StringGadget Text Vertically Centred

[IdeasVacuum]

It would be good to have Vertically Centred text, either via a flag option or as the default. Currently, text is set top-left in the String Gadget and it's very ugly!

Windows work-around:

Code: Select all

Enumeration
#Win
#Pnl
#Tab0
#Cont
#Str1
#Str2
#Font16
EndEnumeration

LoadFont(#Font16, "Arial", 16, #PB_Font_HighQuality)

Procedure StrGdgtVertCtr(iGdgtID.i, iLeftMargin.i)
;#------------------------------------------------
;NOTE, for this to work, the StringGadget MUST have the #ES_MULTILINE flag applied
;
Protected      rRect.RECT
Protected      fSize.SIZE
Protected      iHwnd.i = GadgetID(iGdgtID)
Protected   iLineCnt.i = SendMessage_(iHwnd, #EM_GETLINECOUNT, 0, 0)
Protected       iHdc.i = GetDC_(iHwnd)
Protected       sStr.s = "ABgy"        ;length = 4 chars
Protected    iStrLen.i = Len(sStr)
Protected iVertTweak.i = 0 ;corrects the displayed result (requires more logic!)

                      SelectObject_(iHdc, GetGadgetFont(iGdgtID))
              GetTextExtentPoint32_(iHdc, sStr, iStrLen, fSize) ;width & height of sStr
                     GetClientRect_(iHwnd, rRect)
                         ReleaseDC_(iHwnd, iHdc)

                   rRect\left = iLeftMargin
                    rRect\top = ((GadgetHeight(iGdgtID) - (fSize\cy * iLineCnt)) / 2)
                 rRect\bottom = (rRect\top + (fSize\cy * iLineCnt) + iVertTweak)

              Debug "                 Text-->" + GetGadgetText(iGdgtID) + "<--"
              Debug "              iGdgtID-->" + Str(iGdgtID) + "<--"
              Debug "             fSize\cy-->" + Str(fSize\cy) + "<--"
              Debug "             iLineCnt-->" + Str(iLineCnt) + "<--"
              Debug "            rRect\Top-->" + Str(rRect\Top) + "<--"
              Debug "         rRect\Bottom-->" + Str(rRect\Bottom) + "<--"
              Debug "GadgetHeight(iGdgtID)-->" + Str(GadgetHeight(iGdgtID)) + "<--"
              Debug "========================================="
              Debug " "

              If rRect\bottom < GadgetHeight(iGdgtID)

                      SendMessage_(iHwnd, #EM_SETRECT, 0, rRect)
              EndIf
EndProcedure

If OpenWindow(#Win,0,0,500,250,"STRING GADGET TEXT",#PB_Window_SystemMenu|#PB_Window_ScreenCentered)

        SetGadgetFont(#PB_All,FontID(#Font16))
          PanelGadget(#Pnl,0,0,500,250)
        AddGadgetItem(#Pnl, #Tab0, "Tab 0")
      ContainerGadget(#Cont,10,10,470,190)
         StringGadget(#Str1,10,10,450,50,"TEXT")
         StringGadget(#Str2,10,80,450,50,"TEXT VERTICALLY CENTERED", #ES_MULTILINE|#PB_String_BorderLess)
       SetGadgetColor(#Cont, #PB_Gadget_BackColor, RGB(96,96,96))
      CloseGadgetList()
      CloseGadgetList()
       StrGdgtVertCtr(#Str2, 6)

       Repeat : Until WaitWindowEvent() = #PB_Event_CloseWindow
EndIf

This can also be achieved without API using a StringGadget() set inside a ContainerGadget().

EDIT: Tweaked the above code, should all make sense with the exception of how the Vertical Tweak value is determined. I have found that single lines of text look fine without tweaking, it's all a matter of preference.

[Bisonte]

+1 I also want to...

@IdeasVacuum: Your Windows workaround... It is very important, that the StringGadget have the flag #ES_MULTILINE. Otherwise it don't work.
It cost much time and searching to find this out

[IdeasVacuum]

Hi Bisonte

Sorry about that, I thought the code explained - it's not my work, it is listed in RS Basic's API library. In actual fact, I think it can be enhanced - the "magic number" 4 for example - there should be some logic behind that value. I should point out that I added the left-side margin rRect\left = 6. This would be better if the value was passed to the Procedure, since it's firstly a matter of preference and secondly it is only good if the StringGadget is Left or Right Justified.

It is good that PB works so seamlessly with Windows API but I think this is one of many examples where PB should have it's own cross-platform function.

[collectordave]

+1

When I design a form with a string gadget the caption is shown centered but when the programme is run it is top left?

Not using the code above and running on windows.

CD

[mestnyi]

+1

[davido]

+1