View source for RbxGui (Library)

As with many of the current [[RbxLibrary|libraries]], [[RbxGui (Library)|RbxGui]] is a Lua Asset designed to assist with the making of [[GUI]] widgets.  This article will explain to you what [[RbxGui (Library)|RbxGui]] is, how to use it and how to keep up with its ever-changing <abbr title="Application Programming Interface">API</abbr>.

== What is RbxGui? ==
[[RbxGui (Library)|RbxGui]] is (as stated above) an official Roblox-created library specifically for aiding with the creation of GUI programs.  Its use is not mandatory, but is recommended for those who would like to make good looking <abbr title="Graphical User Interface">GUI</abbr> features in lesser amounts of time.

== How do I use RbxGui? ==
[[RbxGui (Library)|RbxGui]] is used by simply loading the library in your code and storing it in a variable.  After that, one can easily use the various <abbr title="Application Programming Interface">API</abbr> functions that the library has to offer.  Below is some sample code that demonstrates the use of this library.

'''Note:  This library doesn't use methods, so don't use a colon.  Use a period instead. The only exception is the GetApi method.'''

{{Example|Here's example code designed for use in a {{type|instance=LocalScript}} that goes in either the {{type|instance=StarterGui}} or {{type|instance=StarterPack}} and that makes a list of objects and puts them in a drop down list:{{code|=
function waitForChild(p, c) -- utility code; don't worry about this
	while not p:FindFirstChild(c) do
		p.ChildAdded:wait();
	end
	return p[c];
end

local library = assert(LoadLibrary('RbxGui')) -- load our RbxGui library

function onItemSelected(item) -- create our callback that gets called when an item gets selected
	-- arguments:  item (string)
	print("'" .. item .. "' was selected!")
end

local listOfItems={"This", "is", "a", "list", "of", "items."} -- our list of items
local dropDownList, updateSelection=library.CreateDropDownMenu(listOfItems, onItemSelected); -- create the drop down list with our list and the callback
dropDownList.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 1, 0) -- this is to make the drop down list fit in our GUI correctly

local holderGui = Instance.new('ScreenGui') -- make the screen gui that holds everything
local holderFrame = Instance.new('Frame') -- make a frame to hold the drop down list
holderFrame.Size = UDim2.new(0, 200, 0, 26) -- make it the size you want
holderFrame.Position = UDim2.new(0.5, -100, 0.5, -20) -- position it the way you want (right now it's in the center)
holderFrame.BackgroundTransparency = 1 -- make it transparent for the drop down list
holderFrame.Parent = holderGui

dropDownList.Parent = holderFrame -- put the drop down list in the frame

if game.Players.LocalPlayer then -- make sure we have a player
	local playerGui = waitForChild(game.Players.LocalPlayer, "PlayerGui"); -- wait for playergui
	holderGui.Parent = playerGui -- put the screen gui in the playergui
end
}}}}

== How do you figure out what's in this library? ==

To find all of the values in a library, you have to use a method found in every library, called ''GetApi''.  This method allows you to see what exactly is in the library by returning a {{type|table}} of all of the function names in the library.  To figure out all of the values in [[RbxGui (Library)|RbxGui]], simply run this code in your command bar in the [[studio]]:

<syntaxhighlight lang="lua">for _, funcname in pairs(LoadLibrary('RbxGui'):GetApi()) do print(funcname) end</syntaxhighlight>

This piece of code iterates through the {{type|table}} returned by ''GetApi'' and prints out the contents of the {{type|table}}.

Also, if it is an official library, there is often a [[Help (Function)|Help]] function associated with it.  To use it, just call the [[Help (Function)|Help]] function from the library loaded into your code. Help has an argument, which is either the function, or the index of the function, for example, both of these will provide help for CreateDropDownMenu.
<syntaxhighlight lang="lua">
local RbxGui = assert(LoadLibrary('RbxGui'))
print(RbxGui.Help("CreateDropDownMenu"))
print(RbxGui.Help(RbxGui.CreateDropDownMenu))
</syntaxhighlight>

== So, is that it? ==

That is all there is to it.  Let's recap upon what we've learned today.

=== What is RbxGui? ===

[[RbxGui (Library)|RbxGui]] is an official Roblox-created library consisting of useful functions that are designed to help you make enticing <abbr title="Graphical User Interfaces">GUIs</abbr>.

=== How do I use it? ===

To use [[RbxGui (Library)|RbxGui]], you must load it into your code and then call its members, which are designed to do things that would normally take more time to do.

=== How do I know what's in the library? ===

You can iterate through the table returned by ''GetApi'' and print out the values of it.  You can also use the [[Help (Function)|Help]] function in the library with the values of the table.

==The <abbr title="Application Programming Interface">API</abbr>==
<div style = "width: 90%;">
{{:CreateSlider_(Function)}}
{{:CreateScrollingFrame_(Function)}}
{{:AutoTruncateTextObject_(Function)}}
{{:CreateStyledMessageDialog_(Function)}}
{{:CreateMessageDialog_(Function)}}
{{:CreateDropDownMenu_(Function)}}
{{:CreatePropertyDropDownMenu_(Function)}}
{{:GetFontHeight_(Function)}}
</div>

== See Also ==

*[[RbxLibrary]]
*[http://www.roblox.com/RbxGui-item?id=45284430 RbxGui]

[[Category:Libraries]]