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Work in Progress / coming soon: Blue Graphical User Interface Plugin

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Rob K
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 03:31 Edited at: 15th Jul 2003 12:49
Edit: This plugin has now been released. You can order it from http://blue.robert-knight.net


This is something I've been working on for a little while now. This is a GUI system which allows you to have windows gadgets in your apps.

Currently supported:

- Buttons (+ Imagebuttons)
- Edit fields
- Windows
- Labels
- Listboxes
- Comboboxes
- Treeviews
- Panels
- Tabs
- Progressbar
- Scrollbar

Still to add

- Toolbars (effectively flat imagebuttons on a panel)
- Memos (multi-line edit fields)

Possibly shell views, HTML viewer, Tables, Rich Text editor as well.

About 75-odd commands so far.

- Open / Save / Input / Question / Message / Error / Font / Color dialogs

Here are a couple of screenies:

1) Demo app:



2) Customised app:



Currently the plan is to have a freeware version (the basic gadgets + the dialogs) and a commercial version (all gadgets + dialogs) for say £5 or £10.

Any ideas and suggestions are welcome.

For the curious, I have attached the source code for the above application so you can get a feel for the command structure.

The Wendigo
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 05:28
not bad at all! Are those real Win controls or ones you copied? I'm just curious cuz I've found it is quite easy to make buttons look like real windows buttons, but I by no means am belittling your work. Doing something of the magnitude you have done is unbelievably difficult at times! I'm speaking from personaly experience.

Current Projects: Game Spawn 85%, mini BSP maker 50%, Height Mapper with many features 75%, Space Tactical (Like BC300AD) 15%.
Rob K
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 13:55 Edited at: 2nd Jul 2003 13:57
"Are those real Win controls or ones you copied?"

They are real windows controls. The main advantage of using them is that they are much faster than sprites or other DB 2D graphics.

I know that you can fake them, but I found that they were a pig to code (here its just CREATE GADGET BUTTON and GADGET CLICKED().

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
David T
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 22:20
Will it be possible to customise the title bars, etc?

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Rob K
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 22:44
You can customise it to the extend that you can change the text and set the style - normal, resizeable, toolwindow, resizeable toolwindow, dialog, no border.

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Shady Simpson
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 22:57
Hey Rob this looks like the coolest thing ever since your Windows Menu DLL!I thought that was the best you could get.

You are the king of DB.

Looking forward to it's release.

spooky
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 23:05
Looking good.

1.
If I create an app, will it work on all flavours of windows, eg 95, 98, ME, XP, e.t.c.

2.
Does app have to run as a window or will it still work in fullscreen exclusive mode.

I would be more than happy to pay £10. Together with that SQL plugin, you could knock up some pretty good database programs.

R Tape loading error
Rob K
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 23:21
1. It WILL definately work on XP,2000. It definately won't work on 95, because DBPro doesn't support Windows 95. It should work fine on 98 (I don't have a 98 machine running so I cannot test it, but I haven't used any NT specific commands - but I won't release it until it I know that it works on 98).

2. It works in all graphics mode, windowed and fullscreen.

The only thing you have to bear in mind though, is that the gadget commands work on the resolution of your desktop. So if DBP is set to 640x480 fullscreen, but your desktop is 1024x768, then to get a gadget filling the screen you would need to make it 1024x768. I have included DBP WINDOW WIDTH() and DBP WINDOW HEIGHT() to make this easier though

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
spooky
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 23:31
makes sense, thankyou.

Why bothered about NT specific commands as DBPro won't even run on NT?

I didn't know DBPro didn't work on 95. Who cares anyway!

R Tape loading error
Shady Simpson
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2003 23:34
The windows in the screenshot have little circles where the cross, maximize and minimize buttons are supposed to be. Are the windows real?
If so, can you make more than one window?

Thanx.

Rob K
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2003 00:16
@Sonic

" as DBPro won't even run on NT?"

By NT, I meant 2000 / XP, which are based on Windows NT (and very different from Windows 9x/ME)

@Shady

"The windows in the screenshot have little circles where the cross, maximize and minimize buttons are supposed to be. Are the windows real?"

Yes they are real, but my Windows XP is running a MacOS X theme, so all my windows look like that.

You can have as many windows as you want - CREATE GADGET WINDOW until you've had enough

Actually there is a gadget limit of 1024 at the moment, but this can easily be raised if it is a problem (I doubt you would want that many however)

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Shady Simpson
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2003 00:22
cool,

really can't wait till it's released.

spooky
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2003 13:43
Another quick question:

If I paid for full version and released a freebie app with it, is the dll the type that is compiled into main exe so no-one can nick it?

R Tape loading error
Rob K
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2003 14:09
Yes it IS compiled into the main exe, but there will probably be a key or something which is passed as the first command to the plugin DLL which unlocks it for use.

I've just completed most of the help files now, and I am working on flat buttons (for toolbars).

