--- name: "Tk::mega" section: "3pm" platform: "linux" package: "perl-tk" version: "804.036-9" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/Tk::mega" --- # Tk::mega(3pm) Perl/Tk support for writing widgets in pure Perl ## NAME Tk::mega - Perl/Tk support for writing widgets in pure Perl ## SYNOPSIS Define the widget's new class name: **package Tk::***MyNewWidget*; For composite widget classes: **use base qw/ Tk::container /**; # where **container** is *Frame* or *Toplevel* For derived widget classes: **use base qw/ Tk::Derived Tk::DerivedWidget /;** Install the new widget in Tk's namespace and establish class and instance constructors. **Construct Tk::***Widget* *'MyNewWidget'*; **sub ClassInit** { *my ($self, $args) = @\_; ...* } **sub Populate** { *my ($self, $args) = @\_; ...* } ## DESCRIPTION The goal of the mega-widget support of Perl/Tk is to make it easy to write mega-widgets that obey the same protocol and interface that the Tk core widgets support. *For mega-widget sample code please run the* ***widget*** *demonstration program and go to the section* ***Sample Perl Mega-Widgets****.* There are two kinds of mega-widgets: - • Composite Widgets A composite widget is composed with one or more existing widgets. The composite widget looks to the user like a simple single widget. A well known example is the file selection box. - • Derived Widgets A derived widget adds/modifies/removes properties and methods from a single widget (this widget may itself be a mega-widget). ## MEGA-WIDGET SUPPORT ### Advertise Give a subwidget a symbolic name. Usage: *$self*-\>**Advertise**(**name**=\>*$widget*); Gives a subwidget *$widget* of the mega-widget *$self* the name **name**. One can retrieve the reference of an advertised subwidget with the Subwidget method. **Comment:** Mega-Widget Writers: Please make sure to document the advertised widgets that are intended for *public* use. If there are none, document this fact, e.g.: ``` =head1 ADVERTISED WIDGETS None. ``` ### Callback Invoke a callback specified with an option. Usage: *$self*-\>**Callback**(*-option* ?,*args* ...?); **Callback** executes the callback defined with *$self*-\>**ConfigSpecs**(*-option*, \[**CALLBACK**, ...\]); If *args* are given they are passed to the callback. If *-option* is not defined it does nothing. ### ClassInit Initialization of the mega-widget class. Usage: **sub ClassInit** { *my ($class, $mw) = @\_;* ... } **ClassInit** is called once for *each* MainWindow just before the first widget instance of a class is created in the widget tree of **MainWindow**. **ClassInit** is often used to define bindings and/or other resources shared by all instances, e.g., images. Examples: ``` $mw->bind($class,"", sub { my $w = shift; $w->Insert("\t"); $w->focus; $w->break}); $mw->bind($class,"", ['Insert',"\n"]); $mw->bind($class,"",'Delete'); ``` Notice that *$class* is the class name (e.g. **Tk::MyText**) and *$mw* is the mainwindow. Don't forget to call *$class*-\>**SUPER::ClassInit($mw)** in **ClassInit**. ### Component Convenience function to create subwidgets. Usage: ``` $cw->Component('Whatever', 'AdvertisedName', -delegate => ['method1', 'method2', ...], ... more widget options ..., ); ``` **Component** does several things for you with one call: o Creates the widget o Advertises it with a given name (overridden by 'Name' option) o Delegates a set of methods to this widget (optional) Example: ``` $cw->Component('Button', 'quitButton', -command => sub{$mw->'destroy'}); ``` ### ConfigSpecs Defines options and their treatment Usage: ``` $cw->ConfigSpecs( -option => [ where, dbname, dbclass, default], ..., DEFAULT => [where], ); ``` Defines the options of a mega-widget and what actions are triggered by configure/cget of an option (see Tk::ConfigSpecs and Tk::Derived for details). ### Construct Make the new mega-widget known to **Tk**. Usage: **Construct** *baseclass* **'Name'**; **Construct** declares the new widget class so that your mega-widget works like normal Perl/Tk widgets. Examples: **Construct Tk::Widget** *'Whatever'*; **Construct Tk::Menu** *'MyItem'*; First example lets one use *$widget*-\>**Whatever** to create new **Whatever** widget. The second example restricts the usage of the **MyItem** constructor method to widgets that are derived from **Menu**: *$isamenu*-\>*MyItem*. ### CreateArgs Process options before any widget is created: **sub CreateArgs** { *my ($package, $parent, $args) = @\_; ...; return @newargs;* } *$package* is the package of the mega-widget (e.g., **Tk::MyText**, *$parent* the parent of the widget to be created and `$args` the hash reference to the options specified in the widget constructor call. Don't forget to call *$package*-\>**SUPER::CreateArgs**(*$parent*, *$args*) in **CreateArgs**. ### Delegates Redirect a method of the mega-widget to a subwidget of the composite widget Usage: ``` $cw->Delegates( 'method1' => $subwidget1, 'method2' => 'advertived_name', ..., 'Construct' => $subwidget2, 'DEFAULT' => $subwidget3, ); ``` The **'Construct'** delegation has a special meaning. After 'Construct' is delegated all Widget constructors are redirected. E.g. after *$self*-\>**Delegates**(**'Construct'**=\>*$subframe*); a *$self*-\>**Button** does really a *$subframe*-\>**Button** so the created button is a child of *$subframe* and not *$self*. **Comment:** Delegates works only with methods that *$cw* does not have itself. ### InitObject *Note: this method should not, in general, be used, as it has been* *superceeded by* ***Populate*** *and specifying* ***Tk::Derived*** *as one of the base* *classes.