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Build 881
Hands-on tutorial · Input & events

Expose an on/off preference

Reflect the current switch state in the interface.

1 Form / control designs1 complete BASIC filesGuided sample project

A switch is appropriate for a Boolean option, not for a one-time command. Read its value in Change and render feedback from that value. If the option later becomes persistent, load settings before presenting the final status.

Step 1Prepare a safe practice project#

Extract the archive into a new writable folder, separate from your own application. Open ToggleSwitch.mcbproj in McBasic™. Keep every declared source, layout, resource and migration file together.

To reconstruct it yourself, create a DesktopApp project and add the files declared below. In the complete project, follow these steps as a guided rebuild: replace each named source file once and Check after all its procedures are present.

Exact project configuration
project.mcproj
{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "projectId": "87b64b55-8a67-47ea-aeb4-14c8bcdd9b3b",
  "name": "ToggleSwitchSample",
  "kind": "DesktopApp",
  "ai": {
    "storeChatsInProject": false
  },
  "language": {
    "dialect": "McBasic1",
    "requireExplicit": true,
    "compare": "Binary",
    "defaultArrayBase": 0
  },
  "application": {
    "bundleIdentifier": "com.mcbasic.samples.toggleswitch",
    "version": "0.1.0",
    "buildNumber": "1",
    "startupFormId": "form-main",
    "shutdownMode": "OnStartupFormClosed"
  },
  "forms": [
    {
      "id": "form-main",
      "typeName": "frmMain",
      "layout": "Forms/frmMain.form.json",
      "code": "Forms/frmMain.bas"
    }
  ],
  "modules": [],
  "classes": [],
  "tests": [],
  "references": [],
  "resources": [],
  "targets": [
    "osx-arm64"
  ],
  "capabilities": []
}

Step 2Build the Form and set its properties#

frmMain

Select the Form first and set its properties. Add containers before their children. These are initial Designer values, not statements to paste into a procedure.

Form propertyValue
Caption"ToggleSwitch — McBasic"
Width520
Height260
MinWidth420
MinHeight220
TypeNameParent
ToggleSwitchtglNotificationsForm
LabellblStatusForm
tglNotifications · exact Inspector values
PropertyValue
Left48
Top64
Width180
Height32
Caption"Notifications"
ValueTrue
TabIndex0
Anchor edgesLeft, Top
lblStatus · exact Inspector values
PropertyValue
Left48
Top120
Width400
Height32
Caption"Notifications are enabled."
Anchor edgesLeft, Top

Step 3Connect the events explicitly#

frmMain

ObjectEventProcedureParameters
FormLoadForm_Load()

Step 4Enter the complete behavior#

Open the named source file. Enter declarations first, then every procedure. Expand a procedure for its full body, or copy the complete file. Helpers are required: do not stop after entering the first Click handler.

Forms/frmMain.bas

Enter these declarations at file scope, before the procedures.

Forms/frmMain.bas · declarations
Option Explicit
Private Sub Form_Load()

Initialize state before enabling dependent actions. Keep the shared declarations and startup dependencies with this procedure.

Forms/frmMain.bas · Form_Load
Private Sub Form_Load()
    tglNotifications.Value = True
    lblStatus.Caption = "Notifications are enabled."
End Sub
Private Sub tglNotifications_Change()

Read the current value or selection and update its dependent interface. The binding above determines which object calls this handler.

Forms/frmMain.bas · tglNotifications_Change
Private Sub tglNotifications_Change()
    If tglNotifications.Value Then
        lblStatus.Caption = "Notifications are enabled."
    Else
        lblStatus.Caption = "Notifications are disabled."
    End If
End Sub
Copy the complete Forms/frmMain.bas file

Replace the file once; do not append duplicate procedures.

Forms/frmMain.bas
Option Explicit

Private Sub Form_Load()
    tglNotifications.Value = True
    lblStatus.Caption = "Notifications are enabled."
End Sub

Private Sub tglNotifications_Change()
    If tglNotifications.Value Then
        lblStatus.Caption = "Notifications are enabled."
    Else
        lblStatus.Caption = "Notifications are disabled."
    End If
End Sub

Step 5Keep resources and storage reproducible#

No external resource or migration files are declared. Any inline migration, seed data or local JSON is present in the code above. Runtime application data and private preferences are not included in the archive.

Step 6Check, run and test the result#

Save all files and run Check. Resolve diagnostics before Run. Developer CLI users can work from the extracted folder:

Developer CLI
mcbasic check ToggleSwitch.mcbproj
mcbasic run ToggleSwitch.mcbproj

Acceptance checklist

  • Turn the switch on and off.
  • Use the keyboard to change its state.
  • Verify the label always describes the current value.

Step 7Make one change and repeat the tests#

Persist the option with Settings and restore it on the next launch.

Save a working Git checkpoint first. Change one behavior, Check again and repeat the acceptance checklist. Compare with the downloaded solution if a regression appears.

Source baseline 20f4bfed6b · Build manifest