Application

gio.application.Application is the core class for application support.

A gio.application.Application is the foundation of an application. It wraps some low-level platform-specific services and is intended to act as the foundation for higher-level application classes such as gtk.application.Application or MxApplication. In general, you should not use this class outside of a higher level framework.

gio.application.Application provides convenient life-cycle management by maintaining a "use count" for the primary application instance. The use count can be changed using gio.application.Application.hold and gio.application.Application.release. If it drops to zero, the application exits. Higher-level classes such as gtk.application.Application employ the use count to ensure that the application stays alive as long as it has any opened windows.

Another feature that gio.application.Application (optionally) provides is process uniqueness. Applications can make use of this functionality by providing a unique application ID. If given, only one application with this ID can be running at a time per session. The session concept is platform-dependent, but corresponds roughly to a graphical desktop login. When your application is launched again, its arguments are passed through platform communication to the already running program. The already running instance of the program is called the "primary instance"; for non-unique applications this is always the current instance. On Linux, the D-Bus session bus is used for communication.

The use of gio.application.Application differs from some other commonly-used uniqueness libraries (such as libunique) in important ways. The application is not expected to manually register itself and check if it is the primary instance. Instead, the main() function of a gio.application.Application should do very little more than instantiating the application instance, possibly connecting signal handlers, then calling gio.application.Application.run. All checks for uniqueness are done internally. If the application is the primary instance then the startup signal is emitted and the mainloop runs. If the application is not the primary instance then a signal is sent to the primary instance and gio.application.Application.run promptly returns. See the code examples below.

If used, the expected form of an application identifier is the same as that of a D-Bus well-known bus name. Examples include: com.example.MyApp, org.example.internal_apps.Calculator, org._7_zip.Archiver. For details on valid application identifiers, see gio.application.Application.idIsValid.

On Linux, the application identifier is claimed as a well-known bus name on the user's session bus. This means that the uniqueness of your application is scoped to the current session. It also means that your application may provide additional services (through registration of other object paths) at that bus name. The registration of these object paths should be done with the shared GDBus session bus. Note that due to the internal architecture of GDBus, method calls can be dispatched at any time (even if a main loop is not running). For this reason, you must ensure that any object paths that you wish to register are registered before #GApplication attempts to acquire the bus name of your application (which happens in gio.application.Application.register). Unfortunately, this means that you cannot use property@Gio.Application:is-remote to decide if you want to register object paths.

gio.application.Application also implements the gio.action_group.ActionGroup and gio.action_map.ActionMap interfaces and lets you easily export actions by adding them with gio.action_map.ActionMap.addAction. When invoking an action by calling gio.action_group.ActionGroup.activateAction on the application, it is always invoked in the primary instance. The actions are also exported on the session bus, and GIO provides the gio.dbus_action_group.DBusActionGroup wrapper to conveniently access them remotely. GIO provides a gio.dbus_menu_model.DBusMenuModel wrapper for remote access to exported gio.menu_model.MenuModels.

Note: Due to the fact that actions are exported on the session bus, using maybe parameters is not supported, since D-Bus does not support maybe types.

There is a number of different entry points into a gio.application.Application:

  • via 'Activate' (i.e. just starting the application)
  • via 'Open' (i.e. opening some files)
  • by handling a command-line
  • via activating an action

The gio.application.Application.startup signal lets you handle the application initialization for all of these in a single place.

Regardless of which of these entry points is used to start the application, gio.application.Application passes some ‘platform data’ from the launching instance to the primary instance, in the form of a glib.variant.VariantG dictionary mapping strings to variants. To use platform data, override the vfunc@Gio.Application.before_emit or vfunc@Gio.Application.after_emit virtual functions in your gio.application.Application subclass. When dealing with gio.application_command_line.ApplicationCommandLine objects, the platform data is directly available via gio.application_command_line.ApplicationCommandLine.getCwd, gio.application_command_line.ApplicationCommandLine.getEnviron and gio.application_command_line.ApplicationCommandLine.getPlatformData.

As the name indicates, the platform data may vary depending on the operating system, but it always includes the current directory (key cwd), and optionally the environment (ie the set of environment variables and their values) of the calling process (key environ). The environment is only added to the platform data if the gio.types.ApplicationFlags.SendEnvironment flag is set. gio.application.Application subclasses can add their own platform data by overriding the vfunc@Gio.Application.add_platform_data virtual function. For instance, gtk.application.Application adds startup notification data in this way.

To parse commandline arguments you may handle the signal@Gio.Application::command-line signal or override the vfunc@Gio.Application.local_command_line virtual funcion, to parse them in either the primary instance or the local instance, respectively.

For an example of opening files with a gio.application.Application, see gapplication-example-open.c.

For an example of using actions with gio.application.Application, see gapplication-example-actions.c.

