How to Create Custom Overviews with NewtApp

One of the Newton 2.x OS Q&As
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This document was exported on 7/23/97.

How to Create Custom Overviews with NewtApp (1/8/97)

Q: My NewtApp-based application can print successfully, but I want a custom format that can print multiple items on one page or handle different transports than the default overview supports. How do I do this?

A: Add an overviewTargetClass slot to your application (or any other layout that is a descendent of your newtOverLayout). Set this slot's value to be the symbol that represents your data class (for example, '|myData:SIG|), which must match the data class you use when registering your print format. The NewtApp overview will use overviewTargetClass instead of the default overview class ('newtOverview) supplied by newtOverLayout.

You must still register your print format, but you must set its usesCursors slot to true indicating that it will use the value target as a multiple item target and it will iterate over it using GetTargetCursor(target). For an example of a print format that can handle multiple items, see the MultiRoute DTS sample.

For more information about the default overview class ('newtOverview) , see the Q&A "Limitations with NewtOverview Data Class".