Introduction

Language Structure

IB Statements

File System

Comet 32 Runtime

Index

(CreateWindowEx)

Mnemonic: (CreateWindowEx=column,row,width,height,style,flags,caption$)
Discussion: This mnemonic creates and selects an extended window, using the following parameters:

Parameter Description
column The column location of the upper, left-hand corner of the window. This numeric value is expressed in QCRT characters or screen pixels, depending on the value of the flags (see below).
row The row location of the upper, left-hand corner of the window. This numeric value is expressed in QCRT characters or screen pixels, depending on the value of the flags (see below).
width The width of the window. This numeric value is expressed in QCRT characters.
height The height of the window. This numeric value is expressed in QCRT characters.
style The style of Window. This numeric value is the sum of the following options:

Value Meaning
1 A popup window. The window can be moved outside of Comet window. This value should not be used with 2 (which specifies a child window).
2 A child window. The window remains within the view window. This value should not be used with 1 (which specifies a popup window).
4 The window includes a caption bar.
8 The window includes a border.
16 The caption bar includes an "X" which closes the window.

Note: Clicking on the "X" causes an (EasyScan) event to be reported to the Internet Basic program. The EasyScan value is 15.
32 The window includes a thick frame that lets the user resize the window.
64 The window is visible.

flags The flags for the window. This numeric value is the sum of the following options:

Value Meaning
0 A modeless window (also known as a user-selectable window).

Note: If multiple Comet windows are displayed, the user can select which window is the active one by clicking the caption bar. The Internet Basic program can determine the handle of the the window from which data was transmitted via the STS function.
1 A modal window. All other Comet windows are disabled until this window closes.
2 A child window with no frame (border). This flag can be used to simulate a legacy Comet window (see CreateWindow).
4 The window includes a message line (also known as a control line). Any text written with the (WC) mnemonic will be displayed on the message line within this window.

The following flags pertain to non-child windows only:

Value Meaning
8 The column and row positions are expressed in screen pixels, and are relative to the screen (i.e., 0,0 = the upper, left-hand pixel of the screen).
16 The column and row positions are expressed in screen pixels, and are relative to the client window (i.e., 0,0 = the upper, left-hand pixel of the client window).
32 The column and row positions are expressed in screen pixels, and are relative to the frame window (i.e., 0,0 = the upper, left-hand pixel of the frame window).

caption$ If the caption bar style is in effect, this string value is displayed on the caption bar.

Each extended window is identified by a 4-byte string known as a window handle. The handle value is assigned by the system and returned to the Internet Basic program via an INPUT statement following the (CreateWindowEx) mnemonic, as follows: 

Length 4 & Local Handle1$
.
.
.
Print (CreateWindowEx=0,0,35,15,68,1,"This is the caption")
Input Handle1$
It follows that the Internet Basic program can create multiple extended windows. The program can select which window to use via the (SelectWindowEx) mnemonic.

An extended window is deleted via the (DeleteWindowEx) mnemonic.

Note: If you write a program that displays more than one extended window at a time, your program may need some way to distinguish which window was active at the time that data was input. The STS function returns the handle of the window that generated the input. This 4-byte value starts in position 11, as shown here: 
Length 4 & Local Handle$
.
Handle$ = SUB(STS(0),11,4)
Symbolic constants: Symbolic constants can be very useful when dealing with the multiple style and flag values. For example, here is a list of recommended symbolic constants for extended windows: 

! Window style
SET COS.WS.POPUP        = 1   ! Can be moved outside of Comet window. Should
                              ! not be used with COS.WS.CHILD.
SET COS.WS.CHILD        = 2   ! Remains within view window. Should not be used
                              ! with COS.WS.POPUP.
SET COS.WS.CAPTION      = 4   ! Includes a caption bar
SET COS.WS.BORDER       = 8   ! Window includes a border
SET COS.WS.SYSMENU      = 16  ! Caption bar 'X' closes window
SET COS.WS.THICKFRAME   = 32  ! Thick frame for sizing
SET COS.WS.VISIBLE      = 64  ! Window is visible
SET COS.WS.POPUPWINDOW  = 25  ! (COS.WS.POPUP+COS.WS.BORDER+COS.WS.SYSMENU)

! Window flags
SET COS.WF.MODELESS     = 0   ! - User selectable window - Use EasyScan
                              ! to determine when a window is activated.
SET COS.WF.MODAL        = 1   ! - All other windows are disabled until
                              ! this window closes
SET COS.WF.NOFRAME      = 2   ! Create CHILD window with no frame (border).
                              ! Used to simulate a Comet window
SET COS.WF.MSGLINE      = 4   ! Has a message line

! The following flags pertain to non-child windows only
SET COS.WF.SCNPIXELPOS  = 8   ! Position is in pixels, screen relative
SET COS.WF.CLIPIXELPOS  = 16  ! Position is in pixels, client window relative
SET COS.WF.FRMPIXELPOS  = 32  ! Position is in pixels, frame window relative

With these symbolic constants in place, you can specify the style and flag values by writing a symbolic "formula," as follows: 

Length 3.0 & Local Style, Flags
Length 5 & Local Handle1$
.
.
.
Style = COS.WS.POPUPWINDOW + COS.WS.CAPTION
Flags = COS.WF.MODAL + COS.WF.MSGLINE + COS.WF.CLIPIXELPOS
Print (CreateWindowEx=0,0,35,15,Style,Flags,"This is the caption")
Input Handle1$
History: This feature is supported in Comet2002 Build 306 and higher.
Examples: See the WinDemo.ibs program (available at www.signature.net/download/demos) for examples of extended windows. This demo program includes many combinations of the style and flags parameters, and also demonstrates some very useful applications for extended windows.