For an example of using extra D-Bus hooks with gio.application.Application, see gapplication-example-dbushooks.c.

class Application : ObjectG , ActionGroup , ActionMap {}

Constructors

this
this(string applicationId, gio.types.ApplicationFlags flags)

Creates a new #GApplication instance.

Members

Functions

activate
void activate()

Activates the application.

addMainOption
void addMainOption(string longName, char shortName, glib.types.OptionFlags flags, glib.types.OptionArg arg, string description, string argDescription)

Add an option to be handled by application.

addMainOptionEntries
void addMainOptionEntries(glib.types.OptionEntry[] entries)

Adds main option entries to be handled by application.

addOptionGroup
void addOptionGroup(glib.option_group.OptionGroup group)

Adds a #GOptionGroup to the commandline handling of application.

bindBusyProperty
void bindBusyProperty(gobject.object.ObjectG object, string property)

Marks application as busy (see gio.application.Application.markBusy) while property on object is true.

connectActivate
ulong connectActivate(T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to Activate signal.

connectCommandLine
ulong connectCommandLine(T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to CommandLine signal.

connectHandleLocalOptions
ulong connectHandleLocalOptions(T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to HandleLocalOptions signal.

connectNameLost
ulong connectNameLost(T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to NameLost signal.

connectOpen
ulong connectOpen(T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to Open signal.

connectShutdown
ulong connectShutdown(T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to Shutdown signal.

connectStartup
ulong connectStartup(T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to Startup signal.

getApplicationId
string getApplicationId()

Gets the unique identifier for application.

getDbusConnection
gio.dbus_connection.DBusConnection getDbusConnection()

Gets the #GDBusConnection being used by the application, or null.

getDbusObjectPath
string getDbusObjectPath()

Gets the D-Bus object path being used by the application, or null.

getFlags
gio.types.ApplicationFlags getFlags()

Gets the flags for application.

getInactivityTimeout
uint getInactivityTimeout()

Gets the current inactivity timeout for the application.

getIsBusy
bool getIsBusy()

Gets the application's current busy state, as set through gio.application.Application.markBusy or gio.application.Application.bindBusyProperty.

getIsRegistered
bool getIsRegistered()

Checks if application is registered.

getIsRemote
bool getIsRemote()

Checks if application is remote.

getResourceBasePath
string getResourceBasePath()

Gets the resource base path of application.

getVersion
string getVersion()

Gets the version of application.

hold
void hold()

Increases the use count of application.

markBusy
void markBusy()

Increases the busy count of application.

open
void open(gio.file.File[] files, string hint)

Opens the given files.

quit
void quit()

Immediately quits the application.

register
bool register(gio.cancellable.Cancellable cancellable)

Attempts registration of the application.

release
void release()

Decrease the use count of application.

run
int run(string[] argv)

Runs the application.

sendNotification
void sendNotification(string id, gio.notification.Notification notification)

Sends a notification on behalf of application to the desktop shell. There is no guarantee that the notification is displayed immediately, or even at all.

setActionGroup
void setActionGroup(gio.action_group.ActionGroup actionGroup)

This used to be how actions were associated with a #GApplication. Now there is #GActionMap for that.

setApplicationId
void setApplicationId(string applicationId)

Sets the unique identifier for application.

setDefault
void setDefault()

Sets or unsets the default application for the process, as returned by gio.application.Application.getDefault.

setFlags
void setFlags(gio.types.ApplicationFlags flags)

Sets the flags for application.

setInactivityTimeout
void setInactivityTimeout(uint inactivityTimeout)

Sets the current inactivity timeout for the application.

setOptionContextDescription
void setOptionContextDescription(string description)

Adds a description to the application option context.

setOptionContextParameterString
void setOptionContextParameterString(string parameterString)

Sets the parameter string to be used by the commandline handling of application.

setOptionContextSummary
void setOptionContextSummary(string summary)

Adds a summary to the application option context.

setResourceBasePath
void setResourceBasePath(string resourcePath)

Sets (or unsets) the base resource path of application.

setVersion
void setVersion(string version_)

Sets the version number of application. This will be used to implement a --version command line argument

unbindBusyProperty
void unbindBusyProperty(gobject.object.ObjectG object, string property)

Destroys a binding between property and the busy state of application that was previously created with gio.application.Application.bindBusyProperty.

unmarkBusy
void unmarkBusy()

Decreases the busy count of application.

withdrawNotification
void withdrawNotification(string id)

Withdraws a notification that was sent with gio.application.Application.sendNotification.

Static functions

getDefault
gio.application.Application getDefault()

Returns the default #GApplication instance for this process.

idIsValid
bool idIsValid(string applicationId)

Checks if application_id is a valid application identifier.