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
David T
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2003 20:56
Quote: "You can customise it to the extend that you can change the text and set the style - normal, resizeable, toolwindow, resizeable toolwindow, dialog, no border."


I was actually redferring to the MacOS X title bars, but I suppose you're running windowblinds.

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Rob K
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2003 21:09
Of course - You COULD create a window without borders and manually add the borders yourself using the panel / image / label gadgets if you wanted something custom. (Create a panel with the desired border image in).

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Rob K
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 01:32
This is the part I like - the fun components



Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Puffy
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 01:41
^_^ Thats looks a lot like purebasic stuff... =\

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
Rob K
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 01:50 Edited at: 5th Jul 2003 01:52
The app is DBPro obviously, the plugin was written in Delphi. They are all standard components though, so they could have been written in BeFunge or Whitespace

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Puffy
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 01:51
=\ I'm always too late... sigh... I guess I'll just make mine for personal use... or I could just pack mine full of 3D OpenGL functions... heh...

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
Rob K
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 18:00
Someone on DBDN had problems running apps with this plugin under Windows ME. Can you please try this app and let me know if it works or not (please include which version of Windows you are running)

http://www.realgametools.net/forums/attachments/netbrowse.exe

This internet app will load up and try to connect to www.google.com

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
MrTAToad
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 18:25
Can the DBPro program be doing something with the window active ?

Good news everyone! I really am THAT good...
http://www.nickk.nildram.co.uk/ for great plug-ins and other exciting things - oh my, yes!
Rob K
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 18:37
@MrTAToad - Can you elaborate, I'm not sure what you mean.

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
IanM
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 19:18
The answer is yes. Windows is handling the gadgets while DBPro is continuing to run in the background.
andrew11
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 19:26
Cool...
How much is £5 or £10 in the US?
And how would the money get to you? I would buy it.

"All programmers are playwrites and all computers are lousy actors" -Anon
MrTAToad
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 19:32
Ah - thats good to hear... I meant whilst the window is active...

Good news everyone! I really am THAT good...
http://www.nickk.nildram.co.uk/ for great plug-ins and other exciting things - oh my, yes!
Rob K
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Posted: 5th Jul 2003 20:49 Edited at: 5th Jul 2003 20:50
@andrew - Roughly speaking, the author gets 85% of the original price.

It is nearly complete but I really need users of Win98 to test the program and see if there are problems.

As for the gadgets, Windows and the plugin's internal functions handle the gadgets while DBP runs in the background.

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Puffy
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Posted: 6th Jul 2003 01:49
=P ^_^ I think I can get my dll done by the end of the week... ...

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
Rob K
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Posted: 6th Jul 2003 02:07
Apparently there are problems with Windows98, so I will ensure that they are fixed before release.

Puffy - this isn't a competition, as a moderator you should know better. I'm making this because I need it and other people do as well.

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Puffy
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Posted: 6th Jul 2003 11:03
Awwwww... a lil friendly competition hurt no one... but... fine... sniffles...

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
spooky
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 02:18
Rob K: There is a 'listview' control in VB6 from the common controls library that is a sort of table with columns that is very useful in some apps I've done, like an FTP program for example:



Any chance of you incorporating something similar or is that asking too much!

R Tape loading error
Rob K
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 02:23
I think that is certainly possible, thanks for the idea

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
SonicBoom
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 05:08
This is awesome - I think it'll really "open up" dbpro to different kind of apps

I assume that that is an instance of the Internet explorer object in your screen shot so web pages will display properly?
Puffy
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 07:49
Yeh it will theres 2 more like it on the way too... Ravens,Mine...

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
Shadow Robert
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 08:45
puffy i wouldn't get hyper excited.

people will be looking for certain things when using different plugins, firstly the ease of use ...

a good example of this is alot of people find TAToads plugins a little awekard to work with, and i've been asked several times now to remake some of thier features for an simpler setup from a few users.
this isn't to take away from Toad and say that my plugins are better because i know they're more unstable than his due to the time and experience i have put into them compared to him - however some people will use them over his simply for thier ease.

another factor is features ... it is nice to do a one upsmanship with someone if you choose to, however my approach to all of this is completely different - rather than trying to take the ideas of someone else and just extend on them, what i'm doing is making a complete system of what i feel the user will want.

it is obvious both of you are making some good plugins with alot of good features, a big difference in what we're all doing though is whilst you guys are adding support for additional systems ... i'm making mine exclusive for just DBP.

reason being is, i don't use any other language so really why should i create a plugin for a language i don't use ... second reason is, i'm creating it exclusively from the WindowsAPi not a third party APi which means it'll have to be used on a WindowsOS.
To prevent alot of bugs creaping in i'm using the Global Structure, this keeps the DLLs feet firmly planted allowing me to develop from that ... there are also alot of other goodies that quite frankly I can only achieve using VisualC++.

personally i'm not looking to make this a competition. I doubt my plugin will be greatly popular throughout the community, most of mine arn't - but for the select few who like how i set them up no doubt it'll be something they look forward to using.

especially now i've got the hang of the WM System

Puffy
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 11:03 Edited at: 7th Jul 2003 15:05
Quote: "another factor is features ... it is nice to do a one upsmanship with someone if you choose to, however my approach to all of this is completely different - rather than trying to take the ideas of someone else and just extend on them, what i'm doing is making a complete system of what i feel the user will want."


lol... = I didn't know about his until I started on my own... awwww i bet plenty of people will like your plugin... If robk wants to share a secret with me I would be very greatful... I have my gadgets appearing the the DBPro window... but the backbuffer is really messing with them... are yours in the window or on top... ???

