DEFINE A MAIN WINDOW
Creates a MAIN Window Definition
Description:
A Window definition creates a Windows Graphics User Interface (GUI) Window object. This is a system of interactive visual components used by computer programs to display information and allow interaction with users of the computer program
The MAIN Window is the "master" Window in an HMG program and acts as the central control for the program. All visual functionality and processing starts from this Window and flows downwards to other aspects and levels of the program
All HMG Windows programs must have one, and only one, MAIN Window declared.
Syntax:
DEFINE WINDOW <cWindowName>
[ ROW <nRow> ]
[ COL <nRow> ]
[ WIDTH <nWidth> ]
[ HEIGHT <nHeight> ]
[ VIRTUALWIDTH <nVirtualWidth> ]
[ VIRTUALHEIGHT <nVirtualHeight> ]
[ TITLE <cTitle> ]
[ ICON <cIconName> ]
WINDOWTYPE MAIN
[ FONTNAME <cFontName> ]
[ FONTSIZE <nFontSize> ]
[ BACKCOLOR <anBackColour> ]
[ MAXBUTTON <lValue> ]
[ MINBUTTON <lValue> ]
[ SIZABLE <lValue> ]
[ SYSMENU <lValue> ]
[ TITLEBAR <lValue> ]
[ CURSOR <lValue> ]
[ TOPMOST <lValue> ]
[ VISIBLE <lValue> ]
[ AUTORELEASE <lValue> ]
[ NOTIFYICON <cNotifyIconName> ]
[ NOTIFYTOOLTIP <cNotifyToolTip> ]
[ ONNOTIFYCLICK <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONINIT <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONRELEASE <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONINTERACTIVECLOSE <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONMOUSECLICK <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONMOUSEDRAG <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONMOUSEMOVE <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONSIZE <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONMAXIMIZE <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONMINIMIZE <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONPAINT <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONGOTFOCUS <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONLOSTFOCUS <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONSCROLLUP <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONSCROLLDOWN <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONSCROLLLEFT <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONSCROLLRIGHT <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONHSCROLLBOX <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ ONVSCROLLBOX <ProcName | bBlock> ]
[ HELPBUTTON <lValue> ]
[ ... Other Control Definitions (eg. LABEL) ... ]
END WINDOW
Notes:
The order in which properties are declared before and after the WINDOWTYPE MAIN declaration is important. If any of the properties available for this type of Window are used, they should be declared before or after declaring WINDOWTYPE MAIN as per the order shown in the Syntax section above or the program may fail to compile (build)
ROW, COL, WIDTH and HEIGHT. If any of these properties is not specified during the Window defnition a default value is used;
ROW and/or COL - Both default to a value of 0
WIDTH and/or HEIGHT - These will be set to the maximum width and/or height of the primary display screen
If you intend to use a TOOLBAR, do not create a MAIN Window that is virtually dimensioned with VIRTUALWIDTH or VIRTUALHEIGHT. The program will compile and appear to run until you attempt to use the virtual dimension controls at which point it will crash with a fatal error
VIRTUALWIDTH and VIRTUALHEIGHT. The values for these properties must be greater than the values set for their respective WIDTH and HEIGHT properties
AUTORELEASE. When this property is used with a value of true (.T.), the window is hidden rather than released from memory when the window is closed
The NOTIFYICON and NOTIFYTOOLTIP Properties and the ONNOTIFYCLICK Method can only be declared for a MAIN Window. They are not available to use with any other type of Window
ACTIVATE WINDOW ALL. If this command is used at program start-up, then all windows apart from MAIN will automatically have AUTORELEASE set to true (.T.)
