graphic install program takes over whole screen

[Ken Elvehjem]

Hi,

I have seen several hardware installation programs (chipset installers, network and audio installers) that "take over" the whole screen.

No window frame, no sys controls, no red 'X' and no taskbar/systray/start button.

Nevertheless, these "non-windows" are fairly well behaved; you can "ALT-Tab" to another window, and the windows start key (you know... the one w/ the M$ flag) on the keyboard brings up both the Start menu and the taskbar.

I have a use for this type of behavior; can it be done from PB8 (or 9... just ordered that) and is it difficult or strange?

If someone could just point me in the right direction....

Sincerely,

Ken

[Paul Dixon]

If someone could just point me in the right direction....

Maybe this will help:

http://www.powerbasic.com/support/pbforums/showthread.php?t=39902

Paul.

[colin glenn]

Pointer from blogs.msdn.com

http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2005/05/05/414910.aspx

Another topic about it here:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/Vsexpressvc/thread/cb31e874-2971-4933-bd39-f3bac15c7a58/

[colin glenn]

Working Sample:

#COMPILE EXE
#DIM ALL
#IF NOT %DEF(%WINAPI)
    #INCLUDE "WIN32API.INC"
#ENDIF

%IDB_BUTTON1   = 1001
%IDD_MAXWINDOW =  101

FUNCTION PBMAIN()
    ShowMAXWINDOW %HWND_DESKTOP
END FUNCTION

CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowMAXWINDOWProc()
LOCAL hmon  AS DWORD
LOCAL mi    AS MONITORINFO
LOCAL test  AS LONG

    SELECT CASE AS LONG CBMSG
        CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
            hmon = MonitorFromWindow(CB.HNDL, %MONITOR_DEFAULTTONEAREST)
            mi.cbSize = SIZEOF(mi)
            test = GetMonitorInfo(hmon, mi)
            DIALOG SET LOC CB.HNDL, mi.rcMonitor.nleft, mi.rcMonitor.ntop
            DIALOG SET SIZE CB.HNDL, mi.rcMonitor.nright, mi.rcMonitor.nbottom


        CASE %WM_COMMAND
            SELECT CASE AS LONG CBCTL
                CASE %IDB_BUTTON1
                    IF CBCTLMSG = %BN_CLICKED OR CBCTLMSG = 1 THEN
                        DIALOG END CB.HNDL
                    END IF

            END SELECT
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION

FUNCTION ShowMAXWINDOW(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt AS LONG
    LOCAL hDlg  AS DWORD

    DIALOG NEW hParent, "Max Window", 218, 387, 201, 121, %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_CLIPCHILDREN OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE OR _
        %DS_SETFONT, %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING OR _
        %WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR, TO hDlg
    CONTROL ADD BUTTON, hDlg, %IDB_BUTTON1, "Close", 56, 36, 84, 36

    DIALOG SHOW MODAL hDlg, CALL ShowMAXWINDOWProc TO lRslt

    FUNCTION = lRslt
END FUNCTION

Close button for ease of closing.

[Ken Elvehjem]

Thank you all for the pointers.

Colin, your short demo program was extremely helpful in that it showed exactly what I needed to understand.

I take it that if can do graphics all the way out to the edge of the screen... which is what I was trying for.

Thanks again!

Ken

[Mike Doty]

Thanks, Colin. Your code, but all DDT.

#COMPILE EXE
#DIM ALL
%IDB_BUTTON1   = 1001
%IDD_MAXWINDOW =  101
FUNCTION PBMAIN()
    ShowMAXWINDOW %HWND_DESKTOP
END FUNCTION
CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowMAXWINDOWProc()
  LOCAL ncWidth&, ncHeight&
  SELECT CASE AS LONG CBMSG
      CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
          DESKTOP  GET SIZE TO ncWidth&, ncHeight&
          DIALOG SET LOC CB.HNDL, 0,0
          DIALOG SET SIZE CB.HNDL, ncWidth,ncHeight
       CASE %WM_COMMAND
          SELECT CASE AS LONG CBCTL
              CASE %IDB_BUTTON1
                  IF CBCTLMSG = %BN_CLICKED OR CBCTLMSG = 1 THEN
                      DIALOG END CB.HNDL
                  END IF
          END SELECT
  END SELECT
END FUNCTION
FUNCTION ShowMAXWINDOW(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
  LOCAL lRslt AS LONG
  LOCAL hDlg  AS DWORD
  DIALOG NEW hParent, "Max Window", 218, 387, 201, 121, %WS_POPUP OR _
      %WS_CLIPCHILDREN OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE OR _
      %DS_SETFONT, %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING OR _
      %WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR, TO hDlg
  CONTROL ADD BUTTON, hDlg, %IDB_BUTTON1, "Close", 56, 36, 84, 36
  DIALOG SHOW MODAL hDlg, CALL ShowMAXWINDOWProc TO lRslt
  FUNCTION = lRslt
END FUNCTION

[colin glenn]

Oh hey, DESKTOP! Something new.

[Cliff Nichols]

I have seen several hardware installation programs (chipset installers, network and audio installers) that "take over" the whole screen.

No window frame, no sys controls, no red 'X' and no taskbar/systray/start button.

I have a use for this type of behavior

WHY??????? (Personally I get annoyed by this behavior, especially if I have to enter some passcode to install and the passcode is in an email or some other spot and is impossible to memorize when I just want to run it and see if it does what I want???)

Anyone that blots the screen and expect you to know what to enter is "Just ASKING for tech calls" to walk someone through the same procedure...Over...and OVer....and OVEr...and OVER...and OVERR...and OVERRR...and....."

Anyways....lessons of the past....whether it was "Lazy programmers"...or uninformed, or trying to "Make things easier, but made it actually harder"....or something else should be a lesson learned and not to be repeated.

Personally I keep my window as big as needed to be seen, and try to keep on top, but if someone adds to it and takes away focus or some other thing to try to simplify...then its up to them to code it right...not mine...I did not write the code....my code works, and not my fault

(Ok ok....you caught me...I will attempt to assist on calls like that...but if a pain, I pass it back to the guy that did something I had not accounted for, and its then their problem)

[Ken Elvehjem]

Reply to Cliff

Cliff,

Thanks for your response. I appreciate your comments, and by and large, I agree with you -- Why bother to have "windows" with all the built-in standardization that probably *does* save hours and hours of tech support.

My application is for a viewer of aerial photography, and every pixel counts. Additionaly, it will be written for an *extremely* exclusive audience, and believe me, they will tell me in a heartbeat if something doesn't meet their expectations. On the bright side, they will pay me to bring it in line with what they expect. It will also have a "front end" and controls that will pop through the graphic when some key (the "controls" comes to mind!) for some various features, then disappear for uncluttered viewing.

Well, that's my plan, anyway...

Thanks to all, though for the replies and advice.

Sincerely,

Ken S. Elvehjem

[Christopher Carroll]

The open-source astronomy program, Stellarium at http://www.stellarium.org, is a good example of Ken's requirement, and it has floating graphic controls.