15 import

The use of a module in another module or dialog is started with the keyword import.

The keyword is followed by the logical name of the module. The logical name usually is not the name of the module itself. Sometimes it is even possible to use one and the same module with different logical names in a module although this can be described in a better and more elegant way by using models. The logical name of the imported module is followed by a string bearing the name of the interface file.

Definition

{ export | reexport } import { <Identifier> } "<filename>"
{
  object-specific attributes>
}

15.1 Attributes

Attribute	RLD	PID	Properties	Short Description
.application	application	application	S,G/D/C	functions of the module to be loaded are to be linked to this application
.document[integer]	object	document	S,G/-/-	accesses the I-th XML Document
.external	boolean	boolean	-,G/-/-	returns if the object class is an USW class
.external[integer]	class	class	-,G/-/-	returns the I-th registered USW class
.firstrecord	object	record	S,G/-/C	accesses the first record of an object
.index	integer	integer	-,G/-/-	current index of object in the children list of its parent
.lastrecord	object	record	S,G/-/C	accesses the last record of an object
.load	boolean	boolean	S,G/D/C	loading state of the module
.record[integer]	object	record	S,G/-/C	accesses the I-th record of an object
.recordcount	integer	integer	-,G/-/-	queries the number of child records
.static	boolean	boolean	S,G/D/C	module can be unloaded

15.2 Specific Attributes

A module can be loaded into another module in different ways. Loading here implies that not only the object names but also their definitions are known to the module and can thus be displayed and changed. Internally there are three different kinds of loading some of which are already determined by the objects defined or exported in the module.

load on use

The module is loaded immediately. You cannot influence the time when the module is loaded, as objects from the module are needed immediately (default); others are needed when superordinate modules are read. This applies when the module contains exported necessary models and resources.
implicit load

The module will be loaded only if an exported object out of the module is really needed, e.g. if the object is accessed in a rule by reference or query.
explicit load

In this case you yourself decide whether you want the module to be loaded. For this purpose you have to set the attribute .load to true at the logical module name (import name). The module will then be loaded and made available by the Dialog Manager.

Example

module Modul

import Colors "color.if";

window W

{

.bgc Green; // load on use

}

on W focus

{

this.bgc := Red; // implicit load

}

on W select

{

Colors.load := true; // explicit load

}

Load on use is preferred to the other loading types. Implicit load is preferred to explicit load. In the example above load on use is carried out, i.e. the other types have no effect any longer as the module is already in the memory and the rules can be executed directly.

Explicit load can be specified as attribute already at the import.

module Modul

import Colors "color.if"

{

.load true; // explicit load

}

15.3 Example

!! Interfacefile: module.if

module Module

export import StandardColor "color.if";

...

import Colors "PRIVLIB:mycolor.if";

// The file mycolor.if is only searched

// in the path PRIVLIB