Doc/mac/libminiae.tex

   1 \section{\module{MiniAEFrame} ---
   2          Open Scripting Architecture server support}
   3
   4 \declaremodule{standard}{MiniAEFrame}
   5   \platform{Mac}
   6 \modulesynopsis{Support to act as an Open Scripting Architecture (OSA) server
   7 (``Apple Events'').}
   8
   9
  10 The module \module{MiniAEFrame} provides a framework for an application
  11 that can function as an Open Scripting Architecture
  12 \index{Open Scripting Architecture}
  13 (OSA) server, i.e. receive and process
  14 AppleEvents\index{AppleEvents}. It can be used in conjunction with
  15 \refmodule{FrameWork}\refstmodindex{FrameWork} or standalone. As an
  16 example, it is used in \program{PythonCGISlave}.
  17
  18
  19 The \module{MiniAEFrame} module defines the following classes:
  20
  21
  22 \begin{classdesc}{AEServer}{}
  23 A class that handles AppleEvent dispatch. Your application should
  24 subclass this class together with either
  25 \class{MiniApplication} or
  26 \class{FrameWork.Application}. Your \method{__init__()} method should
  27 call the \method{__init__()} method for both classes.
  28 \end{classdesc}
  29
  30 \begin{classdesc}{MiniApplication}{}
  31 A class that is more or less compatible with
  32 \class{FrameWork.Application} but with less functionality. Its
  33 event loop supports the apple menu, command-dot and AppleEvents; other
  34 events are passed on to the Python interpreter and/or Sioux.
  35 Useful if your application wants to use \class{AEServer} but does not
  36 provide its own windows, etc.
  37 \end{classdesc}
  38
  39
  40 \subsection{AEServer Objects \label{aeserver-objects}}
  41
  42 \begin{methoddesc}[AEServer]{installaehandler}{classe, type, callback}
  43 Installs an AppleEvent handler. \var{classe} and \var{type} are the
  44 four-character OSA Class and Type designators, \code{'****'} wildcards
  45 are allowed. When a matching AppleEvent is received the parameters are
  46 decoded and your callback is invoked.
  47 \end{methoddesc}
  48
  49 \begin{methoddesc}[AEServer]{callback}{_object, **kwargs}
  50 Your callback is called with the OSA Direct Object as first positional
  51 parameter. The other parameters are passed as keyword arguments, with
  52 the 4-character designator as name. Three extra keyword parameters are
  53 passed: \code{_class} and \code{_type} are the Class and Type
  54 designators and \code{_attributes} is a dictionary with the AppleEvent
  55 attributes.
  56
  57 The return value of your method is packed with
  58 \function{aetools.packevent()} and sent as reply.
  59 \end{methoddesc}
  60
  61 Note that there are some serious problems with the current
  62 design. AppleEvents which have non-identifier 4-character designators
  63 for arguments are not implementable, and it is not possible to return
  64 an error to the originator. This will be addressed in a future
  65 release.