How can I notify an application of a programmatically set scrollbar value? - winapi

My code involves standard Scroll Bar control and it happens that I need to change its value programmatically in some cases. I do this using SetScrollInfo function, as in this example:
void setScrollBarValue( HWND scrollBar, int value )
{
SCROLLINFO si = { sizeof( SCROLLINFO ); }
si.fMask = SIF_POS;
si.nPos = value;
::SetScrollInfo( scrollBar, SB_CTL, &si, true /* redraw */ );
}
This appears to work fine (the thumb of the scrollbar moves around) but it fails to notify the rest of the application of the new scrollbar value. For instance, an edit control which uses the scroll bar (much like in the Windows notepad application) fails to scroll around because it doesn't get notified about the new scrollbar value.
In case it matters: the scrollbar I'm modifying is not in the same process as the above
setScrollBarValue function.
Does anybody know how to achieve this?
Edit: I found out how to do this with default window scrollbars (those of type SB_VERT or SB_HORZ). I can send the WM_HSCROLL and WM_VSCROLL to the window like this:
::SendMessage( windowContainingScrollBar,
WM_HSCROLL,
MAKEWPARAM( SB_THUMBPOSITION, si.nPos ), NULL );
However, in my case the scroll bar has a window handle of its own (it has the type SB_CTL). This means that I don't know the orientation of the scroll bar (so I cannot tell whether to send WM_HSCROLL or WM_VSCROLL) and I don't know what window to send the message to.

Try sending the WM_VSCROLL message after calling SetScrollInfo().

Related

Any suggestions to effectively update the status bar of an application?

The status bar window of this program needs to be updated every time the user press a key that is likely to move the caret of the EDIT control, and the code below works like a charm! In a nutshell, pressing a key on the keyboard will update some values and send a message "ECM_GETLINEINFOS" that is next processed in the main window procedure (code below)
However, there is flickering that is not disturbing, of course, but I wonder if it's related to how I set the text on the status bar (maybe too many updates ?) or just a problem with the drawing part.
PS: The flickering occurs on the text, not the status bar in itself, so that is why I'm questioning how I should manage the update of my window.
constexpr int failed_val = -1;
LRESULT MainWindow::HandleMessage(UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
switch (msg)
{
// Custom message sent by an EDIT control, I
// use this message to tell the status bar it must update its text.
case CEM_GETLINEINFO:
{
const size_t buffSz = 24;
std::wstring buffer(buffSz, L'\0');
int line = LOWORD(wParam);
int column = HIWORD(wParam);
int count = _snwprintf_s(buffer.data(), buffer.size(),
_TRUNCATE, L"Ln %d, Col %d", line, column);
if (count != failed_val) {
// Param 1 : The text to be displayed
// Param 2 : Which status bar part
m_statusBar->SetText(buffer, 0);
}
}
return 0;
}
}
Just as Flicker-Free Displays Using an Off-Screen DC directed by the answer said,
What makes this window flicker when we update it frequently? The
answer is that Windows asks the window procedure to repaint the window
as a two-step process. First, it sends a WM_ERASEBKGND message and
then a WM_PAINT message. The default handling for the WM_ERASEBKGND
message is to fill the area with the current window background color.
So the sequence of events is first to fill the area with solid color
and then to draw the text on top. The net result of doing this
frequently is that the window state alternates between its erased
state and its drawn state—it flickers.
And
To prevent the control from flickering when we update it frequently,
we need to make two changes to how the control handles messages.
First, we need to prevent Windows from providing the default handling
of WM_ERASEBKGND messages. Secondly, we need to handle WM_PAINT
messages so that the background is painted with the window background
color and so that the changes to the control's client area happen at
once.
A status bar flicker free solution in .NET: Searching Visual Studio .NET style status bar. Or Simple Mode Status Bars could be enough.

How can I remove the border on a Dialog Window with Dynamic Layout controls?

