Which GUI is complete for Blitz3D???

Blitz3D Forums/Blitz3D Programming/Which GUI is complete for Blitz3D???

Kozmi(Posted 2004) [#1]
Hi All...

I just wanted to gather some input from you all here in the Blitz community of which Gui is totally complete for use with Blitz3D and still be freeware? Also mention too the one's that are also shareware as well.. The thing is this guys... Im' having control problems with the windows in the following Gui's I've been testing out!

BlitzUI
BCF 2

And Im' getting ready to try out another one to see if it might handle what Im' currently in need of! The problem Im' having is I have a main window for my level editor and all... And when I click an option to open up another window, I want to be able to shut off all interactivity to the main window while the control has been transfered to the currently opened window! I've been having trouble with BlitzUI & BCF 2 in these area's! I was told that this command below will disable a window in BlitzUI:

SendMessage( Window_Handle, "WM_MODAL", True )


Well... I tried that just as one of the developers said to do. But all it does is freeze up the newly opened window that I want to use instead of freezing up the main window underneath?!? If it wasn't for that... I would have not doubt about BlitzUI at all and it's abilities! I also think that BCF 2 is another fine Gui, But I can't find any commands or anything in their supplied documentation that also describs how to be able to disable one of their windows as well?!? Does anybody out there in the Blitz community have an answer for these tough questions of mine?
I've seen these gui's used in many of app's, And I know that someone surely has figured it out, or they wouldn't of developed what they have! Please guys... Any help on these Gui's would be very, very much appreciated as this has put a dead halt on my current project up till' now! Many thank's in advance...


skidracer(Posted 2004) [#2]
Have you tried sending the go modal (disable all other windows) message to the new window instead?


Kozmi(Posted 2004) [#3]
Sorry Guy's..... I just figured it out!

What I was doing wrong was my main window for my level editor is called: win0001 and my test window is called:
win002

I was typing it in like this:

SendMessage( win001, "WM_SETMODAL", True )


It should of been like this instead:

SendMessage( win002, "WM_SETMODAL", True )


However though... The documentation that came with BlitzUI
isn't complete!!! In the web-document of BlitzUI half of the
link's do not work at all! The above command "WM_SETMODAL"
doesn't work in the web based instructions. So you might say I was kind'a shooting in the dark here because I got no description of this command message, nor it's proper syntax
either!!! I am hoping that the developers of this fine Gui
will correct the web-based instructions real soon so other's wont have these problems when trying to use their
Gui! However though! Im' now very happy with the results!

I am assuming now that the instruction here means this:

SendMessage( win002, "WM_SETMODAL", True )


Set the control to the currently opened window while all others are disabled. But once again! How was anybody to really know that considering that there is no documentation
explaining it's use and it's syntax??? Im' sure that word will get around and the matter's will be dealt with in short! Anyways... Thank's anyways guys....


Ricky Smith(Posted 2004) [#4]
I use BlitzUI a lot and I really think its a great gui lib.
Have a look at the library source code - the Editor - the Colour Scheme editor and think how many weeks,months, years even of work and effort has gone into creating all that - and for free !!!
The amount of documentation that is provided with BlitzUI is commendable and really it is so well designed that once you learn a few commands the rest fall into place
You have all the parameters required to create Windows and gadgets - you have a listing of all the messages that can be sent to a window or gadget many of which are self-explanatory and there are lots of examples.
You also have the BlitzUI Source code !!!
When using a free library of this nature you can't expect the same amount of documentation or support as a commercial product. Some things you'll just have to work out for yourself or ask questions - that's part of the fun of programming for me.


Kozmi(Posted 2004) [#5]
Hi smiff...

Your comments to this thread are duely noted and I agree with most of what you said in your post-reply. However though... If the documentation isn't going to be complete,
It wouldn't be very hard for the developer or developer's
to write an additional little note or message stating that in their documentation as to that effect! And most of the app's that I have downloaded and such for the most part in my experience have been pretty complete for the most part...
And that's even the freeware stuff as well! But you'll find that most programmer's do have a document of some sort explaining thier creation and the functionality of thier app! I just believe with a great Gui that BlitzUI is... It wouldn't of been that hard to write additional information to the other related commands to this Gui.. I was merly stating that there was a bunch of dead links in the web document, That's all!