Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

[Jeff Fried]

I usually remove the minimize/maximize buttons for a form so I can control the user's exit from the form, but I can't find the way to do this at the highest level, where I want to retain the toolbars but eliminate the minimize, maximize, and exit buttons for controlling the exit from Alpha. Sure, I can create an OnExit event to disable exiting in general and enable it via an exit button, but I would like to make those three controls disappear.

I've looked around for the same settings you would use in a form's properties under window/window style but no luck. Is there such a place for the "outer shell"?

Thank you.

Jeff

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

I usually remove the minimize/maximize buttons for a form so I can control the user's exit from the form, but I can't find the way to do this at the highest level, where I want to retain the toolbars but eliminate the minimize, maximize, and exit buttons for controlling the exit from Alpha. Sure, I can create an OnExit event to disable exiting in general and enable it via an exit button, but I would like to make those three controls disappear.

I've looked around for the same settings you would use in a form's properties under window/window style but no luck. Is there such a place for the "outer shell"?

Thank you.

Jeff

As an alternative if I can't remove the upper right red x close control, have you ever used the CanDatabaseClose command? It behaves like the Autoexec, and if you put a simple cancel() in it, Alpha will be prevented from closing.

Does anyone know how to override it from an exit button I have on the Main Menu so the only route to close Alpha is from that button. It would be something like:

can_database_exit(.t.)
a5.close()

but can_database_exit does not take this syntax.

I'm sure there is a simple answer, but I sure can't find it.

Thank you.

Jeff

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

This first UDF is called in the autoexec and keeps the X from closing the app
The second script is on a button on the Main Menu or a Main Menu tool bar.
'****************************************************

FUNCTION x_exit_lock AS C ( )
	
' Lock the Windows "X" button from closing the form
       DIM code as C
        code = <<%code%
        CANCEL()
        	DIM vForm as C
			vForm = a_form_current
        	evaluate_template(":"+vcFNow+".close(.f.)")
 			:Form.view("menumain")
		%code%
        can_database_exit(code)
        
END FUNCTION

'****************************************************

dim vexit as C
vexit=ui_dlg_box("Exit",<<%dlg%
{background=pale blue}{xmargin=2,2}
{lf};
<25EXIT APPLICATION!exit> <25CANCEL>
{lf};
%dlg%)

if vexit = "exit" then
	system_event_drop("database_canexit","1")
   	:a5.close()
else
	ui_msg_box("","Exit Cancelled")
end if

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

This first UDF is called in the autoexec and keeps the X from closing the app
The second script is on a button on the Main Menu or a Main Menu tool bar.
'****************************************************

FUNCTION x_exit_lock AS C ( )
	
' Lock the Windows "X" button from closing the form
       DIM code as C
        code = <<%code%
        CANCEL()
        	DIM vForm as C
			vForm = a_form_current
        	evaluate_template(":"+vcFNow+".close(.f.)")
 			:Form.view("menumain")
		%code%
        can_database_exit(code)
        
END FUNCTION

'****************************************************

dim vexit as C
vexit=ui_dlg_box("Exit",<<%dlg%
{background=pale blue}{xmargin=2,2}
{lf};
<25EXIT APPLICATION!exit> <25CANCEL>
{lf};
%dlg%)

if vexit = "exit" then
	system_event_drop("database_canexit","1")
   	:a5.close()
else
	ui_msg_box("","Exit Cancelled")
end if

Hi Mike,

Thanks for this. Haven't tried it yet but will let you know my findings.

Jeff

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Hi Mike,

Thanks for this. Haven't tried it yet but will let you know my findings.

Jeff

Hi Mike,

Unfortunately it's not clear how I should make this work in the autoexec. I guess I can't just paste it in to inline xbasic and change the name to my main menu file. What would I do to make this function work? Do I feed it a parameter?

Thanks.

Jeff

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Hi Mike,

Unfortunately it's not clear how I should make this work in the autoexec. I guess I can't just paste it in to inline xbasic and change the name to my main menu file. What would I do to make this function work? Do I feed it a parameter?

Thanks.

Jeff

I meant to say main menu form, not file. I named the main menu form "MainMenu", so I substituted your "menumain" for my "mainmenu", but something else is stopping this from working - probably something with which I have no experience.

Thanks.

Jeff

[DaveM]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

do you mean
-NOMINMAX and -NOSYSMENU in your start command line?

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

do you mean
-NOMINMAX and -NOSYSMENU in your start command line?

