forum.vdsworld.com

FreezingFire · **Admin Team** Joined: 23 Jun 2002 Posts: 3508

Why is DESIGN never documented in help files? It's probably an "internal"
feature for the developers of VDS but I think it's really useful and it is not
too hard to learn about? I don't understand why it isn't ever documented. Confused

Vic D'Elfant · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 8:21 am Post subject:

Tommy made a small dlgedit script which used the DESIGN style.
Perhaps it would help:

Skit3000 · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:46 pm Post subject:

I don't think Commercial Research will make the code public. However you can try to ask them if they want to give you the source so you can make a new Dialog Designer for them... Rolling Eyes

Vic D'Elfant · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 1:01 pm Post subject:

I hope they will Rolling Eyes

Vic

jules · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 1:08 pm Post subject:

Er, it's not the most easily understandable piece of code I've ever seen. I didn't write it, and I don't have a clue what most of it does. If that's what you want to do, you might be better off starting from scratch...

CodeScript · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 2:25 pm Post subject:

Dialog designer is missing in certain important areas just for example dealing with multiple dialog elements eg. user wants to swap two buttons or arrange all of them along the left side. Equalize the space between all the similar elemnts or arrange the item as from Y to X axis. Resize all the elements by using a reference element. Undo option.
I incorporated most of the above things (there are many more) in to a Dialog designer assist for myself. I posted it too with detailed help and source code too.
http://forum.vdsworld.com/viewtopic.php?t=1960

I don't know if any one has tried it. I does have limitations as it manipulates things externally and has no access to the data maintained in the VDSlists, but does help me atleast. (you should disable snap to grid for it to work)

DD has seen no major change since it's inception except new elemnts
I thought @LIB() function was added for this but it doesn't seem they used it.
Else many/most of the problems could have been solved and really *cool* features could have bben added.

PGWARE · **Web Host** Joined: 29 Dec 2001 Posts: 1566

It may be a good idea to have a opensource dialog designer that we all develop together. This may prove to be a better alternative to the VDS supplied one.

jules · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 3:00 pm Post subject:

A dialog designer is a horrible thing to write. I wrote the one for VDS 2 in Delphi. It was very flaky. I added the DESIGN mode when I was finishing off VDS 3 for SADE, so that the dialog designer could be written in VDS. I wrote a simple one using it, but the current one is quite a lot more sophisticated than that. Personally I find it quite adequate, but for many minor adjustments I prefer to edit the actual code. I get the same spacing between elements by doing a bit of mental arithmetic.

Skit3000 · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 3:13 pm Post subject:

I think it doesn't have to be real big. Just use a subroutine to place the elements on the dialog, and one to (re)move them. I think it will only take about 100 lines... Smile

jules · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 3:17 pm Post subject:

A dialog desiger in 100 lines. This I must see... Very Happy

LiquidCode · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 3:18 pm Post subject:

Edit: Removed.

Skit3000 · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject:

There also is a 'remove' button when editting your script... Wink

Btw. Julian, it's a bit more, but I was giving a general idea... Smile

I'm working on one now, and I only have to implend code to change element positions. After that, I'll show it... Smile

LiquidCode · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 4:09 pm Post subject:

I know. I could have deleted it too.. that would have been too easy. Smile

FreezingFire · **Admin Team** Joined: 23 Jun 2002 Posts: 3508

LiquidCode · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 7:39 pm Post subject:

I agree. Let's get to it! Smile