Announcement

**Fred Harris** · 28 Jul 2008, 03:47 PM

Wm_killfocus ?

**BOB MECHLER** · 28 Jul 2008, 03:55 PM

Correct. I had two copies of the same include. One didn't have anything in the WM_KILLFOCUS event at all and the other one did. I was compiling in the wrong one. Duh. Sorry.

Code:

         CASE %WM_KILLFOCUS 
           Tlen = GetWindowTextLength(CBHNDL) 'get the text length
           IF Tlen < FieldLen(getdlgctrlid(CBHNDL)) THEN
             ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "Account field is required"
             SetFocus CBHNDL
             EXIT FUNCTION 'stay in field until there is a valid account
           END IF

**Michael Mattias** · 28 Jul 2008, 06:35 PM

Or.... you can check entries character by character using EN_CHANGE notification....

... this won't 'stay in the field' but if there is a "do it" button you enable/disable based on the user having put something valid in some box, I always liked this particular effect. Button enables/disables 'as you type.'

Code:

      CASE %ID_FILENAME
              ' check if the file is avaiable and no worker thread is running already,
              ' if so enable the start button
              [b]IF CBCTLMSG = %EN_CHANGE THEN[/b]
                 DIALOG GET USER CBHNDL, %DSU_HTHREAD TO hThread
                 IF ISFALSE hThread THEN    ' no worker thread is running, so we can enable
                                            ' the 'go' button if this file is valid
                      CONTROL GET TEXT CBHNDL, %ID_FILENAME TO sText
                      IF DIR$ (sText) > "" THEN
                           CONTROL ENABLE CBHNDL, %ID_START
                      ELSE
                           CONTROL DISABLE CBHNDL, %ID_START
                      END IF
                 END IF
              END IF

Full demo here...

GUI + Worker Thread + Abort Demo - PowerBASIC Peer Support Community

http://www.powerbasic.com/support/pbforums/showthread.php?t=35619

PowerBASIC and related source code. Please do not post questions or discussions, just source code.

MCM

**BOB MECHLER** · 30 Jul 2008, 01:25 PM

Excellent code for a non-superclassed control. I guess I'd use the WM_CHAR event in a superclassed control, wouldn't I or is the %EN_CHANGE event available in a superclassed control, don't know, haven't tried that.

Bob Mechler

**Edwin Knoppert** · 30 Jul 2008, 01:28 PM

I have experiance with this.
Avoid testing on lost focus and then restore focus.
It will never work properly icw other controls.

**BOB MECHLER** · 30 Jul 2008, 03:23 PM

Thanks Edwin. That would explain some things I've started to notice when going from field to field tightly controlling navigation with tests in the vk_up,vk_down, etc and wm_killfocus event. I could force the focus to stay in the control by just not issuing the code section:

Code:

               IF CBWPARAM = %VK_UP OR (CBWPARAM = %VK_TAB AND GetAsyncKeyState(%VK_SHIFT)) THEN  
                 SetFocus GetNextDlgTabItem(GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, -1)
               ELSE
                 SetFocus GetNextDlgTabItem(GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, 0)
               END IF  
               EXIT FUNCTION

except in WM_KILLFOCUS. However that was the only way I could figure out how to trap the fact that someone was trying to jump the gun and click in another field with the current field not validated.

Is is possible to trap the buttonclick before the WM_KILLFOCUS event fires. I remember Visual Foxpro had a validate event ( or ACCESS) that fired prior to the Lost Focus event. That's what I really need here.

Bob Mechler

**Edwin Knoppert** · 30 Jul 2008, 03:32 PM

I think VFP wasn't that good actually but you may had a GUI not being bothered with side effects.

For tab key you may consider the WM_GETDLGCODE message.
There is no just before lost focus message.
There is a WM_MOUSEACTIVATE which may be useful.
Both these messages are working recursive, first control, then the window receives it (unless prevented and i may be wrong in the order)

But still, i am sure you'll encounter issues.
Like two textboxes where the validate decides empty is not good and keeps jumping between these controls (due setfocus())

Validate should be under a OK button.

**BOB MECHLER** · 30 Jul 2008, 03:48 PM

Validate under an OK button would normally be a form validation kind of thing. Very safe.

Would there be anything troublesome about sending %BM_CLICK to a validate button control from the %WM_KILLFOCUS event of a superclassed control and let the callback for the button determine where to SetFocus? Either back to the original if the validation fails or the next tabstop.

Think I'll try that approach, or I am just being hard-headed?