* Defines construction and interface of derived widgets. Usage: ``` sub InitObject { my ($derived, $args) = @_; ... } ``` where *$derived* is the widget reference of the already created baseclass widget and *$args* is the reference to a hash of *-option-value* pairs. **InitObject** is almost identical to Populate method. **Populate** does some more 'magic' things useful for mega-widgets with several widgets. Don't forget to call *$derived*-\>**SUPER::InitObject**(*$args*) in **InitObject**. ### OnDestroy Define a callback invoked when the mega-widget is destroyed. Usage: *$widget*-\>**OnDestroy**(*callback*); **OnDestroy** installs a callback that's called when a widget is going to to be destroyed. Useful for special cleanup actions. It differs from a normal **destroy** in that all the widget's data structures are still intact. **Comment:** This method could be used with any widgets not just for mega-widgets. It's listed here because of its usefulness. ### Populate Defines construction and interface of the composite widget. Usage: ``` sub Populate { my ($self, $args) = @_; ... } ``` where *$self* is the widget reference of the already created baseclass widget and *$args* is the reference to a hash of *-option-value* pairs. Most the other support function are normally used inside the **Populate** subroutine. Don't forget to call *$cw*-\>**SUPER::Populate**(*$args*) in **Populate**. ### privateData Set/get a private hash of a widget to storage composite internal data Usage: *$hashref* = *$self*-\>**privateData**(); *$another* = *$self*-\>**privateData**(*unique\_key*\|*package*); ### Subwidget Get the widget reference of an advertised subwidget. *@subwidget* = *$cw*-\>**Subwidget**(); *$subwidget* = *$cw*-\>**Subwidget**(*name*); *@subwidget* = *$cw*-\>**Subwidget**(*name* ?,...?); Returns the widget reference(s) of the subwidget known under the given name(s). Without arguments, return all known subwidgets of *$cw*. See Advertise method how to define *name* for a subwidget. **Comment:** Mega-Widget Users: Use **Subwidget** to get *only* documented subwidgets. ## PITFALLS - • Resource DB class name Some of the standard options use a resource date base class that is not equal to the resource database name. E.g., ``` Switch: Name: Class: -padx padX Pad -activerelief activeRelief Relief -activebackground activeBackground Foreground -status undef undef ``` One should do the same when one defines one of these options via **ConfigSpecs**. - • Method delegation Redirecting methods to a subwidget with **Delegate** can only work if the base widget itself does have a method with this name. Therefore one can't \`\`*delegate*'' any of the methods listed in Tk::Widget. A common problematic method is **bind**. In this case one as to explicitely redirect the method. ``` sub bind { my $self = shift; my $to = $self->privateData->{'my_bind_target'}; $to->bind(@_); } ``` - • privateData Graham Barr wrote: ... It is probably more private than most people think. Not all calls to privateData will return that same HASH reference. The HASH reference that is returned depends on the package it was called from, a different HASH is returned for each package. This allows a widget to hold private data, but then if it is sub-classed the sub-class will get a different HASH and so not cause duplicate name clashes. But privateData does take an optional argument if you want to force which HASH is returned. - • Scrolled and Composite **Scrolled**(*Kind*,...) constructor can not be used with **Composite**. One has to use `$cw`-\>**Composite**(**Scrl***Kind* =\> **'name'**, ...); ## MISSING Of course Perl/Tk does not define support function for all necessities. Here's a short list of things you have to handle yourself: - • No support to define construction-time only options. - • No support to remove an option that is known to the base widget. - • It's hard to define **undef** as fallback for an widget option that is not already **undef**. - • Frame in Perl/Tk carries magic and overhead not needed for composite widget class definition. - • No support methods for bindings that are shared between all widgets of a composite widget (makes sense at all?) ## KEYWORDS mega, composite, derived, widget ## SEE ALSO Tk::composite Tk::ConfigSpecs Tk::option Tk::callbacks Tk::bind