This page provides a template for editing EMF data. The following levels are handled:

• File handling
• Editor
• Controls

References to the supporting packages are provided where applicable.

File handling

There are the following situations:

• Information stored in a single, fixed file
  For example, information on all vacations stored in a single file.
• File to open or save to be specified per usage
  For example, each photoshow is stored in its own file.

Common:

• Filename
  The user should always see on which file he’s working
• Changes
  The application has to know whether there are changes in the data since the data was last saved. This is known as the file being ‘dirty’.
  This should also be visible to the user.

Information stored in a single, fixed file

Some types of information are typically stored in a single file. Examples of this (in the MyWorld application) are:

• Your family address book (Rolodex)
• Your personal media information

In this case the filename is typically specified in a configuration file and the file is opened on application startup. There is only a File/Save menu option.

Application start:

• Check that the filename is specified
  See the section Tailoring for information on the mechanism used in the MyWorld application. Based on this mechanism the check is simply checking that the respective field in the registry is filled in.
• If the filename isn’t specified, inform the user about this and inform him how to specify the filename. Or, even better, offer him the option to open an editor to set this value. This is done in the MyWorld application.
  Settings are handled at startup, so typically the user has to restart the application after updating the settings.
•  If the filename is specified, the next check is to see whether the file exists.
  If the file doesn’t exist, inform the user about this and ask him whether the file should be created or not. Typically the application can’t do anything if the file isn’t created.
• Open the file
• When the user selects File/Save, save the file and clear the ‘dirty’ indication.
• If the user wants to exit the application, check whether the file is ‘dirty’. If so, ask the user whether he want so save changes before exiting.

File to open or save to be specified per usage

Some types of information are typically stored per file. For example, each photoshow is stored in its own file.

Editor

Controls