Composers

Composers are dialogs that write or edit a BBj call for you: MSGBOX, addWindow, addChildWindow, CVS(), SETOPTS in code, and the SETOPTS line of the active configuration file. They take their decoding and validation from the language server, the same server VS Code uses.

Opening a composer

There are three ways to open a composer:

1. The Code Vision cue above a composer call. A cue — "Compose MSGBOX", "Compose addWindow", "Compose addChildWindow", "Compose CVS()" or "Compose SETOPTS" — appears above every eligible line. Clicking it runs the internal action "Open BBj Composer at Cue" (bbj.openComposerAt), which opens the matching composer pre-filled for that specific call. This action has no menu entry or keyboard shortcut of its own — it exists only for the cue to invoke.
2. The Alt+Enter intention on the line. Placing the caret on or inside a call and pressing Alt+Enter offers the matching composer, listed under Settings > Editor > Intentions > BBj under the family name "BBj visual composer".
3. The editor context menu. Right-click in a .bbj file (or the active configuration file for the config SETOPTS composer) to find every compose action by its menu text.

MSGBOX

Compose MSGBOX… (bbj.composeMsgbox) in the editor context menu, and the intention Configure MSGBOX options…, both open the same dialog.

The dialog is position-aware: with the caret on an existing MSGBOX(...) call it edits that call in place (title "Configure MSGBOX"); on a call still being typed (for example MSGBOX( or MSGBOX("Hi",) it opens as "Complete MSGBOX call", with no compose-and-replace banner and no assign-to field; otherwise it composes a new statement (title "Compose MSGBOX").

When the existing call's options expression could not be decoded (for example a variable or an expression the composer does not understand), the dialog shows a compose-and-replace banner naming that it could not decode the expression, with the original expression displayed read-only above the rest of the fields; applying replaces the whole options argument, and the message and title are preserved unchanged.

Every field — message, title, assign-to, icon, buttons, default button, custom button labels, and extra options — feeds a debounced preview request to the language server: a burst of typing sends one preview per settle point, not one per keystroke. OK/Apply stays disabled until a preview round-trip resolves, and is disabled again the instant another field changes, so it can never be accepted against a stale or in-flight preview.

addWindow and addChildWindow

Compose addWindow… (bbj.composeAddWindow) and the intention Configure window flags… open the addWindow dialog; Compose addChildWindow… (bbj.composeAddChildWindow) and the intention Configure child window flags… open the matching addChildWindow dialog. Both dialogs are position-aware the same way MSGBOX is: an existing call is edited in place (title "Configure window flags" / "Configure child window flags", rewriting only the flags and event-mask hex tokens); otherwise a new statement is composed and inserted at the caret (title "Compose addWindow" / "Compose addChildWindow").

Each statement field (assign-to, SysGui/parent-window expression, ID, context, title, x, y, width, height) is validated by the language server as you type, on the same debounced schedule as MSGBOX: after typing settles, an invalid field shows its message in a red label directly underneath, and OK/Apply stays disabled until every field is valid. Window flags and the opt-in event mask are grouped checkboxes; the generated statement and a schematic preview update on the same debounce.

CVS()

Compose CVS()… (bbj.composeCvs) and the intention Configure CVS() options… open the CVS(...) dialog. It is position-aware like MSGBOX: a cursor with no CVS() call composes a new one; a cursor on an existing, safely-editable call (a plain literal bit-sum mask) opens "Configure CVS()" and edits only its bits, leaving the string expression untouched; a cursor on an unfinished call opens "Complete CVS() call" with an editable string field and no assign-to field. A call whose mask is not a plain literal sum cannot be edited safely — invoking the action or intention on it shows the server's reason instead of opening a dialog.

The bits are one flat, titled list of checkboxes applied in ascending order. The replacement characters field stays disabled, not hidden, unless a bit that uses it is checked.

SETOPTS in code

The action Configure SETOPTS Options in Code… (bbj.composeSetoptsInCode) is a second way in that avoids the Alt+Enter intention search entirely; the intention Configure SETOPTS options in code… offers the same dialog from the lightbulb. Both open the tri-state Set/Clear/Leave composer for the var$=OPTS … SETOPTS var$ reassignment chain.

Invoking it on an existing, safely-editable chain opens the composer pre-selected from that chain's current state; applying it rewrites only the reassignment lines between the OPTS origin and the SETOPTS line. Invoking it where there is no chain nearby inserts a brand-new block at the start of the line. When a chain exists but cannot be rewritten safely, the server's own reason is shown instead of opening a composer.

config.bbx SETOPTS

Compose SETOPTS… (bbj.composeSetopts) is available only from the resolved configuration file's own editor context menu — it never appears in a .bbj file. It edits that file's SETOPTS line only; applying a change never restarts the language server.

Actions and intentions

Kind	Text	ID	Where it shows
Action	Compose MSGBOX…	bbj.composeMsgbox	Editor context menu
Action	Compose addWindow…	bbj.composeAddWindow	Editor context menu
Action	Compose addChildWindow…	bbj.composeAddChildWindow	Editor context menu
Action	Compose SETOPTS…	bbj.composeSetopts	Editor context menu, config file only
Action	Configure SETOPTS Options in Code…	bbj.composeSetoptsInCode	Editor context menu, BBj source files only
Action	Compose CVS()…	bbj.composeCvs	Editor context menu
Action	Open BBj Composer at Cue	bbj.openComposerAt	Invoked only by a Code Vision cue click; no menu entry
Intention	Configure MSGBOX options…	—	Alt+Enter, family "BBj visual composer"
Intention	Configure window flags…	—	Alt+Enter, family "BBj visual composer"
Intention	Configure child window flags…	—	Alt+Enter, family "BBj visual composer"
Intention	Configure SETOPTS options in code…	—	Alt+Enter, family "BBj visual composer"
Intention	Configure CVS() options…	—	Alt+Enter, family "BBj visual composer"

Assign-to validation

Composing a new MSGBOX or CVS() call shows an "Assign result to" field. It is required — leaving it empty shows "Required" and OK/Apply stays disabled — and pre-filled with ret! for MSGBOX or s$ for CVS(), matching each function's own result type.

• MSGBOX needs a numeric or object variable: no sigil, % or !, with one optional [...] subscript allowed (ret, ret!, r[1]). Anything else shows the label "Not a numeric or object variable — e.g. ret, ret! or r[1]".
• CVS() needs a string or object variable: a $ or ! sigil (s$, s!, s$[1]). Anything else shows the label "Not a string or object variable — e.g. s$, s! or s$[1]".

Editing an existing call, or completing an unfinished one, shows no assign-to field at all.