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Data Master 2003 software has extensible user interface
architecture, that is, end users not only can rearrange existing commands in the
customizable menus and toolbars, but also
create new custom actions (including
data acquisition applications or any other data
processing operations) or easily modify behavior of basic features. Almost
all user-level operations in the DM2003
framework are built around unified functional elements named Actions.
Action, or command, is an invisible object that represents algorithm
of some operation and may be linked to the toolbar buttons or menu items (see
picture below):
DM2003 application maintains dynamic list of action objects named Action Manager. Action Manager is divided into two parts: Basic action set (action objects created at design time) and User-defined actions. Although several specialized operations are hard coded in the dm2003.exe, the most of action objects in the Action Manager are handled by so-called Action Providers (scripter.dll unit is the default action provider for DM2003, and you can additionally install Script Editor unit or create other action providers). You can add custom action objects either with New Action Dialog box or using Command Import (special INI file with descriptions of actions and UI elements processed at DM2003 startup). Menu and Toolbars properties dialog box should be used to create interface elements like toolbars, menus, toolbar buttons or menu items and link them to the appropriate action objects.
Full set of action objects (both standard and user-defined), main menu and
all toolbars configurations and dockable windows positions are remembered in the
special configuration file named config.bin which can be found in
the system Application Data folder