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
Rob K
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 12:08
"I assume that that is an instance of the Internet explorer object in your screen shot so web pages will display properly?"

Yes. It works just like the web-display part of IE

"i'm creating it exclusively from the WindowsAPi not a third party APi which means it'll have to be used on a WindowsOS."

This plugin is DBP-only, windows-only. Why did you assume otherwise?

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
MrTAToad
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 12:50
Raven - aside from Ian, who else finds my plug-ins hard to work with !?

Good news everyone! I really am THAT good...
http://www.nickk.nildram.co.uk/ for great plug-ins and other exciting things - oh my, yes!
Shadow Robert
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 13:25
Sam (KG2) has from time to time, as well as a few of the younger users ... i've also found your plugins to be a little on the not so user friendly side.
don't get me wrong they work great just not really easy to grasp and handle.

Quote: "This plugin is DBP-only, windows-only. Why did you assume otherwise?"

i do believe you state it somewhere in here when puffy mentioned his was multiplatform that yours would/could be too. might've been another post - i'm too tired to find it right now.

Rob K
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 13:58
"multiplatform that yours would/could be too. "

Nope.

@sonic

I've added table gadgets. The only minor complication is that they require two gadget IDs (as they have to be held in a container window gadget). Got a file list working nicely with them

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
MrTAToad
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 14:44 Edited at: 7th Jul 2003 14:56
Its probably because I always (try) to return any error codes + any result.

Anyway, which ones are difficult (I think it would the ones mainly in the GetResource DLL that is the 'problem'. Mind you - with the GUI plug-in the commands for loading/saving/font selection and the colour picker wont be needed) ? Let me know, as with Ian's ARRAY module, theoretically they could all (ie the result) go into a structure, and return any error codes back as usual.

EG :

TYPE _DISKFREESPACE
LONGLONG freeSpace
LONGLONG usedSpace
... other bits here
ENDTYPE

Good news everyone! I really am THAT good...
http://www.nickk.nildram.co.uk/ for great plug-ins and other exciting things - oh my, yes!
Puffy
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 15:05
o_O RobK I figured it out(with the help of raven) you used the CreateWindowEx_() command... right?...

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
IanM
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 15:23
MrTAToad: *I* don't find them hard to work with, but they are a bit much for the beginner. They assume that you know about fairly low-level stuff.

You write them, so of course, they're obvious to you, but others need to put some effort into working them out.

This is something that I always try to keep in mind when I'm creating a plug-in or a set of functions for public use.
Rob K
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 15:27
"you used the CreateWindowEx_() command... right?..."

Clearly. There is no other way of creating proper windows.

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
3dZmaster
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 15:47
I really would be willing to pay 5£ for that! That is great. Thanx a lot. When it's going to come out?

Current project: Dodge Viper Car Game (Not named yet) Other car models are going to be included soon
Puffy
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 16:02
RobK... =\ Did you use the WS_EX_COMPOSITED command... is that why it wont run on ME???

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
Rob K
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 16:58 Edited at: 7th Jul 2003 16:58
"is that why it wont run on ME???"

It WILL run on ME now (the netbrowse.exe) I posted won't, however I fixed the bug which prevented the app from running on Win98/ME

The fixed dll (used in the app below) should work on 98/ME fine:

http://www.realgametools.net/forums/attachments/netbrowse_fix.exe

@Puffy - Actually there are no EX styles I've used looking through the code. The only deadly important flag is WS_CLIPCHILDREN

@3dZ

Shortly, as in, probably some time this week. I am currently writing a WYSIWYG editor project to make GUI creation easier and to test that the commands are working properly.

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Puffy
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 18:20 Edited at: 7th Jul 2003 18:49
= My god... I got mine working... but I did it in a weird way... lemme try that...

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\
Rob K
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 19:57
currstyle := GetWindowLong(dbpwin,GWL_STYLE);
SetWindowLong(dbpwin,GWL_STYLE,currstyle+WS_CLIPCHILDREN);

in Pascal. This prevents the dbp window from painting over any child windows (eg: buttons).

Do you want Windows menus in your DBP apps? - Get my plugin: http://snow.prohosting.com/~clone99/downloads/tpc_menus_103.zip
Puffy
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Posted: 7th Jul 2003 21:51
Thx... ^_^

EVERYONE LOVES THE PUFF!... =\

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