Any way I can make this dialog "flatter"?

[Michael Mattias]

I think one of the Petzold programs lets you change window styles and click a button to see what the screen will look like now. It may be called "widgets" or something like that.

If not.... some ambitious person could always write a utility to provide this service...although I would think most of the "visual designer" products would already include some kind of "preview" feature....

[colin glenn]

That's neat, I like the focus action on the "caption" area, and I was looking at the overall design of the dialog and thought it would look a bit better if it had an outline surrounding it, which dovetailed nicely with the idea of putting borders on the labels, only I didn't, I just adjusted the positions of the elements to give the appearance of borders. And put my hFont1 into the "close" label as well. I also set the foreground color to black, I suppose I could dig out the font color for 3D Objects and apply that. And maybe use the Face Color for them as well for the background color of the "close" button.

FUNCTION ShowSLIDER(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt  AS LONG
    LOCAL hDlg   AS DWORD
    LOCAL hFont1 AS DWORD
    LOCAL PositionX, PositionY AS LONG

    DIALOG NEW PIXELS, hParent, "", 0, 0, [B]40, 402[/B], %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_SYSMENU OR %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS OR %WS_CLIPCHILDREN _
        OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_SETFOREGROUND OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE, _
        %WS_EX_TOPMOST, TO _
        hDlg

[B]    DIALOG SET COLOR hDlg, %WHITE, %BLACK
    DIALOG GET CLIENT hDlg TO PositionX, PositionY
    PositionX = PositionX - 2
    PositionY = PositionY - 2[/B]

    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, "255", _
        [B]1, 1, PositionX - 15, 14[/B], _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_LEFT, _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, _
        GetSysColor(%COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT), GetSysColor(%COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION)
    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, "X", _
        [B]PositionX - 13, 2, 13, 13[/B], _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_CENTER OR %SS_NOTIFY, _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL SET COLOR hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, %BLACK, RGB(255,0,0)

    PositionY = PositionY - 15

    CONTROL ADD SCROLLBAR, hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, "Opacity Adjust", _
        [B]1, 16, PositionX, PositionY[/B], _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SBS_VERT
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -1, RGB(46, 32, 92)

    FONT NEW "MS Sans Serif", 8, 1, 0, 0, 0 TO hFont1
    CONTROL SET FONT hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, hFont1
    [B]CONTROL SET FONT hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, hFont1[/B]
    FONT END hFont1

    ShowSlider = hDlg
END FUNCTION

[Chris Boss]

A little tweaking.

It now sets the label to use the system colors for the caption bar, emulates the red X button and changes the color shade when the dialog loses focus. I also added a flat border (WS_BORDER) to the labels to make them stand out more.

