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Geek Culture / Anyone know how I can keep a text window pinned on the screen?

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zenassem
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 12:51
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Perhaps I need an application, or maybe it's already built into Windows XP.

What I want is a window that can display text (like source code) in a window while I am working in the DPB editor. I don't want the window to lose focus and drop to the background.

I also don't want to cascade windows or anything light that. I just want to be able to have the IDE open and have the window stay where it is, even when it loses focus. It would be even better if the window could be set to a certain transparency level.

Sorry if this seems stupid, but I'm tired and I can't think straight right now.

http://www.mod2software.com
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Jess T
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 15:27
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Google it.

There's a few programs out there that do it, cos I've used some before

What they're called, or where you get 'em from... I have no idea

Jess.

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Dave J
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 15:57
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Couldn't take more than 2 minutes to make in VB.NET...


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Jess T
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 17:19
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VB.NET?

I've done it before in DBP.

When I went through the MSDN and pumped out all sorts of API stuff. I came up with a transparent bordered button that hovered on the screen no matter what ( I had to end-task it ).

Where the code is, I don't have a clue... but it's there somewhere

I've also got code for changing the properties of other windows based on the focus they have. So, the process for programming something like this would be to have the window you want to pin in the foreground, fire up the pinning app, the pinning app detects the second window in the ZWrite order, then pins it with transparency

Easy done

Jess.

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Dave J
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 17:44
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Sure if you want a bloated processor-intensive app then go make it in DBP, but will it take you less than 2 minutes? Ha!


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Raven
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 17:46
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? How the hell did you do set the Alpha of a Window through DB/P??
It's a property added in to .NET Framework 1.1, you would have to manually grab the BackBuffer and Blend the given window with the canvas before it's painted, but then that would require function Callbacks.. something else DB/P isn't capable of.

I'd agree with Exeat. VB.NET or C# are probably the easiest, quickest and most visual ways to achieve what you want.

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Jess T
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 18:37
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*shrug* I can't remember

Like I said, I don't have the code anymore... so it's all goneskies...

I did do it though... Had a little text button just in the middle of the screen, hovering over the top of everything, no matter what...

Jess.

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Raven
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 19:14
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The hovering part is easy, you make a circular message loop telling it to keep focus despite what the user want to do.. what I was talking about was the Alpha.

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Dazzag
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 20:50
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If I remember rightly I used the code in VB6 and it works perfectly in XP. The "always on top" is a one line piece of code (if I remember rightly) and using transparancy was no more than a few lines (you control the level of transparency, so nice fading effects too). I also remember there was a freeware program around that basically sat on the taskbar by your clock, and it allowed you to click on a window and it would allow you to toggle it's "always on top" status. Can't remember it's name though....

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
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Dazzag
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 21:05 Edited at: 5th Jun 2005 21:05
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Just found an example. I'll attach it to this message. It's a VB6 compiled exe (so you may need the vb6 runtime DLLs if you don't have them), but it allows you to select a window and toggle it's "always on top" status. Give it a go.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing

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John Y
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 23:40
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Yep, you could make a simple form with a multiline text box on and then use the

SetWindowPos

API to make it float, or if you want to 'hijack' another window use the

FindWindow

API to get the handle of a window to make float.


Http://www.DigitalOmega.Net & Http://www.LevelMaker3D.co.uk
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1tg46
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Posted: 6th Jun 2005 03:13
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I use a program called Powermenu (this was mentioned in a pcworld magazine) which adds a few system menus to the system menu, they are:

Transparency(with submenu of percentages)
Priority [of Application] (with submenu of settings)
Always on Top (Check Menu)
Minimize to Tray


I have this in my startup folder and it is very useful. I have also implemented these same features in a program that I am creating called QuizMaster using Visual Basic .NET 2003 (I wrote the code for the system menu in the quizmaster program and not for the powermenu program). This can easily be implimented into Visual Basic Program using WinAPI.

Regards,
1tg46


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zenassem
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Posted: 6th Jun 2005 03:55 Edited at: 6th Jun 2005 04:08
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Thanks for all the replies.

1tg46 had exactly what I wanted. Thank you. I will use this so much. Simple to install and easy to use. Plus you can make any windows program take on these effects. Truly awesome. I will never program without it.




Here's one of me browsing this thread with the desktop in the background.




~zen

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Raven
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Posted: 6th Jun 2005 05:09
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oh... I thought you ment you wanted it for some development means.
Otherwise I would've just suggest using nView ^_^

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1tg46
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Posted: 6th Jun 2005 08:26 Edited at: 6th Jun 2005 08:30
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Glad you like the program, make sure you have it so that it is in the startup folder so that you can always have those features whenever you want.

I have found that it is very useful with API-Guide and API-Viewer.


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Dave J
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Posted: 6th Jun 2005 09:16
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Quote: "Here's one of me browsing this thread with the desktop in the background"


Why would you want to do that? Or was it just for show?


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zenassem
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Posted: 6th Jun 2005 11:38 Edited at: 6th Jun 2005 11:52
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@exeat,

edit
I just realized you were asking about the second post. Yes that one was just for show.

The second image I posted was just to show that you can change the properties for any windows program, just by right-clicking the application in the task bar. I Just thought that it showed people a better idea of what was going on.

end edit
=====


No It wasn't just for show. Here's the reason.

I am working on a text adventure program that I am converting from old Microsoft Basic. Well I got most of the code worked out, but it's still quite a mess. The original code had a bunch of goto's; real spaghetti code. Although I cleaned much of it up, and now have the program in a modern game loop.

The problem is, I have to now go through and clean it up a bit more; create user defined types, straighten out some erroneous/multiple if conditions etc...

So I want to look at my old code in notepad, while starting a new project. I don't want notepad drop behind the IDE when it looses focus. I want it to remain on top. The transparency allows me to see the old code but continue typing underneath it without having to constantly move the notepad window.

I didn't want to cascade windows at all. I want the IDE to be full screen.

I'm not sure if my explanation helps you understand, but for me it will save a lot of headaches.



For some it may seem gimmicky, and for others it may just serve a useful purpose.

Another USE:

For instance. I can work in the IDE full screen. I can then have the Forums on top FULL-screen but semi-transparent. The web page can be set to reload every few minutes. This way I can continue to work on my project, but see if someone has answered my question; without the need to switch between tabbed apps, nor having to cascade windows.

Haven't you ever wanted to have some reference on the screen while you were typing. Only to find that every time you typed, the reference lost focused and dropped to the back. It's nice to be able to have both on the screen at the same time with transparency.

At work I have multiple monitors with an extended desktop which also alleviates this problem.


~zen

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