Flicker Free Labels

[MrCreatoR]

Be sure to get the lastest one I posted. I made a lot additions and changes.

Few points if i may...

* Why don't you let users pass rgb colors instead of argb?

* _GUICtrlFFLabel_SetTextColor doesn't work for me.

* I don't think you should use all these messages, they are much usable by other UDFs and this will cause conflicts.

* FFLabels name sound like it's somehow related to FireFox (there is FF UDF out there)

* And i would name variables like this: $h_GFFL_GUI, $a_GFFL_GDILbls, etc.

* I don't see any notes about WM_* messages usage...

[MrCreatoR]

And one more thing:

* You have an issue with GUI styles, you should add (BitOr) styles to $GUI_SS_DEFAULT_GUI, because it's causing labels to dissapear if nothing is updated after GUISetState(@SW_SHOW).

[MrCreatoR]

It's a shame we can't set resizing mode to the label

[Beege]

* Why don't you let users pass rgb colors instead of argb?

I didnt see how it could hurt not letting the user send argb. I should be able to let the user send either. I will play around with it.

* _GUICtrlFFLabel_SetTextColor doesn't work for me.

I know i realized soon after I posted that I forgot to add a refresh after color change. It should be working, just not showing up until next call to SetData. Ill fix that.

* I don't think you should use all these messages, they are much usable by other UDFs and this will cause conflicts.

Thats why I made the _GUICtrlFFLabel_DisableMsgRegister() function. If the user needs these msgs in another UDF or in there script all they have to do is call this function and pass the msgs along. If this is done no conflicts should happen. I really cant justify not using a msg in a UDF only because another UDF wants to use it. Everyone has to share

* FFLabels name sound like it's somehow related to FireFox (there is FF UDF out there)

[MrCreatoR]

Thats why I made the _GUICtrlFFLabel_DisableMsgRegister() function. If the user needs these msgs in another UDF or in there script all they have to do is call this function and pass the msgs along.

But then labels wont be refreshed, or i am wrong?

I try to stay consistant with the way I name my variables in a lot of my code. Prefixing any global with $g_ is just the way I do it. If I change that Ill be hitting backspace a lot more.

There is Search & Replace option in SciTE (Ctrl + H), use Regular Expression checkbox and it's mater of few seconds to replace these vars.

[Beege]

But then labels wont be refreshed, or i am wrong?

Only if the user forgets to foward the msgs. Here the example I will put in to show how to set up if they need to use any of these msgs:

expandcollapse popup

#include "FFLabels.au3"

Global $hGUI = GUICreate("Flicker Free Labels", 409, 218, -1, -1, BitOR($WS_MINIMIZEBOX, $WS_MAXIMIZEBOX, $WS_SIZEBOX))

_GUICtrlFFLabel_DisableMsgRegister()
Global $Label = _GUICtrlFFLabel_Create($hGUI, "Label Two    = " & Random(1, 100000), 80, 80, 240, 17)

GUIRegisterMsg(0x0214, 'WM_SIZING');
GUIRegisterMsg($WM_SIZE, 'WM_SIZE')
GUIRegisterMsg(0x0232, 'WM_EXITSIZEMOVE')
GUIRegisterMsg(0x0231, 'WM_ENTERSIZEMOVE')

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

While 1
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case -3;$GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
        Case Else
;~              _GUICtrlFFLabel_SetData($Label, "Label Two  = " & Random(1, 100000))
    EndSwitch
WEnd

Func WM_SIZE($hWndGUI, $MsgID, $WParam, $LParam)
    __GUICtrlFFLabel_WM_SIZE($hWndGUI, $MsgID, $WParam)
    ;USER CODE;
EndFunc   ;==>WM_SIZE

Func WM_SIZING($hWndGUI, $MsgID, $WParam, $LParam)
    __GUICtrlFFLabel_WM_SIZING()
    ;USER CODE;
EndFunc   ;==>WM_SIZING

Func WM_ENTERSIZEMOVE($hWndGUI, $MsgID, $WParam, $LParam)
    __GUICtrlFFLabel_WM_ENTERSIZEMOVE($hWndGUI)
    ;USER CODE;
EndFunc   ;==>WM_ENTERSIZEMOVE

Func WM_EXITSIZEMOVE($hWndGUI, $MsgID, $WParam, $LParam)
    __GUICtrlFFLabel_WM_EXITSIZEMOVE()
    ;USER CODE;
EndFunc   ;==>WM_EXITSIZEMOVE

There is Search & Replace option in SciTE (Ctrl + H), use Regular Expression checkbox and it's mater of few seconds to replace these vars.

