PATH WebObjects 4.0 Documentation > EOInterface Reference

The EOInterface Framework

Framework:
System/Library/Frameworks/EOInterface.framework

Header File Directories:
System/Library/Frameworks/EOInterface.framework/Headers

Introduction

The EOInterface framework defines one of the layers of the Enterprise Objects Framework architecture-the interface layer.

The relationship between user interface objects and enterprise objects is managed by an instance of the EODisplayGroup class. EODisplayGroups are used by EOAssociation objects to mediate between enterprise objects and the user interface. EOAssociations link a single user interface object to one ore more class properties (keys) of the objects managed by an EODisplayGroup. The properties' values are displayed in the association's user interface object.

In the Interface layer, EOAssociation objects "observe" EODisplayGroups to make sure that the data displayed in the user interface remains consistent with enterprise object data. EODisplayGroups interact with a data source, which supplies them with enterprise objects.

The interface layer's associations are listed in the following table:

Association Yellow Box Java Client Description

EOActionAssociation Yes Yes Allows you to set up an interface object, such as a button, to send a message to the objects selected in the association's display group when the interface object is acted on

EOActionCellAssociation Yes No The default association class for use with NSActionCells

EOActionInsertionAssociation Yes Yes Inserts objects from one display group into another.

EOAssociation Yes Yes Defines the mechanism that transfers values between EODisplayGroups and the user interface of an application.

EOColumnAssociation Yes No Cooperates with an EOTableViewAssociation to display values in a column of an NSTableView

EOComboBoxAssociation Yes Yes Displays an attribute or to-one relationship value in a combo box

EOControlAssociation Yes No The default EOAssociation subclass for use with NSControl objects

EODetailSelectionAssociation Yes No Binds two EODisplayGroups together through a relationship, so that the destination display group acts as an editor for that relationship.

EOGenericControlAssociation Yes No the abstract superclass of EOControlAssociation and EOActionCellAssociation.

EOMasterCopyAssociation Yes No Synchronizes two EODisplayGroups that share the same data source but have different qualifiers.

EOMasterDetailAssociation Yes Yes Binds one EODisplayGroup (the detail) to a relationship in another (the master), so that the detail display group contains the destination objects for the object selected in the master.

EOMasterPeerAssociation Yes No Binds two EODisplayGroups together in a master-detail relationship, where the detail EODisplayGroup shows the destination objects for the relationship of the master EODisplayGroup.

EOMatrixAssociation Yes No Allows you to populate an NSMatrix's cells.

EOPickTextAssociation Yes No Allows the user to perform a similarity search based on whole or partial values.

EOPopUpAssociation Yes No Displays an attribute or to-one relationship value in an NSPopUpButton

EORadioMatrixAssociation Yes No Displays a string or an integer in an NSMatrix.

EORecursiveBrowserAssociation Yes No The default association for use with a multi-column NSBrowser.

EOTableViewAssociation Yes No Manages the individual EOColumnAssociations between an NSTableView (Application Kit) and an EODisplayGroup.

EOTextAssociation Yes Yes Displays a plain or rich text attribute in an NSText object (Application Kit) or an EOTextField, EOTextArea, or EOFormCell (Java Client) by binding the text object to a string or NSData attribute.

Association	Yellow Box	Java Client	Description
EOActionAssociation	Yes	Yes	Allows you to set up an interface object, such as a button, to send a message to the objects selected in the association's display group when the interface object is acted on
EOActionCellAssociation	Yes	No	The default association class for use with NSActionCells
EOActionInsertionAssociation	Yes	Yes	Inserts objects from one display group into another.
EOAssociation	Yes	Yes	Defines the mechanism that transfers values between EODisplayGroups and the user interface of an application.
EOColumnAssociation	Yes	No	Cooperates with an EOTableViewAssociation to display values in a column of an NSTableView
EOComboBoxAssociation	Yes	Yes	Displays an attribute or to-one relationship value in a combo box
EOControlAssociation	Yes	No	The default EOAssociation subclass for use with NSControl objects
EODetailSelectionAssociation	Yes	No	Binds two EODisplayGroups together through a relationship, so that the destination display group acts as an editor for that relationship.
EOGenericControlAssociation	Yes	No	the abstract superclass of EOControlAssociation and EOActionCellAssociation.
EOMasterCopyAssociation	Yes	No	Synchronizes two EODisplayGroups that share the same data source but have different qualifiers.
EOMasterDetailAssociation	Yes	Yes	Binds one EODisplayGroup (the detail) to a relationship in another (the master), so that the detail display group contains the destination objects for the object selected in the master.
EOMasterPeerAssociation	Yes	No	Binds two EODisplayGroups together in a master-detail relationship, where the detail EODisplayGroup shows the destination objects for the relationship of the master EODisplayGroup.
EOMatrixAssociation	Yes	No	Allows you to populate an NSMatrix's cells.
EOPickTextAssociation	Yes	No	Allows the user to perform a similarity search based on whole or partial values.
EOPopUpAssociation	Yes	No	Displays an attribute or to-one relationship value in an NSPopUpButton
EORadioMatrixAssociation	Yes	No	Displays a string or an integer in an NSMatrix.
EORecursiveBrowserAssociation	Yes	No	The default association for use with a multi-column NSBrowser.
EOTableViewAssociation	Yes	No	Manages the individual EOColumnAssociations between an NSTableView (Application Kit) and an EODisplayGroup.
EOTextAssociation	Yes	Yes	Displays a plain or rich text attribute in an NSText object (Application Kit) or an EOTextField, EOTextArea, or EOFormCell (Java Client) by binding the text object to a string or NSData attribute.

In addition to the above association classes, EOInterface defines the following classes for use exclusively with Java Client applications:

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