# 2.8 `EasyDialogs` -- Basic Macintosh dialogs

Availability: Macintosh.

The `EasyDialogs` module contains some simple dialogs for the Macintosh. All routines take an optional resource ID parameter id with which one can override the `DLOG` resource used for the dialog, provided that the dialog items correspond (both type and item number) to those in the default `DLOG` resource. See source code for details.

The `EasyDialogs` module defines the following functions:

`Message`( | str[, id[, ok=None]])

  Displays a modal dialog with the message text str, which should be at most 255 characters long. The button text defaults to ``OK'', but is set to the string argument ok if the latter is supplied. Control is returned when the user clicks the ``OK'' button.

`AskString`( | prompt[, default[, id[, ok[, cancel]]]])

  Asks the user to input a string value via a modal dialog. prompt is the prompt message, and the optional default supplies the initial value for the string (otherwise `""` is used). The text of the ``OK'' and ``Cancel'' buttons can be changed with the ok and cancel arguments. All strings can be at most 255 bytes long. `AskString()` returns the string entered or `None` in case the user cancelled.

`AskPassword`( | prompt[, default[, id[, ok[, cancel]]]])

  Asks the user to input a string value via a modal dialog. Like `AskString()`, but with the text shown as bullets. The arguments have the same meaning as for `AskString()`.

`AskYesNoCancel`( | question[, default[, yes[, no[, cancel[, id]]]]])

  Presents a dialog with prompt question and three buttons labelled ``Yes'', ``No'', and ``Cancel''. Returns `1` for ``Yes'', `0` for ``No'' and `-1` for ``Cancel''. The value of default (or `0` if default is not supplied) is returned when the `RETURN` key is pressed. The text of the buttons can be changed with the yes, no, and cancel arguments; to prevent a button from appearing, supply `""` for the corresponding argument.

`ProgressBar`( | [title[, maxval[, label[, id]]]])

  Displays a modeless progress-bar dialog. This is the constructor for the `ProgressBar` class described below. title is the text string displayed (default ``Working...''), maxval is the value at which progress is complete (default `0`, indicating that an indeterminate amount of work remains to be done), and label is the text that is displayed above the progress bar itself.

`GetArgv`( | [optionlist[ commandlist[, addoldfile[, addnewfile[, addfolder[, id]]]]]])

  Displays a dialog which aids the user in constructing a command-line argument list. Returns the list in `sys.argv` format, suitable for passing as an argument to `getopt.getopt()`. addoldfile, addnewfile, and addfolder are boolean arguments. When nonzero, they enable the user to insert into the command line paths to an existing file, a (possibly) not-yet-existent file, and a folder, respectively. (Note: Option arguments must appear in the command line before file and folder arguments in order to be recognized by `getopt.getopt()`.) Arguments containing spaces can be specified by enclosing them within single or double quotes. A `SystemExit` exception is raised if the user presses the ``Cancel'' button.

  optionlist is a list that determines a popup menu from which the allowed options are selected. Its items can take one of two forms: optstr or `(optstr, descr)`. When present, descr is a short descriptive string that is displayed in the dialog while this option is selected in the popup menu. The correspondence between optstrs and command-line arguments is:

  optstr format | Command-line format
  --- | ---
  `x` | -x (short option)
  `x:` or `x=` | -x (short option with value)
  `xyz` | --xyz (long option)
  `xyz:` or `xyz=` | --xyz (long option with value)

  commandlist is a list of items of the form cmdstr or `(cmdstr, descr)`, where descr is as above. The cmdstrs will appear in a popup menu. When chosen, the text of cmdstr will be appended to the command line as is, except that a trailing "`:`" or "`=`" (if present) will be trimmed off.

  New in version 2.0.

`AskFileForOpen`( | [message][, typeList][, defaultLocation][, defaultOptionFlags][, location][, clientName][, windowTitle][, actionButtonLabel][, cancelButtonLabel][, preferenceKey][, popupExtension][, eventProc][, previewProc][, filterProc][, wanted])

  Post a dialog asking the user for a file to open, and return the file selected or None if the user cancelled. message is a text message to display, typeList is a list of 4-char filetypes allowable, defaultLocation is the pathname, FSSpec or FSRef of the folder to show initially, location is the `(x, y)` position on the screen where the dialog is shown, actionButtonLabel is a string to show in stead of ``Open'' in the OK button, cancelButtonLabel is a string to show in stead of ``Cancel'' in the cancel button, wanted is the type of value wanted as a return: `string`, `unicode`, `FSSpec`, `FSRef` and subtypes thereof are acceptable.

  For a description of the other arguments please see the Apple Navigation Services documentation and the EasyDialogs sourcecode.

`AskFileForSave`( | [message][, savedFileName][, defaultLocation][, defaultOptionFlags][, location][, clientName][, windowTitle][, actionButtonLabel][, cancelButtonLabel][, preferenceKey][, popupExtension][, fileType][, fileCreator][, eventProc][, wanted])

  Post a dialog asking the user for a file to save to, and return the file selected or None if the user cancelled. savedFileName is the default for the file name to save to (the return value). See AskFileForOpen for a description of the other arguments.

`AskFolder`( | [message][, defaultLocation][, defaultOptionFlags][, location][, clientName][, windowTitle][, actionButtonLabel][, cancelButtonLabel][, preferenceKey][, popupExtension][, eventProc][, filterProc][, wanted])

  Post a dialog asking the user to select a folder, and return the folder selected or None if the user cancelled. See AskFileForOpen for a description of the arguments.

Subsections

- 2.8.1 ProgressBar Objects