Splasher v1.32 - A Splash Screen Implementation

Introduction

Welcome to Splasher, A freeware MFC class to implement a splash screen.

Features

This class provides a number of advantages over and above the standard splash screen component that is included with VC++.

The code can optionally use an external DIB file instead of a bitmap resource. This allows your splash screen to be easily customized at run time without the need to change a bitmap resource inside your exe. For example you could ship two versions of bitmap files, one for 16 color screens and a 256 color bitmap for higher screen depths. You could also allow your end user to change the splash screen.
The palette from the DIB is read from file and is used to provide support for more colors than the standard 16 which are available with bitmap resources.
The splash screen component is multi-threaded, meaning that it remains responsive and redraws itself correctly while you can be loading up your application in the normal InitInstance() override.
The splash screen is coded so that it will only be brought down when you want it to, not when the user clicks on it or a timer expires. This allows you to close it down exactly when your application is ready for input and no longer needs to display the splash screen.

Usage

To use the class in your code simply include splasher.cpp in your project and #include splasher.h in your applications' CWinApp derived module.
A sample SDI appwizard generated application is included which demonstrates it use. To incorporate the splash screen component you will just need to add approximately 10 lines of code to your applications InitInstance() function. To see the classes in action, have a look at the code in InitInstance() in the module spltest.cpp.
Your code will need to include MFC either statically or dynamically.

History

V1.0 (15th November 1996)

Initial public release.

V1.1 (11th December 1997)

Incorporation of new DIB code provided by the authors own CDibImage class. A static library version is used by splasher here. If you want to use CDIbImage for anything other than CSplashThread, then you need to download CDibImage on its own.
Can now load from resource or bitmap.
General tidy up of the code.

V1.2 (22nd March 1998)

Palette is now correctly initialized on startup.
Code now protects itself if m_SplashScreen cannot be created.

V1.3 (22th December 1998)

Now provided VC 5 workspace files as standard.
Removed the dependence of splasher on CDibImage (another shareware product of the author).
Provision of HTML help file (this file) describing the class.
The code is now UNICODE enabled and UNICODE build configurations are provided in the sample app.
General tidy up of the code.
Fixed a potential race condition in CSplashThread::HideSplash().
Reduced the size of the zip file by only including the demo bitmap once.

V1.31 (21st June 1999)

Fixed a bug which was causing an assert when loading up a bitmap which does not have an associated palette.

V1.32 (1st March 2000)

Fixed a problem with bitmaps which do not have a palette (Again <g>)
Fixed a problem in Win 98 and Win2000 when the splash screen is closed but the main window of your app fails to activate. The code now uses AttachThreadInput to synchronise the UI activities of the main GUI thread and the splash screen thread.

Contacting the Author

PJ Naughter
Email: pjn@indigo.ie
Web: http://www.naughter.com
1 March 2000

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here

About the Author

PJ Naughter

United States

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Allowing main app window to call SetForegroundWindow()

TheWizardOfOz

8:33 1 Nov '11

First of thanks for the great class.

For some reason, after introducing the splash screen to my project, the main window would load in the background if another window was open. Calling SetForegroundWindow() did nothing.

Workaround:

Add

AllowSetForegroundWindow(GetCurrentProcessId());

As the last line in

BOOL CSplashWnd::Create()

just before the return statement. This allows the app to bring itself to the foreground then.

Memory leak in v1.48

Tnarol

3:31 14 Nov '07

Detected memory leaks! Dumping objects -> spltest.cpp(30) : {63} client block at 0x00323090, subtype c0, 232 bytes long. a CMySplashWnd object at $00323090, 232 bytes long Object dump complete. Apparently missing : delete m_pSplashThread->m_pSplashScreen; m_pSplashThread->m_pSplashScreen = NULL; in CSplashFactory::Close() just after : WaitForSingleObject(m_pSplashThread->m_hThread, INFINITE);
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Re: Memory leak in v1.48

pjnaughter

7:22 14 Nov '07

Thanks for that. I will add this to the TO DO list for the next release.
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Re: Memory leak in v1.48

pjnaughter

5:21 17 Nov '07

Just to let you know that v1.49 has been released on my web site at www.naughter.com which fixes this issue. The way I fix the memory leak is different that your proposed approach above.
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A way to make this stay on top...

Brad Wyckhouse

10:11 14 Sep '06

Hi all,

Great little class. I haven't got the updated version, so this may already be there, but I found it useful to add code to make this a stay-on-top window in case the main app window comes up while the splash screen is up.

In CSplashWnd::Create I added the following after the "Create this window" code block:



  //Make this window the topmost 

  CRect rectThisWindow;

  GetClientRect(rectThisWindow);

  SetWindowPos(&CWnd::wndTopMost, m_nWidth, m_nHeight, rectThisWindow.Width(), rectThisWindow.Height(), SWP_SHOWWINDOW);

This is using MFC 7.1. I'm not sure if all previous versions of MFC support this.

