Hi Experts,
Where can I find the documentation about "access string" and how to use it? Is it an obsolete concept in SS4?
In the "DialogItemRsc Structure" section of MicroStation Programmer Guide CHM file, the word "access string" is in the description of the auxInfo field:
Contains additional item-specific information. Currently, this field is used only to override the access string defined in an item resource. This ability enables the item to act as it is defined in the item resource but affect a different application variable.
However, when I searched for "access string" in the CHM, I can only find some text or sample code comment referring to it, but not an instruction to describe what it is. I then looked at a document of old MicroStation version (version 5): http://documentmanagement/lldm01/llisapi.dll/open/101416101
In the old document, I found the following description: An access string defines a program variable to associate with a dialog item. This allows you to change program variables (called settings) from a dialog box without using a hook function. Element placement and manipulation commands will reference these settings. The MDL debugger is ideal for inspecting access string while the application is running. For information on access strings, see "Dialog Box Manager Overview" on page 15-1.
However, I cannot this kind of description in SS4 help doc, so I feel it maybe obsoleted from documentation but still effective in SDK ... just like MDL debugger.
Hi Sui,
Sui Huang said:Is it an obsolete concept in SS4?
No and yes. The access strings concept is an integral part of MicroStation GUI resources, so to ask whether specifically the access strings are obsolete, without asking the same for the whole GUI defined using resources, makes no sense.
MicroStation resources (both GUI and other related resources) were introduced together with MDL itself in MicroStation V4. 30 years ago! So the whole systems and many concepts implemented are quite old. Plus, when compared with more modern GUIs (like WPF or web frameworks), they can be treated obsolete.
On the other hand, whereas compilation to pseudocode was marked as obsolete in (I guess) V8 2004 Edition (16 years ago) and removed completely in CONNECT Edition, the resources are still used and even MicroStation uses dialog defined by resources.
Sui Huang said:In the old document, I found the following description
The same information is available also in MicroStation Programmer Guide in SDK V8i SS4. No reason to use old documentation.
Sui Huang said:However, when I searched for "access string" in the CHM, I can only find some text or sample code comment referring to it, but not an instruction to describe what it is.
That's the reality, accept it. Bentley have never been good at providing tutorials and explaining higher level concepts, how things work in background and what are best practices.
On the other hand, my feeling from your recent questions is that you want to try to understand everything in details, which in this case is not good approach and because of lack of tutorials can be very confusing.
The best way how to learn MicroStation resources is to study examples delivered with SDK installation, because they are often very simple and the code is not polluted by many functionalities merged together. Both chm delivered with SDK (Programmer Guide and API reference) are also necessary.
To study resources without learning API, compilers and make files all together (which of course is pretty complex task) is not efficient.
Sui Huang said:how to use it?
The concept of "access strings" is very simple, because common to every GUI framework, but implemented in a specific way. It solves the problem how to bind code and a state of GUI element instance (defined in static resource).
I recommend to analyze some example (probably any where mdlDialog_publishComplexVariable) how DlogBoxInfo is defined, "published" in .mt file and "published" in c/cpp code.
With regards,
Jan
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