Mixed In Members

From mixin ActionGroupT!()

actionAdded
void actionAdded(string actionName)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-added signal on action_group.

actionEnabledChanged
void actionEnabledChanged(string actionName, bool enabled)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-enabled-changed signal on action_group.

actionRemoved
void actionRemoved(string actionName)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-removed signal on action_group.

actionStateChanged
void actionStateChanged(string actionName, glib.variant.VariantG state)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-state-changed signal on action_group.

activateAction
void activateAction(string actionName, glib.variant.VariantG parameter)

Activate the named action within action_group.

changeActionState
void changeActionState(string actionName, glib.variant.VariantG value)

Request for the state of the named action within action_group to be changed to value.

getActionEnabled
bool getActionEnabled(string actionName)

Checks if the named action within action_group is currently enabled.

getActionParameterType
glib.variant_type.VariantType getActionParameterType(string actionName)

Queries the type of the parameter that must be given when activating the named action within action_group.

getActionState
glib.variant.VariantG getActionState(string actionName)

Queries the current state of the named action within action_group.

getActionStateHint
glib.variant.VariantG getActionStateHint(string actionName)

Requests a hint about the valid range of values for the state of the named action within action_group.

getActionStateType
glib.variant_type.VariantType getActionStateType(string actionName)

Queries the type of the state of the named action within action_group.

hasAction
bool hasAction(string actionName)

Checks if the named action exists within action_group.

listActions
string[] listActions()

Lists the actions contained within action_group.

queryAction
bool queryAction(string actionName, bool enabled, glib.variant_type.VariantType parameterType, glib.variant_type.VariantType stateType, glib.variant.VariantG stateHint, glib.variant.VariantG state)

Queries all aspects of the named action within an action_group.

connectActionAdded
ulong connectActionAdded(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionAdded signal.

connectActionEnabledChanged
ulong connectActionEnabledChanged(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionEnabledChanged signal.

connectActionRemoved
ulong connectActionRemoved(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionRemoved signal.

connectActionStateChanged
ulong connectActionStateChanged(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionStateChanged signal.

From mixin ActionMapT!()

addAction
void addAction(gio.action.Action action)

Adds an action to the action_map.

lookupAction
gio.action.Action lookupAction(string actionName)

Looks up the action with the name action_name in action_map.

removeAction
void removeAction(string actionName)

Removes the named action from the action map.

Inherited Members

From ObjectG

setGObject
void setGObject(void* cObj, Flag!"Take" take)

Set the GObject of a D ObjectG wrapper.

cPtr
void* cPtr(Flag!"Dup" dup)

Get a pointer to the underlying C object.

ref_
void* ref_(void* gObj)

Calls g_object_ref() on a GObject.

unref
unref(void* gObj)

Calls g_object_unref() on a GObject.

getType
GType getType()

Get the GType of an object.

gType
GType gType [@property getter]

GObject GType property.

self
ObjectG self()

Convenience method to return this cast to a type. For use in D with statements.

getDObject
T getDObject(void* cptr, Flag!"Take" take)

Template to get the D object from a C GObject and cast it to the given D object type.

connectSignalClosure
ulong connectSignalClosure(string signalDetail, DClosure closure, Flag!"After" after)

Connect a D closure to an object signal.

setProperty
void setProperty(string propertyName, T val)

Template for setting a GObject property.

getProperty
T getProperty(string propertyName)

Template for getting a GObject property.

compatControl
size_t compatControl(size_t what, void* data)
bindProperty
gobject.binding.Binding bindProperty(string sourceProperty, gobject.object.ObjectG target, string targetProperty, gobject.types.BindingFlags flags)

Creates a binding between source_property on source and target_property on target.

bindPropertyFull
gobject.binding.Binding bindPropertyFull(string sourceProperty, gobject.object.ObjectG target, string targetProperty, gobject.types.BindingFlags flags, gobject.closure.Closure transformTo, gobject.closure.Closure transformFrom)

Creates a binding between source_property on source and target_property on target, allowing you to set the transformation functions to be used by the binding.

forceFloating
void forceFloating()

This function is intended for #GObject implementations to re-enforce a floating[floating-ref] object reference. Doing this is seldom required: all #GInitiallyUnowneds are created with a floating reference which usually just needs to be sunken by calling gobject.object.ObjectG.refSink.

freezeNotify
void freezeNotify()

Increases the freeze count on object. If the freeze count is non-zero, the emission of "notify" signals on object is stopped. The signals are queued until the freeze count is decreased to zero. Duplicate notifications are squashed so that at most one #GObject::notify signal is emitted for each property modified while the object is frozen.

getData
void* getData(string key)

Gets a named field from the objects table of associations (see gobject.object.ObjectG.setData).

getProperty
void getProperty(string propertyName, gobject.value.Value value)

