6 Creating Applications Using Components

Visual LANSA

6. Creating Applications Using Components

With LANSA components, you can create applications with powerful graphical user interfaces (GUI) using LANSA's repository-based development method.

With components you create event-driven applications using an advanced visual designer together with an easy-to-use code editor. You can accomplish most development tasks graphically.

Applications are assembled from components with extensive built-in functionality. Because Visual LANSA is based on component technology and repository approach, you can reuse every part of an application. You can store groups of fields, menus, pictures, and other parts of an application with the associated code in the LANSA repository and reuse them. The reuse of these standard elements in all applications ensures rapid development, consistency and ease of maintenance.

The language you use in creating Visual LANSA components is the familiar RDML with a few extensions required for event-driven programming (RDMLX). The event-driven programming method provides the foundation for easy-to-use applications which put the user in control. However, new commands have been kept to a minimum to ensure that you can use a single set of skills for Windows, IBM i and web application development.

Also see

6.1 You Work in a Graphical Editor

6.2 You Create Powerful Graphical Interfaces

6.3 You Use a Repository-Based Graphical Designer

6.4 The Component Model

6.5 RDMLX Is Extended RDML

6.6 Move Existing Applications to Visual LANSA

6.7 A Few Things You Need to Know

If you're unfamiliar with this topic, you should review some or all of the following:

6.8 Component Basics

6.9 Event-Driven Programs

6.10 Work with Components

6.11 Create an Application

6.12 Enrolling Bitmaps and Icons

6.13 Forms

6.14 Controls

6.15 Lists, Tree Views, Grids and Graphs

6.16 Tab Folder Framework

 

6.17 Menus

6.18 Displaying Messages and Errors

6.19 Multi-Form Applications

6.20 Reusable Parts 

6.21 Ancestor Components

6.22 Collections

6.23 Referencing

6.24 Data Classes

6.25 Using Common Dialogs

 

6.26 Property Sheets

6.27 Keyboard and Mouse Components

6.28 Drag-and-Drop

6.29 What the Application will look like

6.30 Remember the User's Choices

6.31 Help Text and Documenting Components

6.32 GUI Guidelines

6.33 Converting an Existing Application

Ý Visual LANSA Developer Guide