Tab control example: Tabs and subtabs on demand

[LarsJ]

Create tab items and subtabs dynamically.

The tabs and subtabs are managed by a tree structure implemented as a treeview control.

• Add tab items and subtabs
• Resizable window
• Rename tab items
• Drag and drop support
• Cut, copy (once), paste (many)
• Save to and read from inifile

23 December 2011

Added an option to the context menu to set the spacing between the tab controls. The zipfile below is updated.

19 December 2011

Drag and drop

You can drag a tab item (tab header) and drop it on another tab item. An item is dropped under the mouse cursor moving the item you are dropping on to the left or right. You can't drop an item on one of it's own subtabs. That means that you can drag sidewards and upwards but not downwards. When you click a tab item you can't drag until the item is updated (when you see the dotted rectangle around the text).

TabExDemo.au3 is a demo program. It shows how the tabs and subtabs are managed by the tree structure in the treeview control.

TabExEdit.au3 is an example with an edit control. For tab items with an even number (name) the edit control is initially set to the number.

TabExList.au3 is an example with a listview (includes WinAPIEx.au3).

TabExEmpty.au3 has an empty window with no data. It can be used as a starting point for applications.

TabExFunc.au3 is common functions (includes APIConstants.au3).

This is a zipfile with the scripts.

TabEx.zip

LarsJ

Edited January 23, 2012 by LarsJ

[Mikeman27294]

Does this require the autoit beta or stable version?

Because using the stable version, I am getting the following in my output:

expandcollapse popup

H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(140,27) : WARNING: $VK_SHIFT: possibly used before declaration.
    ElseIf $mKey = $VK_SHIFT Then
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(610,18) : WARNING: $fRenTabItem: possibly used before declaration.
    If $fRenTabItem =
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1205,31) : WARNING: $VK_SHIFTs: possibly used before declaration.
        Case _IsPressed( $VK_SHIFTs )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1207,33) : WARNING: $VK_CONTROLs: possibly used before declaration.
        Case _IsPressed( $VK_CONTROLs )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1208,23) : WARNING: $VK_CONTROL: possibly used before declaration.
            $mKey = $VK_CONTROL
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1213,40) : WARNING: $VK_TABs: possibly used before declaration.
        Case $fKey  And _IsPressed( $VK_TABs )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1215,19) : WARNING: $VK_TAB: possibly used before declaration.
            $vKey = $VK_TAB
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1217,43) : WARNING: $VK_DELETEs: possibly used before declaration.
        Case $fKey  And _IsPressed( $VK_DELETEs )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1219,22) : WARNING: $VK_DELETE: possibly used before declaration.
            $vKey = $VK_DELETE
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1221,39) : WARNING: $VK_F2s: possibly used before declaration.
        Case $fKey  And _IsPressed( $VK_F2s )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1223,18) : WARNING: $VK_F2: possibly used before declaration.
            $vKey = $VK_F2
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1225,39) : WARNING: $VK_F5s: possibly used before declaration.
        Case $fKey  And _IsPressed( $VK_F5s )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1227,18) : WARNING: $VK_F5: possibly used before declaration.
            $vKey = $VK_F5
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1229,39) : WARNING: $VK_F6s: possibly used before declaration.
        Case $fKey  And _IsPressed( $VK_F6s )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1231,18) : WARNING: $VK_F6: possibly used before declaration.
            $vKey = $VK_F6
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1233,39) : WARNING: $VK_F7s: possibly used before declaration.
        Case $fKey  And _IsPressed( $VK_F7s )
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(1235,18) : WARNING: $VK_F7: possibly used before declaration.
            $vKey = $VK_F7
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:PortableAppsAutoITPortableAppIncludemisc.au3(641,48) : ERROR: _IsPressed() already defined.
Func _IsPressed($sHexKey, $vDLL = 'user32.dll')
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(170,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin0: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin0
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(173,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin1: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin1
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(176,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin2: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin2
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(179,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin3: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin3
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(182,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin4: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin4
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(185,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin5: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin5
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(188,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin6: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin6
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(191,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin7: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin7
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(193,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin8: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin8
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(196,22) : WARNING: $cmDataWin9: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin9
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(198,23) : WARNING: $cmDataWin10: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin10
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(200,23) : WARNING: $cmDataWin11: possibly used before declaration.
                    Case $cmDataWin11
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(634,21) : WARNING: $fAddXItemsTabs: possibly used before declaration.
    If $fAddXItemsTabs =
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3(1257,43) : WARNING: $idTabCtrlButton: possibly used before declaration.
    ControlShow( $hGui, "", $idTabCtrlButton )
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExFunc.au3(140,27) : ERROR: $VK_SHIFT: undeclared global variable.
    ElseIf $mKey = $VK_SHIFT Then
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^
H:DocumentsOther DocumentsScriptsTabsExTabExDemo.au3 - 2 error(s), 31 warning(s)

Or is it incorrect includes?

This is while trying to run TabEXDemo. All supplied files are in the same directory.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Melba23
Amended code tags

[Melba23]

Mikeman27294,

It is [code][/code], not [text][/text],

M23

[Mikeman27294]

Ok, thanks.

[LarsJ]

Hi Mikeman27294,

Do you still get errors? I have just tried to download the zipfile from the site. I just unpack all files in the same directory, doubleclick TabExDemo.au3 and it runs. I have not compiled to exe, but the exe runs fine too (at least on my PC which is XP SP3).

