Inside Macintosh: Apple Guide Complete / Part 4 - Scripting Guide Files

Chapter 10 - Guide Script Command Reference

This chapter describes Guide Script commands. You can use these commands to specify the content of your guide file. For example, using these commands you can specify startup information, create panels and panel objects (such as buttons, text, and pictures), align panel objects on a panel, set prompt values, and define topic area information and index information. Each command description in this chapter provides the command syntax, a description of the command parameters, a description of the command itself, and examples of the use of the command.

Some Guide Script commands can be referenced using an abbreviated spelling in addition to the command's full name (<QT> for <QuickTime>, for example). For a list of abbreviations for all commands, see "Appendix A: Guide Script Command Abbreviations."

This chapter first gives a brief overview of the syntax governing all commands, then presents the command descriptions. A summary list of all commands and their parameters is given in "Appendix B: Guide Script Commands and Parameters Quick Reference."

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Chapter Contents

Guide Script Command Syntax

Guide Script Command Descriptions

Specifying Startup Information

<App Creator>

<Gestalt>

<Version>

<World Script>

<Help Menu>

<Balloon Menu Text>

<Comment>

<Include>

<Mixin>

<Mixin Match>

Specifying the Startup Window

<Startup Window>

<Howdy>

<App Logo>

<App Text>

Specifying Default Settings

<Max Height>

<Min Height>

<Default Format>

<Default Nav Button Set>

<Allow Prompts>

<Default Prompt Set>

<Define Prompt Set>

Creating Sequences

<Define Sequence>

<Sequence Prompt Set>

<Seq Nav Button Set>

<Panel>

<Insert Sequence>

<Jump Sequence>

<Launch New Sequence>

<Build Sequence>

<End Sequence>

Creating Panels

<Define Panel>

<Panel Prompt>

<End Panel>

Creating Buttons

<Standard Button>

<3D Button>

<Radio Button>

<Radio Button Launch New Seq>

<Checkbox>

<Define Nav Button>

<Dimmable Button Data>

<Define Nav Button Set>

Defining and Using Text Buttons

<Define Text Block>

<End Text Block>

Formatting Text and Objects in a Panel

<Define Format>

<Define Transparent Format>

<Format>

Specifying Pictures and Movies

<PICT>

<QuickTime>

Importing Resources

<Resource>

<Starting Res Number>

Creating CoachMarks

<Define Menu Coach>

<Define Item Coach>

<Define Object Coach>

<Define Window Coach>

<Define AppleScript Coach>

<Coach Mark>

Creating Hot Items

<Hot Object>

<Hot Rectangle>

<Hot Text>

Defining Topic Areas

<Topic Areas Instruction>

<Topic Area>

Defining Index Terms

<Index Instruction>

<Index>

<Sorting>

<Index Sorting>

Defining Topics for Topic Areas and Index Terms

<Topics Instruction>

<Header>

<Topic>

Specifying "Look For" Help

<Look For Instruction>

<Look For String>

<Look For Search Btn Instruction>

<Look For Results Instruction>

<Ignore>

<Exception>

<Synonym>

Specifying Conditional Execution

<If>

<Else>

<End If>

<Skip If>

<Make Sure>

<Start Making Sure>

<End Making Sure>

Defining and Using Context Checks

<Define Context Check>

checkBoxState

radioButtonState

Specifying Events

<Define Event>

<Define Event List>

<On Panel Create>

<On Panel Destroy>

<On Panel Show>

<On Panel Hide>

Built-in Event Function

Working With Mixin Guide Files

<Replace Sequence>

<Insert Topic Area Header>

<Insert Topic Area Topic>

<Insert Index Header>

<Insert Index Topic>

<Delete Topic Area>

<Delete Topic Area Header>

<Delete Topic Area Topic>

<Delete Index>

<Delete Index Header>

<Delete Index Topic>