#COMPILE EXE
#DIM ALL
#INCLUDE "win32api.inc"
FUNCTION PBMAIN () AS LONG
     LOCAL hDlg AS LONG
     hDlg=ShowSLIDER(0)
     DIALOG SHOW MODAL hDlg , CALL ShowSLIDERProc
END FUNCTION
%UM_SETOPACITY  = %WM_USER +400
%UM_GETOPACITY  = %WM_USER +401
%IDL_OPACITYLABEL   = 1002
%IDSV_OPACITYADJUST = 1001
%IDL_OPACITYCLOSE   = 1004
%IDD_SLIDER         = 1003
FUNCTION ShowSLIDER(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt  AS LONG
    LOCAL hDlg   AS DWORD
    LOCAL hFont1 AS DWORD
    LOCAL PositionX, PositionY AS LONG
    DIALOG NEW PIXELS, hParent, "", 0, 0, 36, 400, %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_SYSMENU OR %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS OR %WS_CLIPCHILDREN _
        OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_SETFOREGROUND OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE, _
        %WS_EX_TOPMOST, TO _
        hDlg
    DIALOG GET CLIENT hDlg TO PositionX, PositionY
    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, "255", _
        0, 0, PositionX - 14, 14, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_LEFT OR %WS_BORDER OR %SS_CENTER, _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, GetSysColor(%COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT), GetSysColor(%COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION)
    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, "X", _
        PositionX - 14, 0, 14, 14, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_CENTER OR %SS_NOTIFY OR %WS_BORDER, _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL SET COLOR hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, %WHITE, RGB(255,0,0)
    PositionY = PositionY - 14
    CONTROL ADD SCROLLBAR, hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, "Opacity Adjust", _
        0, 14, PositionX, PositionY, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SBS_VERT
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -1, RGB(46, 32, 92)
    FONT NEW "MS Sans Serif", 8, 1, 0, 0, 0 TO hFont1
    CONTROL SET FONT hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, hFont1
    FONT END hFont1
    ShowSlider = hDlg
END FUNCTION
CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowSLIDERProc()
LOCAL ScrollX, PositionX, PositionY     AS LONG
STATIC hParent                          AS DWORD
    SELECT CASE AS LONG CB.MSG
        CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
            DIALOG SET LOC CB.HNDL, 0, 0
            WINDOW GET PARENT CB.HNDL TO hParent
            SCROLLBAR SET RANGE CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -255, 0
            SCROLLBAR SET PAGESIZE CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, 1
            DIALOG SEND hParent, %UM_GETOPACITY, 0, 0 TO ScrollX
            DECR ScrollX
            SCROLLBAR SET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -ScrollX
            CONTROL SET TEXT CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, FORMAT$(ABS(ScrollX))
        CASE %WM_DESTROY
        CASE %WM_NCACTIVATE
            STATIC hWndSaveFocus AS DWORD
            IF ISFALSE CB.WPARAM THEN
                hWndSaveFocus = GetFocus()
                CONTROL SET COLOR CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, GetSysColor(%COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT), GetSysColor(%COLOR_INACTIVECAPTION)
                CONTROL REDRAW CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL
                CONTROL SET COLOR CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, %WHITE, RGB(255,128,128)
                CONTROL REDRAW CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE
            ELSEIF hWndSaveFocus THEN
                SetFocus(hWndSaveFocus)
                hWndSaveFocus = 0
                CONTROL SET COLOR CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, GetSysColor(%COLOR_CAPTIONTEXT), GetSysColor(%COLOR_ACTIVECAPTION)
                CONTROL REDRAW CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL
                CONTROL SET COLOR CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, %WHITE, RGB(255,0,0)
                CONTROL REDRAW CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE
            END IF
        CASE %WM_VSCROLL
            SCROLLBAR GET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST TO ScrollX
            SELECT CASE LO(WORD, CB.WPARAM)
                CASE %SB_LINEUP
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX > -255, ScrollX - 1, ScrollX)
                CASE %SB_LINEDOWN
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX < 0, ScrollX + 1, ScrollX)
                CASE %SB_PAGEUP
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX > -246, ScrollX - 10, -255)
                CASE %SB_PAGEDOWN
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX < -9, ScrollX + 10, 0)
                CASE %SB_THUMBPOSITION
                    ScrollX = HI(INTEGER, CB.WPARAM)
                CASE %SB_THUMBTRACK
                    ScrollX = HI(INTEGER, CB.WPARAM)
            END SELECT
            SCROLLBAR SET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, ScrollX
            CONTROL SET TEXT CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, FORMAT$(ABS(ScrollX))
            WINDOW GET PARENT CB.HNDL TO hParent
            DIALOG POST hParent, %UM_SETOPACITY, ABS(ScrollX), 0
        CASE %UM_SETOPACITY
            ScrollX = CB.WPARAM
            SCROLLBAR SET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -ScrollX
            CONTROL SET TEXT CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, FORMAT$(ScrollX)

        CASE %WM_LBUTTONDOWN
            DIALOG SEND CB.HNDL, %WM_NCLBUTTONDOWN, %HTCAPTION, %NULL
            FUNCTION = 1
            EXIT FUNCTION
        CASE %WM_RBUTTONDOWN
            SCROLLBAR GET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST TO ScrollX
            DIALOG POST hParent, %UM_SETOPACITY, ABS(ScrollX), 0
        CASE %WM_COMMAND
            SELECT CASE AS LONG CB.CTL
                CASE %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE
                    DIALOG END CB.HNDL
            END SELECT
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION

[colin glenn]

Heck with a fake close image when X shows the spot:

