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Tomasz,
Thank you.
Yes, I understood that the window with the scroll bar was a child of
the tabs control which was a child of the Parameters Window. I am not
sure why my method did not work, but THANK YOU for the last "hint"
which does work -- "hint" was more like handing me the answer on a
silver platter ;-)
My DLL now works fine using your method to directly get the handle of
the child control with the scroll bar in it. Addressing it via the ID
is a much easier method. I saw the ID using the AutoIt Window Info
program, but I did not know how to utilize it. I looked through the
MS doc on windows functions but did not see a way to use it. If you
had not provided the "hint" I might never have found that solution,
because it was in the Dialog Box section and even named "Get Dialog
Item." Sometimes there is no substitute for experience --especially
when the documentation is not intuitively obvious.
Now I am off and running again, and can clean up the DLL with "safety
features" and finish adding this needed feature to my Flexible
Parameters AFL.
I thank you for playing along with me on this challenge. I learned a
lot of useful information in a few short days (about 10 hours of
actual work). I even see how I should be using some different naming
conventions based on your last example.
I hope that others following this thread (which actually started as an
offshoot of the thread "Big symbol text in the background") found it
entertaining, informative, and inspiring.
Now I am starting to wonder if I can add some more functions to my DLL
that will let me to get rid of AutoIt completely. I much prefer
simple straight forward solutions that do not rely on interactions
between too many different vendors products. I will give this some
thought later. I suppose the only thing I would really need to learn
how to do is sending a mouseUp message to the "Reset all" button in
the Parameters Window. Not sure how that can be done, but it must be
possible because AutoIt can do it. Perhaps I can even determine the
state of the keyboard modifier keys --but I think you may be providing
that in the future for AFL.
The point is, I do not feel as limited in what I can do with AFL now --
given some hints, learnings, and work. Some things will require you
to add features to AFL to make them easy to use for everyone, but some
simple things, I can figure out how to do with a DLL now with just a
little help now and then from experienced users.
Best regards,
Dennis
On Apr 28, 2008, at 2:29 AM, Tomasz Janeczko wrote:
> Dennis,
>
> The parameter window does not contain a scrollbar because it is a
> parent
> of actual parameter list window. Therefore to get a handle of actual
> window that contains the scrollbar you need to traverse children list
> of parameter window, or better (easier), get the child control with
> appropriate ID.
> The ID of actual list is 88.
> So you would need to call
> HWND hActualList = GetDlgItem( h_ParamWindow, 88 );
>
> if( hActualList )
> {
> nScrollPos = GetScrollPos( hActualList, SB_VERT );
>
> ....
>
> SetScrollPos( hActualList, SB_VERT, nPos, TRUE );
> }
>
>
> Best regards,
> Tomasz Janeczko
> amibroker.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dennis Brown" <see3d@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 12:08 AM
> Subject: Re: [amibroker] Re: Visual C++ 2008 Express simple DLL
> sample file?
>
>
>> Tomasz,
>>
>> I am reporting back on my success as far as it goes on this
>> challenge,
>> and request another hint. I have succeeded in learning how to
>> write a
>> C++ DLL function with freely available programs and documentation.
>> The DLL can get the scroll position of the top child window of the
>> foreground window and return the result to AFL. I have also
>> written a
>> function that will set the scroll position to a value specified from
>> AFL and return the old position as I originally set out to do. This
>> should give me the ability to get or set the scroll position on any
>> AmiBroker program window that is active and has a vertical scroll
>> bar. For instance, with this DLL, I can now get and set the scroll
>> position on the Formula Editor Window just as expected. However, the
>> Parameters Window returns an error that it contains no scroll bar
>> even
>> though it is visible on the screen, so I have not succeeded yet in
>> the
>> original challenge.
>>
>> Since you wrote the code that created the (I am assuming) child
>> window
>> with the scrollbar in the Parameters Window, I have to ask you the
>> next question. Is there a key concept that I am missing regarding
>> how
>> to get the handle to the Parameters Window child control/window with
>> the scroll bar?
>>
>> I have looked everywhere I know to look for the answer, but have come
>> up blank. The only possibility I can think of is you wrote this
>> child
>> window in a custom way that does not support the functions I used to
>> get or set the scroll. The class string does have a strange looking
>> name for this window.
