CDialogEx, CPropertySheetEx2 classes with status bar, toolbar and tool tips

• Download demo project - 32 Kb
• Download source - 13 Kb

Motivation

When I saw Nish's article with a status bar in dialog window I finally decided to publish my CDialogEx and CPropertySheetEx2 classes with support for status bar, toolbar and tool tips. I had similar problem a while ago, when I needed to develop simple application, but with not too ugly interface.

It is not complicated task to have a status bar or toolbar at the dialog window. It becomes little bit more tricky, when you want to do it right way - show tool tips and corresponding status bar messages to these tool tips - and that's the reason, why there is usually status bar, isn't it?. Fortunately I found some information in MSND and got it working.

There is sample DLGCBR32 with description how to add control bars to CDialog. My classes are based on this sample and are extended to keep usage of its functionality as simple as possible.

Description of solution

CDialog and CPropertySheet do not contain similar function to CFrameWnd where all the processing of messages related to control bars is done. It is necessary duplicated this functionality for windows not derived from CFrameWnd. However, this task is more difficult, if you want support modal and modeless dialog windows, where not all messages are sent as you might expect.

As you can see from following message map:

BEGIN_MESSAGE_MAP(CDialogEx, CDialog)
	//{{AFX_MSG_MAP(CDialogEx)
	ON_WM_ENTERIDLE()
	ON_MESSAGE(WM_POPMESSAGESTRING, OnPopMessageString)
	ON_MESSAGE(WM_SETMESSAGESTRING, OnSetMessageString)
	ON_WM_MENUSELECT()     
	ON_UPDATE_COMMAND_UI(ID_INDICATOR_NUM, OnUpdateKeyIndicator)
	ON_UPDATE_COMMAND_UI(ID_VIEW_STATUS_BAR, OnUpdateStatusBarMenu)
	ON_COMMAND(ID_VIEW_STATUS_BAR, OnStatusBarCheck)  
	ON_COMMAND(ID_VIEW_TOOLBAR, OnToolBarCheck)
	ON_UPDATE_COMMAND_UI(ID_VIEW_TOOLBAR, OnUpdateToolBarMenu) 
	ON_WM_MOUSEMOVE()
	ON_WM_INITMENUPOPUP()
	ON_MESSAGE(WM_KICKIDLE, OnKickIdle)
	ON_UPDATE_COMMAND_UI(ID_INDICATOR_CAPS, OnUpdateKeyIndicator)
	ON_UPDATE_COMMAND_UI(ID_INDICATOR_SCRL, OnUpdateKeyIndicator)
	ON_COMMAND(IDOK, OnOK)
	ON_COMMAND(IDCANCEL, OnCancel)
	//}}AFX_MSG_MAP
	ON_NOTIFY_EX_RANGE(TTN_NEEDTEXTW, 0, 0xFFFF, OnToolTipText)
	ON_NOTIFY_EX_RANGE(TTN_NEEDTEXTA, 0, 0xFFFF, OnToolTipText)
END_MESSAGE_MAP()

there is the handler for WM_ENTERIDLE message, where CFrameWnd process WM_ENTERIDLE to update status bar. The same scenario is working for CDialog only when it is modal and it is not main application window. Workaround for different situations is handling WM_KICKIDLE. Rest of message map is for handling messages for tool tips and updating user interface (menu and status bar).

Usage

Using CDialogEx is as simple as deriving your dialog class from CDialog. You can use class wizard to derive your dialog from CDialog and then just replace all references to CDialog with CDialogEx. You have to implement OnInitDialog() and call function InitDialogEx() from within it.

BOOL InitDialogEx(BOOL btool tips = FALSE, BOOL bStatusBar = FALSE, 
                  UINT *pIndicators = NULL,
                  UINT nIndicators = 0, UINT uiToolBar = 0, 
                  DWORD dwToolBarStyle = TBSTYLE_FLAT | WS_CHILD | 
                                         WS_VISIBLE | CBRS_TOP | 
                                         CBRS_GRIPPER | CBRS_TOOLTIPS | 
                                         CBRS_FLYBY | CBRS_SIZE_DYNAMIC);

Set btool tips to TRUE if you want to use tool tips. Set bStatusBar to TRUE, if you want to show status bar. If you will not specify pIndicators and nIndicators when bStatusBar is TRUE, then CDialogEx will show default status bar with indicators for Num Lock, Caps Lock and Scroll Lock. Otherwise you can provide definition for you own status bar in these parameters. Parameter uiToolBar is resource ID of your toolbar with styles specified in dwToolBarStyle.

Last thing to do is to add string AFX_IDS_IDLEMESSAGE to your resources. Its ID has to be 57345. This string is shown in the status bar when application is in idle state, usually you can use string like 'Ready'.

The same setup applies for using CPropertySheetEx2. Only function to call from InitDialogEx() has name InitPropertySheetEx2() and one parameter more for resource ID of menu to show. And, off course, you have to derive your pages from CPropertyPageEx2 class.

Demo programs

Demo program CDialogExDemo and CPropertySheetEx2Demo demonstrate using CDialogEx in the different scenarios, as a modal or modeless main application window, or as a child window.

History

• 24 Sep 2002 - couple of bugs removed, new demo program for CPropertySheetEx2 - credits to Cyril Boutamine and Jonathan de Halleux