Gets a property of an object.

getQdata
void* getQdata(glib.types.Quark quark)

This function gets back user data pointers stored via gobject.object.ObjectG.setQdata.

getv
void getv(string[] names, gobject.value.Value[] values)

Gets n_properties properties for an object. Obtained properties will be set to values. All properties must be valid. Warnings will be emitted and undefined behaviour may result if invalid properties are passed in.

isFloating
bool isFloating()

Checks whether object has a floating[floating-ref] reference.

notify
void notify(string propertyName)

Emits a "notify" signal for the property property_name on object.

notifyByPspec
void notifyByPspec(gobject.param_spec.ParamSpec pspec)

Emits a "notify" signal for the property specified by pspec on object.

refSink
gobject.object.ObjectG refSink()

Increase the reference count of object, and possibly remove the floating[floating-ref] reference, if object has a floating reference.

runDispose
void runDispose()

Releases all references to other objects. This can be used to break reference cycles.

setData
void setData(string key, void* data)

Each object carries around a table of associations from strings to pointers. This function lets you set an association.

setProperty
void setProperty(string propertyName, gobject.value.Value value)

Sets a property on an object.

stealData
void* stealData(string key)

Remove a specified datum from the object's data associations, without invoking the association's destroy handler.

stealQdata
void* stealQdata(glib.types.Quark quark)

This function gets back user data pointers stored via gobject.object.ObjectG.setQdata and removes the data from object without invoking its destroy() function (if any was set). Usually, calling this function is only required to update user data pointers with a destroy notifier, for example:

thawNotify
void thawNotify()

Reverts the effect of a previous call to gobject.object.ObjectG.freezeNotify. The freeze count is decreased on object and when it reaches zero, queued "notify" signals are emitted.

watchClosure
void watchClosure(gobject.closure.Closure closure)

This function essentially limits the life time of the closure to the life time of the object. That is, when the object is finalized, the closure is invalidated by calling gobject.closure.Closure.invalidate on it, in order to prevent invocations of the closure with a finalized (nonexisting) object. Also, gobject.object.ObjectG.ref_ and gobject.object.ObjectG.unref are added as marshal guards to the closure, to ensure that an extra reference count is held on object during invocation of the closure. Usually, this function will be called on closures that use this object as closure data.

connectNotify
ulong connectNotify(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to Notify signal.

From ActionGroup

actionAdded
void actionAdded(string actionName)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-added signal on action_group.

actionEnabledChanged
void actionEnabledChanged(string actionName, bool enabled)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-enabled-changed signal on action_group.

actionRemoved
void actionRemoved(string actionName)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-removed signal on action_group.

actionStateChanged
void actionStateChanged(string actionName, glib.variant.VariantG state)

Emits the #GActionGroup::action-state-changed signal on action_group.

activateAction
void activateAction(string actionName, glib.variant.VariantG parameter)

Activate the named action within action_group.

changeActionState
void changeActionState(string actionName, glib.variant.VariantG value)

Request for the state of the named action within action_group to be changed to value.

getActionEnabled
bool getActionEnabled(string actionName)

Checks if the named action within action_group is currently enabled.

getActionParameterType
glib.variant_type.VariantType getActionParameterType(string actionName)

Queries the type of the parameter that must be given when activating the named action within action_group.

getActionState
glib.variant.VariantG getActionState(string actionName)

Queries the current state of the named action within action_group.

getActionStateHint
glib.variant.VariantG getActionStateHint(string actionName)

Requests a hint about the valid range of values for the state of the named action within action_group.

getActionStateType
glib.variant_type.VariantType getActionStateType(string actionName)

Queries the type of the state of the named action within action_group.

hasAction
bool hasAction(string actionName)

Checks if the named action exists within action_group.

listActions
string[] listActions()

Lists the actions contained within action_group.

queryAction
bool queryAction(string actionName, bool enabled, glib.variant_type.VariantType parameterType, glib.variant_type.VariantType stateType, glib.variant.VariantG stateHint, glib.variant.VariantG state)

Queries all aspects of the named action within an action_group.

connectActionAdded
ulong connectActionAdded(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionAdded signal.

connectActionEnabledChanged
ulong connectActionEnabledChanged(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionEnabledChanged signal.

connectActionRemoved
ulong connectActionRemoved(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionRemoved signal.

connectActionStateChanged
ulong connectActionStateChanged(string detail, T callback, Flag!"After" after)

Connect to ActionStateChanged signal.

From ActionMap

addAction
void addAction(gio.action.Action action)

Adds an action to the action_map.

lookupAction
gio.action.Action lookupAction(string actionName)

Looks up the action with the name action_name in action_map.

removeAction
void removeAction(string actionName)

Removes the named action from the action map.