prologeditorxpce

Reading out text from an editor in XPCE

I am writing an XPCE-program in which a user can enter a text in a text window which is then processed further by a Prolog program (say, by running a spelling check).

Thus, I would need a text window in which one can enter text freely (including paragraphs, punctuation marks etc.) and then store the text in a Prolog variable for further processing.

This is easy (and works well) using a text_item as follows:

 send(D, append(new(Text,   text_item('Enter Text'))))

However, this only allows to enter a single line, which is unsuitable for longer texts.

The "editor" environment looks well suited to this task; and I can create an editor using

send(D, append(new(Text1,editor),below))

Here, one can enter a text of many lines, including paragraphs etc. But now, how do I access the text entered by the user? It is apparently not stored in the variable Text1. I read about a text_buffer, but I do not know how to link it to the editor.

Solution

  • adapted from XPCE guide

    :- use_module(library(pce)).

multiline_input(Text) :-
        new(D, dialog('Prompting for name')),
        send(D, append, new(TI, editor)),
        send(D, append,
             button(ok, message(D, return,
                                TI?contents))),
        send(D, append,
             button(cancel, message(D, return, @nil))),
        send(D, default_button, ok), % Ok: default button
        get(D, confirm, Answer),     % This blocks!
        send(D, destroy),
        Answer \== @nil,             % canceled
        get(Answer, value, Text).

    Just replaced text_item with editor, getting its content, and then getting value out of it.