Symbolic Names and ID Numbers

You select the new dialog by clicking anywhere outside a control in the dialog window. The properties bar then displays the dialog's default title, Dialog Title, and the default ID, which is 100 in this case.

Each dialog box in an application needs a unique integer ID. You use the ID in your application source code to tell the system which dialog box to call, and the system uses the ID to search the resource file for the dialog box.

You can associate a symbolic name with the ID by typing the name in the Dlg. Sym. edit field. It's easier to refer to a dialog by a name than by a number. Alternatively you can name a dialog with a zero-terminated string, although this is not as efficient.

    To enter a zero-terminated string as a dialog designator

1. Type the string in the Dlg. Sym. edit field.
2. Immediately tab to the field on the right (the Dialog ID edit field).
3. Delete the integer ID.
4. Press ENTER.

You can give your dialog a title by typing text in the Caption edit field. You can use the TAB key to move the insertion point. From the Dlg. Sym. edit field, the insertion point first tabs to the Dlg. Sym. ID edit field and then to the Caption edit field. You can also reposition the insertion point by clicking the mouse pointer in the edit field you want to use.

When you select or create a control, the Symbol edit field replaces the Dlg. Sym. edit field. You can associate a symbolic name with the control's ID by typing the name in the Symbol edit field, or by selecting it from the list of available symbols (if you have any).