Contributed samples and applications by Dr. Claudio Soto
A simple way to modify the cursor …
Tag Archives: mouse
How I have joined …
How I have joined HMG Family – A Story
It was in the year 1990, I had seen a computer, first time in my life.
I was a commerce student, studying in a 100+ years old school in my home town Sivakasi (famous for fireworks ), Tamilnadu, Southern part of India. I was studying +2 (12th and final year in school). Once, the exams were over, it was time to join a College. Not to waste the exam holidays, one of my friends had asked me to accompany him for a part time computer course in a near by Polytechnic College. I told him, “Ok”. We joined that course which was for six months, conducted on Saturdays and Sundays. I studied some basics about computers and languages like BASIC, Pascal, COBOL and an introduction to Lotus 1-2-3, Wordstar and dBase III Plus.
After that I had joined a college and my main subject was Commerce. After finishing my Under Graduation degree in the year 1993, I had joined Chartered Accountancy Course. And, once I had finished this course in the year 1996, I joined my brother to manage our family business.
Even though there was a computer in our office, I was not allowed to touch that. The reason was, at that time, computers (AT 386) were costlier and one cannot take the risk of losing precious data and computers were operated only by computer professionals.
In the year 1997, I had purchased a computer on my own, and started implementing something which I had studied some seven years back.
I had studied under the DOS environment and I had got Windows ’95 in my new system as my operating environment. Even though it was easy to operate, I could not do any programming. I had so much of works before hand and I was involved in them for about 1 year. It was a Costing project in Excel with about 150 sheets, everything interlinked. It was a nice experience. I had done some macro programming in Excel for introducing thousand’s comma according to Indian tradition.
In the year 1998, the computer professional who had programmed for the accounting, invoice processing and payroll processing for our business firm had gone for a better job. We could not create new reports according to the requirements and we had to play only with the old options. Only at that time, I had realized about the importance of Database programming. Having the knowledge of DBase III+ programming, I had started to write small utilities to take self configured reports from the existing tables. I had the reference of the source codes for the existing software. It was done in Clipper Summer ’87 version.
There is a saying, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’. Yes. Necessity had driven me to do more and more programming. Actually, I had started staring huge prg files with various do while .not. eof() loops and virtually indefinite nested if … endif conditions. Once understood, I had the confidence of creating bigger software too. So, in addition to the accounting software, I had created order processing and inventory maintenance and integrated the same with the existing project.
It was in the mid, 1998, I could get an internet connection with a dial up modem. In the mean time, I had a dream of using GUI in my programming. I had tried Visual Basic. I could not link with my existing dbf tables and dropped. In the beginning, I misunderstood about OOPS and GUI. Actually I had an allergy over this OOPS, I don’t know why even now. So, I had abandoned my dream of GUI because of OOPS.
In the year 1999, while searching the net, I had come across a site called Oasis, a site which had shared source code/libraries for Clipper and many utilities. From that site, I had got an excellent library called Super. It had some assembly language routines too to capture mouse gestures and enabled Clipper code to be ‘RAT’ified. Apart from this mouse functionality, the library had so many small utilities like sorting multiple arrays, finding out Day of the week like that. Actually I had realized about the advantages of Open Source on seeing that library source codes. I had studied in depth, and I had known about optimization of codes, effective memory management, different routes to a same destination in programming etc.
With the SuperLib, I had changed all my projects to be mouse enabled, there by satisfying half of my dreams. However, I could not stop dreaming about creating a full fledged Windows program eliminating the dark DOS command box. As new versions of Windows came in the market, I was afraid that, one day there won’t be this DOS Command Box and all my programs would not be useful at all.
I was, why was? even now am, very fond of Open Source. In my system I don’t use any copyright protected software except the Windows Operating System. I would list all the open source software I use in a separate thread for all my requirements.
I had found out Harbour from the Oasis site I had already mentioned. I had tested a lot but could not use it because of SuperLib, as it could not be linked with Harbour.
I was in a confused state. I liked Harbour a lot because of its open nature. I could not abandon SuperLib too, since all of my projects were linked with this library. So, I was desperately searching for a GUI library (at least mouse enabled for Harbour).
On one fine day in my life, my search was fruitful.
I could even remember the date. It was 4th of October, 2002, I had downloaded Harbour MiniGUI and could create a window with my limited xBase programming knowledge. Hurray! I could not describe my feelings in words!
Immediately on compiling my hello world prg, I had commented in the yahoo group from where I had downloaded the 0.40 version of the library with the following words,
Dear Roberto,
It is wonderful to use your Harbour Minigui Library, an open
source library for Harbour.
Thank you very much for your sincere efforts.