>>
>> Here is the Function.cpp code segment I wrote that gets the scroll
>> position (or the error code):
>>
>> // GetWindowScroll( )
>> // This function returns the vertical scroll position
>> // of the top window of the foreground (active) window
>> // Returns zero if not successful
>> // Temp Debug: Returns the error code if not successful
>>
>> AmiVar VGetWindowScroll( int NumArgs, AmiVar *ArgsTable )
>> {
>> AmiVar OldScroll;
>> OldScroll.type = VAR_FLOAT;
>>
>> HWND foreWindow = GetForegroundWindow();
>> HWND topWindow = GetTopWindow(foreWindow);
>>
>> int OVWScroll = GetScrollPos( topWindow, SB_VERT );
>> OldScroll.val = OVWScroll;
>> if(OVWScroll==0){DWORD dw = GetLastError(); OldScroll.val = dw;} ;//
>> Debug code
>>
>> return OldScroll;
>> }
>>
>> If there is something that you do not want to reveal publicly on the
>> forum, please PM me. Otherwise, please another hint.
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Dennis
>>
>> On Apr 27, 2008, at 1:24 PM, Dennis Brown wrote:
>>> Dan,
>>>
>>> LOL --the blind leading the blind. I wanted to relate my
>>> experiences
>>> in attempting this "Impossible for my level of experience and tools"
>>> solution to my problem to encourage others that it can be done. I
>>> also knew I would need a little help from a knowledgeable person
>>> like
>>> TJ to point me in the right direction. After all, it would be
>>> foolish to attempt to do something if there was no reasonable
>>> solution
>>> at all, and he would know. I searched on the internet to fill in
>>> more
>>> details. We don't always have to have the solutions handed to us
>>> on a
>>> silver platter --as nice as that is. I also did not believe that I
>>> should have to spend a long time with books, manuals, or buy tools
>>> just to make a 10 line program that I needed now. Besides I learn
>>> better by discovering things than reading about them in books. The
>>> little light bulbs go on quite often when I have to work for the
>>> understanding.
>>>
>>> Since I don't know C++ , every line I write has errors. I just try
>>> different possibilities and recompile until I hit on a syntax that
>>> works. It usually takes 3-5 attempts to get each line to work,
>>> then I
>>> go to the next line. If I don't get the result I expect, I try
>>> different experiments, and by the process of elimination I learn
>>> what
>>> is going on. If I get really stuck, I will ask for help again.
>>> Trial and error engineering!
>>>
>>> I still don't have the solution I want working. I wrote the DLL
>>> as I
>>> had envisioned it, and it does work as far as I can tell.
>>> However, I
>>> believe I am missing a key concept about which window in the
>>> "Parameters Window" contains the scroll bar since I get an error
>>> message that the foreground window has no scroll bars. I am now
>>> guessing that the tabbed window structure is such that there is a
>>> child window overlaid on the main Parameters window that has the
>>> scroll bar. Now I have to figure out how to get its handle. Notice
>>> all those Windows type concepts I am throwing around after only a
>>> day
>>> of poking at the problem --LOL.
>>>
>>> During some of my internet searches, I did come across some
>>> references
>>> to VB that would lead me to think that I might be able to solve this
>>> problem with it also. However, I know no more about VB than I do
>>> about C++, so I might as well do it at the lowest level for the
>>> simple
>>> problem that it is. At least C++ and AFL look enough alike that I
>>> can
>>> guess at the syntax of C++.
>>>
>>> Getting frustrated and giving up is something I got over many
>>> decades
>>> ago after realizing that the only way to fail is to give up, and the
>>> way to succeed is to never give up. Once you determine that you
>>> will
>>> succeed no matter what it takes, the setbacks are just part of
>>> learning about the solution. It does irk me though when I am given
>>> wrong information that takes me far in the wrong direction and
>>> wastes
>>> a lot of time.
>>>
>>> As far as the typo in the example goes, I don't think TJ needs to
>>> say
>>> anything about it on the board. If nobody noticed it for 7 years,
>>> it
>>> is not critical to get fixed on a moments notice. I would not have
>>> mentioned it publicly except that it made a good story.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>> Dennis
>>>
>>> On Apr 27, 2008, at 9:30 AM, ab319320 wrote:
>>>> Dennis good work. There are two possibilities for the error in the
>>>> example. I have to wonder if Tomasz even picked up on the error
>>>> you
>>>> mentioned as he was caught up in compiler talk and did not thank
>>>> you
>>>> and say that the error would be fixed. That aside Tomasz has
>>>> done a
>>>> terrific job on MY AMI.
>>>>
>>>> But, errors in examples as in a 21 day vc++ book frustrated me to
>>>> the
>>>> point that my vc++6.0 pro ed just sets on the shelf. We all have
>>>> different levels of tolerance and Dennis yours excels.
>>>>
>>>> I discovered MS's Express series just a month ago and typed my 1981
>>>> basic program into vbasic 2008 express. I had over a hundred error
>>>> msgs but it was easy to work through. I think the vb is easier
>>>> than
>>>> the vc express because of the error window (which is more like
>>>> vc6.0). MS has provided a powerful on-line help enter-face. Vb
>>>> express, I think, allows creation of a dll.