I use version v3.3.6.1 which I think is the stable version. And I use APIConstants.au3 and WinAPIEx.au3 dated 2011-10-20 which I also think is the latest version.

The Virtual Key Codes are defined in APIConstants.au3 (do you have this file) which is included in TabExFunc.au3. And TabExFunc.au3 is included in TabExDemo.au3. So I don't understand the warnings about the Virtual Key Codes.

$fRenTabItem is declared as a global variable the first time you rename a tab item.

I have copied _IsPressed from Misc.au3 to TabExFunc.au3. And I have not included Misc.au3.

LarsJ

[LarsJ]

Hi Mikeman27294,

Now I understand, you get the errors and warnings from the syntax checker Au3Check.exe, which I have used for the first time 5 minutes ago.

The warnings about the Virtual Key Codes and the error about $VK_SHIFT is probably because of a missing

APIConstants.au3. You can get it from Put the au3-files WinAPIEx.au3, APIErrors.au3 and APIConstants.au3 in the include folder.

As mentioned I have copied _IsPressed() from Misc.au3 to TabExFunc.au3. And I have not included Misc.au3. When I use Au3Check.exe, I don't get an error about _IsPressed(). I don't understand why you get an error on this function.

When I use Au3Check.exe I get 24 warnings which all is because of global variables not defined in the top of the script but only at the time they are used or in some kind of initialisation function. That should not prevent the program from running.

LarsJ

[martin]

Lars,

your udf looks very clever.

The following are only small points.

The tab within a tab in your example is a bit too tight a fit and it's difficult to see which is the outer and which is the inner tab.

When I choose "make 2 tabs" it deletes any tabs already created.

Make 10 sub tabs cretaes only 9 sub tabs.

This is a major point. Your script needs to be reorganised IMO so that it will run. If you use a global variable in a function it doesn't make sense to me to have it declared as global in another function. That causes errors unecessarrily. Why not declare a global variable in global space before any other functions?

[LarsJ]

Martin,

First of all I want to stress that this is only examples. There is much to do to make the examples to real applications.

To your points.

May be the spacing between the tab controls is too small and should have been larger.

"Make 2 tabs" deletes any tabs already created.

It certainly does. When I started working on these examples I used a lot of time creating tab items and sub tabs and recreating the same structure several times. So I made these "Make"-functions to create some tabs in a hurry. They should be used the opposite way around. Start with the "Make"-functions and then add some tab items and sub tabs.

"Make 10 sub tabs" creates only 9 sub tabs.

You are right. The first tab control is not a sub tab.

The global variables.

You are absolutely right and I apologize for the errors.

Lars

[LarsJ]

Added an option to the context menu to set the spacing between the tab controls. Moved some globals to the top of the scripts, so that they can pass the Au3Check test. I was not aware of this function. I apologize for that. The zipfile in the first post is updated.

LarsJ

[Mikeman27294]

Woah... I forgot all about this thread.

Sorry, I had APIConstants and WinAPIEx already. I will take another look though, see if I get the errors again and if so, if I can fix it.

EDIT

Nope. There are still constants declared twice and if I use IsPressed the script still crashes. When I remove the include, it errors saying that variables that were declared in the script don't exist.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Mikeman27294

[LarsJ]

Mikeman27294,

I have just downloaded the files and tested the scripts with a complete new installation of 3.3.6.1 with the include files from WinAPIEx_3.6_3361.zip and tested the scripts with a complete new installation of 3.3.8.0 with the include files from WinAPIEx_3.6_3380.zip. I get no errors at all.

I have no explanation on your errors.

This is the output in SciTE from TabExDemo.au3 tested on 3.3.8.0:

>"E:\Program Files\AutoIt3\SciTE\AutoIt3Wrapper\AutoIt3Wrapper.exe" /run /prod /ErrorStdOut /in "C:\WINDOWS\Temp\Dwnld\Autoit\TabExDemo.au3" /UserParams

+>12:49:03 Starting AutoIt3Wrapper v.2.1.0.8 Environment(Language:0409 Keyboard:00000406 OS:WIN_XP/Service Pack 3 CPU:X64 OS:X86)

>Running AU3Check (1.54.22.0) from:E:\Program Files\AutoIt3

+>12:49:03 AU3Check ended.rc:0

>Running:(3.3.8.0):E:\Program Files\AutoIt3\autoit3.exe "C:\WINDOWS\Temp\Dwnld\Autoit\TabExDemo.au3"

+>12:49:48 AutoIT3.exe ended.rc:0

>Exit code: 0 Time: 46.815

[chrshea]

I had the same warnings for $vk_shift and the rest. I downloaded winapiex and copied the three files to the Include directory and then everything worked ok. For whatever reason, all of the $vk constants were commented out in the version that I was using.

[mLipok]

@LarsJ This is awesome.
Could you please add this to your signature ?

Thanks for sharing @LarsJ "The WinGUI magician"

mLipok

[jaberwacky]

This. Changes. Everything.  I've been looking for a way to dynamically create tabs for a long time.  Now I can complete my version of GUIBuilder that I'm currently experimenting with.  Thanks for necroing this thread MLipok!

Edited August 13, 2016 by jaberwacky

[mLipok]

1 hour ago, jaberwacky said:

Now I can complete my version of GUIBuilder that I'm currently experimenting with

This is awesome news @jaberwacky

1 hour ago, jaberwacky said:

Thanks for necroing this thread MLipok!

You're welcome.