Bob Mechler

**Edwin Knoppert** · 30 Jul 2008, 04:55 PM

>or I am just being hard-headed?
Hmm.. yes, but you are simply doing what so many had to do before.
I had this discusion for hours if not days to explain we are dealing with Windows, not DOS.
(It was just before Win95 was out

)
I wrote some code and worked annoyingly and unpredictable.
Though i was using VB3 at that time, i didn't had a hooks and so.
Later i tried with PB/DLL 2.0 and discovered it went nowhere.

The killfocus and setfocus messages are very low-level and textbox carets will suffer if you aren't doing it right.
What other (future) control do you need to take of..?)

**Michael Mattias** · 30 Jul 2008, 06:13 PM

I don't understand the preoccupation with "superclassed"

That's really immaterial. Either your "superbutton" sends a WM_COMMAND notification of significant events to its owner or you deliberately (or accidentally?) ate the initiatiing event in your window procedure. Code not shown.

MCM

**BOB MECHLER** · 30 Jul 2008, 09:36 PM

Why superclass?
Well,

With Control Add "Classname" I can do the following without putting code in a dialog callback under wm_command

Navigate using Up,Down,Tab,Shift Tab, and Return and validate the field prior to moving to next or previous control.

I can trap Ctrl-F and run another program while the current program is frozen in a loop waiting for a return value from a customized lookup exe that itself has the ability to call another maintenance program and add new items to the lookup.

I can validate an ACCOUNT NUMBER or other code by looking it up in a table as part of the validation in the Superclassed control. If it is not found I just clear the field.

In one of the superclassed controls I can allow or restrict any set of characters with a different set of allowable characters for each position.

I can activate Insert or Overwrite mode in the textbox.

I can format and unformat code as I enter or leave the control.

In PBMAIN I fill several arrays with Captions, Control Type with switches making the control required or not, buddy lookup buttons and optional description fields as well as the screen it's on, the tab it's on if any, the group it's in, the position, width height, font, color

The id of the main superclassed control is used by the arrays and buddy controls are offsets to this control id so that I can update a description control in the superclassed control because I know what it's control id must be.

The ultimate reason is that a field for data input needs to behave the same way in all programs it's used in. Every field has field edit rules which used to be repeated (or not) in every program they were used in. This way the SuperClassed control include files nail down the business rules for that field. If they change, we don't have to search for every occurance of the field in use. Just recompile the programs in our main offering.

I hope to keep the Dialog callback to handling menu items in WM_COMMAND, WM_DESTROY and WM_NOTIFY, WM_DRAWITEM and that's about it.

The programmer then only needs one line of code to add all this functionality to the program.

Imagine a Listview superclass that automatically loads data from a pre-defined file relationship and presents a detail modification screen by double clicking on the row and has an incremental search function build in with one line of code.

In reviewing POFFS, I noticed many instances where the same functionality was programmed umpteen different ways.

In my own code, I was doing the same type of the thing over and over again only every time I did it I made it a little better or added features. This way if I improve how a CUSIP is looked up, verified, that improvement will flow to all the other programs through a recompile.

Based on Edwin's advice I've removed any set focus processing in the wm_killfocus event

Time to get off my soapbox.

The following code is not complete but illustrates a superclassed account number field that does all the things mentioned.

Code:

   GLOBAL F_F1 AS LONG

   FUNCTION NEditActnrF1Lookup(txtACTNR AS STRING,FileEquate AS LONG) AS STRING
     BTRVSETUP                                               
     QF = 5: Q = FileEquate: Q$(Q) = TRIM$(txtACTNR): QNUM = 0: GOSUB 60000
     IF QSTATUS = 0 THEN  
       sTxt = F1.ACTNR$         
     ELSE
       sTxt = "" 
     END IF 
     FUNCTION = sTxt
   EXIT FUNCTION
   60000   #INCLUDE "BTRVCALX.INC"
   END FUNCTION          

   CALLBACK FUNCTION NEditActnrProc
      STATIC OldProc AS LONG, OffsetWndExtra AS LONG
      LOCAL V_NKEYPOS AS LONG,sTXT AS STRING,Txt AS ASCIIZ * %MAX_PATH, zfName AS ASCIIZ * %MAX_PATH
      LOCAL ValidActnrKeys AS STRING,FieldId as LONG
      LOCAL ActnrID AS LONG, DescID AS LONG, DescHandle AS LONG
      DIM  Tlen AS LOCAL LONG
      ValidActnrKeys$ = " 0123456789" + CHR$(8)
      ValidActnrKeysAbbrev$ = "Entry must be 7 digits [0-9]"
      IF CBHNDL = 0 THEN OldProc = CBWPARAM: OffsetWndExtra = CBLPARAM: EXIT FUNCTION