Here's all I'm trying to do. I want to prevent a user from being able to exit out of the application without going through an exit button I have on the main menu of the application. There are various ways one can exit. For example, if you press F8 on a form and go into the browse, then rather than press F8 to go back to the form you click on the X, you're out. At the same time, I want to make the browse -- this or any other -- stretchable and certain disabling of those min/max/close buttons take that away.

Some approach that loads with the autoexec that disables any exit, but undoes that within my main menu exit button would be perfect. I tried what I was given earlier in this thread but it did not work out of the gate. I must be missing something, or there's something not quite right with the syntax.

And by the way, the min or max of a form is not an issue -- it's only the ability for users to suddenly find themselves in Alpha without an application, or out of Alpha without my orderly exit from the main menu, where I capture such things as the exit time in a log, where the autoexec captured an entry time in that log.

Thanks.

Jeff
Please help if you have an answer.

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Jeff,
I'm sorry, it has been so long since I have visited this. I have a base template app that has all the app login, navigation and base constant functionality already built so I begin an app with that all in place and haven't revisited it in a while. I guess I need to, huh....

Start again:
I have 3 scripts that control this with the autoexec. At the beginning of the autoexec, I dim the global navigation variables:

       ' dim the global navigation variables
         dim global vproceed as C
         dim global vcFNow as C
         dim global vcFfrom as C
         dim global vcFname as C

1. x_exit_lock() - This is called from the autoexec near the end.

FUNCTION x_exit_lock AS C ( )
 	' Lock the Windows "X" button from closing the application instead returns to the Main App Menu
       DIM code as C
        code = <<%code%
        CANCEL()
        evaluate_template(":"+vcFNow+".close(.f.)")
 	:Form.view("menumain")
	%code%
        can_database_exit(code)
END FUNCTION

2. Form_nav() - form_nav() is called from the OnInit of every form

FUNCTION form_nav AS C ( )
   vcFfrom = vcFNow
   vcFNow = a_form_current
   vcFname = a_form_current
END FUNCTION

3. App_exit - a script played within the Main Menu toolbar EXIT button

dim vexit as C
vexit=ui_dlg_box("Exit",<<%dlg%
{background=pale blue}{xmargin=2,2}
{lf};
<25EXIT APPLICATION!exit> <25CANCEL>
{lf};
%dlg%)

if vexit = "exit" then
	system_event_drop("database_canexit","1")
   	:a5.close()
else
	ui_msg_box("","Exit Cancelled")
end if

Finally, the last lines of the autoexec opens the main menu which then runs the form_nav() and sets the navigation global variables to the menumain form...

'Open Main App Menu
	:form.view("menumain")

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Mike,

It looks very interesting. I will set it up and try it soon. Thanks for your follow-up.

As an aside, have you ever looked at the CanDatabaseClose? When you place a cancel() in it, it prevents all closing and seems to be the answer. However, I haven't figured out how to override it for use in an exit button on the main menu. Do you have any idea how you would override it and accomplish the close?

Jeff

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Mike,

I see what this is doing, and it looks like a winning solution. However, the code I placed in the exit button of the Main Menu came up with the following:

ScriptOnPush line:64
system_event_drop("database_canexit","1")
unable to get the address of the event pointer for event 'database_canexit' for name '1' in 'system_event_destroy'

I haven't tried to play with this to solve it since maybe you will see right away what the problem is. Thanks.

Jeff

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

The error message doesn't come up anymore after I determined that in the autoexec I already had a line opening the main menu before yours ran. I eliminated that, so now the error message doesn't appear, but the exit button also does not exit. So again, maybe you see what the problem is.

Jeff

[SNusa]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Have you looked at the workspace properties startup tab from the a5 menu? ~ Select "Maximize the form" & you'll see additional option to turn off min/max/restore. (Gives the appearance of SDI program)

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Have you looked at the workspace properties startup tab from the a5 menu? ~ Select "Maximize the form" & you'll see additional option to turn off min/max/restore. (Gives the appearance of SDI program)

This sounds like exactly what I want. In the startup tab there is a "Maximize Alpha Five", if this is what you mean. I check it but how do I get the additional option. Nothing happens when I check it and press OK.

[Jeff Fried]

Re: Removing minimize/maximize buttons for outer shell

Never mind my last comment. I see that you first need to check opening a startup form. I open it in the autoexec, but regardless, when I do check the main menu as the startup form and maximize the form, then check turn off min/max/restore, it does not eliminate the min/max/restore of the top level form. I already turn off the min/max/restore of the individual forms, but I need a way to turn it off on the very top line.