Custom Tool descriptions

Optuma Scripting
1

I am using the Pascal custom programming module to create some tools - I can’t seem to find a way to add an in depth description to them. The Tool.Hint property is Ok but only shows up if you open the Custom Tool manager. Whilst I can do this and place more detailed information within the code, I share my tools with others who don’t have the custom tool module and because of the encryption on export can’t access the code with an external IDE. They then only have the name to go off as to what the tools intened function is.

Basically is there any way to populate the righthand panel in the tool menu?

Thanks,

Angus

2

Hi Angus

Currently the tool hint is the only way to add info for custom tools, within the program.
I would suggest also passing some documentation of the tool when you share it to other users.

We will examine the possibility of adding a description field for the tool, so it is possible to add some text to the right hand panel for custom tools, if approved, it would not be available until version 2.0 due later this year.

Best Regards
Peter

3

Hi Angus,

Your post should be in the Optuma Development Forum, not this Scripting Forum if you are Pascal programming.

I get around that problem by having a property I call “ShowToolDescription” which is a Boolean toggle that appears in my Properties Panel. Then I have a “ShowMessage” that follows an “If ShowToolDescription.variable = True then”. The ShowMessage has a multi-line description of the tool. Here’s what the code looks like:

// Within the Procedure Init block"
ShowToolDescription := Tool.AddBoolean('SHOWTOOLDESCRIPTION', 'Tool Description',0);

//Within the Procedure Process block:
//Show Tool Description
If ShowToolDescription.Variable = True then
Begin
ShowMessage(' Tool name' + #13#10 +
'- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -' + #13#10 +
'...      ...' + #13#10 +
'...      ...' + #13#10 +
'...      ...' + #13#10 +
'...      ...' + #13#10 +;
ShowToolDescription.Variable := False;
end

The default setting for ShowToolDescription is False (0) and it is reset to False after the the ShowMessage is cleared.

Cheers

Trevor

4

Thank you Trevor, a very nice solution until it can be built in.