An XControl defines a graphical interface with users, which can comprise any Elipse Power object, intended to be easily multiplied by a project. Users can create an XControl by right-clicking a .lib file created in a Domain or in the Object Libraries - XControl item, by selecting the Insert - XControl option.
Design tab of an XControl
Properties tab of an XControl
When inserting an XControl, please notice that on the lower part of its screen there are the Design, Properties, and Scripts tabs. On the Properties tab, users can insert properties that are exported by this object. These properties can be linked to a Tag or to any other property when this object is used in a project. On the Design tab, which is equivalent to a Screen, users can insert all graphical objects previously described.
Properties to export, or XProperties, can be inserted using the INS key or by clicking Add 
, and can be excluded by clicking Delete 
. The available options are described on the next table.
Available options on the Properties tab of an XControl
Option |
Description |
|---|---|
Name |
Determines the name of this XControl's Property |
Type |
Determines the data type supported by this Property |
Public |
Enables or disables this Property's visibility outside a library, that is, determines whether this Property is public or not |
Persistable |
Determines whether this Property is saved to a project or not |
Retentive |
Determines whether this Property is retentive or not. For XControls, Properties cannot be retentive |
Initial value |
Determines an initial value for this Property |
Help text |
Declaration and documentation text for this Property |
Notice that other Data objects, such as XFolders and XObjects, can be declared as data types. This allows a single Property to control the whole functionality of an object, so that library maintenance becomes easier.
Editing this object has the same graphical resources and options available for Screen edition. Users can insert XControls on any Screen or even inside another XControl by right-clicking a destination Screen or XControl and then selecting the Insert option.
From this moment on, this XControl contains a name inside a Screen, and it is considered a copy of its original definition. Thus, users can define, if needed, values or Links that this specific copy has in the context it is used.