      'Control Id and Handle of ACTNR
      ActnrID& = getdlgctrlid(CBHNDL)

      'Control Id and Handle of Read Only field displaying the F1.ACTNAM
      DescID& = ActnrID& + scr_NUM_FLD#
      DescHandle& = GetDlgItem(GetParent(CBHNDL),DescID&)
      
      SELECT CASE CBMSG
         CASE %WM_GETDLGCODE
            FUNCTION = %DLGC_WANTALLKEYS: EXIT FUNCTION
         CASE %WM_KEYUP
           CONTROL SEND GetParent(CBHNDL),ActnrID&, %EM_GETSEL, 0, 0 TO V_NKEYPOS&     'Used to detect when field is filled           
           IF LOWRD(V_NKEYPOS&) = FieldLen(ActnrID&) THEN
             GetWindowText CBHNDL, Txt, %MAX_PATH
             sTxt = Txt
             sTxt = NEditActnrF1Lookup(sTxt,F_F1&) 'Returns the Account or blank if it is not on file
             IF LEN(TRIM$(sTxt)) = 0 THEN    
              'ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "Account is not on file"
               'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_SHOW
              ' CONTROL SET TEXT GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,"Account is not on file"
               'SLEEP 1000                                           
               'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_HIDE             
               'EXIT FUNCTION ' stay in field until a valid CUSIP is found or the user presses enter with the field empty
             END IF
             SetWindowText CBHNDL, BYCOPY F1.ACTNR

