OverView

Before we get started lets run through a few basic fundamentals.

Firstly, Xlnt is a set of additional Functions which can be accessed by you the user in your own programs. This allows you to easily create a user interface (UI) for your programs without having to worry too much about the behind the scenes technicalities. When you are developing your code then you must "Include" the Xlnt file. However, when you have finished your program and make an .EXE then the "Include" file is automatically inserted into the .EXE file.

Xlnt works on the principal of Handles. All user specified objects (ie Windows, Gadgets, Menus) have a unique Handle (or name) assigned to them upon creation. This allows the programmer (you!) to access individual objects without having to worry about conflicts or errors. (hopefully!)

Interfaces built using Xlnt can be broken down into 4 seperate sections; Windows, Gadgets, Menus, and Tabs.

Windows
Windows will form the main component of your UI. They provide the backing to which you apply your Gadgets and Menus. Xlnt allows you to open an unlimited number of Windows, each with its own unique set of Gadgets and Menus.....thus allowing you to make quite complex UI`s. Windows can be resized, minimised, dragged, pushed, pulled, opened, closed, you name it you can do it! But before all that you have to make a window.
To make a window you must first use the GUI_WINDOW() function, which initialises a window. To actually display the window you must use the GUI_OPENWIN() function, which sets the window as active. See the Window Functions section for more help.

Gadgets
Gadgets are the tools that allow the user to talk to your program. Xlnt offers a whole range of MS Windows type Gadgets, including Buttons, Text Input Boxes, Pull-Down Selectors etc. These Gadgets are attached to their respective Windows and are accessed using the Gadget Functions .

Menus
Menus come in two different varieties; Menus and Quick-Menus. Normal Menus are Window specific - ie. they are attached to  a Windows TitleBar. With each Window having a unique set of Menus. Quick-Menus (QMenus) are not Window specific, but are "floating" Menus called up from anywhere on screen using the right mouse button. QMenus work independantly of Windows. See the Menu Functions section for more help.

Tabs
A Window can become quite crowded with Gadgets. Therefore, Xlnt-GUI allows you to group all related gadgets together under their own Tab. Each Window can have an unlimited number of Tabs, with each Tab having its own gadgets. However, every Window has a special default tab - tab 0. This is the background tab, and any gadgets attached to this tab are displayed at all times, regardless of any other active tabs. This is useful for adding OK Cancel Apply buttons - which can be accessed at anytime. See Tab Functions ...