dtbuilder(1)

Name
dtbuilder - the Cde Application Builder

SYNOPSIS
dtbuilder [projectfile]

DESCRIPTION
The utility is an interactive application development tool and user interface management system for Cde. Known more fully as the Cde Application Builder, is designed to make it easier for developers to construct applications that integrate well into the Common Desktop Environment. It provides two basic services - aid in assembling Motif objects into the desired application user interface and generation of appropriate calls to the routines that support Cde desktop services (e.g. ToolTalk, sessioning, Help).

OPTIONS
None.

OPERANDS
The utility accepts an optional filename operand that is interpreted as the name of an application project file that should be loaded for editing. This file should be in the BIL format defined for use by the Application Builder.

If no project file is specified, then comes up "empty", ready for a new application to be developed interactively by the user.

RESOURCES
None.

STDIN
Not used.

INPUT FILES
A project file to be processed by the utility must to be in the BIL format defined for the Cde Application Builder.

Interactively, the Application Builder provides facilities for loading additional project files, as well as application module files (which also must be in the BIL format) and interface files that use Motif's UIL format.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
None.

ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS
The utility takes the standard action for all signals.

STDOUT
Not used.

STDERR
Used only for diagnostic messages.

OUTPUT FILES
None by default.

Interactively, the Application Builder provides facilities for writing ("saving") application project and module files, both of which must be in the BIL format, and also for writing ("exporting") interface files that use Motif's UIL format.

EXTENDED DESCRIPTION
None.

EXIT STATUS
The following exit values are returned: Normal termination. Abnormal termination. The utility was unable to allocate necessary memory or spawn the code generator.

CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS
Default.

APPLICATION USAGE
Because the is a complex, highly-interactive tool, users typically consider the command line interface as little more than the way to start up the Application Builder.

Cde provides an "AppBuilder" action so the Application Builder can be invoked through the standard action interface, including through the Application Manager.

EXAMPLES

dtbuilder
    This runs the Cde Application Builder, presuming that the user will either be creating a new project or will load one interactively through the Application Builder's "File" menu.

dtbuilder myproject.bip
    Starts the Cde Application Builder and instructs it to load the project defined in the file myproject.bip.

SEE ALSO