Moving Dash Rectangle

[1905russell]

Hello wise people of the forums – long time since I’ve asked for assistance – it’s me, the Autoit dabbling accountant who is not a programmer (my standard disclaimer).

Is there somewhere in the forums that I can find a snippet that creates a moving dashstyle rectangle, similar to the one displayed when copying (“^C”) in excel? I’ve searched, but surprisingly could not find. Your help is greatly appreciated.

[JLogan3o13]

@1905russell are you actually trying to copy data in Excel, or just looking for the effect? If the latter, is this in a GUI, web app, etc.? The more information you provide the better we are able to assist.

[1905russell]

Thanks for the quick response JLogan3o13 - I'm just looking for the effect.

I'm making a little movie to illustrate a  software system that I have finally received the US patent for.

The movie uses a bunch of HotKeySets to fake what I can't program (while capturing the screen sequences).

This dash-rectangle would be HotkeySet to display at a selected x,y on top of any image displayed until HotKeySet turns it off and the recorded scene capture is over.

Am I making sense?

 

Edited November 27, 2016 by 1905russell
clarity

[1905russell]

Well obviously the above requested information I provided produced no help at all. So I tried to get a function written via Upwork/Freelancer (in Autoit or an exe) and I was ripped off by being charged for hours and hours (by mistake I was told) and nothing was ever produced. Upwork/Freelancer refunded me everything they had automatically taken from my credit card.

I know there are Autoit members that can do this easily. It’s for illustration purposes, please. There are many examples of code out there written in #C and other languages and the “marching ants” concept has been around for decades.

I have put together code using two approaches to create dash rectangles (with a hole) using forum snippets but they are static without animation. One uses _WinAPI_ExtCreatePen with $PS_DASH and the other uses _WinAPI_LineDDA. I have also tried to simply use splash image (and text) and then speed up the movie but it looks awful. I’m not a programmer.

I will donate again to Autoit or I will pay someone to help me please. My email for this project is rl@transaxy.com

[Subz]

Maybe some of @UEZ code can help, hes a master of GdiPlus especially animations.

 

[1905russell]

Thanks Subz - I truly appreciate this - I had not found this before.  I'll go through these examples and maybe I'll figure out something. I know UEZ is the  animation expert and he could whip up something in seconds. There are others who are also pretty good but alas I think they find it infra dig to deal with me the accountant.  

[Gianni]

a possible way...

expandcollapse popup

#include <GDIPlus.au3>
#include <WinAPI.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
_GDIPlus_Startup()

; declare parameters to set the dashed rectangle; (out of screen and hidden at startup)
Global $show = 0, $xPosition = @DesktopWidth, $yPosition = @DesktopHeight, $Width = 10, $Height = 10
Global $RectColor = 0xFFFF0000 ; FFRRGGBB
Global $PixelThickness = 4
DashEdge() ; initialize the rectangle
AdlibRegister("DashEdge", 100) ; set the refresh rate


; Your scipt here....
Local $Timer = TimerInit()
Do

; ... when you need a dotted rectangle somewhere on the screen
; just set the following variables accordingly ...
;
; here we use random values
$show = 1
$xPosition = Random(10, 600, 1)
$yPosition = Random(10, 600, 1)
$Width = Random(200, 500, 1)
$Height = Random(150, 400, 1)
$RectColor = Random(0, 16777215, 1) + 4278190080 ; 0xFF000000 to 0xFFFFFFFF
Sleep(1500)

Until TimerDiff($Timer) >= 10000 ; show demo for ten seconds

; The end
$show = -1 ; set -1 to dispose all
DashEdge() ; Clean up GDI+ resources

Func DashEdge()

; following static variables are generated and initialized only the first time this function is called
    Local Static $AlphaKey = 0xFF0FF0FF ; this color will set background transparent (can be changed)
    Local Static $hGUI = GUICreate("", $Width, $Height, $xPosition, $yPosition, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_LAYERED + $WS_EX_TOPMOST + $WS_EX_TRANSPARENT)
    Local Static $Dummy = _WinAPI_SetLayeredWindowAttributes($hGUI, $AlphaKey, 0, $LWA_COLORKEY)
    Local Static $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hGUI)
    Local Static $hPen = _GDIPlus_PenCreate($RectColor, $PixelThickness)

