Reposition Window

BlitzMax Forums/BlitzMax Programming/Reposition Window

MrTAToad

(Posted 2007) [#1]

I want to be able to reposition a window (without using MaxGUI). At the moment, I've got :

PostEvent(CreateEvent(EVENT_WINDOWMOVE,Null,Null,Null,100,100,Null),True)

but unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be doing much...

How do you use the PostEvent to allow the window to be repositioned ?

GfK	(Posted 2007) [#2]

I use this. Can't remember where I got it:

Function centreWindow(hWnd%)
	'Centres the current graphics window on the desktop
	'Pass a handle in
	?Win32
		Local desk[4]
		Local window[4]
	
		GetWindowRect(GetDesktopWindow(), desk) ' 
		GetWindowRect(hWnd, window)
		
		'Centre Window
		SetWindowPos(hWnd, HWND_NOTOPMOST, (desk[2] - (window[2] - window[1])) / 2, (desk[3] - (window[3] - window[0])) / 2, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE)	
	?
End Function

MrTAToad

(Posted 2007) [#3]

Normally, I would use that if I was developing just for Windows. But, alas, I'm not.

rockford

(Posted 2007) [#4]

Noob question - What is the "hWnd%" parameter value in that function?

I tried calling the function with various values without success. How do you use it? I presume you only call it once, after you've opened a screen?

GfK	(Posted 2007) [#5]

Oops!

Use hwnd% = GetActiveWindow() after creating a graphics object.

Nicholas

(Posted 2007) [#6]

Is it possible to reposition using EventWindow and EVENT_WINDOWMOVE ?

GfK	(Posted 2007) [#7]

No. EVENT_WINDOWMOVE is returned when the window has already been moved by the user. You can't use it (as far as I'm aware) to move the window manually.

Nicholas

(Posted 2007) [#8]

Thats a shame - any idea of how to reposition a MacOS window ?

rockford

(Posted 2007) [#9]

Thanks GfK

Winni

(Posted 2007) [#10]

It seems that in BlitzMax you can only set the window position when the window is created. According to the documentation, there are only functions to retrieve the position of a gadget, but not to set its X and Y coordinates. Looks like we need to request that feature.

MrTAToad

(Posted 2007) [#11]

Indeed - it would be useful. At least, I can centre the Windows window at any rate :)

Dreamora

(Posted 2007) [#12]

Sure?

Thought the _setPosition is just not documented and "exposed" to the user ...
But does not mean that it is not there actually.

MrTAToad

(Posted 2007) [#13]

Doesn't seem to be anything like that.

Dreamora

(Posted 2007) [#14]

Im sorry, it was SetGadgetShape

Winni

(Posted 2007) [#15]

Yeah, right, SetGadgetShape() does the trick... BUT: Who would have guessed that a function with that name would actually reposition a window?? You'd expect something like setX(), setY(), setPosition(), moveWindow() - something that lets you know is has something to do with coordinates.

Anyway, again something new learned. ;-)

Regarding your mentioning of undocumented features: How is one supposed to use or even know of a feature when it is not documented? Which is why I first said 'according to the documentation...'

I general, I don't like or recommend using undocumented features, even if I know about them. Usually they are subject to change, might get dismissed entirely or do not function well. There usually are some good reasons why a feature is not documented.

MrTAToad

(Posted 2007) [#16]

SetGadgetShape is part of MaxGUI - and I dont want to use that module...

Winni

(Posted 2007) [#17]

I'm afraid you cannot do it (easily) without MaxGUI; you'd have to implement that function yourself, and the time you'd waste on doing so is more expensive than the MaxGUI module.

If you don't have MaxGUI yet, you should get it. It's very straightforward, easy to use and learn and uses native Cocoa widgets. The MaxIDE is proof that it works. ;-)

I saw on your blog that you gave Unity a shot... and then have given up on it. Can you tell a bit more about it?

MrTAToad

(Posted 2007) [#18]

I've got MaxGUI - unfortunately I would have to redo a fair bit of my game to make use of it - and then I would probably have trouble with the full screen part of it... It might be worth after its all completed.

Unity has a very good 3D engine. Unfoturtunately the 2D part of it isn't so good - positioning is a real pain.

Had no real problems getting to grips with Javascript. Unfortunately it has a few differences between the version in Unity and elsewhere.

I did have regular crashes - worked out at once a week.

A lot of things that should be simple are not - accessing variables and such from other scripts, and it got to be a pain.

Dreamora

(Posted 2007) [#19]

Why would you have to redo a fair bit?

Its just a simple switch at the beginning :-)

If fullscreen
   graphics ...
else
   create Window
   Create Canvas
   Set Focus on Canvas
   enable polled input
endif

After that point you can work on as you intend to do with graphics unless I missed something very important ...

And it allows you to reposition the window if in windowed mode :)

MrTAToad

(Posted 2007) [#20]

Because a state machine would be needed to deal with title screen, name entry, music selection, game, post game stuff etc etc.

A graphics hook would be needed otherwise things wont work properly...

Its not pretty, its not quick, and its not something I want to do - yet, anyway.