Thanks for explaining. I'd seen Bernard's blog about this a while ago. He's done some pretty cool stuff with VFP in regards to creating UIs (although not much activity lately there).

The concept is nice. I like the way the images can be packaged/included without having to distribute them as individual files.

The thing I don't get is why is it called a "dashboard" builder? Follow this link to see some examples of what I consider a software UI dashboard:

http://www.enterprise-dashboard.com/2006/03/04/a-dashboard-type-management-console-plus-23-ui-tips/

The screen shot at the bottom of the page is IMHO, a very nice layout.



>Sorry for the delay answering. By now Bernard has given the references so I'll explain why I gave the praise.
>
>The purpose of the class is to make it easy to design a treeview based menu. You create a subclass specific for each tree menu.
>
>Bernard uses an approach I had never seen to bundle the information to create the treeview including the icons needed right inside the class files themselves, specifically in two of the User fields. One of the User fields has a table (in XML format) that describes the nodes of the treeview, including the action to be carried out (a VFP command). The second User field has an exact copy of the bmp files for the icons (obtained by FILETOSTR()) stored in it. All of the bmp files are stored in the same User field.
>
>To create that package is messy, so he provides a builder to prepare the User fields. The builder appears as a grid with a row for each tree leaf and columns for the nodes leading to the leaf (Group and Header), as well as the name of the bmp file and the command to be executed. Very clean and easy to use from the developer point of view.
>
>In the end you drop a copy of the class on a form and Voila!
>
>The name does not do justice to the class. It needs a more descriptive name.
>
>Alex
>
>
>>Oh yes. I remember seeing that blog entry a while back. The title of it is, "The Smart VFP Treeview Class" and uses something called a XML Dashboard Builder.
>>
>>I haven't tried it, but, my idea of a "dashboard" looks nothing like the screen captures shown. How's a grid, a dashboard?
>>
>>
>>
>>>See http://weblogs.foxite.com/bernardbout/
>>>
>>>I believe if you scroll down the page, you'll see some info on it. There is some other good stuff. bbZoombar looks interesting, to say the least.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Alejandro,
>>>>
>>>>What are you referring to?
>>>>
>>>>I've googled "XML dashboard Bernard Bout", "XML dashboard VFP" and cannot find anything related to what your message title is hinting at. There is nothing about it on Bernard's blog either.
>>>>
>>>>Care to give us a hint?
>>>>
>>>>Mike
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Hello Bernard,
>>>>>
>>>>>The title says it all. Great class, and especially great builder. Thank you.
>>>>>
>>>>>Alex