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Customizing Studio Layouts

The Studio allows you to customize its layout with tremendous flexibility. This way, you, the DataFlex developer, can get the most out of your development environment.

Multiple Layout Support

The Studio supports two layouts: Design Time Layout and Debugging Layout.

Developers typically need and want access to different Studio windows while designing and editing applications than while debugging. For example, developers typically want debugging tools like the Locals, Watches, Breakpoints, and Call Stack windows open during debugging, but not while designing or editing code.

Both layouts are saved and restored each time the Studio is opened.

Customizing a Layout

You can fully customize each Studio layout, with built-in support for these features:

  • Docking Windows
    Docking Windows allow you to dock most windows in the Studio to move them to different locations. You can also detach (float) docking windows, nest multiple docking windows inside each other or on top of each other with tabs, or pin them to automatically hide and appear as needed.

  • Tab Windows
    Read more about the tab windows interface here.

  • Dual Monitor Support
    You can drag floating Studio windows to a second monitor.

  • Movable Tab Positions
    In any group of multiple tabbed windows, you can move the position of any tab to another position by simply dragging and dropping the tab button.

  • More
    Read more about docking windows here.

Try customizing the Studio just the way you want. You can always restore the default layout by choosing 'Restore Design Time Layout' or 'Restore Debugging Layout' from the Tools menu.

Moving Docking Windows

To move a docking window, simply drag and drop it to the new location. To move a single window without tabs or a window containing multiple tabbed windows, drag the window's caption bar. To move a single window that is part of a tabbed window group, drag the window's tab button.

Once you begin dragging the window, it will appear as a floating window. You will see 'docking stickers' visually appear to show all the possible places the window can be dropped. The docking stickers look like this:

Docking Sticker Type 1 Docking Sticker Type 2

If you move the mouse cursor over one of the docking stickers while dragging the window, you will see the area highlighted where the window would be docked if you drop it onto that docking sticker:

Dropping Onto Docking Sticker 1

If you drag the window onto the middle docking sticker, you will even see the outline of a tab button, showing you that the window will be added on top of the existing window or group of windows as a new tab page:

Dropping Onto Docking Sticker 2

Don't worry if you drop a window in the wrong place; you can always drag it somewhere else again. If you do drop a window before moving the mouse cursor over one of the docking stickers, it will simply become a floating window that you can move around anywhere. For example, you can drag it to a second monitor if you have a dual monitor configuration in Windows.

You can also use most existing windows, floating or docked, as a parent for multiple groups of windows.

See Also