Resource Name
OL_CANCEL	CANCEL	XtNcancelKey
OL_DEFAULTACTION	DEFAULTACTION	XtNdefaultActionKey
OL_HELP	HELP	XtNhelpKey
OL_MOVEDOWN	MOVEDOWN	XtNdownKey
OL_MOVELEFT	MOVELEFT	XtNleftKey
OL_MOVERIGHT	MOVERIGHT	XtNrightKey
OL_MOVEUP	MOVEUP	XtNupKey
OL_NEXTFIELD	NEXTFIELD	XtNnextFieldKey
OL_PREVFIELD	PREVFIELD	XtNprevFieldKey
OL_TOGGLEPUSHPIN	TOGGLEPUSHPIN	XtNtogglePushpinKey

These activation types have the following meanings:

OL_CANCEL Redirect the OL_CANCEL activation type, delivering it to the first widget ancestor inclusive of the object receiving the activation that is an instance of vendorShellWidgetClass or a subclass thereof.

OL_DEFAULTACTION Redirect the OL_DEFAULTACTION activation type, delivering it to the first widget ancestor inclusive of the object receiving the activation that is an instance of vendorShellWidgetClass or a subclass thereof.

OL_HELP Invoke the system help facility. If the value of the toolkit resource XtNhelpModel is OL_POINTER, then help will be invoked for the object currently under the pointer at the time of activation; however, if the value of XtNhelpModel is OL_INPUTFOCUS, then help will be invoked for the object that currently holds input focus.

Common Activation Types

OL_MOVEDOWN Move the input focus from the current object to the object below the current holder of input focus in the traversal order. The definition of the object below the current holder of the input focus in the traversal order is context sensitive and system dependent.

OL_MOVELEFT/ OL_PREVFIELD

Move the input focus from the current object to the previous object in the traversal order. The definition of the previous object in the traversal order is context sensitive and system dependent.

OL_MOVERIGHT/ OL_NEXTFIELD

Move the input focus from the current object to the next object in the traversal order. The definition of the next object in the traversal order is context sensitive and system dependent.

OL_MOVEUP Move the input focus from the current object to the object above the current holder of input focus in the traversal order. The definition of the object above the current holder of the input focus in the traversal order is context sensitive and system dependent.

OL_TOGGLEPUSHPIN Redirect the OL_TOGGLEPUSHPIN activation type, delivering it to the first widget ancestor inclusive of the object receiving the activation that is an instance of vendorShellWidgetClass or a subclass thereof.

Common Activation Types