Categories: Symbian C++ | UI | Localization | Code Examples

This page was last modified 14:20, 7 May 2008.

From Forum Nokia Wiki

There are three instances of caption strings that can be defined for a given application, where each one has a different use. The captions can be optionally set and localized as required. This S60 document describes the various application captions and how to set them.

1. The AIF caption

The AIF file (extension .aif) allows you to set several static and dynamic application properties that influence the look-and-feel (LAF), and to some extent the running of the application. One of the caption strings associated to the application can be set in the AIF file.

RESOURCE AIF_DATA
{
app_uid=0x1000FF30;
caption_list=
{ 
CAPTION {code = ELangEnglish;caption = "MyApp";}
};
num_icons=0;
embeddability=KAppNotEmbeddable;
newfile=KAppDoesNotSupportNewFile;
}

This is the main application caption which can be localized as above (the nearest language caption is used in the absence of a language-specific caption), and optionally set. This caption is overridden depending on what other captions accompany the application. When defined... it is used (and returned by various UI Framework APIs, e.g., RApaLsSession::GetNextApp()) if no other captions are specified for the application. The application's process name is set using this caption by the UI Framework. The string is also used, in part, to set the application's main CApaWindowGroupName name. The caption name returned by CApaWindowGroupName::Caption() is also derived from this AIF caption string.

2. The xxx_caption.rss captions

The other two captions can be defined in the application-specific caption file (where xxx is the application name) that is compiled (and localized) as part of the application's .mmp file.

RESOURCE CAPTION_DATA
{
caption = qtn_apps_myappname_list; // string defined in the localization file
shortcaption = qtn_apps_myappname_grid;
}

The CAPTION_DATA is intended to reflect the AIF_DATA::CAPTION_LIST string, and generally, both the AIF and the above CAPTION_DATA::caption are defined to be the same. Either one of them can be optionally set and when defined (as implemented in S60)...

the 'caption' and 'shortcaption' are used as a display name on the application desktop - depending on the desktop view settings. RApaLsSession::GetNextApp()API returns these two captions appropriately.