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EiffelStudio |
EiffelStudio window overview |
In EiffelStudio all windows have the same components. However, components to be displayed are chosen by the user. Moreover, windows have two modes: the edition mode and the debug mode. Basically, a standard window looks like this:
As you can see, it is divided in several parts: a top section, a left panel, a right panel and a status bar.
The top part is rather not surprising. It first contains a menu bar, which adapts itself to the context of the current project. It also contains two toolbars (the main toolbar and the project toolbar). Between the toolbars is located the main address bar.
The left panel contains various tools that help the navigation in the system.
The right panel contains two major tools: the editor and the context tool.
The status bar supplies various information:
In debug mode, a window looks like this:
In debug mode, the same tools are present, but there are three extra tools. Two are located in the left panel, which display respectively the call stack and the dynamic value of expressions. The other is in the right panel and can be used to view the state of objects while debugging.
All tools have similar controls to give their display options. It is possible to minimize, restore and maximize all tools by using the proper button in their top right-hand corner. Most tools can also be closed. These tools have a close button in the corner.
Tools that can be closed have a corresponding entry in the View/Explorer Bar menu. They also have a corresponding button in the main toolbar.
The only tools that cannot be closed are the editor, and when in debug mode the debug tools.
Both main toolbars can be customized. This allows to select buttons that should be displayed in the toolbars, as well as whether an explanatory text should be displayed next to icons.
The context tool, located in the right panel, is a major part of EiffelStudio. It itself contains several tabs that each correspond to some powerful functionality.
By default, the context tool is unlinked from the rest of the window, which means all left tools refer to the object that is in the editor and the main toolbar, while the context tool (and the debug tools if they are present) displays information concerning a different object. It is possible to link the context tool, so that the whole development window displays information relative to the same development object.
See Also
EiffelStudio Guided Tour
Browsing tools
Toolbar customization
Editor reference
Formatted information about compiled classes and features
Diagram reference
Metrics reference
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