%IDL_OPACITYLABEL   = 1002
%IDSV_OPACITYADJUST = 1001
%IDL_OPACITYCLOSE   = 1004
%IDD_SLIDER         = 1003

FUNCTION ShowSLIDER(BYVAL hParent AS DWORD) AS LONG
    LOCAL lRslt  AS LONG
    LOCAL hDlg   AS DWORD
    LOCAL hFont1 AS DWORD
    LOCAL PositionX, PositionY AS LONG

    DIALOG NEW PIXELS, hParent, "", 0, 0, 36, 400, %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_SYSMENU OR %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS OR %WS_CLIPCHILDREN _
        OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_SETFOREGROUND OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE, _
        %WS_EX_TOPMOST, TO _
        hDlg

    DIALOG GET CLIENT hDlg TO PositionX, PositionY

    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, "255", _
        0, 0, PositionX - 14, 14, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_LEFT, _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, %WHITE, RGB(46, 32, 92)
    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE, "X", _
        PositionX - 14, 0, 14, 14, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_CENTER OR %SS_NOTIFY, _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING

    PositionY = PositionY - 14

    CONTROL ADD SCROLLBAR, hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, "Opacity Adjust", _
        0, 14, PositionX, PositionY, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SBS_VERT
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -1, RGB(46, 32, 92)

    FONT NEW "MS Sans Serif", 8, 1, 0, 0, 0 TO hFont1
    CONTROL SET FONT hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, hFont1
    FONT END hFont1

    ShowSlider = hDlg
END FUNCTION

CALLBACK FUNCTION ShowSLIDERProc()
LOCAL ScrollX, PositionX, PositionY     AS LONG
STATIC hParent                          AS DWORD

    SELECT CASE AS LONG CB.MSG
        CASE %WM_INITDIALOG
            DIALOG SET LOC CB.HNDL, 0, 0
            WINDOW GET PARENT CB.HNDL TO hParent
            SCROLLBAR SET RANGE CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -255, 0
            SCROLLBAR SET PAGESIZE CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, 1
            DIALOG SEND hParent, %UM_GETOPACITY, 0, 0 TO ScrollX
            DECR ScrollX
            SCROLLBAR SET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -ScrollX
            CONTROL SET TEXT CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, FORMAT$(ABS(ScrollX))

        CASE %WM_DESTROY

        CASE %WM_NCACTIVATE
            STATIC hWndSaveFocus AS DWORD
            IF ISFALSE CB.WPARAM THEN
                hWndSaveFocus = GetFocus()
            ELSEIF hWndSaveFocus THEN
                SetFocus(hWndSaveFocus)
                hWndSaveFocus = 0
            END IF

        CASE %WM_VSCROLL
            SCROLLBAR GET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST TO ScrollX
            SELECT CASE LO(WORD, CB.WPARAM)
                CASE %SB_LINEUP
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX > -255, ScrollX - 1, ScrollX)
                CASE %SB_LINEDOWN
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX < 0, ScrollX + 1, ScrollX)
                CASE %SB_PAGEUP
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX > -246, ScrollX - 10, -255)
                CASE %SB_PAGEDOWN
                    ScrollX = IIF(ScrollX < -9, ScrollX + 10, 0)
                CASE %SB_THUMBPOSITION
                    ScrollX = HI(INTEGER, CB.WPARAM)
                CASE %SB_THUMBTRACK
                    ScrollX = HI(INTEGER, CB.WPARAM)
            END SELECT
            SCROLLBAR SET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, ScrollX
            CONTROL SET TEXT CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, FORMAT$(ABS(ScrollX))
            WINDOW GET PARENT CB.HNDL TO hParent
            DIALOG POST hParent, %UM_SETOPACITY, ABS(ScrollX), 0

        CASE %UM_SETOPACITY
            ScrollX = CB.WPARAM
            SCROLLBAR SET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -ScrollX
            CONTROL SET TEXT CB.HNDL, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, FORMAT$(ScrollX)


        CASE %WM_LBUTTONDOWN
            DIALOG SEND CB.HNDL, %WM_NCLBUTTONDOWN, %HTCAPTION, %NULL
            FUNCTION = 1
            EXIT FUNCTION
        CASE %WM_RBUTTONDOWN
            SCROLLBAR GET POS CB.HNDL, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST TO ScrollX
            DIALOG POST hParent, %UM_SETOPACITY, ABS(ScrollX), 0

        CASE %WM_COMMAND
            SELECT CASE AS LONG CB.CTL
                CASE %IDL_OPACITYCLOSE
                    DIALOG END CB.HNDL
            END SELECT
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION

[colin glenn]

The label control becomes your caption bar (remove %SS_NOTIFY style so mouse click gets through to dialog) and by processing the WM_LBUTTONDOWN message it sends a fake message to emulate dragging the dialog. A right mouse down on the label will close the dialog.