I have a WIN32 application that uses a main dialog window as background and several alternative dialogs that can appear in front of the main window. These overlay dialogs should not have any border because they need to appear to be part of the main window.
Everything was working well until I activated Dynamic Layout on the controls in an overlay dialog. It then acquired a thin border with drop shadow, a thin top bar that was sometimes windows top bar color and sometimes white, and the dialog became independently resizable. I don't want this, I want the overlay dialog to resize only with the main dialog window.
How can I force the dialog to have No Border?
You can modify the style of a dialog window in your override of the OnInitDialog() member function, if that window is created using a custom class derived from CDialog or CDialogEx, or something similar. (If not, you'll need to somehow 'intercept' the window's creation process.)
Assuming you have overridden OnInitDialog(), the process will be along these lines:
BOOL MyDialog::OnInitDialog()
{
BOOL answer = CDialog::OnInitDialog(); // Call base class stuff
LONG_PTR wStyle = GetWindowLongPtr(m_hWnd, GWL_STYLE); // Get the current style
wStyle &= ~WS_BORDER; // Here, we mask out the style bit(s) we want to remove
SetWindowLongPtr(m_hWnd, GWL_STYLE, wStyle); // And set the new style
// ... other code as required ...
return answer;
}
Note: It is important to call the base class OnInitDialog() before you attempt to modify the window's style; otherwise, the window may not be in a 'completed' state, and any changes you make may be reverted.
As mentioned in the comment by IInspectable, it may be possible (or even better) to modify the style (taking out the WS_BORDER attribute) in an override of the PreCreateWindow() function:
BOOL MyDialog::PreCreateWindow(CREATESTRUCT &cs)
{
if (!CDialog::PreCreateWindow(cs)) return FALSE;
cs.style &= ~WS_BORDER;
return TRUE;
}
Again, as shown here, you should call the base class member before modifying the style.
So the answer to my original question is to put the following code in the overloaded OnInitDialog() after the call to the base class.
LONG_PTR wStyle = GetWindowLongPtr(m_hWnd, GWL_STYLE); // Get the current style
wStyle &= ~WS_SIZEBOX; // Mask out the style bit(s) we don't want
SetWindowLongPtr(m_hWnd, GWL_STYLE, wStyle); // And set the new style

Disable cursor changing to SizeWE for some items in Win32 header

I need to prevent resizing of some items in a Win32 header control. No problem to process the HDN_BEGINTRACK notification message and cancel it - the problem is in the cursor indicating that the item can be resized. For instance, if the first item can't be resized, I see this:
, but I'd prefer to see this:
I can ignore the cursor change by suppressing the WM_SETCURSOR message, but the problem is how to know the header item WM_SETCURSOR is generated for. I can detect the item under the mouse pointer in WM_MOUSEMOVE using the HDM_HITTEST message, but WM_MOUSEMOVE is sent to window procedure only after WM_SETCURSOR. I analyzed all notification messages for the Win32 header control, and it seems, it does not have an equivalent of the MouseEnter event that is sent to the window procedure before WM_SETCURSOR.
Any ideas how to solve this problem?
You need to sub-class the header control if you haven't already.
In the sub-class, intercept the WM_SETCURSOR message, and use GetMessagePos() to get the coordinates of the mouse. These are in screen coordinates, so you need to convert them to client coordinates for the header control hit test.
// in the window sub-class
if (uMsg == WM_SETCURSOR)
{
DWORD dwPos = GetMessagePos();
HDHITTESTINFO hti;
hti.pt.x = GET_X_LPARAM(dwPos);
hti.pt.y = GET_Y_LPARAM(dwPos);
ScreenToClient(hWnd, &hti.pt);
SendMessage(hWnd, HDM_HITTEST, 0, reinterpret_cast<LPARAM>(&hti));
if (...) // test for items we want to block
{
SetCursor(LoadCursor(0, IDC_ARROW));
return TRUE;
}
// pass through to regular WndProc
}