    _GDIPlus_PenSetColor($hPen, $RectColor)

    ; dots and dashes alternate
    If _GDIPlus_PenGetDashStyle($hPen) = $GDIP_DASHSTYLEDOT Then
        _GDIPlus_PenSetDashStyle($hPen, $GDIP_DASHSTYLEDASH)
    Else
        _GDIPlus_PenSetDashStyle($hPen, $GDIP_DASHSTYLEDOT)
    EndIf

    Local $aWinPos = WinGetPos($hGUI) ; check if we need to move the rectangle

    If $aWinPos[0] <> $xPosition Or $aWinPos[1] <> $yPosition Or $aWinPos[2] <> $Width Or $aWinPos[3] <> $Height Then
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic)
        WinMove($hGUI, "", $xPosition, $yPosition, $Width, $Height)
        $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hGUI)
    EndIf

    ; show or hide dashes as from the $show variable
    If $show = 1 Then GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI)
    If $show = 0 Then GUISetState(@SW_HIDE, $hGUI)

    _GDIPlus_GraphicsClear($hGraphic, $AlphaKey) ; erase rect
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawRect($hGraphic, 0, 0, $Width, $Height, $hPen) ; draw again

    If $show = -1 Then ; we have to stop?
        AdlibUnRegister("DashEdge")
        _GDIPlus_PenDispose($hPen)
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic)
        _GDIPlus_Shutdown()
        WinKill($hGUI)
    EndIf

EndFunc   ;==>DashEdge

 

[1905russell]

Yes Yes this will work – Chimp you’re a Champ. Unfortunately I’m away from my main computer for a week and am now using a limited laptop. I’m going to massage your script to run in my mini-movie but I can see that for sure it will work. Thanks to you, my weeks of frustration and going bananas (pun intended) are over. I can’t wait to get back home to modify your code. Thanks again and Abadabadaba 

[UEZ]

Slightly modified version from Chimp's code:

expandcollapse popup

#include <GDIPlus.au3>
#include <WinAPI.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
_GDIPlus_Startup()

; declare parameters to set the dashed rectangle; (out of screen and hidden at startup)
Global $show = 0, $xPosition = @DesktopWidth, $yPosition = @DesktopHeight, $Width = 10, $Height = 10
Global $RectColor = 0xFFFF0000 ; FFRRGGBB
Global $PixelThickness = 4
DashEdge() ; initialize the rectangle
AdlibRegister("DashEdge", 100) ; set the refresh rate


; Your scipt here....
Local $Timer = TimerInit()
Do

; ... when you need a dotted rectangle somewhere on the screen
; just set the following variables accordingly ...
;
; here we use random values
$show = 1
$xPosition = Random(10, 600, 1)
$yPosition = Random(10, 600, 1)
$Width = Random(200, 500, 1)
$Height = Random(150, 400, 1)
$RectColor = Random(0, 16777215, 1) + 4278190080 ; 0xFF000000 to 0xFFFFFFFF
Sleep(1500)

Until TimerDiff($Timer) >= 10000 ; show demo for ten seconds

; The end
$show = -1 ; set -1 to dispose all
DashEdge() ; Clean up GDI+ resources

Func DashEdge()

; following static variables are generated and initialized only the first time this function is called
    Local Static $AlphaKey = 0xFF0FF0FF ; this color will set background transparent (can be changed)
    Local Static $hGUI = GUICreate("", $Width, $Height, $xPosition, $yPosition, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_LAYERED + $WS_EX_TOPMOST + $WS_EX_TRANSPARENT)
    Local Static $Dummy = _WinAPI_SetLayeredWindowAttributes($hGUI, $AlphaKey, 0, $LWA_COLORKEY)
    Local Static $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hGUI)
    Local Static $hPen = _GDIPlus_PenCreate($RectColor, $PixelThickness)
    Local Static $fOffset = 0
    _GDIPlus_PenSetDashStyle($hPen, $GDIP_DASHSTYLEDOT)
    _GDIPlus_PenSetColor($hPen, $RectColor)

    DllCall($__g_hGDIPDll, "int", "GdipSetPenDashOffset", "handle", $hPen, "float", $fOffset) ;this is the key for the animated dotted line ;-)