Why use multithread here?

Fzz

1:32 24 Oct '05

First ,thank for you great code. But I think splashThread here can't play it's role. We want to use multi-thread here is because Main UI want to do some time-consuming initialization. So we show splash to our user by splashThread. But In your code, the thread is created and resume, then Sleep(5000), so main UI(thread) is block here. It can't go on and do more initialization. I think normal routine should be: splashthread go on but don't sleep.

Benny fun

There is a newer version available

SAHorowitz

15:01 28 Feb '05

Found this on the web. It is a much newer (and rewritten) version by the same author. http://www.naughter.com/splasher.html
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A little add...

Isildur

3:20 7 Oct '04

Hi,

I'm using this class, and I've added two little functionalities that I want to share in case anybody finds them usefull.

First, I use OnSetCursor to show the waiting cursor:

BOOL CSplashWnd::OnSetCursor(CWnd *pWnd, UINT nHitTest, UINT message)
{   ::SetCursor(AfxGetApp()->LoadStandardCursor(IDC_WAIT));
return TRUE;
}

And I show my app version in the bitmap, too...

Modified OnPaint:

void CSplashWnd::OnPaint()
{
   CPaintDC dc(this);

   // Select the palette and bitmap to the DC
   CDC memDC;
   memDC.CreateCompatibleDC(&dc);
   CBitmap *pOldBitmap = memDC.SelectObject(&m_Bitmap);
   CPalette *pOldPalette = dc.SelectPalette(&m_Palette, FALSE);
   dc.RealizePalette();
   dc.BitBlt(0, 0, m_nWidth, m_nHeight, &memDC, 0, 0, SRCCOPY);
   memDC.SelectObject(pOldBitmap);
   dc.SelectPalette(pOldPalette, FALSE);

   DrawVersionInfo(&dc);
}

These two are a bit long... one for getting the file version and the other for painting it...

void CSplashWnd::DrawVersionInfo(CDC *pDC)
{
     LOGFONT lf;

     ZeroMemory(&lf, sizeof(lf));

     lf.lfHeight = -MulDiv(8, pDC->GetDeviceCaps(LOGPIXELSY), 72);
     lf.lfWeight = FW_NORMAL;
     lf.lfOutPrecision = OUT_TT_ONLY_PRECIS;

     // Create and select it
     CFont newFont;

     if (newFont.CreateFontIndirect(&lf))
     {
          CFont *pOldFont = pDC->SelectObject(&newFont);

          pDC->SetTextColor(RGB(0,0,0));

          pDC->SetBkMode(TRANSPARENT);

          char szVersion[MAX_TEXT];

          if (GetVersionString("raim.exe", szVersion))
          {
               pDC->TextOut(185, 170, szVersion, strlen(szVersion));
          }

          pDC->SelectObject(pOldFont);
     }
}

BOOL CSplashWnd::GetVersionString(char *pszFileName, char *pszVersion)
{
      DWORD dwSize, dwHandle;

      dwSize = GetFileVersionInfoSize(pszFileName, &dwHandle);

      if (dwSize == 0)
      {
            return FALSE;
      }

      unsigned char *lpData = new unsigned char [dwSize];

     ASSERT(lpData != NULL);

     if (lpData == NULL)
     {
          return FALSE;
     }

     ZeroMemory(lpData, dwSize);

      GetFileVersionInfo(pszFileName, 0, dwSize, lpData);

      VS_FIXEDFILEINFO *lpFixedFileInfo;

      unsigned int len;
      char szQuery[] = "\\";

      VerQueryValue(lpData, szQuery, (LPVOID *)&lpFixedFileInfo, &len);

      // 1.2.3.4 means version 1.2, release 3, build 4

      char aux[MAX_TEXT];

      wsprintf(aux, "%d.%d Release %d",
                  HIWORD(lpFixedFileInfo->dwFileVersionMS),
                  LOWORD(lpFixedFileInfo->dwFileVersionMS),
                  HIWORD(lpFixedFileInfo->dwFileVersionLS));

     strcpy(pszVersion, aux);

     delete [] lpData;
     lpData = NULL;

     return TRUE;
}

Isildur.

Re: A little add...

pjnaughter

8:33 7 Oct '04

You could achieve this in a much more OO approach by deriving a class from CSplashWnd and implement your extensions in it's OnPaint handler. See the s\ample app code for an example of this. Also make sure you get the latest version from my web site at www.naughter.com. Also I've also got an MFC wrapper for version info's which would make your GetVersionString a whole lot simpler.
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Re: A little add...

