Glade 2.0 File Format: Libglade - Graphical Interface Description Loader API

# Glade 2.0 File Format

Libglade 2.0 introduces a new file format for storing the user interface. Unlike the previous format, this one does not introduce a new element for each new property. This was done so that the format could be described with a fairly small DTD:

    <!-- proposed DTD for new glade format -->

    <!ELEMENT glade-interface (requires*, widget*) >
    <!ATTLIST glade-interface
      xmlns CDATA #FIXED 'http://glade.gnome.org/glade-2.0.dtd' >

    <!ELEMENT requires EMPTY >
    <!ATTLIST requires
      lib CDATA #REQUIRED >

    <!ELEMENT widget (property*, accessibility?, signal*, accelerator*, child*) >
    <!ATTLIST widget
      class CDATA #REQUIRED
      id ID #REQUIRED >

    <!ELEMENT property (#PCDATA) >
    <!-- type is an optional tag, and should be the string name of the
         GType for the property -->
    <!-- translatable specifies whether the property should be translated
         before use. -->
    <!-- context indicates that the value has a |-separated
         context which must be stripped before use, look up g_strip_context()
         in the GLib API documentation for details.-->
    <!ATTLIST property
      name CDATA #REQUIRED
      type CDATA #IMPLIED
      translatable (yes|no) 'no'
      context (yes|no) 'no'
      comments CDATA #IMPLIED
      agent CDATA #IMPLIED >

    <!ELEMENT atkproperty (#PCDATA | accessibility)* >
    <!ATTLIST atkproperty
      name CDATA #REQUIRED
      type CDATA #IMPLIED
      translatable (yes|no) 'no'
      context (yes|no) 'no'
      comments CDATA #IMPLIED >

    <!ELEMENT atkrelation EMPTY >
    <!ATTLIST atkrelation
      target CDATA #REQUIRED
      type CDATA #REQUIRED >

    <!-- description is assumed to be a translatable string -->
    <!ELEMENT atkaction EMPTY >
    <!ATTLIST atkaction
      action_name CDATA #REQUIRED
      description CDATA #IMPLIED >

    <!ELEMENT accessibility (atkrelation | atkaction | atkproperty)* >

    <!ELEMENT signal (property*) >
    <!ATTLIST signal
      name CDATA #REQUIRED
      handler CDATA #REQUIRED
      after (yes|no) 'no'
      object IDREF #IMPLIED
      last_modification_time CDATA #IMPLIED >

    <!ELEMENT accelerator EMPTY >
    <!ATTLIST accelerator
      key CDATA #REQUIRED
      modifiers CDATA #REQUIRED
      signal CDATA #REQUIRED >

    <!ELEMENT child ((widget|placeholder), packing?) >
    <!-- internal children should not have any properties set on them.
         (Internal children are things like the scrollbars in a
         GtkScrolledWindow, or the vbox in a GtkDialog). -->
    <!ATTLIST child
      internal-child CDATA #IMPLIED >

    <!ELEMENT packing (property+) >

    <!ELEMENT placeholder EMPTY >

The `<widget>` elements contain `<property>` elements which define widget properties. In general these map to `GObject` properties.

The `<signal>` and `<accelerator>` elements are used to define signals and accelerators on the widget.

The `<widget>` element may also contain an `<accessibility>` element, which contains accessibility related properties. These set various ATK options (such as ATK properties, relations and actions).

For each child of the widget, there is an `<child>` element. The `internal-child` attribute is used to mark "internal children of the parent. These children are widgets that are created when the parent is constructed, such as the `GtkVBox` and `GtkHButtonBox` in a `GtkDialog`.

The `<child>` element contains either a `<widget>` element representing the child widget, or a `<placeholder>` element, which is ignored when building the interface. It may also contain a `<packing>` element, which contains `<property>` elements defining packing properties. These map to GtkContainer child packing properties.

## Property Representations

Properties are represented as straight content data in the glade file. All programs working with glade files must represent the various types in the same way.