About user objects

Two types

There are two major types of user objects: visual and
class.

Visual user objects

A visual user object is a reusable control or set of controls that
has a certain behavior. There are three types — standard, custom, and
external.

Visual user objects	Description
Standard	Inherited from a specific visual control. You can set properties and write scripts so that the control is ready for use. It has the same events and properties as the control it is inherited from plus any that you add.
Custom	Inherited from the UserObject system class. You can include many controls in the user object and write scripts for their events. Each control in the user object has the same events and properties as the controls from which they are inherited plus any that you add.
External	A user object that displays a visual control defined in a DLL. The control is not part of the PowerBuilder object hierarchy. The DLL developer provides information for setting style bits that control its presentation. Its events, functions, and properties are specified by the developer of the DLL. An external user object is not the same as an OCX, which you can put in an OLE control.

Visual user objects

Description

Standard

Inherited from a specific visual control. You can
set properties and write scripts so that the control is ready
for use.

It has the same events and properties as
the control it is inherited from plus any that you
add.

Custom

Inherited from the UserObject system class. You can
include many controls in the user object and write scripts for
their events.

Each control in the user object has
the same events and properties as the controls from which they
are inherited plus any that you add.

External

A user object that displays a visual control
defined in a DLL. The control is not part of the PowerBuilder
object hierarchy. The DLL developer provides information for
setting style bits that control its
presentation.

Its events, functions, and properties
are specified by the developer of the DLL.

An
external user object is not the same as an OCX, which you can
put in an OLE control.

Class user objects

Class user objects consist of properties, functions, and sometimes
events. They have no visual component. There are two types — standard
and custom.

Class user objects	Description
Standard	Inherits its definition from a nonvisual PowerBuilder object, such as the Transaction or Error object. You can add instance variables and functions. A few nonvisual objects have events to write scripts for these events, you have to define a class user object.
Custom	An object of your own design for which you define instance variables, events, and functions in order to encapsulate application-specific programming in an object.

Class user objects

Description

Standard

Inherits its definition from a nonvisual
PowerBuilder object, such as the Transaction or Error object.
You can add instance variables and functions.

A few
nonvisual objects have events to write scripts for these events,
you have to define a class user object.

Custom

An object of your own design for which you define
instance variables, events, and functions in order to
encapsulate application-specific programming in an
object.

For information on defining and using user objects, see the Working with User Objects in Users Guide.

Document get from Powerbuilder help

Thank you for watching.

Powerbuilder Documentation 2017

August 20, 2023

Was this article helpful?