Isildur

20:27 7 Oct '04

Thanks for your advices! I also have a MFC wrapper for version info, too... But I didn't want to make it so complicated (now I see I failed). I'm having a look at your web site in this moment... It's full of interesting programming resources! Thanks again.
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Good point

richard sancenot

5:44 30 Nov '05

Thanks naughter for his class and Isildur for his functionalities, i incorporated them in the soft . Although it's not that OO it's easy and it works. BTW it's better drawing via the MemDC than the WindowDC, so just before the function BitBlt() call DrawVersionInfo(&memDC) ; Tout programme dont la fiabilité dépend de l'homme n'est pas fiable
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Splash Screen

Abou RRour

10:07 26 Jun '03

Plz can anybody help to Flash intro to window application with MFC? And can any body help me to remove the untitled that appears on the top of the application?
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Re: Splash Screen

Daniel Madden

19:55 4 Sep '03

Hi Abou, BOOL CMainFrame::PreCreateWindow(CREATESTRUCT& cs) { if( !CFrameWnd::PreCreateWindow(cs) ) return FALSE; cs.style &= ~(LONG) FWS_ADDTOTITLE; cs.lpszName = "<Put what you want here>"; return TRUE; } Regards, Dan
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Using this splash screen in a Dialog based application

melwyn

1:29 6 May '03

Hi,
In your SDI example you close the splash screen after the call to ProcessShellCommand() as shown below



ParseCommandLine(cmdInfo);

if (!ProcessShellCommand(cmdInfo))

	return FALSE;

 

//ADDITION OF SPLASH SCREEN COMPONENT. 

//Now that the main UI is up, we can bring down the splash screen

pSplashThread->HideSplash();

I was wondering in a Dialog based application how do I know when the main UI is up so that I can close the splash screen.

Thanks,
Melwyn

Re: Using this splash screen in a Dialog based application

pjnaughter

11:31 6 May '03

Download the latest version from my web site (www.naughter.com). It includes a dialog based sample in addition to the normal SDI / MDI style.
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Re: Using this splash screen in a Dialog based application

melwyn

21:23 7 May '03

Hi, Thanks for the reply. I went to your site and went to the splasher section (http://www.naughter.com/splasher.html), however I couldn't find the Dialog based sample. Anyway would the last statement in OnInitDialog() be a good place to close the splash screen? Regards, Melwyn
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Re: Using this splash screen in a Dialog based application

pjnaughter

22:13 7 May '03

I was definite there was a dialog based example in that download, but seemly not. Yes, putting the call in Close in your dialog classes OnInitDialog would do the trick nicely.
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looking for mfc42u.lib

2:21 11 Oct '02

There isnt one on my machine.... Appreciate your help, ns
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Re: looking for mfc42u.lib

pjnaughter

3:30 11 Oct '02

This is an MFC library to support Unicode programming. It only gets installed when you do a custom install of Visual Studio. Either do a reinstall of VS or build one of the non unicode build configurations such as "Win32 Debug" or "Win32 Release".
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Re: looking for mfc42u.lib

3:37 11 Oct '02

Thanks for the prompt response!! Appreciate your help, ns
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How to add and update a progress bar

ascott

7:54 6 Mar '02

I have an imaging application that I would like to use splasher to display a logo and a progress bar. It appears the only way a progress bar can be added is to edit the CSplashWnd class. Is this correct? If I add the CProgressCtrl to the CSplashWnd class, can I update the prog control with out having to call UpdateData.
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Re: How to add and update a progress bar

pjnaughter

3:33 11 Oct '02

Just derive a class from CSplashWnd and add your CProgressCtrl there. You should use DDX_Control instead of UpdateData as UpdateData will update all the controls on the window. BTW, you will want to watch for multithreading issues as remember the splash screen is running in a separate thread so do not "dot into" your progress control from the main thread when you want to update it. Also make sure you have the latest version from my web site which supports end user specification of a derived class.

My LoginDLG lost focus ...

David DERUMIER

5:40 13 Nov '01

Hello,

I writed a MDI application, with a LoginDLG opened before creata MainFrame (something like Initinstance ... do some work ... open LoginDLG modal ... create and show MainFrame). Before integration of Splasher, when I launch my application and after some seconds, Dialog appear - with focus, fine. I try now to add this class into my application: InitInstance ... create & resume splash thread ... do some work ... hide splash ... open LoginDLG modal ... and Login DLG doesn't have focus; focus stay on desktop (or explorer or VC++ depending from where I launch application).

If I doesn't Hide splash, LoginDLG have focus correctly.
I try to add this->SetFocus or this->ShowWindow in InitDialog without any result.

Any idea ?
Confused | :confused:

David D.

Re: My LoginDLG lost focus ...

S Fewings

1:22 6 Jun '02

The main application must be visible before you hide the splash screen to allow the ThreadInput to be correctly passed. What you need to do here is hide the splash after the dialog is displayed. Hope that helps
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Hi-Color Image in Resource

Uwe Keim

8:55 19 Nov '00

Is it possible to load a Hi-Color image from resource, i.e. NOT from a file? -- Being not THAT resource-expert, I found out that the standard "Bitmap" resource type only supports 16 and 256 colors (with fix palette). I tried to add a custom resource and link it to a bitmap file. Unfortunately the ::LoadImage() function returns "resource name not found".
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