====== Control Development ======
Workflow for creating new UI controls for the WvdS FPC RAD Suite.
Controls must work for **design-time** (VS Code Designer) and **runtime** (Desktop/TUI/Web).
===== Overview =====
A control consists of multiple layers:
^ Layer ^ Purpose ^ Path ^
| Runtime Model | Target-neutral logic | ''~/sources/common/ui/controls/{category}/'' |
| Target Renderer | Target-specific rendering | ''~/sources/common/ui/targets/{target}/renderers/'' |
| Pack Manifest | PXAML tag → class mapping | ''~/packs/controls/{control_id}/'' |
| Designer Metadata | Toolbox, Properties, Events | ''~/sources/extensions/wvds.vscode.ui.meta/'' |
===== Variables =====
When creating a control, define these variables:
^ Variable ^ Example ^ Description ^
| ''{CONTROL_ID}'' | ''dateedit'' | Unique identifier (lowercase) |
| ''{CONTROL_CLASS}'' | ''TWvdSDateEdit'' | Pascal class name |
| ''{PXAML_TAG}'' | ''DateEdit'' | Tag name in PXAML |
| ''{PXAML_NS}'' | ''wvds'' | Namespace (wvds for internal controls) |
| ''{TARGETS}'' | ''tui,desktop,web'' | Supported targets |
===== Workflow (7 Steps) =====
==== Step 1: Contract Freeze ====
Define the public API of the control:
**Properties:**
(* Minimal set of public properties *)
property Value: TDateTime read FValue write SetValue;
property Format: string read FFormat write SetFormat;
property MinDate: TDateTime read FMinDate write FMinDate;
property MaxDate: TDateTime read FMaxDate write FMaxDate;
property ReadOnly: Boolean read FReadOnly write FReadOnly;
**Events:**
(* Required events *)
property OnValueChanged: TWvdSNotifyEvent read FOnValueChanged write FOnValueChanged;
property OnValidating: TWvdSValidateEvent read FOnValidating write FOnValidating;
**TargetCaps:**
^ Capability ^ TUI ^ Desktop ^ Web ^
| Keyboard | Required | Required | Required |
| Mouse | Optional | Required | Required |
| Touch | N/A | Optional | Optional |
| Popup | Optional | Required | Required |
==== Step 2: Runtime Model Unit ====
Create the target-neutral model unit:
**Path:** ''~/sources/common/ui/controls/{category}/WvdS.UI.Controls.{Category}.{ControlId}.pas''
unit WvdS.UI.Controls.Editors.DateEdit;
{$mode objfpc}{$H+}
interface
uses
WvdS.UI.Core.Base,
WvdS.UI.Core.Events;
type
(*
@abstract(Date input field with calendar popup)
Target-neutral model for DateEdit.
Contains NO rendering or host dependencies.
*)
TWvdSDateEdit = class(TWvdSControl)
private
FValue: TDateTime;
FFormat: string;
FOnValueChanged: TWvdSNotifyEvent;
procedure SetValue(AValue: TDateTime);
protected
procedure DoValueChanged; virtual;
public
constructor Create(AOwner: TWvdSComponent); override;
property Value: TDateTime read FValue write SetValue;
property Format: string read FFormat write FFormat;
property OnValueChanged: TWvdSNotifyEvent read FOnValueChanged write FOnValueChanged;
end;
implementation
(* Implementation without target-specific code *)
end.
**No target-specific dependencies!** No DOM, no terminal I/O, no LCL units.
==== Step 3: Target Renderer Units ====
Create a renderer for each target in ''{TARGETS}'':
=== TUI Renderer ===
**Path:** ''~/sources/common/ui/targets/tui/renderers/WvdS.UI.TUI.Renderers.DateEdit.pas''
unit WvdS.UI.TUI.Renderers.DateEdit;
{$mode objfpc}{$H+}
interface
uses
WvdS.UI.TUI.Renderer.Base,
WvdS.UI.Controls.Editors.DateEdit;
type
TWvdSTUIDateEditRenderer = class(TWvdSTUIRenderer)
public
procedure Measure(AControl: TWvdSControl; out AWidth, AHeight: Integer); override;
procedure Paint(AControl: TWvdSControl; ACanvas: TWvdSTUICanvas); override;
procedure HandleInput(AControl: TWvdSControl; AEvent: TWvdSInputEvent); override;
end;
implementation
procedure TWvdSTUIDateEditRenderer.Measure(AControl: TWvdSControl; out AWidth, AHeight: Integer);
begin
AWidth := 12; (* [YYYY-MM-DD] *)
AHeight := 1;
end;
procedure TWvdSTUIDateEditRenderer.Paint(AControl: TWvdSControl; ACanvas: TWvdSTUICanvas);
var
DateEdit: TWvdSDateEdit;
begin
DateEdit := AControl as TWvdSDateEdit;
ACanvas.DrawText(0, 0, FormatDateTime(DateEdit.Format, DateEdit.Value));
end;
procedure TWvdSTUIDateEditRenderer.HandleInput(AControl: TWvdSControl; AEvent: TWvdSInputEvent);
begin
(* Keyboard handling for date changes *)
end;
end.
