Custom Message Box DLL for use with PBCC

[Stuart McLachlan]

In this post, where he created a TXT WIndow based Fixed Font message box replacement for PBCC:

https://forum.powerbasic.com/forum/user-to-user-discussions/source-code/823814-fixed-mono-spaced-font-messagebox#post823814

Dale wrote
'If you have both PBWin and PBCC, I suggest compiling Stuart's to DLL for use
'with PBCC. This one is intended as an option for users who only have PBCC.

I thought that sounded like a good idea, so I compiled it for those who don't have PBWIn. The DLL is a compilation of the code at

https://forum.powerbasic.com/forum/user-to-user-discussions/source-code/823695-ddt-custom-message-box#post823695

Here's a simple test application in PBCC:
'

#COMPILE EXE
#DIM ALL

DECLARE FUNCTION DlgMsgBox LIB "DlgMsgBox.dll" ALIAS "DLGMSGBOX" (hParent AS DWORD, wsText AS WSTRING,lButtons AS LONG,wsTitle AS WSTRING, _
         wsFont AS WSTRING,lFontsize AS LONG, _
         OPT lFGColour AS LONG, lBGColour AS LONG, lTimeOutSecs AS LONG)  AS LONG

FUNCTION PBMAIN () AS LONG
    TestDlgMsg(CON.HANDLE)   'only need to pass console handle if you to deactivate the console  (using %WM_SYSTEMMODAL or %WM_TASKMODAL) while the messagebox is active
    ? "done"
    WAITKEY$
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION TestDlgMsg(hWnd AS DWORD) AS LONG
   LOCAL wsMsg AS WSTRING
   LOCAL lRet AS LONG
    wsMsg = "This is a Warning Message." & $LF & _
         "It tells you something important"  & $LF & _
         "..."  & $LF & _
         "Thie message will time out after ten seconds" &    _
         " and return 'Cancel' (%MB_DEFBUTTON1)."
 DO
      lRet = DlgMsgBox(hWnd,wsMsg,%MB_CANCELTRYCONTINUE OR %MB_DEFBUTTON1 OR %MB_ICONWARNING OR %MB_TASKMODAL,"This is a Messagebox", _
             "Arial Bold",10,%RGB_RED,%RGB_YELLOW,10)
      SELECT CASE lRet
         CASE %IDCANCEL
            ? "Cancelled"
         CASE %IDRETRY
            ? "Retry"
         CASE %IDCONTINUE
         ? "Continue"
     END SELECT
LOOP WHILE lRet = %IDRETRY
END FUNCTION
'

The DLL and PBWIn source are in the attached Zip

[Borje Hagsten]

Nice work Stuart, as always. I did something similar long ago and then added support for copy (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+Insert), because some people may expect that to work just like in ordinary messagebox. In my case, I simply used an equate, a couple of keyboard accelerators and some code to put contents into clipboard under %WM_COMMAND/%IDC_COPY (IF CB.CTLMSG = 1 THEN). Not really necessary, but maybe an idea for future features.
'

  '------------------------------------------------------------------
  ' Ctrl+V  and  Ctrl+Insert = Copy support...
  LOCAL hAccel AS DWORD
  REDIM ac(1) AS ACCELAPI
  ac(0).fvirt = %FVIRTKEY OR %FCONTROL : ac(0).key = %VK_C      : ac(0).cmd = %IDC_COPY
  ac(1).fvirt = %FVIRTKEY OR %FCONTROL : ac(1).key = %VK_INSERT : ac(1).cmd = %IDC_COPY
  ACCEL ATTACH hDlg, AC() TO hAccel
  '------------------------------------------------------------------
'

[Stuart McLachlan]

Nice work Stuart, as always. I did something similar long ago and then added support for copy (Ctrl+V and Ctrl+Insert), because some people may expect that to work just like in ordinary messagebox. In my case, I simply used an equate, a couple of keyboard accelerators and some code to put contents into clipboard under %WM_COMMAND/%IDC_COPY (IF CB.CTLMSG = 1 THEN). Not really necessary, but maybe an idea for future features.
'

'------------------------------------------------------------------
' Ctrl+V and Ctrl+Insert = Copy support...
LOCAL hAccel AS DWORD
REDIM ac(1) AS ACCELAPI
ac(0).fvirt = %FVIRTKEY OR %FCONTROL : ac(0).key = %VK_C : ac(0).cmd = %IDC_COPY
ac(1).fvirt = %FVIRTKEY OR %FCONTROL : ac(1).key = %VK_INSERT : ac(1).cmd = %IDC_COPY
ACCEL ATTACH hDlg, AC() TO hAccel
'------------------------------------------------------------------
'

Good Idea. I often use Ctrl+C to copy an ordinary messagebox's contents to the clipboard. I'll add that.

