Custom object files and extended features
Two techniques for customizing AppBuilder are:
- Creating custom object (
.cst) files. - Creating Extended Features (
XFTR).
Custom object files determine which objects are available in AppBuilder. They determine the options on both the New dialog box (accessed by choosing File
New from AppBuilder’s main menu) and the Object Palette.
An Extended Feature, or XFTR, is a custom code block that you write and place in a procedure file. At critical moments in the processing of the procedure file, AppBuilder passes control to the XFTR, which can then run its own 4GL procedures. These procedures can interact with AppBuilder, calling the AppBuilder application program interface (API). You use XFTRs to perform a variety of customized processing, such as creating and deleting objects, modifying code sections, and creating custom preprocessor variables. Wizards and cue cards are examples of customized processing implemented with XFTRs.
The following sections describe these techniques.