=== Desktop Renderer ===
**Path:** ''~/sources/common/ui/targets/gui/renderers/WvdS.UI.Desktop.Renderers.DateEdit.pas''
=== Web Renderer ===
**Path:** ''~/sources/common/ui/targets/web/renderers/WvdS.UI.Web.Renderers.DateEdit.pas''
==== Step 4: Pack Manifest ====
Create the pack manifest for the PXAML resolver:
**Path:** ''~/packs/controls/{control_id}/pack.wvds.json''
{
"id": "dateedit",
"vendor": "wvds",
"version": "0.1.0",
"xml": {
"namespace": "wvds",
"tag": "DateEdit"
},
"model": {
"unit": "WvdS.UI.Controls.Editors.DateEdit",
"class": "TWvdSDateEdit"
},
"renderers": {
"tui": {
"unit": "WvdS.UI.TUI.Renderers.DateEdit",
"class": "TWvdSTUIDateEditRenderer"
},
"desktop": {
"unit": "WvdS.UI.Desktop.Renderers.DateEdit",
"class": "TWvdSDesktopDateEditRenderer"
},
"web": {
"unit": "WvdS.UI.Web.Renderers.DateEdit",
"class": "TWvdSWebDateEditRenderer"
}
},
"targetCaps": {
"requires": ["keyboard"],
"optional": ["mouse", "popup"]
}
}
==== Step 5: Designer Metadata ====
Create designer metadata for Toolbox and Properties:
**Add descriptor to:** ''~/sources/common/core/meta/WvdS.Meta.Controls.Editors.pas''
procedure RegisterDateEditMeta(ARegistry: TMetaRegistry);
var
TypeMeta: TTypeMeta;
begin
TypeMeta := CreateTypeMeta('DateEdit', 'TWvdSDateEdit', 'Editors');
TypeMeta.Description := 'Date input field with calendar popup';
TypeMeta.Icon := 'calendar';
(* Properties *)
TypeMeta.AddProperty(CreatePropertyMeta('Value', pkDateTime, 'Current date value'));
TypeMeta.AddProperty(CreatePropertyMeta('Format', pkString, 'Display format (e.g. yyyy-mm-dd)'));
TypeMeta.AddProperty(CreatePropertyMeta('MinDate', pkDateTime, 'Earliest allowed date'));
TypeMeta.AddProperty(CreatePropertyMeta('MaxDate', pkDateTime, 'Latest allowed date'));
TypeMeta.AddProperty(CreatePropertyMeta('ReadOnly', pkBoolean, 'Read-only mode'));
(* Events *)
TypeMeta.AddEvent(CreateEventMeta('OnValueChanged', 'Fired when Value changes'));
TypeMeta.AddEvent(CreateEventMeta('OnValidating', 'Fired before value change'));
ARegistry.RegisterType(TypeMeta);
end;
==== Step 6: Registry Registration ====
Register the control in the runtime registries:
=== PXAML Resolver ===
The ''pxamlc'' compiler reads ''pack.wvds.json'' automatically from ''~/packs/''.
=== Target Runtime Registry ===
Update the renderer registry for each target:
(* In WvdS.UI.TUI.Render.Registry.pas *)
procedure RegisterTUIRenderers;
begin
(* ... other renderers ... *)
RegisterRenderer(TWvdSDateEdit, TWvdSTUIDateEditRenderer);
end;
==== Step 7: Documentation ====
Create API documentation for the control:
**Path:** ''~/docs/api/controls/dateedit.md''
# TWvdSDateEdit
Date input field with optional calendar popup.
## When to Use
- User needs to enter a date
- Restrict date range (MinDate/MaxDate)
- Formatted date display required
## Properties
| Property | Type | Description |
|----------|------|-------------|
| Value | TDateTime | Current date value |
| Format | string | Display format |
| MinDate | TDateTime | Earliest allowed date |
| MaxDate | TDateTime | Latest allowed date |
| ReadOnly | Boolean | Read-only mode |
## Events
| Event | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| OnValueChanged | Fired when Value changes |
| OnValidating | Allows validation before value change |
## Example
```xml
```
===== Completion Criteria =====
A control is complete when:
[ ] VS Code Designer can place {PXAML_NS}:{PXAML_TAG}
[ ] Properties editable in Designer
[ ] Preview in Designer works
[ ] Target build (tui/desktop/web) compiles successfully
[ ] Pack manifest present and recognized by resolver
[ ] API documentation written
===== See Also =====
* [[.:pxaml-pipeline|PXAML Pipeline]]
* [[.:pack-struktur|Pack Structure]]
* [[.:targets|Build Targets]]
* [[.:meta-api|Meta API]]