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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 4:41 am
by netmaestro
A new version of the VistaClock dll is available. It is a total rewrite, approaching the task from an entirely different angle. Gone is the need for directx, gone are the drawing problems for 16-bit desktops, and gone jumpiness in "floating desktop clock" implementations. Performance is, if I may say, close to perfect. And, touch wood, it should run everywhere, even on old junkers, with just the tiniest sip from the CPU. It doesn't even register above 0 on my machine. However, all this comes at a price. The dll is 390 kb in size, upx'd to the max. Ouch. But that's what it costs. I can't put out this kind of look and performance together for less. Here it is:
http://www.networkmaestro.com/vistaclock128.zip
and here's two example programs. The first one shows how to drop the gadget on a form, the second is a full working desktop clock:
Code: Select all
; Add a clock gadget to your gui
OpenWindow(0,0,0,320,240,"VistaClock",#PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_SystemMenu)
CreateGadgetList(WindowID(0))
ImageGadget(0,80,40,144,144,0)
OpenLibrary(0,"VistaClock128.dll")
CallFunction(0,"InitClock", RGB(224,223,227), 0) ; pass it your window color and 0 = no floating.
Repeat
EventID=WaitWindowEvent(1)
ret = CallFunction(0,"UpdateClock")
If ret
SetGadgetState(0,ret)
EndIf
Until EventID=#PB_Event_CloseWindow
Code: Select all
; Make a floating desktop clock
OpenWindow(0,0,0,144,144,"VistaClock",#PB_Window_BorderLess|#PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_Invisible)
SetWindowLong_(WindowID(0),#GWL_EXSTYLE,GetWindowLong_(WindowID(0),#GWL_EXSTYLE)|#WS_EX_LAYERED)
SetLayeredWindowAttributes_(WindowID(0),0,0,1)
CreatePopupMenu(0)
MenuItem(0, "Close the VistaClock")
MenuItem(1, "Sticky")
SetMenuItemState(0,1,1)
Import "vistaclock128.lib"
InitClock(color.l,floating.l)
UpdateClock()
EndImport
InitClock(0,1) ;floating = true will look best for this job
HideWindow(0,0)
StickyWindow(0,1)
Repeat
EventID=WaitWindowEvent(1)
Select EventID
Case #WM_LBUTTONDOWN
SendMessage_(WindowID(0), #WM_NCLBUTTONDOWN, #HTCAPTION, 0)
Case #WM_RBUTTONDOWN
DisplayPopupMenu(0,WindowID(0))
Case #PB_Event_Menu
Select EventMenu()
Case 0
End
Case 1
If GetMenuItemState(0,1)
SetMenuItemState(0,1,0)
StickyWindow(0,0)
Else
SetMenuItemState(0,1,1)
StickyWindow(0,1)
EndIf
EndSelect
EndSelect
ret = UpdateClock()
If ret
StartDrawing(WindowOutput(0))
DrawImage(ret,0,0)
StopDrawing()
EndIf
Until EventID=#PB_Event_CloseWindow
I should say a word here about the floating parameter for InitClock(). You pass windowcolor and either 1 for floating version or 0 for normal. The difference is that if you are displaying the clock on a window, 0=no floating will look best. If you're building a desktop clock that will float on its own, 1 will look best. It just controls whether a dark fringe gets drawn around the clock, which looks good against a window and crappy against light backgrounds like web surfing, etc.
Note: Resizing is done and works well, I just haven't included it in this release. If any bugs show up here, they'll be fixed and released with the resizable version.
Oh yes, I forgot, the InitClock() function will return 1 if all is ok, otherwise 0. So you can test it and go to plan B if the clock dll is gone for a sh**
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 6:41 am
by mskuma
Hi Netmaestro - on my machine, the demo code using the DLL didn't work for me (window visible but no clock seen; loadlibrary returned non-zero & this time, initclock returned zero), but the the library version worked (initclock returned one). Looks excellent. Thanks alot!
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 9:47 am
by josku_x
@mskuma: copy the vistaclock DLL into your purebasic /compilers/ folder. Does it work now?
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 10:45 am
by mskuma
@josku_x: no it doesn't. I've tried providing the full path to the saved pb file & also to the compilers folder - same result. I think it's not a path issue since I get a non-zero return value, as I've indicated (suggesting DLL is found). If I purposely point it to the wrong path, I get a zero result (as expected).
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 11:13 am
by Trond
What does it use if not DirectX?
And there is still a problem with the background colour when I add it to a window.
I don't know if this is on purpose but it's no longer see-through and no longer has antialiased edges.
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 11:44 am
by netmaestro
Hi guys. mskuma, that is really interesting. I wonder if it's an issue for Fred to figure out, as I can't see a reason why Import should work and OpenLibrary fails. Odd for sure.
