ESI Object Model

The ESI action interface manipulates objects in accordance with the ESI object model. This model describes which classes and components are created by which other classes/components.

For a sample repository with an application GUI called MY_APPLICATION, and an Employees table, the object model looks like:

Object Model

*MY_APPLICATION (APPLICATION)

*Employees (Info Window)

query (Query)

...

*Info Window

ESI Shell

*Related Window

...

*MyDialog (Generic Dialog Box)

mylabel (MyLabelClass)

*LIBRARIAN (represents the control classes)

*Label Object

*MyLabelClass (Label Object)

XtNbackground = red

XtNlabel = hello world

*Generic Dialog Box

*Label Object

XtNbackground = blue

*OTHER_APPLICATION

In this sample, the GUI named MY_APPLICATION has a dialog called MyDialog. This dialog has a blue label called "mylabel" with the text "hello world" on it. The GUI called OTHER_APPLICATION does not have this dialog.

The class called LIBRARIAN is family of the Info Window/Dialog Box classes, just like the style sheet classes.

The window (or shell) is a child of the Info Window class. Its name is ESI Shell, and its class name is "Definition Shell".

In a little more detail, the object model for Info Windows looks like:

Info Windows

Employees

ESI Shell (i.e. the window)

query

empno

deptno

name

Extra Query

columnBox

Related Window (embedded detail)

departments

...

Dialogs

For dialogs, the default model is the same as that for Info Windows, with the exception that it does not have a query object, but a Variables object (class name ContainerObject). Note that you have to insert this Variables object yourself.

My_Dialog 1

Variables

column_1

column_2

Controls Group

OK Button

ESI Shell (window)

My_Dialog 2

...