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When you first start GUI Composer 2, a Welcome dialog is displayed that allows you to create a new project.
The next time you start GUI Composer, the Welcome dialog will include a dropdown list that allows you to open existing projects:
To create a new project, click "Create A New Project". This opens the New Project Wizard.
The New Project Wizard

Click on the icon for information about the choices you can make.
New Project Wizard is a multi-step dialog that guides you through creation of GUI Composer Project. The same wizard may be opened in existing project by clicking on Project/Properties.
The following fields need to be filled in:
- Project Template: the template selected contains preconfigured 'starter files' that make it easier to create a specific type of project. (see the next section for more details on the available templates)
- Project Name:This will be used as the name of the folder that your project will be stored in. Spaces in this name will be automatically replaced with underscores.
- Application Name:This will be used as the window title when your application is running.
- Application Icon:This will be used as the icon for that appears in top left corner of your application (desktop) or icon used for tab (if running online in a browser).
- Technology Name:General name that could be used to indicate a particular technology, product line or a group of applications. This name will appear in the splashscreen
- Vendor Name:Company or Group producting an application is running. This string will appear in the splash screen.
- Splashscreen background: .png or .gif or .jpg image that will be used for the splashscreen. It is recommended for the image to support 600x300px, or some multiple of those dimensions. Image will be auto-scaled if it does fall within default range.
Project Templates
The available project templates are:
- Dashboard: Recommended for new users and for use on a wide variety of display types (e.g. smart phones, tablets, PCs) due to its use of a relative layout. Tile based widgets work best with this type of layout.
This template provides a limited set of widgets but it is easier to get started with.
- Application: Allows you to control exactly where components are positioned due to its use of an absolute layout. This option provides full set of widgets available in GUI Composer.
- Empty: For expert users, provides a blank project to start with.
- MSP430 Temperature Demo: A pre-built example project that demonstrates advanced features such as how to use Javascript in your project, graphing variables over time, and controlling target state. Project created with this template is runnable only on MSP430G2 LaunchPad.
Autofill
The Autofill button will generate a unique project folder name for you and an application name, based on the Project template you have selected.
Target programming
Clicking Next will move you to next page in the wizard where you can choose to program your device. This is an optional page that may be used to update the program that is running on the target system. Specifying device and program file is required for XDS target communication options.
- Click on Add button, which will add a new entry
- Device: You will need to specify device. You may enter partial device name to limit the set of options.
- Connection:This field in most cases is auto populated based on selected device in previous step.
- Executable: Click on Upload to select a program file from your local file system. This field shows the program (i.e. .out) file that is used to program the MCU or it is used to obtain symbolic information for XDS target communication options.
- Auto Programming: This is an optional step in all scenarios. If option is enabled then before starting the application, GUI Composer will program the device.
Target Communication
Clicking Next will move you to next page in the wizard where you can choose your Target Communication method.
- Click on + button, in top left corner to add a target communication option.
- Each target communication option has a slightly different set of options. However, generally after adding a particular transport you would need to add a model representation for your data. These are described in next section "Interacting with Target Device".