             SetWindowText DescHandle&, BYCOPY F1.ACTNAM  
             SetFocus GetNextDlgTabItem(GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, 0) 'all ok, move to the next field
             EXIT FUNCTION
           END IF
           IF GetWindowTextLength(CBHNDL) = 0 THEN 'handles the case where the field contents become zero during editing
             SetWindowText DescHandle&,""
           END IF
         CASE %WM_KEYDOWN
           SELECT CASE CBWPARAM
             CASE %VK_UP,%VK_DOWN,%VK_RETURN,%VK_TAB  
               Tlen = GetWindowTextLength(CBHNDL) 'get the text length
               IF Tlen = FieldLen(ActnrID&) THEN
                 GetWindowText CBHNDL, Txt, %MAX_PATH
                 sTxt = Txt
                 sTxt = NEditActnrF1Lookup(sTxt,F_F1&)  
                 IF LEN(TRIM$(sTxt)) = 0 THEN  'Field however modified is valid, fill in the description field also   
                   'ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "Account is not on file"               
                   'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_SHOW
                   'CONTROL SET TEXT GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,"Account is not on file"
                   'SLEEP 1000                                           
                   'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_HIDE             
                   SetWindowText CBHNDL, ""
                   SetWindowtext DescHandle&,""               
                   'EXIT FUNCTION ' stay in field until a valid CUSIP is found or the user presses enter with the field empty
                 ELSE 'Field however modified is valid, fill in the description field also
                   SetWindowText CBHNDL, BYCOPY F1.ACTNR
                   SetWindowText DescHandle&, BYCOPY F1.ACTNAM                      
                 END IF
               ELSE  
                 'ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "Account field is required"
                 'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_SHOW
                 'CONTROL SET TEXT GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,"Account field is required"
                 'SLEEP 1000                                           
                 'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_HIDE             
                 'EXIT FUNCTION 'stay in field until there is a valid account 
               END IF
               IF CBWPARAM = %VK_UP OR (CBWPARAM = %VK_TAB AND GetAsyncKeyState(%VK_SHIFT)) THEN  
                 SetFocus GetNextDlgTabItem(GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, -1)
               ELSE
                 SetFocus GetNextDlgTabItem(GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, 0)
               END IF  
               EXIT FUNCTION
             CASE %VK_F 'find routine
               IF GetAsyncKeyState(%VK_CONTROL) THEN
                 LSET C.INQ = "": LSET C.CSORT = CSORT$
                 SPARE$ = CPROGID$: LSET C.SPARE = SPARE$: C.LSPARE = LEN(SPARE$)': @pC = C
                 PU_PROG$ = CPROGID$: LSET C.PU_PROG = PU_PROG$: @pC = C
                 IF FNSP(CUST_DIR$) THEN
                   SHELLPROG$ = "PUACCT.EXE "
                 ELSE
                   SHELLPROG$ = $STDEXE + "PUACCT.EXE "
                 END IF
                 DIALOG DISABLE GetParent(CBHNDL)
                 Yinstance& = SHELL(SHELLPROG$ + COMMONLINK$)
                 SLEEP 1000
                 Zprocessid& = OpenProcess(%PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION + %PROCESS_TERMINATE,%False,Yinstance&)
                 DO
                   DIALOG DOEVENTS
                   I& = GetExitCodeProcess(BYVAL Zprocessid&,lpExitCode&)
                 LOOP WHILE lpExitCode& = %STILL_ACTIVE
                 DIALOG ENABLE GetParent(CBHNDL)
                 DIALOG SHOW STATE hdlg,%SW_SHOW
                 stat = GetCommon(C)
                 INQACTNR$ = RTRIM$(INQ$)
                 sTxt = INQACTNR$  'same as if NEditActnrF1Lookup had been called
                 IF LEN(TRIM$(sTxt)) = 0 THEN 'lookup cancelled go with field contents
                   GetWindowText CBHNDL, Txt, %MAX_PATH
                   sTxt = Txt
                 END IF
                 sTxt = NEditActnrF1Lookup(sTxt,F_F1&)  
                 IF LEN(TRIM$(sTxt)) = 0 THEN  'Field however modified is valid, fill in the description field also   
                   'ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "Account is not on file"               
                   'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_SHOW
                   'CONTROL SET TEXT GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,"Account is not on file"
                   'SLEEP 1000                                           
                   'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_HIDE             
                   SetWindowText CBHNDL, ""
                   SetWindowtext DescHandle&,""               
                   'EXIT FUNCTION ' stay in field until a valid account is found
                 ELSE 'Field has a valid value from the lookup, fill fields and proceed to the next tab stop
                   SetWindowText CBHNDL, BYCOPY F1.ACTNR
                   SetWindowText DescHandle&, BYCOPY F1.ACTNAM                      
                   SetFocus GetNextDlgTabItem(GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, 0)
                   EXIT FUNCTION
                 END IF
               END IF  
             CASE %VK_INSERT
               IF NOT V_INSOVR THEN
                 V_INSOVR = -1
               SetWindowText GetParent(CBHNDL),"OVR"   
               ELSEIF V_INSOVR THEN
                 V_INSOVR = 0
               SetWindowText GetParent(CBHNDL),"INS"   
               END IF
           END SELECT
         CASE %WM_CHAR
           IF INSTR(ValidActnrKeys$,CHR$(CBWPARAM)) = 0 THEN
             IF CBWPARAM > 32 THEN 
               ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, ValidActnrKeysAbbrev$
               'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_SHOW
               'CONTROL SET TEXT GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,ValidActnrKeysAbbrev$
               'SLEEP 1000                                           
               'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_HIDE             
             END IF  
           END IF  
           IF INSTR(ValidActnrKeys$,CHR$(CBWPARAM)) = 0 THEN EXIT FUNCTION
           KeyState = GetAsyncKeyState(%VK_OEM_MINUS) OR GetAsyncKeyState(%VK_OEM_PLUS)
           IF INSTR("+-",CHR$(CBWPARAM)) > 0 AND KeyState <> &H8001 THEN EXIT FUNCTION
           IF V_INSOVR THEN
             SendMessage CBHNDL, %EM_GETSEL, 0, 0 TO V_NKEYPOS&     'Used to detect when field is filled           
             V_NKEYPOS& = LOWRD(V_NKEYPOS&)
             SendMessage CBHNDL, %EM_SETSEL,V_NKEYPOS&,V_NKEYPOS& + 1  'Selects current character
             SendMessage CBHNDL, %WM_CLEAR,0,0                       'If nothing to clear doesn't act
           END IF
         CASE %WM_SETFOCUS
           SendMessage CBHNDL, %EM_SETSEL, 0, -1 
         CASE %WM_KILLFOCUS 
'           Tlen = GetWindowTextLength(CBHNDL) 'get the text length 
'           IF Tlen < FieldLen(ActnrID&) AND Tlen > 0 THEN
'             ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "WARNING! Account was not found."
'           ELSEIF Tlen = 0 THEN
'             ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "WARNING! Account is required."                            
'           END IF
             'SetFocus CBHNDL 
'             ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "Account not found"               
'             DIALOG GET SIZE GetParent(CBHNDL) TO tot_x&,tot_y&
'             DIALOG GET CLIENT GetParent(CBHNDL) TO cli_x&,cli_y&
'             DIALOG UNITS GetParent(CBHNDL),tot_x& - cli_x&,tot_y& - cli_y& TO PIXELS non_client_x&,non_client_y&
'             DIALOG GET LOC GetParent(CBHNDL) TO MOUSE_X&,MOUSE_Y&
'             DIALOG UNITS GetParent(CBHNDL), MOUSE_X&,MOUSE_Y& TO PIXELS P_MOUSE_X&,P_MOUSE_Y&
'             CONTROL GET LOC GetParent(CBHNDL),ActnrID& TO TV_X&,TV_Y&
'             DIALOG UNITS GetParent(CBHNDL), TV_X&,TV_Y& TO PIXELS P_TV_X&,P_TV_Y&
'             SetCursorPos P_MOUSE_X& + P_TV_X& + 10, P_MOUSE_Y& + P_TV_Y& + non_client_y& + 9             
'             EXIT FUNCTION 'stay in field until there is a valid account
'           ELSEIF Tlen = 0 THEN
'             ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), CBHNDL, "Account field is required"               
'           END IF
      END SELECT
      FUNCTION = CallWindowProc(OldProc, CBHNDL, CBMSG, CBWPARAM, CBLPARAM) 
         