I would like to make a small suggestion regarding text boxes.
Shall you please make provision for right aligning the text boxes
for numeric fields?
Thank you once again.
srgiri
From that day, Harbour MiniGUI page was literally my home page. I read all the messages from various users of the library. It helped me a lot to understand programming, inside out of the library, even about calling C API.
I had happily started to convert all of my projects to HMG. As the product matured, all my projects were fully converted to HMG and I had seen my dream come true.
Most of my programs are used in-house. However, I had created software for many of my friends. I had earned some money from my programs too. As you know, my income is not based on programming, since basically I am a Chartered Accountant and managing business.
I wish to list some of my major HMG projects,
- PyroERP (an ERP software for manufacturing companies with accounting, inventory, order processing,payroll)
- PyroBase (a License maintenance software given to Explosives department, Government of India)
- FACE (Financial Accounting under Computer Environment)
- Interest(ing) Calculator (Calculate interesting part of interest for loans and deposits) – An open source product, hosted in Sourceforge.net.
- FBT Reference (Fringe Benefit Tax referencer)
- Phataka (A Cultural Event maintenance software used by local Rotary Club)
- DBU
- GSM Calculator
There are many tiny projects too. I am not listing them to show my talents. It shows the simplicity of HMG and my craze on HMG.
It is my nature, to escape from any politics. I wish to be good for all. During July 2005, when Roberto had decided to move on MingW and introduced HMG, MiniGUI Extended product had also born. I didn’t tell a word about anything in the group. I believe in Karma and thought, “if this happens, this is also for the good”.
I had actively participated in the yahoo group up to April, 2006 and kept silence after that.
However, I used HMG in a full fledged manner and I liked MingW version as Roberto distributed them. This is mainly because of the single installation of the whole thing (ie., MiniGUI library + Harbour Compiler + C Compiler) and full utilization of Open Source Software.
All the software projects listed above where developed by me during the period from 2004 till now. I too had contributed some parts like drawing pie graph, alternative syntax (with the valuable guidance of Roberto) (now Roberto had revamped in a better way!), Grid2Print which Roberto has accepted kindly.
Can you believe that this forum had been created in just 2 days time? On 29th of July 2008, I had asked Roberto, breaking my long silence, by an email about the need for a forum exclusively for HMG. Roberto also liked and generously accepted to guide and participate in the forum. On that day itself, I registered this domain hmgforum.com and installed PHPBB forum software and on 1st of August 2008, the forum was officially opened.
I am so HAPPY and PROUD to be part of the HMG family.
Thus, this story has a happy ending.
Sri Rathinagiri
Sivakasi, India
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Courtesy of author, this article borrowed from here.
What is Superlib ?
Superlib Description by Oasis
The final version of SuperLib, and now it’s FREEWARE, and it comes with 100% SOURCE CODE and extensive norton guide.
SuperLib is a library of functions for Clipper 5.x.
What makes SuperLib different than other libraries on the marketplace is that is contains a large collection of METAFUNCTIONS. A metafunction is like a pre-packaged mini application, ready to link and run. For instance, SuperLib’s report writer is as simple to use as:
USE
REPORTER()
All of the metafunctions are menu-driven and ready to use without modifications. All SuperLib functions are data independant. All that is required is an open DBF file. SuperLib will determine the field structure and use the current DBF. SuperLib requires no special setup or way of doing things. It works with you, not against you. SuperLib functions will do their best to save/restore all settings as they found them. (such as colors, cursor, screens, etc.)
There are over 300 functions in SuperLib, ranging from the metafunctions down to the granular common component functions such as events and popups. (see the function list below, or the .NG file). This version of SuperLib is 100% mouse aware! All SuperLib functions
are automatically aware of the mouse and respond to the mouse.
SuperLib even contains replacements for Clipper’s READ, MENU TO, ACHOICE and MEMOEDIT functions that are mouse aware. Several functions are provided to help you build mouse awareness into your own functions.
SuperLib is Blinker 3.x, 4.x and Exospace compatible for protected mode programs. SuperLib is 99.9 % pure Clipper code, and uses no Clipper internals, which makes for painless upgrading to future versions of Clipper and the various linkers.
SuperLib is network ready, with all locking already built in. (works fine for single-user too)
There is no registration of SuperLib, since it is now freeware. The author, Gary Prefontaine, is no longer supporting the product. If you need help with this library, please ask on comp.lang.clipper
Thanks, Gary.
