The Buffer Windows

You will create your graphic objects in the buffer windows that are displayed within the Views Studio Main window. When using the Foundation Studio, you have access to only one type of buffer window, a 2D Graphics window. By default, an empty buffer window is displayed when Views Studio is launched. The current buffer window type is shown at the bottom of the Main window in the message area.

A 2D Graphics buffer window allows you to edit the contents of an IlvManager or an IlvContainer. It uses an IlvManager object to load, edit, and save objects. You can have multiple buffer windows open in the work space.

To create a new 2D Graphics buffer window, choose New from the File menu, then 2D Graphics from the submenu.

To open a 2D Graphics buffer, you can also execute the NewGraphicBuffer command from the Commands panel, which you can display by choosing Commands from the Tools menu.

When you open a .ilv file that was generated by an IlvManager, a 2D Graphics buffer window is automatically opened.

Using the small boxes in the top-right corner, you can minimize or maximize the buffer windows in the work space.

Note As you use Views Studio extensions provided with other Views packages, you will have access to other types of buffer windows (Gadgets, Grapher, Application, and Prototypes). Each buffer type provides access to additional features of Views Studio and has its own set of editing modes. In addition, the behavior of certain commands varies depending on the current buffer. For example, the Test command tests just the panel if you are editing a Gadgets buffer, but it tests all the panel instances in an application if you are editing an Application buffer.