That is so cool!

Though I'm going to need to make a mod, was using a mouse click on the label to send a message to the parent, will have to stick a fake close image into the mix, use left click for move, right click for message to parent.

[Chris Boss]

#COMPILE EXE
#INCLUDE "win32api.inc"
%IDL_OPACITYLABEL = 100
%IDSV_OPACITYADJUST = 110
FUNCTION PBMAIN () AS LONG
     LOCAL hDlg AS LONG, PositionX AS LONG, PositionY AS LONG
     PositionX=0
     PositionY=0
     
DIALOG NEW PIXELS, 0, "", 0, 0, 36, 400, %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_SYSMENU OR %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS OR %WS_CLIPCHILDREN _
        OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_SETFOREGROUND OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE, _
        %WS_EX_TOPMOST, TO _
        hDlg
    DIALOG GET CLIENT hDlg TO PositionX, PositionY
'    DIALOG  SET COLOR      hDlg, %WHITE, RGB(46, 32, 92)
    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, "255", 0, 0, _
        PositionX, 24, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_CENTER , _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING     ' don't use %SS_NOTIFY so form gets mouse button down
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, %WHITE, RGB(46, 32, 92)
    PositionY = PositionY - 24
    CONTROL ADD SCROLLBAR, hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, "Opacity Adjust", _
        0, 24, PositionX, PositionY, %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SBS_VERT
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -1, RGB(46, 32, 92)
    DIALOG SHOW MODAL hDlg, CALL MyDlgproc
END FUNCTION
CALLBACK FUNCTION MyDlgproc
     SELECT CASE CB.MSG
          CASE %WM_LBUTTONDOWN
               DIALOG SEND CB.HNDL, %WM_NCLBUTTONDOWN, %HTCAPTION, %NULL
               FUNCTION=1
               EXIT FUNCTION
          CASE %WM_RBUTTONDOWN
               DIALOG END CB.HNDL
          CASE ELSE
     END SELECT
END FUNCTION

In the code above, the caption bar and border is removed.
The label control becomes your caption bar (remove %SS_NOTIFY style so mouse click gets through to dialog) and by processing the WM_LBUTTONDOWN message it sends a fake message to emulate dragging the dialog. A right mouse down on the label will close the dialog.

[colin glenn]

Sorry, thought I put that under the original post, ...

Would like it to be flatter in 3D look, trying to get it to look like the scrollbar is the window itself with the label and a caption bar.

[Elias Montoya]

I think you can trap the WM_GETMINMAX notification message that is sent to every window upon creation and return a minmax structure with a smaller min size.


Do you mean flatter in size? or in 3d look?

[colin glenn]

Creation code:

    DIALOG NEW PIXELS, hParent, "", 0, 0, 36, 400, %WS_POPUP OR _
        %WS_CAPTION OR %WS_SYSMENU OR %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS OR %WS_CLIPCHILDREN _
        OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %DS_SETFOREGROUND OR %DS_NOFAILCREATE, _
        %WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW OR %WS_EX_TOPMOST, TO _
        hDlg

    DIALOG GET CLIENT hDlg TO PositionX, PositionY
    DIALOG  SET COLOR      hDlg, %WHITE, RGB(46, 32, 92)

    CONTROL ADD LABEL,     hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, "255", 0, 0, _
        PositionX, 24, _
        %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SS_CENTER OR %SS_NOTIFY, _
        %WS_EX_LEFT OR %WS_EX_LTRREADING
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDL_OPACITYLABEL, %WHITE, RGB(46, 32, 92)
    PositionY = PositionY - 24

    CONTROL ADD SCROLLBAR, hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, "Opacity Adjust", _
        0, 24, PositionX, PositionY, %WS_CHILD OR %WS_VISIBLE OR %SBS_VERT
    CONTROL SET COLOR      hDlg, %IDSV_OPACITYADJUST, -1, RGB(46, 32, 92)