SP Mice implementation
Mice and SuperLib SuperLib contains a set of mouse and event functions. These functions are MOSTLY prefaced with 'RAT' for uniqueness. The basic functions are written in assembler (MASM 5.10) and are in s_mouse.asm. These provide such things as testing for a mouse, turning the mouse cursor on, turning it off, positioning it. Also provided are two approaches to knowing where the mouse is and what it is doing. The first is a direct query of the mouse's status and position. This is basically, "where is the mouse right now, is the right button depressed right now, is the left button depressed right now". These are accomplished through service 3 of interrupt 33h. The second approach is to use service 5 of interrupt 33h, which 'records' right and left mouse button depresses and where the mouse was when these occurred. These Clipper functions, contained in s_moose.prg, are included to provide a simple event manager to trap both keys and mouse events and store them for reference. The event manager RAT_EVENT() can be used in place of inkey(), and will detect a keypress, a mouse left button press, a mouse right button press, or a timeout. The 'event' returns a value similiar to inkey(), but adds values of 400 and 500 for mouse right and left presses. Functions are provided to find out the mouse row and column when the event occurred. Two additional functions RAT_READ() and RAT_MENU2() are provided which use the mouse and event functions to perform a read and a menu to emulation. These are also good examples for usage of the mouse and event functions. All SuperLib functions are mouse aware, as of version 3.5.
SP_RAT_ROWR
RAT_ROWR() Returns mouse row at the last right button press
Returns
<nRow> => mouse row at last right button press
Syntax
RAT_ROWR()
Description
Returns mouse row at the last right button press (as
recorded by a call to rat_rightb() )
Examples
if rat_rightb()
?"While you were out:"
?"Right button was depressed at"
??rat_rowr(),rat_colr()
endif
Notes:
This is different from RAT_ROW() in that RAT_ROW()
tells the mouse row NOW wherease RAT_ROWR() tells where the
mouse was at the last recorded right button press (as recorded
by a call to rat_rightb() )
Source: S_MOUSE.ASM
SP_RAT_ROWL
RAT_ROWL() Returns mouse row at the last left button press
Returns
<nRow> => mouse row at last left button press
Syntax
RAT_ROWL()
Description
Returns mouse row at the last left button press (as
recorded by a call to rat_leftb() )
Examples
if rat_leftb()
?"While you were out:"
?"Left button was depressed at"
??rat_rowl(),rat_coll()
endif
Notes:
This is different from RAT_ROW() in that RAT_ROW()
tells the mouse row NOW wherease RAT_ROWL() tells where the
mouse was at the last recorded left button press (as recorded by
a call to rat_leftb() )
Source: S_MOUSE.ASM
SP_RAT_ROW
RAT_ROW() Current mouse row Returns <nRow> => mouse row right now Syntax RAT_ROW() Description This gives the CURRENT mouse row Examples ?"Mouse is at row :",rat_row() Notes: This is different from RAT_ROWL() or RAT_ROWR() in that these two functions return the recorded row when the mouse button was last pressed, RAT_ROWL() for left or RAT_ROWR() for right. This function tells where the mouse is right now. Source: S_MOUSE.ASM
SP_RAT_RIGHTB
RAT_RIGHTB() Determines if the right mouse button has been
pressed
Returns
<lHasBeenPressed> => right mouse button has been
pressed
Syntax
RAT_RIGHTB()
Description
This returns .t. if the right button has been pressed
since last call to this function. Row and column are recorded
for reference by rat_rowr() and rat_colr().
Examples
if rat_rightb()
?"While you were out:"
?"Left button was depressed at"
??rat_rowr(),rat_colr()
endif
Notes:
This is different from RAT_RBHD() in that RAT_RBHD()
is a 'right now' function - determining if the button IS
depressed, whereas this function determines if the button HAS
been depressed.
Source: S_MOUSE.ASM
SP_RAT_RESET
RAT_RESET() Resets the mouse to its default values
Returns None Syntax RAT_RESET() Description Resets the mouse to its default values. Examples RAT_RESET() Source: S_MOUSE.ASM
SP_RAT_RBHD
RAT_RBHD() Determines if the mouse right button is currently
depressed
Returns
<lDepressed> => mouse right button is currently
depressed
Syntax
RAT_RBHD()
Description
Determines if the mouse right button is currently
depressed
Examples
if RAT_RBHD()
?"Mouse right button depressed NOW"
endif
Notes:
This is different from the event function
RAT_ERBHD(). RAT_ERBHD(<n>) watches the mouse for <n> seconds,
and if the mouse remains depressed for the full time, then it is
considered to be HELD DOWN. RAT_RBHD() on the other hand, only
checks for the mouse button being depressed RIGHT NOW.
RAT_ERBHD() calls RAT_RBHD() repetitively.
Source: S_MOUSE.ASM