Deactivating desktop background when a pop up is shown to user

I have a win32 application that runs full screen when started. The application has some button which invoke pop up dialogs.
Is there a way to make the entire desktop (except the pop up) go transparent black unless the pop up is dismissed by the user? what I am talking of is similar to windows 7 UAC pop ups and the background it causes.
Is it possible to do similar stuff for a full screened window app?
It is possible do this…sort of. Perhaps I should say, you can simulate this effect. It won't actually be like the UAC dialog, as the user will still be able to interact with other running applications. There is no such concept as "system modal" available to applications. That's by design, of course. But you can certainly show a "light box" that dims out the rest of the desktop and forces focus on your app's dialog box.
The way I would do it is to create a giant layered window that sits on top of all other windows and covers the entire screen, fill it with black, and set the opacity as desired. Then, before you show a modal dialog (either by calling the MessageBox function or using the DialogBox function to show one of your own custom dialogs), display your light box window. Finally, after the user dismisses the modal dialog, you will destroy the light box window.
Here's some sample code. Error checking is omitted for brevity. So is other good style, like wrapping this mess up in one or more classes.
INT_PTR ShowLightBoxedDialog(HINSTANCE hInstance,
LPCTSTR pDlgTemplate,
HWND hwndParent,
DLGPROC pDlgProc,
BYTE opacityLevel)
{
const TCHAR szLightBoxClass[] = TEXT("LightBoxWndClass");
// Register the light box window class.
static bool lightBoxRegistered = false;
if (!lightBoxRegistered)
{
WNDCLASSEX wcex;
wcex.cbSize = sizeof(wcex);
wcex.style = CS_NOCLOSE | CS_SAVEBITS;
wcex.lpfnWndProc = LightBoxWndProc;
wcex.cbClsExtra = 0;
wcex.cbWndExtra = 0;
wcex.hInstance = hInstance;
wcex.hIcon = NULL;
wcex.hIconSm = NULL;
wcex.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
wcex.hbrBackground = NULL;
wcex.lpszMenuName = NULL;
wcex.lpszClassName = szLightBoxClass;
RegisterClassEx(&wcex);
lightBoxRegistered = true;
}
// Create and display the light box window.
HWND hwndLightBox = CreateWindowEx(WS_EX_NOACTIVATE | WS_EX_LAYERED,
szLightBoxClass,
NULL,
WS_POPUPWINDOW,
0, 0, 0, 0,
hwndParent,
NULL,
hInstance,
NULL);
SetLayeredWindowAttributes(hwndLightBox, 0, opacityLevel, LWA_ALPHA);
SetWindowPos(hwndLightBox,
HWND_TOP,
GetSystemMetrics(SM_XVIRTUALSCREEN),
GetSystemMetrics(SM_YVIRTUALSCREEN),
GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXVIRTUALSCREEN),
GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYVIRTUALSCREEN),
SWP_SHOWWINDOW);
// Display the modal dialog box (as you normally would).
// NOTE: The dialog box won't appear centered on the screen.
// For that, you will need to write centering code in response
// to the WM_INITDIALOG message in the dialog procedure.
INT_PTR result = DialogBox(hInstance, pDlgTemplate, hwndLightBox, pDlgProc);
//
// For demonstration purposes, I used the following code:
// INT_PTR result = MessageBox(hwndLightBox,
// TEXT("OH NOEZ!\n\nYour system is kaput! Abandon þe all hope."),
// NULL,
// MB_ABORTRETRYIGNORE | MB_ICONERROR);
// Destroy the light box window.
DestroyWindow(hwndLightBox);
// Return the result of the modal dialog box.
return result;
}
You'll notice that basically what I've done is created a wrapper around the DialogBox function, which you use whenever you want a dialog box with a "light box" effect. It takes all of the same parameters (the first 4), and then there's an additional one tacked on the end that allows you to specify the opacity level used for the "light box" effect. Something in the range of 150–200 is probably good. Naturally, you could pick something and hard-code it, but I suffer from severe allergies to hard-coded values. Anyway, it's super easy to call this function from anywhere:
ShowLightBoxedDialog(hInstance, /* your application instance */
MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_SAMPLE), /* your dialog template */
hWnd, /* parent window for dialog */
SampleWndProc, /* ptr to dialog procedure */
175); /* light box opacity level */
Because the code takes advantage of how modal dialogs already work in Windows, the user won't be able to interact with any other pieces of your application until they dismiss the dialog box. And because the "light box" window is positioned on top of everything else, it eats all mouse clicks and prevents setting focus to any other application. But it is trivial to work around using something like Alt+Tab.
So this is not a security feature! It is merely a visual effect!
And because it's just a silly visual effect, it's likely to be a frustrating one for your users. I don't actually recommend using it. But now you know how to do it. Wield such power responsibly, etc.

WinApi, hide cursor inside window client area

I want hide cursor inside window client area without borders and title bar (it is simple opengl application). So, function
ShowCursor(FALSE);
is not suitable. After some searching the winapi i find this solution:
//when create window class for application window
WNDCLASSEX WndClass;
//...
BYTE CursorMaskAND[] = { 0xFF };
BYTE CursorMaskXOR[] = { 0x00 };
WndClass.hCursor = CreateCursor(NULL, 0,0,1,1, CursorMaskAND, CursorMaskXOR);
Is this a good way to solve this typical task? What way is the best?
MSDN says that you can set the WNDCLASSEX hCursor field to NULL, in which case you must explicitly set the cursor in your window procedure (which means handling the WM_SETCURSOR message). For example:
if (Msg == WM_SETCURSOR && LOWORD(lParam) == HTCLIENT)
{
SetCursor(NULL);
return TRUE;
}
// Remainder of window procedure code
Checking for HTCLIENT ensures that the cursor is only hidden in the client area, and that the window frame and caption will use the correct cursors.
The SetCursor() call you're using doesn't take a BOOL - it takes an HCURSOR. So you're calling SetCursor( NULL ) which means "hide that cursor". What I found in the old days on Windows is that this is video driver dependent and many drivers don't respect it. The most consistent way to handle this is to make a transparent cursor resource in your app, and return a handle to that cursor in the WM_SETCURSOR message from your main window.
I found that first setting hCursor to NULL:
wc.hCursor = NULL;
and then setting the cursor to NULL:
SetCursor(NULL);
will make it disappear.
From MSDN, I read that the application will set its own cursor by default if one is not defined in hCursor. That's what the first line of code is doing.
Then, after the application sets its own cursor, I mess with it with the second line of code. Or at least, I think that's what happens.

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