Leraning Windows Programming & PureBASIC

[Raymund]

Hello Gentlemen,

thank you for the very prompt answers to my questions here. This is really very very encouraging, especially to Beginners like me. So, if you will pardon the audacity,...

here's another question;
I learned Structured Programming when i was at college. At that time, writing programs with 32K of RAM was a big thing and we did this on a BBC micro.

I have Charles Petzhold's Book on Windows Programming and am trying to marry what he says about how to program in Widows with writing programs in PureBASIC. My question is;

To what extent do i have to understand Windows Programming to write programs in PureBASIC that are Windows Programs? (er,...let me know if all this is a little confusing, I'll straighten it out if asked to)

Thank you.

Raymund

[freedimension]

To what extent do i have to understand Windows Programming to write programs in PureBASIC that are Windows Programs? (er,...let me know if all this is a little confusing, I'll straighten it out if asked to)

Depends on what you want to do. Are you planning to programm a complex UserInterface with special features than you are definitely forced to dug some more into the matter. Are your Programs more of the simple kind, than you could cope just with the commands PB gives you.

There are a many examples on Programming extended UserInterfaces in the CodeArchive by André http://www.pure-area.net

[Kale]

To what extent do i have to understand Windows Programming to write programs in PureBASIC that are Windows Programs?

You dont really need to learn any WinAPI programming to write full windows programs in PB. The WinAPI is supported for use within PB for augmenting your code to have access to more advanced commands. Charles Petzold's book is a great one on the WinAPI and you will learn alot by reading it.

An Example of a program which has been given extra functionality by using a few WinAPI commands:

Code: Select all

Enumeration
    #WINDOW_0
    #WINDOW_1
    #STRING_0
    #BUTTON_0
    #BUTTON_1
EndEnumeration

Procedure OpenModalWindow()
    CallerID = WindowID(#WINDOW_0)
    CallerNumber = EventWindowID()
    If OpenWindow(#WINDOW_1, 300, 300, 200, 200,  #PB_Window_SystemMenu | #PB_Window_SizeGadget | #PB_Window_TitleBar, "Modal Window")
        EnableWindow_(CallerID, #FALSE)
        SetWindowPos_(WindowID(#WINDOW_1), #HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, #SWP_NOMOVE | #SWP_NOSIZE)
        SetForegroundWindow_(WindowID(#WINDOW_1))
        If CreateGadgetList(WindowID(#WINDOW_1))
               ButtonGadget(#BUTTON_1, 40, 65, 110, 35, "Close")
        EndIf
        Repeat
            EventID.l = WaitWindowEvent()
            Select EventID
                Case #PB_EventGadget
                    Select EventGadgetID()
                        Case #BUTTON_1
                            Quit = 1
                    EndSelect
                Case #PB_EventCloseWindow
                    Quit = 1
            EndSelect
        Until Quit = 1
        CloseWindow(#WINDOW_1)
    EndIf
    EnableWindow_(CallerID, #TRUE)
    SetForegroundWindow_(CallerID)
    UseWindow(CallerNumber)
EndProcedure

;Open main window
If OpenWindow(#WINDOW_0, 200, 200, 200, 200,  #PB_Window_SystemMenu | #PB_Window_TitleBar , "Parent Window")
    If CreateGadgetList(WindowID())
        ButtonGadget(#BUTTON_0, 40, 65, 110, 35, "open new window")
    EndIf
EndIf
Repeat
    EventID.l = WaitWindowEvent()
    If EventID = #PB_EventGadget
        GadgetID = EventGadgetID()
        If GadgetID = #BUTTON_0
            OpenModalWindow()
        EndIf
    EndIf
Until EventID = #PB_EventCloseWindow
End