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Re: Toolbar

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg105668] Re: Toolbar
  • From: magma <maderri2 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:24:26 -0500 (EST)
  • References: <hg2d98$j9a$1@smc.vnet.net> <hg4h35$gh5$1@smc.vnet.net>

On Dec 14, 6:05 am, Albert Retey <a... at gmx-topmail.de> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> > Is it just me or others as well would appreciate a toolbar in Mathemati=
ca?
> > I've missed it at the first time I've encountered Mathematica 4, but, s=
ince
> > then, I've simply got used to the routine to kill the kernel or delete =
all
> > output using key-combinations. I wonder why there is no useful toolbar =
at
> > all, with these functionalities, and perhaps more. This is a must for a=
ll
> > interactive interfaces from decades now.  Palettes are good, but actu=
ally
> > I never use them, knowing how to access characters and code. And even i=
f
> > I write a palette to sport the buttons "Kill kernel", "Delete output", =
I
> > cannot dock it in the main window, below the file menu. For me it seems
> > so obvious to have a toolbar, but I don't remember seeing any info or p=
ost
> > about it in the group. Am I missing something here?
>
> Although it would be nice, it is not of the top on the list of my
> wishes: my personal preference is to use the keyboard shortcuts. After
> all, interaction with Mathematica usually means to input code with the
> keyboard anyway...
>
> Since version 6 it is also quite easy to make your own toolbar (per
> notebook though), e.g.:
>
> SetOptions[EvaluationNotebook[],
>  DockedCells -> {
>    Cell[BoxData[ToBoxes[
>       Row[{
>         Button["\[Dagger]",
>          FrontEnd`FrontEndExecute[
>           FrontEnd`FrontEndToken["EvaluatorQuit"]],
>          Evaluator -> None
>          ],
>         Button["\[DeleteKey]",
>          FrontEnd`FrontEndExecute[
>           FrontEnd`FrontEndToken["DeleteGeneratedCells"]],
>          Evaluator -> None
>          ]
>         }]
>       ]], "DockedCell"]
>    }
>  ]
>
> hth,
>
> albert

WRI has been a bit slow in implementing the latest fashion of GUI
gadgets sported in Adobe or MS commercial software (for example). Let
us not forget that powerful palettes only came with V.6 and expecially
with V.7. Dockable palettes still do not exists and collapsible
palettes neither.

>Since version 6 it is also quite easy to make your own toolbar (per
> notebook though)....

I disagree in part with Albert on this: it is indeed possible to make
toolbars, but it is not too easy because:
1 it is not very well documented (where is the info page on BoxData?)
2 there are no serious examples in the documentation (See for ex. the
DockedCell info o page)

I am afraid to say that most people learn how to make docked cells or
complex GUI interfaces only by looking at code posted here or
elsewhere, written by WRI staff/insiders.
Officially released code examples or videotrainings do not exists. Am
I wrong?


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