   END FUNCTION

   CALLBACK FUNCTION NActnrButtonProc
      STATIC OldProc AS LONG, OffsetWndExtra AS LONG
      LOCAL Txt AS ASCIIZ * %MAX_PATH, sTxt AS STRING
      LOCAL ActnrButtonID AS LONG, ActnrID AS LONG, DescID AS LONG
      LOCAL ActnrHandle AS LONG, DescHandle AS LONG
      IF CBHNDL = 0 THEN OldProc = CBWPARAM: OffsetWndExtra = CBLPARAM: EXIT FUNCTION
      ActnrButtonID& = getdlgctrlid(CBHNDL)
      ActnrID& = ActnrButtonID& - (scr_NUM_FLD# * 2 )
      DescID& = ActnrButtonID& - scr_NUM_FLD#
      ActnrHandle& = GetDlgItem(GetParent(CBHNDL),ActnrID&)
      DescHandle& = GetDlgItem(GetParent(CBHNDL),DescID&)
      SELECT CASE CBMSG
        CASE %WM_LBUTTONDOWN
           LSET C.INQ = "": LSET C.CSORT = CSORT$
           SPARE$ = CPROGID$: LSET C.SPARE = SPARE$: C.LSPARE = LEN(SPARE$)
           PU_PROG$ = CPROGID$: LSET C.PU_PROG = PU_PROG$: @pC = C
           IF FNSP(CUST_DIR$) THEN
             SHELLPROG$ = "PUACCT.EXE "
           ELSE
             SHELLPROG$ = $STDEXE + "PUACCT.EXE "
           END IF
           DIALOG DISABLE GetParent(CBHNDL)
           Yinstance& = SHELL(SHELLPROG$ + COMMONLINK$)
           SLEEP 1000
           Zprocessid& = OpenProcess(%PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION + %PROCESS_TERMINATE,%False,Yinstance&)
           DO
             DIALOG DOEVENTS
             I& = GetExitCodeProcess(BYVAL Zprocessid&,lpExitCode&)
           LOOP WHILE lpExitCode& = %STILL_ACTIVE
           DIALOG ENABLE GetParent(CBHNDL)
           DIALOG SHOW STATE hdlg,%SW_SHOW
           stat = GetCommon(C)
           INQACTNR$ = RTRIM$(INQ$)
           sTxt = INQACTNR$
           IF LEN(TRIM$(sTxt)) = 0 THEN
             GetWindowText ActnrHandle&,Txt,%MAX_PATH
             sTxt = Txt
           END IF      
           sTxt = NEditActnrF1Lookup(sTxt,F_F1&)
           IF LEN(TRIM$(sTxt)) = 0 THEN  'Field however modified is valid, fill in the description field also   
             ShowBallonText GetParent(CBHNDL), ActnrHandle&, "Account is not on file"               
             'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_SHOW
             'CONTROL SET TEXT GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,"Account is not on file"
             'SLEEP 1000                                           
             'CONTROL SHOW STATE GetParent(CBHNDL),%ER_MSG,%SW_HIDE             
             SetWindowText ActnrHandle&, ""
             SetWindowtext DescHandle&,""               
             EXIT FUNCTION ' stay in field until a valid account is found
           ELSE 'Field has a valid value from the lookup, fill fields and proceed to the next tab stop
             SetWindowText ActnrHandle&, BYCOPY F1.ACTNR
             SetWindowText DescHandle&, BYCOPY F1.ACTNAM 
             SetFocus GetNextDlgTabItem(GetParent(CBHNDL),ActnrHandle&, 0)
             EXIT FUNCTION
           END IF
      END SELECT
      FUNCTION = CallWindowProc(OldProc, CBHNDL, CBMSG, CBWPARAM, CBLPARAM)
   END FUNCTION