The MAIN Window is displayed immediately after it is activated unless the VISIBLE property is set to false (.F.). When this is the case, it must be made visible or hidden as needed using the SHOW or HIDE Methods
If the HIDE Method is used to hide a Window from the screen, the Program becomes a Background Process under Windows Task Manager. Any processing that is running continues as normal. Once the Program is made visible again using the SHOW Method, it returns to Apps section of Windows Task Manager
VSCROLLBAR and HSCROLLBAR. These are pre-defined controls that are "built in" when a virtually dimensioned Window is declared that includes the capability to scroll vertically and/or horizontally
The original version of the help file for this item can be viewed here
Window Properties:
The following Window Properties are available to use when defining the MAIN Window
Name | Data Type | Control | Description |
---|---|---|---|
ROW | Numeric | D, R, W | Sets the row number on the screen to place the top edge of Window |
COL | Numeric | D, R, W | Sets the column number on the screen to place the left edge of Window |
WIDTH | Numeric | D, R, W | Sets the width of the Window |
HEIGHT | Numeric | D, R, W | Sets the height of the Window |
VIRTUALWIDTH | Numeric | D | Sets the virtual width of the Window |
VIRTUALHEIGHT | Numeric | D | Sets the virtual height of the Window |
TITLE | Character | D, R, W | Sets the title to display in the title bar of the Window |
ICON | Character | D | Specifies the file name of the icon to display on the title bar of the Window and on the Windows taskbar |
WINDOWTYPE | N/A | D | Defines which style of Window to create |
FONTNAME | Character | D | Sets the default font to use on any Window elements and any controls that don't have their own specific FONTNAME defined |
FONTSIZE | Numeric | D | Sets the default font size to use on any Window elements and any controls that don't have their own specific FONTSIZE defined |
BACKCOLOR | Character | D | Sets the background colour to display in the client work area of the Window |
MAXBUTTON | Logical | D | Specifies if the Window should include a maximize button |
MINBUTTON | Logical | D | Specifies if the Window should include a minimize button |
SIZABLE | Logical | D | Specifies if the Window can or cannot be resized by the user |
SYSMENU | Logical | D | Specifies if the Window should include a system menu on the title bar |
TITLEBAR | Logical | D | Specifies if the Window should include a titlebar at the top of the window |
CURSOR | Character | D | Specifies the file name of the mouse cursor to use with the Window |
TOPMOST | Logical | D | Specifies if a Window should or should not be displayed with a Windows "topmost" style. There is bug when using this property. Please see Note 2 in the associated TOPMOST Help File |
VISIBLE | Logical | D | Defines if the Window should be visible when activated or remain hidden |
AUTORELEASE | Logical | D | Specifies if the Window should be released from memory when closed or be hidden and have its definition retained in memory |
NOTIFYICON | Character | D, R, W | Specifies the file name of the icon to display in the Windows system tray |
NOTIFYTOOLTIP | Character | D, R, W | Sets the text to display in a "tooltip bubble" if the mouse is hovered over the NOTIFYICON |
HELPBUTTON | Logical | D | Specifies if the Window should include a helpbutton on the title bar |
Each of the following Window Properties are available after the MAIN Window has been defined
Name | Data Type | Control | Description |
---|---|---|---|
FOCUSEDCONTROL | Character | R | Gets the name of the control that is currently in focus within a Window |
NAME | Character | R | Returns the name defined for the Window |
HANDLE | Numeric | R | Returns the operating system Window handle number |
INDEX | Numeric | R | Returns the program's Window index number. Please refer to notes in the associated Help documentation |
ISMAXIMIZED | Logical | R | Returns a logical value indicating if the Window is or is not maximized |
ISMINIMIZED | Logical | R | Returns a logical value indicating if the Window is or is not minimized |
CLIENTAREAHEIGHT | Numeric | R | Returns a numeric value indicating of height of the work area within the Window |
CLIENTAREAWIDTH | Numeric | R | Returns a numeric value indicating of width of the work area within the Window |
NOCAPTION | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the Window Titlebar. Please refer to notes in the associated Help documentation |
NOCLOSE | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the capability to close the Window. Please refer to notes in the associated Help documentation |
NOMAXIMIZE | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the capability to maximize the Window. Please refer to notes in the associated Help documentation |
NOMINIMIZE | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the capability to minimize the Window. Please refer to notes in the associated Help documentation |
NOSIZE | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the capability to re-size the Window. Please refer to notes in the associated Help documentation |
NOSYSMENU | Logical | R, W | Enables and disabless the Window System Menu. Please refer to notes in the associated Help documentation |
