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Based on vala 0.1.7, gtkaml 0.2 brings lots of new features that are described

gtkaml 0.2.0.0 requires glib-2.0, vala-1.0 >= 0.1.7, libxml-2.0, and gtk+-2.0

New features in gtkaml 0.2:

  • Write code your way

gtkaml 0.2 allows you to use either underscores in attribute names (like the Gtk+ functions do) or hyphens (as signal names do) interchangeably

  • Write less

The new Gtk.implicits file allows default values for common arguments (for creation methods and add functions). For example, HBox/VBox creation method by default has homogeneous=false and spacing=0, while pack_start borrows the 3 defaults from pack_start_defaults so that you can specify only the changed ones

  • More control

gtkaml creates the construct { } method for your class, where it adds the generated code. If however you want to write yourself code at construction time, you can use gtkaml:preconstruct and gtkaml:construct code attributes on any widget.

They work just like signals, and have a first target parameter with the current widget. Preconstruct is called exactly after creation, before setting other attributes. Construct is called exactly before adding the current widget to the parent container.

Also, gtkaml:implements on the root tag allows you to specify the interfaces you are implementing.

  • Reusing existing widgets

By specifying gtkaml:existing="identifier" you skip the creation method for the current tag, and use an existing widget. An use case would be adding a CellRenderer to a TreeViewColumn and then specifying the attribute it renders:

<TreeViewColumn resizable="true" clickable="false" append_column="true" title="size">
	<CellRendererText class:private="renderer1" expand="true" />
	<CellRendererText class:existing="renderer1" attribute="text" column="1" />
</TreeViewColumn>

The first child tag yields renderer1 = new Gtk.CellRendererText () and pack_start (renderer1, true) and the second only add_attribute ((renderer1 as Gtk.CellRendererText), "text", 1).

  • Creating standalone widgets

Specifying gtkaml:standalone="true" skips the parent container add call for that widget. This way you may create private fields that have their UI described in gtkaml but that you show later, in code, when appropiate. For example, a standalone about dialog:

<AboutDialog class:standalone="true" class:private="aboutdialog1" delete-event="{aboutdialog1.hide_on_delete}"
modal="true" window-position="{WindowPosition.CENTER_ON_PARENT}" />

You can later use this dialog with

aboutdialog1.run ();

  • Existing-standalone widgets

By specifying both gtkaml:standalone and gtkaml:existing you can customize widgets already created and already added to their parent, like the Dialog.vbox container.

  • Windows support

Vala 0.1.7 comes with better windows support. Packages for gtkaml 0.2 on Windows will soon be available (There are already source installation instructions)

Known issues:

Known issues are filed as issue #5, issue #6 and issue #7 and they will be solved in future minor versions