[Stuart McLachlan]

Ok, I've just updated the zip attachment in Post #1 to be a new version which supports Ctrl+C = Copy to Clipboard!

(Also updated the SLL version in Source Code.)

[Eric Pearson]

In your test program, hDlg is undefined.

[Stuart McLachlan]

In your test program, hDlg is undefined.

Oops, that's what you get when you change something in the posted code without testing it again.

I originally had TestDlgMsg(hDlg AS DWORD... because it was originally for PBWin.
I changed it to TestDlgMsg(hWnd AS DWORD... after I posted it because I realised that the parent was not a Dialog (it's a console) , so hDLg was inappropriate.
I forgot to change it in the call as well.

I've edited the posted code to lRet = DlgMsgBox(hWnd,...

Thanks for spotting it.

[Dale Yarker]

((insignificant - I would have used hCon. (hTWnd for TXT.WINDOW, hGWin for GRAPHIC WINDOW)))

{next cat to skin please ... }

[Stuart McLachlan]

((insignificant - I would have used hCon. (hTWnd for TXT.WINDOW, hGWin for GRAPHIC WINDOW)))

{next cat to skin please ... }

That function TestDlgMessage is generic and can be used in either a PBWIn or a PBCC application and the parent could be any sort of window, not just a console or dialog , so the generic hWnd is a logical name ( unless you want to make it hParent as in the DLL declaration ).

(Here's a turtle, skin that next )

[Eric Pearson]

> 'only need to pass console handle if you [plan?] to deactivate the console
> '(using %WM_SYSTEMMODAL or %WM_TASKMODAL) while the messagebox is active

If you don't pass the console windows handle, then even with %MB_TASKMODAL, if you accidentally click on the console, the message box can completely disappear behind a large console window. Worse, neither one will respond to the keyboard. This can completely confound a user. Even if they notice the separate button on the Task Bar and click it, then dismiss the message box, keyboard/mouse focus will not properly return to the console.

Also, I recommend against ever using %MB_SYSTEMMODAL, except in very rare circumstances. Highly frowned upon. A typical user's only other choice may be to turn off the computer.

Mixing GUIs and consoles is tricky! (Writing Console Tools was a nightmare, especially back when 95/98/ME was still a thing.)

Here's a challenge for you... It's possible -- unless they changed it after Win7 -- to add a standard GUI pulldown menu to a console window, just like it was a dialog.

[Stuart McLachlan]

If you don't pass the console windows handle, then even with %MB_TASKMODAL, if you accidentally click on the console, the message box can completely disappear behind a large console window.

That's because I was using DIALOG DISABLE and %HWND_TOP since it was originally PBWin.
I've modified it to use %HWND_TOPMOST with %MB_TASKMODAL so that it stays on top of the console window. if called from a PBCC application without passing the cosnsole handle.

Attachment in Post #1 updated.

(I've also modified it so that Ctrl+C works properly with Unicode such as Greek or Russian text)

Also, I recommend against ever using %MB_SYSTEMMODAL, except in very rare circumstances. Highly frowned upon. A typical user's only other choice may be to turn off the computer.

Frowned on by whom? Got any references?
MS just says:
"Same as MB_APPLMODAL except that the message box has the WS_EX_TOPMOST style. Use system-modal message boxes to notify the user of serious, potentially damaging errors that require immediate attention (for example, running out of memory). This flag has no effect on the user's ability to interact with windows other than those associated with hWnd."

[Eric Pearson]

> Frowned on by whom?

Ah, thanks, you're right! I went back to the Console Tools Help File, and that warning applied only to Platform 1.