# the easy way:
$combobox = Gtk2::ComboBox->new_text;
foreach (@strings) {
$combobox->append_text ($_);
}
$combobox->prepend_text ($another_string);
$combobox->insert_text ($index, $yet_another_string);
$combobox->remove_text ($index);
$text = $combobox->get_active_text;
# the full-featured way.
# a combo box that shows stock ids and their images:
use constant ID_COLUMN => 0;
$model = Gtk2::ListStore->new ('Glib::String');
foreach (qw(gtk-ok gtk-cancel gtk-yes gtk-no gtk-save gtk-open)) {
$model->set ($model->append, ID_COLUMN, $_);
}
$combo_box = Gtk2::ComboBox->new ($model);
# to display anything, you must pack cell renderers into
# the combobox, which implements the Gtk2::CellLayout interface.
$renderer = Gtk2::CellRendererPixbuf->new;
$combo_box->pack_start ($renderer, FALSE);
$combo_box->add_attribute ($renderer, stock_id => ID_COLUMN);
$renderer = Gtk2::CellRendererText->new;
$combo_box->pack_start ($renderer, TRUE);
$combo_box->add_attribute ($renderer, text => ID_COLUMN);
# select by index
$combo_box->set_active ($index);
$active_index = $combo_box->get_active;
# or by iter
$combo_box->set_active_iter ($iter);
$active_iter = $combo_box->get_active_iter;
Gtk2::ComboBox is a widget that allows the user to choose from a list of valid choices. The ComboBox displays the selected choice. When activated, the ComboBox displays a popup which allows the user to make a new choice.
Unlike its predecessors Gtk2::Combo and Gtk2::OptionMenu, the Gtk2::ComboBox uses the model-view pattern; the list of valid choices is specified in the form of a tree model, and the display of the choices can be adapted to the data in the model by using cell renderers, as you would in a tree view. This is possible since ComboBox implements the Gtk2::CellLayout interface. The tree model holding the valid choices is not restricted to a flat list; it can be a real tree, and the popup will reflect the tree structure.
In addition to the model-view API, ComboBox offers a simple API which is suitable for text-only combo boxes, and hides the complexity of managing the data in a model. It consists of the methods new_text, append_text, insert_text, prepend_text, remove_text and get_active_text.