>>>>
>>>> Dennis I hope that you will post a "How To dll" in the Files
>>>> section
>>>> which is user friendly. It appears you may have that ability.
>>>> Sometimes experienced people write over the heads of less
>>>> experienced.
>>>> Dan
>>>> --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Tomasz Janeczko" <groups@xxx>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Dennis,
>>>>>
>>>>> OK, OK, my bad. You see my previous comment was not intended to be
>>>> taken so seriously.
>>>>> I have very different perspective than you and others on the list
>>>>> since C++ compiler is my everyday bread and butter so I have very
>>>> different expectations and very different opinion than majority.
>>>>> If I wrote so on some "hard core C geek" forum, I would be
>>>> understood better.
>>>>>
>>>>> Apparently 2008 "express" version is less restrictive
>>>>> compared to previous 2005. I am not using 2008. Three years ago I
>>>> bought Professional Edition 2005 to find that I use
>>>>> it only for 64 bit compilations because it is slow for everyday
>>>> work, crashes a lot and code produced is not compatible with 9x
>>>> windows.
>>>>> I use good old version 6 (from 1997 afair) because it is fast and
>>>> compatible with all Windows versions. That old version 6.0 is
>>>>> something that Microsoft has done very well (but there was no free
>>>> editions at that time).
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>> Tomasz Janeczko
>>>>> amibroker.com
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: Dennis Brown
>>>>> To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 7:20 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [amibroker] Visual C++ 2008 Express simple DLL
>>>> sample file?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Tomasz,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> While, being a Mac guy, I am quick to vilify Microsoft. However,
>>>> in this case you are being too harsh on them. They seem to have
>>>> improved their free version for 2008 and with some more
>>>> experimentation, I was able to get the free version to compile the
>>>> ADK Sample project and produce the sample.dll. Then I modified the
>>>> functions.cpp slightly and made another sample.dll that functioned
>>>> properly with AFL calls.
>>>>> Here is what I did to make it work:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> 1. I reinstalled the ADK from scratch to get rid of my previous
>>>> experiments.
>>>>> 2. I double clicked the Sample.dsp file which launched Visual
>>>> C++ 2008 Express Edition
>>>>> 3. A dialog box came up requesting to convert the project
>>>> format to an updated version --I clicked Yes. This was the key
>>>> step.
>>>>> 4. I did a "Build Solution" from the Build menu.
>>>>> 5. The Sample.dll was generated error free and placed in
>>>> the "Debug" folder.
>>>>> 6. I moved the Sample.dll into the Plugins folder and started
>>>> up AmiBroker. I added a plot calling ExampleEMA. Success.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> There is a humorous side to this story also...
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I modified the ExampleEMA just to make sure that it was my
>>>> changes that I was seeing and not something else, since the
>>>> ExampleEMA was a prebuilt function. I called it myExampleEMA,
>>>> and I
>>>> changed the function to return a constant. It worked half way????
>>>> The name changed, but it returned the exact same moving average
>>>> result as before.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I tried all kinds of changes to that function which seemed to
>>>> have no effect. I finally commented practically everything out in
>>>> the function and it still returned a beautiful moving average. My
>>>> mind was going in circles tying to figure out how my changes
>>>> could be
>>>> ignored. It truly seemed impossible. It is funny that when you
>>>> don't know what you are doing and in a new situation, the mind is
>>>> open to the wildest speculations to explain what is happening.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Eventually, I commented out the other two functions: exampleMACD
>>>> and ExampleMA. Finally I got a compile error message. It turns
>>>> out
>>>> that there is a typo in the function table. Both ExampleEMA and
>>>> ExampleMA point to VExampleMA code. Since the file was last
>>>> modified
>>>> in 2001, it must have been there for 7 years and nobody noticed
>>>> until
>>>> now --or at least did not bother tell AmiBroker about it. It was
>>>> lurking for all those years just waiting for a novice like me to
>>>> get
>>>> tricked into thinking the laws of programming physics were suddenly
>>>> altered. LOL
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Now I will proceed to try and make my real dll work.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>> Dennis
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Apr 26, 2008, at 10:22 AM, Tomasz Janeczko wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> See also the video:
>>>>> http://www.amibroker.com/video/devcpp.html
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>> Tomasz Janeczko
>>>>> amibroker.com
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: Tomasz Janeczko
>>>>> To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 4:19 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [amibroker] Visual C++ 2008 Express simple DLL
>>>> sample file?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>
>>>>> Visual C++ 2008 EXPRESS edition (FREE) is severely limited
>>>> and does NOT support creating of DLLs at all.
