NAME

       fdesign -  Forms Library User Interface Designer

SYNOPSIS

       fdesign [-xformoptions] [-options] [files]

DESCRIPTION

       fdesign  is  a GUI builder that helps in the construction of graphical user interface in a
       WYSIWYG ("what you see is what you get") way by allowing the user to  directly  manipulate
       various  objects,  such  as  buttons,  sliders  and  menus etc.  Once a satisfactory UI is
       constructed, the user can save the composed interface into a set of external files.  Files
       with  the  extension  '.fd'  contain  all information about the objects and can be read in
       again by fdesign.  The files with C code and header files when compiled and linked against
       the  Forms  Library, generate code that at run-time constructs the exact same interface as
       the ones seen within fdesign.

       A variety of output languages is possible via external filters.  As of  this  writing,  C,
       perl, ada95, Fortran, pascal, and PostScript output filters are known to exist.

OPTIONS

       fdesign accepts all standard Forms Library command line options as well as the following:

       -help Prints  a  brief summary of all command line options. This option does not require a
             connection to the X server.

       -version
             Prints the current version of fdesign and exits.

       -geometry geom
             Specifies the prefered size and location of main working area in which the UI is  to
             be constructed.

       -convert fdfile-list
             This  option  prevents fdesign from attempting to make a connection to the X server.
             The file list following this flag is converted to C code directly.

       -dir destdir
             output any converted files in destdir.

       -unit pixel|point|mm|cp|cmm
             selects the unit of measure for object geometries. For non-pixel unit, the interface
             created is screen resolution independent and may be desirable for many applications.
             Note that for typical screens, point (about 1/72 inch) and mm may be too coarse  and
             subject  to round-off errors. Use cp (centi-point, 100th of a point) and cmm (centi-
             mm) instead.

       -altformat
             selects an alternative format for the generated C code where  global  variables  are
             used for the UI components.

       -main requests the output of main program template.

       -callback
             requests the output of callback function template.

       -compensate
             requests the emission of font/server resolution variation compensation code.

       -I headerfile
             uses an alternative header file instead of the default forms.h in the output C code.

       -lax  requests relaxed C syntax checking.

       -ps   This  option  specifies  that instead of emitting the c code for the user interface,
             PostScript code should be emitted.

       -ada  This option requests ada95 code output

       -perl This option requests perl code output.

       -fortran
             This option requests Fortran code output.

       -pascal
             This option requests pascal code output.

       -nocode
             suppresses the output of UI code. Only the .fd file is written.

       The most useful Forms Library command line options are

       -display host:dpy
              This option specifies the X server to connect.

       -flversion
              This option prints the version string of the Forms Library, with which fdesign  was
              build.

       -name appname
              This  option  specifies  the  application  name  under  which  resources  are to be
              obtained, instead of the executable name.  appname  should  not  contain  .  or  *.
              fdesign.

RESOURCES

       The  program  understands all of the Forms Library's resource names and classes as well as
       the following

       control.geometry (class Control.Geometry)
               specifies the geometry of the control panel. Currently the size is ignored.

       unit (Unit)
               specifies the default unit of measure. Default is pixel.

       attributes.geometry (class Attributes.Geometry)
               specifies the geometry of the object attributes  panel.   Currently  the  size  is
               ignored.

       align.geometry (class Align.Geometry)
               specifies the geometry of the object align panel.  Currently the size is ignored.

       xformsHeader (class XFormsHeader)
               specifies the header filename generated in the output C code.  Default is forms.h

       filter (class Filter)
               specifies post-processing filter (an external executable name).

       language (class Language)
               specifies target language name.

       Among the standard Forms Library resources, the following are most useful

       xform.fontsize (class XFORM.FontSize)
              specifies the font size used for most object labels.

       xform.pupfontsize (class XFORM.PupFontSize)
              specifies the font size used in pop-up menus.

       xform.browserFontSize (class XFORM.BrowserFontSize)
              specifies the font size used for the text inside a browser.

SEE ALSO

       xforms(5), fd2ps(1L)

AUTHOR

       Copyright (c) 1996-2002 T.C. Zhao <tc_zhao@yahoo.com> and Mark Overmars <markov@cs.ruu.nl>
       Since 2002: GNU Lesser General Public License
       Maintainers: Jean-Marc Lasgouttes, Angus Leeming and Jens Thoms Toerring <jt@toerring.de>

HOME PAGE

       http://xforms-toolkit.org
       http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/xforms/