Trond, it is straight 2d drawing. When a minute is up it draws the clock face, hourhand and minutehand and when a second is up it draws the secondhand and the glass face. Unfortunately the seethrough clock face isn't something I'm going to try for anymore. Seethrough is reasonably easy to achieve, as are the highlights and shadowing you can get from alpha drawing. But try to combine the two and you're in for a fight. It is extremely difficult, and I could only manage it for the original VistaClock by taking screenshots of the background and using that for a texture. You can see for yourself the problems with that. It disappears briefly every time the screen behind it changes and it makes mistakes. See the difference by running the original Vistaclock in sticky mode, put the forum behind it and scroll up and down. Jump, jump, jump. Now try with the 2d drawing version. It shows perfect and totally ignores what's going on behind it. A much more professional presentation, I think. As far as the window transparency goes, are you passing your exact window color to InitClock? The example I posted works for my machine but if your window color is a bit different the code won't work as posted on the forum. The function needs your window color. I hope that's all it is anyway.
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:21 pm
by Trond
Oh sorry, I didn't see the color parameter.
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 2:13 pm
by GeoTrail
That is soo cool.
Works perfectly on my machine, and looks great too
Incredible work m8
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 5:13 pm
by netmaestro
Ack, found a bug where the hour hand disappeared from 12 noon to 1pm. Maybe it was getting some lunch. Anyways, fixed now. If you're using this you should re-download.
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 5:55 pm
by Dare2
netmaestro wrote:Maybe it was getting some lunch.
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 6:26 pm
by akj
Netmaestro:
Your zip file contains a .DLL file and a .LIB file.
I saw from a posting that the .DLL should reside in the folder ...\PureBasic \Compilers\ but where should the .LIB file reside?
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 6:34 pm
by netmaestro
The .lib file must be available to the compiler, so it can be in the same folder with the sourcecode, as can the dll. The dll will have to be distributed with an application that you make if you distribute it, as it must be available to the program at runtime. I recommend using the Import approach as opposed to OpenLibrary, as it will automatically give the end user a nice message saying it is looking for that dll if it can't find it. Otherwise you'd have to program an error message yourself.
Actually I've already made the VistaClock128 commands into a userlibrary, dunno if people are interested having it that way or not. Then nothing has to be distributed with your exe.
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:04 pm
by akj
Thanks for your reply, Netmaestro.
In it, you suggest that using Import is a good way to access VistaClock. My attempt at coding your first demo program using Import is:
Code: Select all
Import "VistaClock128.dll"
InitClock.l(Colour.l, Floating.l)
UpdateClock.l()
EndImport
OpenWindow(0,0,0,320,240,"VistaClock",#PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_SystemMenu)
CreateGadgetList(WindowID(0))
ImageGadget(0,80,40,144,144,0)
InitClock(RGB(224,223,227), 0) ; Pass it your window colour and 0 = no floating.
Repeat
EventID=WaitWindowEvent(1)
ret = UpdateClock()
If ret
SetGadgetState(0,ret)
EndIf
Until EventID=#PB_Event_CloseWindow
However, when I compile the program, I get a POLINK fatal error:
Invalid machine type in object 'vistaclock128.dll'.
What am I doing wrong?
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:05 pm
by netmaestro
You have to import the .lib, not the dll.
Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 6:08 pm
by Flype
yeah, that's good, thank you netmaestro.
just playing with it, and i must say that's easy to use.
here an example code (PB4 and XP) :
Code: Select all
; VistaClock II
EnableExplicit
Import "vistaclock128.lib"
InitClock(color.l, floating.l)
UpdateClock()
EndImport
Macro MoveWindow(window)
ReleaseCapture_()
SendMessage_(WindowID(window), #WM_NCLBUTTONDOWN, #HTCAPTION, #Null)
EndMacro
Macro AlphaWindow(window, color, alpha)
SetWindowLong_(WindowID(window), #GWL_EXSTYLE, GetWindowLong_(WindowID(window), #GWL_EXSTYLE) | #WS_EX_LAYERED)
SetLayeredWindowAttributes_(WindowID(window), color, ((alpha)*255)/100, #LWA_COLORKEY | #LWA_ALPHA)
EndMacro
Define hClock.l
If OpenWindow(0, 0, 0, 160, 160, "VistaClock", #PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_BorderLess|#PB_Window_Invisible)
SetWindowColor(0, #Green)
StickyWindow(0, #True)
AlphaWindow(0, #Green, 100)
If CreateGadgetList(WindowID(0))
InitClock(#Green, #True)
ImageGadget(0, 0, 0, WindowWidth(0), WindowHeight(0), 0)
EndIf
If CreatePopupMenu(0)
MenuItem(1, "Alpha, 25%")
MenuItem(2, "Alpha, 50%")
MenuItem(3, "Alpha, 75%")
MenuItem(4, "Alpha, 100%")
MenuBar()
MenuItem(0, "Exit")
EndIf
HideWindow(0, #False)
Repeat
Select WaitWindowEvent(25)
Case #PB_Event_Menu
Select EventMenu()
Case 1: AlphaWindow(0, #Green, 25)
Case 2: AlphaWindow(0, #Green, 50)
Case 3: AlphaWindow(0, #Green, 75)
Case 4: AlphaWindow(0, #Green, 100)
Case 0: Break
EndSelect
Case #PB_Event_CloseWindow
Break
Case #PB_Event_Gadget
Select EventType()
Case #PB_EventType_LeftClick: MoveWindow(0)
Case #PB_EventType_RightClick: DisplayPopupMenu(0, WindowID(0))
EndSelect
Case #Null
hClock = UpdateClock()
If hClock
SetGadgetState(0, hClock)
EndIf
EndSelect
ForEver
EndIf
End