>>>>> That's why you get error when compiling it with Express
>>>> edition.
>>>>> Microsoft never gives useful things for free. Express
>>>> editions are toys only.
>>>>>
>>>>> To create DLLs you need either Standard or Professional
>>>> edition, or free Borland compiler or free GCC( GNU CC)/MinGW
>>>>> http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html
>>>>> Sample project files for free Dec-C++ are included in the ADK.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>> Tomasz Janeczko
>>>>> amibroker.com
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: Dennis Brown
>>>>> To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 2:18 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [amibroker] Visual C++ 2008 Express simple DLL
>>>> sample file?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Paul, That is exactly what my plan was and what I was
>>>> attempting to do. However, the example in the ADK would not
>>>> compile
>>>> error free with Visual C++ 2008 Express as I explained. Perhaps it
>>>> would with the full version, but I explained that issue in my last
>>>> post to Mike.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> BR,
>>>>> Dennis
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Apr 26, 2008, at 2:13 AM, Paul Ho wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> You should start off by compiling the examples contained
>>>> in the ADK. and increment things slowly so you know what could
>>>> possibly cause the problem
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> From: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> [mailto:amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dennis Brown
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, 26 April 2008 1:44 PM
>>>>> To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Subject: [amibroker] Visual C++ 2008 Express simple DLL
>>>> sample file?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>
>>>>> I took the challenge from Tomasz that anyone who is
>>>> willing to learn,
>>>>> can extend AFL to do anything. My chosen task is to
>>>> restore the
>>>>> scroll position of the Parameters Window after a "Reset
>>>> all" button
>>>>> click --and yes, it has an important use.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tomasz informed me that I would need to write a DLL to
>>>> make this
>>>>> possible. There may be other ways, but I will try it
>>>> this way.
>>>>>
>>>>> First I have to say that I do not know C++ (other than
>>>> AFL has a
>>>>> similar syntax). Next I am not very familiar with
>>>> anything Windows (I
>>>>> am a Mac guy). So if I can do this (with a little help
>>>> from my AB
>>>>> friends) Tomasz will be vindicated in his statements.
>>>>>
>>>>> I determined that all I need is to make an extremely
>>>> simple DLL. It
>>>>> will create the following new AFL function:
>>>>>
>>>>> oldScrollPosition = GetSetWindowScroll
>>>> (newScrollPosition);
>>>>>
>>>>> It will simply return the current scroll position of
>>>> the active
>>>>> foreground window and then set the scroll position to
>>>> the supplied
>>>>> parameter. It should only be about 10 lines of C++ code.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have found the Windows calls that will get the handle
>>>> of the
>>>>> foreground window, and (with a pointer from Tomasz)
>>>> calls to get and
>>>>> set the scroll thumb position on a standard window.
>>>>>
>>>>> Everything else I need to do I can handle with AutoIt
>>>> or AFL.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have installed the free ADK and installed the free
>>>> Visual C++ 2008
>>>>> Express program, and started to try to write this.
>>>>>
>>>>> Initially I tried just Building the Sample DLL in the
>>>> ADK. That
>>>>> mostly works, but gives me errors on the Plugin.cpp:
>>>>>
>>>>> error C2491: on 5 critical lines for : Definition of
>>>> dllimport
>>>>> function not allowed
>>>>> these are the PLUGINAPI statements for Release, Init,
>>>>> GetFunnctionTable, SetSiteInterface, and GetPluginInfo.
>>>>>
>>>>> Somehow, I think I really need these lines to compile
>>>> for any AB DLL
>>>>> to work...
>>>>>
>>>>> I have tried a bunch of things, and I can make it give
>>>> me more errors,
>>>>> but unfortunately no less errors. So I think I need
>>>> some hints or
>>>>> more help to get started.
>>>>>
>>>>> I was wondering if anyone has an answer, or a simple
>>>> DLL sample
>>>>> project file that builds error free on Visual C++ 2008
>>>> Express that
>>>>> you could email me to get me started on the right track
>>>> with this?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Dennis
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
>>>>
>>>> To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to
>>>> SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
>>>>
>>>> For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
>>>> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>>>>
>>>> For other support material please check also:
>>>> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>>>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------
>>>
>>> Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
>>>
>>> To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to
>>> SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
>>>
>>> For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
>>> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>>>
>>> For other support material please check also:
>>> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
>>
>> To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to
>> SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
>>
>> For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
>> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>>
>> For other support material please check also:
>> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
>
> To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to
> SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
>
> For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>
> For other support material please check also:
> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
------------------------------------
Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
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SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
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