ENABLED | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the Window |
HSCROLL | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the Horizontal Scroll Bar Control on a virtually dimensioned Window |
VSCROLL | Logical | R, W | Enables and disables the Vertical Scroll Bar Control on a virtually dimensioned Window |
ALPHABLENDTRANSPARENT | Numeric | W | Sets the level of transparency of a Window |
BACKCOLORTRANSPARENT | Array | W | Sets the Window's background transparency colour |
D - Properties of this type can be used when defining a Window
R - Properties of this type can only be accessed (read) after the Window has been defined
W - Properties of this type can be changed (write) after the Window has been defined
See GETPROPERTY and SETPROPERTY functions for further infomation on accessing or changing properties or use semi-OOP syntax
Windows Event Properties:
Each of the following Windows Event Properties are available to use when defining the MAIN Window. When used, they contain the name of a procedure to run or a code block to evaluate if that event occurs;
Event | Description |
---|---|
ONINIT | Runs once when the Window is initialised by the ACTIVATE WINDOW <FormName> command |
ONRELEASE | Runs once before the Window is released from memory when the Window is closed by the RELEASE method or when it is closed by any other means |
ONINTERACTIVECLOSE | Runs once before the Window is released from memory when the Window is closed using by any means other than with the Window RELEASE Method |
ONMOUSECLICK | Runs whenever the left mouse button is clicked in any free space in the client work area (ie. not when over a Control) |
ONMOUSEDRAG | Runs for every movement of the mouse pointer when the left mouse button is clicked, held and dragged in any free space in the client work area (ie. not when over a Control) |
ONMOUSEMOVE | Runs for every movement of the mouse pointer within any free space in the client work area (ie. not when over a Control). This includes when the Window is not actually in focus |
ONSIZE | Runs for every change in the Window size when using the mouse to click and drag to re-size the Window |
ONMAXIMIZE | Runs when the Window size changes when using the ONMAXIMIZE Method |
ONMINIMIZE | Runs when the Window size changes when using the ONMINIMIZE Method |
ONPAINT | Should execute when the Window is painted. Testing shows erratic and unpredictable behaviour! Activates on EVERY paint (label, text ANYTHING) |
ONNOTIFYCLICK | Runs if the user clicks on the Notify Icon in the Windows system tray |
ONGOTFOCUS | Runs each time the program Window gains focus |
ONLOSTFOCUS | Runs each time the program Window loses focus |
ONSCROLLUP | Runs once for every click on the vertical scroll up arrow |
ONSCROLLDOWN | Runs once for every click on the vertical scroll down arrow |
ONSCROLLLEFT | Runs once for every click on the horizontal scroll left arrow |
ONSCROLLRIGHT | Runs once for every click on the horizontal scroll right arrow |
ONHSCROLLBOX | Runs once for each click within horizontal scroll box or once after dragging and releasing the horizontal scroll box. Menu appears when right mouse button clicked. |
ONVSCROLLBOX | Runs once for each click within vertical scroll box or once after dragging and releasing the vertial scroll box. Menu appears when right mouse button clicked. |
Windows Methods:
Each of the following Methods can be used to perform an action that accesses, changes or modifies the Window;
Method | Description |
---|---|
CAPTURE | Captures a screenshot of the Window as a bitmap file (.BMP) which can be saved |
Prints a screenshot of the Window | |
SHOW | Makes the Window visible on screen after activation. See Note 9, above |
HIDE | Hides a Window from the screen after activation. See Note 9, above |
CENTER | Centers the Window on the desktop screen |
MAXIMIZE | Maximises the Window to take up the entire desktop screen |
MINIMIZE | Minimises the Window from the desktop screen to the task bar |
ACTIVATE | Activates a Window after definition and places it in memory |
RESTORE | Restores a Window to its previous size and position when it has been maximized or minimized |
RELEASE | Releases a Window after activation and removes it from memory |
SETFOCUS | Sets focus onto the Window |
REDRAW | Redraws the Window? |
CENTERWORKAREA | Centers the Window on the desktop screen. WinName.CENTERWORKAREA does not compile! |
CENTERIN(<FormName2>) | Centers the Window over another Window's position on the desktop screen |
Windows Commands:
Each of the following Window Commands can be used to perform an action with or on the Window;
Command | Description |
---|---|
ACTIVATE WINDOW <FormName> | ALL | Activates the defined Window and all Controls associated with that Window |
CENTER WINDOW <FormName> [ DESKTOP ] | Centers a Window when it is displayed (shown) on screen |
CENTER WINDOW <FormName1> IN <FormName2> | Centers a Window over another Window when it is displayed (shown) on screen |
SET WINDOW <FormName> TRANSPARENT ... | Sets the level of a Window's transparency when it is displayed on screen |
FLASH WINDOW <FormName> ... | Flashes visible components of the Window to attract the users attention |
ANIMATE WINDOW <FormName> ... | Animates a Window when it is displayed (shown) on screen |