    Local $aWinPos = WinGetPos($hGUI) ; check if we need to move the rectangle

    If $aWinPos[0] <> $xPosition Or $aWinPos[1] <> $yPosition Or $aWinPos[2] <> $Width Or $aWinPos[3] <> $Height Then
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic)
        WinMove($hGUI, "", $xPosition, $yPosition, $Width, $Height)
        $hGraphic = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHWND($hGUI)
    EndIf

    ; show or hide dashes as from the $show variable
    If $show = 1 Then GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI)
    If $show = 0 Then GUISetState(@SW_HIDE, $hGUI)

    _GDIPlus_GraphicsClear($hGraphic, $AlphaKey) ; erase rect
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawRect($hGraphic, 0, 0, $Width, $Height, $hPen) ; draw again

    $fOffset += 0.5


    If $show = -1 Then ; we have to stop?
        AdlibUnRegister("DashEdge")
        _GDIPlus_PenDispose($hPen)
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hGraphic)
        _GDIPlus_Shutdown()
        WinKill($hGUI)
    EndIf

EndFunc   ;==>DashEdge

[Gianni]

1 hour ago, 1905russell said:

Yes Yes this will work – Chimp you’re a Champ. Unfortunately I’m away from my main computer for a week and am now using a limited laptop. I’m going to massage your script to run in my mini-movie but I can see that for sure it will work. Thanks to you, my weeks of frustration and going bananas (pun intended) are over. I can’t wait to get back home to modify your code. Thanks again and Abadabadaba

You are welcome

 

46 minutes ago, UEZ said:

Slightly modified version from Chimp's code:

.... the master's touch makes the difference!...
 

p.s.
@UEZ, the _GDIPlus_PenSetDashStyle allows the $GDIP_DASHSTYLECUSTOM parameter  as a user-defined, custom dashed line, but I've not found how to set the custom dashed line. Here (http://csharphelper.com/blog/2015/02/draw-lines-with-custom-dash-patterns-in-c/) there is a brief explanation on how to setup the custom dashed line, but I don't know how to do it in AutoIt. Do you know how to make use of the  $GDIP_DASHSTYLECUSTOM parameter?? Thank You

Edited February 19, 2017 by Chimp

[UEZ]

@Chimp - that could be done this way:

Local Static $fOffset = 0

    _GDIPlus_PenSetColor($hPen, $RectColor)
    
    Local $iCount = 4, $tArray = DllStructCreate("float;float;float;float")
    DllStructSetData($tArray, 1, 5.0)   ;dash length
    DllStructSetData($tArray, 2, 2.0)   ;space length
    DllStructSetData($tArray, 3, 15.0)  ;dash length
    DllStructSetData($tArray, 4, 4.0)   ;space length
    DllCall($__g_hGDIPDll, "int", "GdipSetPenDashArray", "handle", $hPen, "struct*", $tArray, "long", $iCount) ;This method will set the DashStyle enumeration for this Pen object to DashStyleCustom. 
    
    DllCall($__g_hGDIPDll, "int", "GdipSetPenDashOffset", "handle", $hPen, "float", $fOffset) ;this is the key for the animated dotted line ;-)

 

[Gianni]

@UEZ, ... it works. Very interesting, it allows nice effects.
Thank You!.

[UEZ]

1 hour ago, Chimp said:

@UEZ, ... it works. Very interesting, it allows nice effects.
Thank You!.

Prego. 

[Melba23]

UEZ,

Bravo!

M23

[1905russell]

@UEZ I have always been in awe of your work and was blown away by the fact that you would take an interest in assisting me by expanding on Chimp’s code with your brilliance. I’m so excited and have ants in my pants to get back home to watch them march in my mini-movie. This week, if time allows, I hope to revisit the museum of your inspirer in St Petersburg. He was innovating rock star with his art, as you are with yours. Thank you so much.

[mikell]

How true !  (both assertions) 

[Melba23]

1905russell,

I agree with both of your assertions: UEZ is indeed our GDI guru and the St Pete's Dali museum is one of my favourites too.

M23

 

[UEZ]

Regarding assertion 1: guys, keep well grounded - no need to exaggerate. 

Assertion 2: well, maybe one day I will be in St. Petersburg to visit my avatar's art...