Some code not shown that does the actual superclass creation. There is code from a lot of people in here. Semen's Superclass creation code is elsewhere. A lot of this has been trial and error.

Bob Mechler

Bob Mechler

**Michael Mattias** · 31 Jul 2008, 10:04 AM

With Control Add "Classname" I can do the following without putting code in a dialog callback under wm_command [italics mine. MCM]

A-ha! This explains much.

I remember when DDT first came out, I thought the control level callbacks ("CONTROL ADD... CALL functionname") would turn out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread and would be really handy to make highly-maintainable code.

I gave it a shot, but discovered I felt a lot more comfortable with all the handlers located in one procedure... the dialog procedure. Plus, the initial release of DDT did not offer the 'CONTROL SET USER' features, and I was really used to using all the controls' "DWL_USER" or "GWL_USERDATA" integer, and the only way at that time to store this kind of data and access it in the separate control procedures was via (ugh!) GLOBAL variables.

In addition, I had learned Windows programming with PB/DLL before there was such a thing as 'DDT,' so I was used to having all the code for one screen in one procedure.

I guess if you start programming Windows' applications using 'DDT' with 'CONTROL SET USER' capability, it's a lot different.

MCM

**BOB MECHLER** · 31 Jul 2008, 05:57 PM

If it was just me, I'd do it the way you do. I have to deal with 5 other programmers who aren't api programmers. They are application programmers and used to most of the hard stuff being hidden. They like 'Access' (shudder).

Also to have most functions and business logic in superclassed controls and include files that only I and one other programmer deal with makes development by the other programmers very quick. We have a standard look and feel, a standard way to open and access files and a standard way to process things. While uninteresting, it gets programs out the door.

Bob Mechler

**Michael Mattias** · 1 Aug 2008, 08:55 AM

.....used to most of the hard stuff being hidden
... a standard look and feel, a standard way to open and access files and a standard way to process things. While uninteresting, it gets programs out the door.

Sounds to me like an ideal situation for giving these programmers a little documentation and a header file pointing to a dynamic link library.

**BOB MECHLER** · 1 Aug 2008, 10:30 AM

We do some 'on demand' loading and freeing of customer specific dynamic link libraries as well as some load on first use and leave loaded DLL's.

If the client id is such and such we load their library and call the functions there instead of the default functions, etc.

If I used dll's for the 'hard stuff' I'd need to put all the gui in the DLL, right?

Can you have the parameters defined in the main exe and create the GUI entirely in the DLL. Hmmm. This would keep the INCLUDE files from being listed in every EXE.

Can a call back function be in a DLL if the Dialog is created in the main exe?

Bob Mechler

**Michael Mattias** · 1 Aug 2008, 11:47 AM

>Can a call back function be in a DLL if the Dialog is created in the main exe?

Not directly using DDT syntax, since DDT requires the CALL procedurename within the current code module.

But you could go the indirect route...

Code:

DECLARE FUNCTION RealCallBack  LIB "MyDLL.DLL" _
    (BYVAL hwnd AS LONG, _
     ByVAL usMSG AS LONG, 
     BYVAL wParam AS LONG, _ 
     BYVAL lParam AS LONG) AS LONG 


  DIALOG NEW ....

  DIALOG SHOW hDlg.... CALL FunctionHere

CALLBACK FUNCTION FunctionHere () AS LONG
    FUNCTION = RealCallBack (CBHNDL, CBMSG, CBWPARAM, CBLPARAM) 
END FUNCTION

With SDK-style coding, you don't need the extra function since you supply the address, not the name, of the window or dialog procedure.

I'll guess in your window procedure in the DLL, you could just code it as

Code:

CALLBACK FUNCTION  RealCallback  () EXPORT AS LONG 

END FUNCTION

... and all your "CBxxxxx" system constants should still work.

(If this is not doable it certainly should be)

MCM

Announcement

Trap left click in Superclassed Edit control

Trap left click in Superclassed Edit control

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