ui_msg_box alternative

[tlyon]

I've been experimenting with ui_msg_box and have found an interesting alternative. Using a small form and opening it with the dialog flag, I can integrate my own Xbasic programming into the form and customize the popup to a great extent. The form.close() button even works. One of the most interesting aspects of this method is the ability to use the form's OnTimer event. Flashing text, auto close, etc. are among the various options that can be done. The position of the popup may be specified or calculated, which I see as a nice benefit.

[Stan Mathews]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Could you zip up and post an example and save the rest of us some time trying to duplicate your efforts? Seems to be an idea that many could use.

Thanks,

Stan

[Steve Workings]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Don't forget that it's your responsibility to close that dialog form. Using the form's "close" button doesn't do it.

Example:

f = form.view("MyDialog", "Dialog"
f.close()

- Steve

[forskare]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Tom,

You've got a good number of us salivating. I agree with Stan's suggestion.

kenn

[Willard]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Good Going Tom, look at learn alpha.com and see what can be done with a custom form using the onkey event. Title is multifield lookup. I think you would love it Jack

[tlyon]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

The close button I used appears to work, Steve. I've had problems with that using the popup flag. I will zip and upload shortly.

Tom

[tlyon]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

There is mud on my face.

No, the close button nor the system close button functions on this dialog box. It removes it but leaves it in memory somewhere. Ah, well, back to the drawing board. Strangely, the close button operates differently at times. When the form is first opened, it appears to close it. After that, it requires two clicks to close, and it leaves two copies of the form in memory.

Bug city?

[tlyon]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

I truly hope version 5 addresses this peculiar issue. I am able to hide and show the dialog form, but not if I allow the user to attempt to close the form using the system menu. Disabling the system menu seems to allow the pseudo-close button to hide the form.

Tom

[Steve Workings]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Yes, the close button does make the form disappear from the user's sight. But, the session remains open until you -- the xbasic writer -- closes it.

Try this:

f = form.view("Formname", "Dialog")
f = form.view("Formname", "Dialog")
f = form.view("Formname", "Dialog")

Then go to the Xbasic Explorer and click on the Sessions and you'll see a separate session for each time you opened the dialog form.

But, if you do the above, with an f.close() after each one instead and then look at the sessions, you'll see that they are now indeed gone.

I use these sorts of forms extensively and they work well. I've found, however, that if you try to do too many fancy things with the dialog forms, you can run into problems.

- Steve

[forskare]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Mud? What mud? I don't see any mud? What I see is a person with a lot of forsight and a willingness to give a try at doing something that hasn't been done before. I think those folks were called explorers; only the 'new land' is uncharted use of Xbasic, so to speak.

Tom, you are commended!!!

kenn

[csda1]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Tom,

It is not a bug. Read Steve Workings comments more carefully. A Dialog form is performing exactly as specified, and needs to be closed again after the close of the dialog box occurs from within the dialog box (this is so you can get access to the values of the fields on the dialog box). This should not be a big deal, as you should be creating a function that opens the dialog box that you are calling. The function can handle all of the initializing and cleanup on the way out.

You should read the XBasic manual for Form.view(), form.load(), form.dialog() and also the chapter 22 on Dialog Boxes.

Regards,

Ira J. Perlow
Computer Systems Design & Associates
[email protected]

[Jake Vuckovic]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

This is no trick, it is explained in xbasic manual. It does look strange though. If you have a "close" button, you must have parentform.close() on it as well as form.close() in your calling script.

f=form.view("formname","dialog")
f.close()

The exception is the form opened with form.dialog("formname") method, which does not require you to close it. It will really close when user clicks "x".

Have fun,
Jake

[Robert Picard]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Hi Tom

Sys_send_keys("{alt-f4}") will close a popup.
When I saw your posting I looked at using "Popup" as a dialog.

What I would like to know though is how to suspend the script until the "popup" dialog has set a variable values.

i.e. I trying to use it as a date dialog where two date variables need to be set before continuing. When the "popup" method is used the script just continues on without waiting for input. I realize why this happens but is there a work around?

Good Idea by the way. Hope we can get it to work.

Robert

[tlyon]

RE: ui_msg_box alternative

Jake,

You seem to have the answer. I tried the form.dialog() and it looks like it will do the job nicely. I should have thought to try that myself, but skimmed right over that area of the manual. Oh well, I will be using it often in place of ui_msg_box() from now on.

Thanks!

I see now why there is what appears to be duplication of XBasic commands concerning dialog forms.

Tom