RV3 Browser object

Description

The Browser object allows an application to communicate with the CLUE Browser user interface.

Communication with the browser typically consists of the following steps:

Initial steps

Lookup steps

RV3 Browser object - Properties

Mode

Data type: INTEGER

Used to set the Mode of the server.

Modes include:

0 = "Inactive"

The server does not initiate browsing until another mode is set. This mode can be used while setting other server variable across the API,

1 = "Simple"

Allows Read Code Searches for core terms. Does not allow core terms to be qualified.

2 = "Complex"

Allows Read Code Searches for core terms and addition of appropriate qualifiers.

State

Data type: INTEGER

The current selection state of the Browser. This indicates the following:

0 = Inactive

The selection process is no longer active. This may occur when the user closes the user interface.

1 = Active

The selection process is still active.

2 = Selection cancelled

The selection process was cancelled before completion. The client application should not read the selected values.

3 = Selection complete

The selection process for the current mode is now complete and the selected values are available to the client application.

Additional values are also supported to indicate different selection options in the Browser. In the CLUE Browser values can be associated with a configurable set of Buttons. This allows the application programme to customise the user interface screen and to detect which button has been pressed. Certain values are associated with copying information from the Browser to the clipboard and requesting the client application to close the Browser when it has finished reading the current set of properties (see discussion of Button set 2 for details). Other values are user definable.

Key

Data type: STRING

The value to be assigned to the Key in the server.

The syntax is as described for the Reference.FindTerm method.

This does not imply that the appearance or use of this key in the server user-interface should follow this syntax.

ReadCode

Data type: RCODE

The value to be assigned to the Read Code variable in the server or the value of the Read Code selected by the user.

Blank if no Read Code assigned or selected.

TermId

Data type: RCODE

The value to be assigned to the TermId in the server or the value of the TermId for a term selected by the user.

Blank if no TermId assigned or selected.

Term

Data type: STRING

The text of the Term as selected by the user.

Blank if no Term selected.

RComplex

Data type: RCMPLX

The value to be assigned to the Read Code Complex in the server or the Read Code Complex comprising the Read Code, TermId and qualifiers selected by the user.

Representation of Read Code complexes is defined in the Data Type definition for RCMPLX.

Blank if nothing assigned or nothing selected.

Coding Scheme

Data type: STRING

An identifier of the target coding scheme for cross mapping.

CrossMap

Data type: RCMAP

The value to be assigned to the CrossMap in the server or the CrossMap(s) selected by the user.

A cross map may consist of several target codes that together express the meaning of the Read Code to be mapped.

The presentation of this information is defined in the description of the Data Type RCMAP.

Blank if no cross mappings assigned or selected.

Configuration

Data type: Configuration

The object handle of a configuration object associated with the current instance of the Browser object. The property settings of the referenced Configuration object apply to searches carried out in the Browser.

Name

Data Type: STRING

The string "Browser". The "Name" property has been added to all CLUE API objects to simplify debugging of client code. It can also be used to check the object type when a general object handle is used.

ObjErr

Data Type: INTEGER

An integer containing the error or status code generated by the last method applied to this object.

Button(Index)

Data Type: STRING

The setting of a specified button in the Browser window. There are two sets of buttons in the Browser window. Each button property can be read or set as a string.

Set 1 - The buttons at the top of the window

These have the index numbers 0 to 6 and are used to hierarchically restrict searches. It does this by defining the setting of the Ancestor property to be applied to the Browser object Configuration when a button is pressed.

The Button string consists of:

For example

• Button(0)="ENT,X00hf"

This sets the leftmost button so that its caption is ENT and when clicked it restricts searches to descendants of the Concept represented by the Read Code "X00hf".

Two special cases apply when setting these button values.

• If the string after the comma is "*" the button caption and hierarchy varies according to the selected item in the Browser window hierarchy list.
• If the string after the comma is "<" the button triggers the search to go back through the last few searches.
• A special setting can only apply to one button at a time. Any button that previously had this special role loses the role another button is set in this way.
• The special settings are write-only. You cannot determine if a button has the special effect by checking its current value.

Set 2 - The buttons at the bottom right of the window

These have the index numbers 16 to 21.

The button string consists of:

The State specifies a value which will be assigned to the State property of the Browser object when this button is clicked.

The final element of the button string is the optional word "Default" or "Cancel". The last button to which these words are applied becomes the default and cancel buttons. The default button action occurs when the Return key is pressed and the cancel button action occurs when the Escape key is pressed.

Two special cases apply

If a bitwise and of State and 16 is not zero true the Browser window is closed (or minimised).

If a bitwise and of State and 32 is not zero the contents of the last selected list box to be copied to the clipboard.

If a blank caption is applied to a button, the button is hidden

The ClueCode.Ini file provides a way of preseting the default buttons most commonly used by a partiuclar user. If the user is permitted to set there own preferences in this way the client application should retain a the previous setting before modifying them and should reset them when any customisation is complete.

RV3 Browser object - Methods

Show

Show the Browser user interface.

Hide

• Browser.Hide

Hides or closes the Browser user interface.