Question about "defaultType" config setting

[Petrushka]

Hi, I am a new ExtJS user from Taiwan. I see there are many examples that create a new FormPanel instance always set the "defaultType" config option to "textfield".

After I have read the API documentation's description:

defaultType : String
The default type of container represented by this object as registered in Ext.ComponentMgr (defaults to 'panel').

I still can not understand what it is used for.

Is "defaultType" have to equal "textfield" while I create a new FormPanel? When do I need to set it to other value? And how many options of "defaultType" I can use?


Thanks, if somebody can help me with this question. And this is my first post to a English forum :$

[Animal]

If you specify child items of a Panel (using an items Array config) as just a config object with no xtype, then it needs to know what kind of child item to create. FormPanels create TextFields by default.

You can change this for your own Panels.

See the typen ames at the top here: http://extjs.com/deploy/dev/docs/?class=Ext.Component

[JorisA]

Hi Petrushka, it's not that bad for a first post
Ext uses a component model, each component has a xtype so it can be rendered from a json instead of creating all the objects instantly. Here's a good tutorial: http://extjs.com/learn/Ext_2_Overview#Component_XTypes

What it comes down to, is that defaultType specifies the default xtype of all child items, so instead of

{
    xtype:'fieldset',
    title: 'Phone Number',
    items :[{
			xtype: 'textfield',
            fieldLabel: 'Home',
            name: 'home',
        },{
			xtype: 'textfield',			
            fieldLabel: 'Business',
            name: 'business'
        }
    ]
}

you can do

{
    xtype:'fieldset',
    title: 'Phone Number',
    defaultType: 'textfield',
    items :[{
            fieldLabel: 'Home',
            name: 'home',
        },{
            fieldLabel: 'Business',
            name: 'business'
        }
    ]
}

A list of all possible xtypes is in the API: Ext.Component

Edit: DAMM YOU ANIMAL!!! :P

[Animal]

No, your post added a bit extra necessary info!

[Petrushka]

Thanks for your explanations!

Now I understand what "defaultType" is used for. ^^"

[chrizmaster]

Hey,

I have an additional question to this:

if I use lets say a label, a textfield and a button in one item-array, i am not allowed to set the derfaulttype to "textfield" but have to set the xtype at every component right?

Chriz

(yeah, i still a noob at extjs )

[Condor]

You can set the defaultType to 'textfield' and specify the xtype of the label and the button (all config objects without an xtype will use xtype:'textfield').