No no.. I mean the way I think and automatically start typing $g_ when Im accesing a global variable.. Your thinking they are still too common? cause thats really all I was trying to avoid... Edited June 25, 2011 by Beege

[Beege]

And one more thing:

* You have an issue with GUI styles, you should add (BitOr) styles to $GUI_SS_DEFAULT_GUI, because it's causing labels to dissapear if nothing is updated after GUISetState(@SW_SHOW).

Im not sure I understand. Can you show me the example you tried? this is how I tested:

Func _ExampleS()

    Local $hGUI = GUICreate("Flicker Free Labels", 409, 218, -1, -1, BitOR($WS_MINIMIZEBOX, $WS_MAXIMIZEBOX, $WS_SIZEBOX))
    Local $Label = _GUICtrlFFLabel_Create($hGUI, "Flicker Free", 140, 80, 129, 33, 16)
    GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

    While 1
        Switch GUIGetMsg()
            Case -3;$GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
                GUIDelete($hGUI)
                Return
        EndSwitch
    WEnd

EndFunc   ;==>_FlickerFreeExample1

It's a shame we can't set resizing mode to the label

I know! Ive been thinking about what would go into it...

[MrCreatoR]

Here the example I will put in to show how to set up if they need to use any of these msgs:

I don't see the point of disabling msgs since the GUIRegisterMsg anyway will register message to new function

Your thinking they are still too common? cause thats really all I was trying to avoid...

$g_ it's ok (it's even mentioned in the help file, so ho am i to tell that this is wrong), but at least use it like this: $g_GFFL_i...

Can you show me the example you tried?

Sorry, it's probably was caused by some tweak i made to the UDF, with your original script all fine.

P.S

Someone (well, you probably know him, it's Yashied ) told me that all this concept may be usless if there is no real usage example. What he meant is that we can update the standard label without flickering if we seperate the static part of the label from the dynamic one, like this:

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

$hGUI = GUICreate("Test Script", 300, 200)

$nStatic_Label = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Data:", 20, 40, -1, 20)
$nDynamic_Label = GUICtrlCreateLabel("", 60, 40, 260, 20)

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI)

While 1
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
        Case Else
            GUICtrlSetData($nDynamic_Label, Random(1, 1000))
    EndSwitch
WEnd

So what you should do is to provide an example that will show that there is cases when this trick wont work, and we will have to use your UDF.

[Beege]

I don't see the point of disabling msgs since the GUIRegisterMsg anyway will register message to new function

$g_ it's ok (it's even mentioned in the help file, so ho am i to tell that this is wrong), but at least use it like this: $g_GFFL_i...

Sorry, it's probably was caused by some tweak i made to the UDF, with your original script all fine.

P.S

Someone (well, you probably know him, it's Yashied ) told me that all this concept may be usless if there is no real usage example. What he meant is that we can update the standard label without flickering if we seperate the static part of the label from the dynamic one, like this:

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

$hGUI = GUICreate("Test Script", 300, 200)

$nStatic_Label = GUICtrlCreateLabel("Data:", 20, 40, -1, 20)
$nDynamic_Label = GUICtrlCreateLabel("", 60, 40, 260, 20)

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI)

While 1
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
        Case Else
            GUICtrlSetData($nDynamic_Label, Random(1, 1000))
    EndSwitch
WEnd

So what you should do is to provide an example that will show that there is cases when this trick wont work, and we will have to use your UDF.

You are so right about the disable msg function! That will not be needed at all! (its not needed in my other udfs either ) I always thought the user would need to unregister mine with a blank string and then re-register his.

Ya I can defiantly change the example a little to show even if they were broken up with static sections and smaller labels, they would still flicker. I admit I made them long like that to emphasize the flicker...but I used the same long label when showing no flicker...

[Beege]

New update up. Also If anyone knows anything about setting character width in GDI+ I would be most greatful! Little problem that ended up being much much harder than I ever thought it would be to fix.

[aboy]

The exapmple script crashes on my Win7, 32bit.

Does anyone know what to try?

Thanks

aboy

[KaFu]

In the UDF replace this line

Local $aResult = DllCall($ghGDIPDll, "int", "GdipStringFormatGetGenericTypographic")

with this line

Local $aResult = DllCall($ghGDIPDll, "int", "GdipStringFormatGetGenericTypographic","int*", 0)

[aboy]

Thanks! Works again.

aboy

[LeCarre]

I was sooo.... hoping to find $GUI_BKCOLOR_TRANSPARENT by the end of the thread

So I tried  this in my app where I saw a litle flickering and did not need transparency, indeed it adresses the flickering BUT.

It does not refresh when the GUI is hidden by another window, then revealed by that window moving off.

How do I know when to redraw?

Edited August 5, 2014 by LeCarre