Pal, Peter's AutoIt functions Library

[PeterVerbeek]

This topic give you access to an AutoIt functions library I maintain which is called PAL, Peter's AutoIt Library. The latest version 1.29 contains 231 functions divided into these topics:

• window, desktop and monitor
• GUI, mouse and color
• GUI controls including graphical buttons (jpg, png)
• GUI numberbox controls for integer, real, binary and hexadecimal input
• logics and mathematics include constants
• string, xml string and file string
• dialogues and progress bars
• data lists: lists, stacks, shift registers and key maps (a.ka. dictionaries)
• miscellaneous: logging/debugging, process and system info

Change log and files section  on the PAL website (SourceForge).

A lot of these functions were created in the development of Peace, Peter's Equalizer APO Configuration Extension which is a user interface for the system-wide audio driver called Equalizer APO.

Edited September 30 by PeterVerbeek
Release of version 1.29

[water]

Great toolbox

I just noticed that you provide a CHM file as well.
How did you create this help file?
Did you use the UDF source file as input?
Which tools do you use?

I always wanted to create a full blown CHM help file for my UDFs but couldn't get my head around it

I would be glad if you could shed some light onto the subject.

[PeterVerbeek]

I create CHM file's with Precision Helper. It's pretty easy to use but you need a decent HTML editor for the pages of your manual/help file. I use BlueGriffon. Let me hear if you need more info but it's quite easy to set up.

For every UDF I created a HTLM file. Of course I could have create an automatic HTML file creator tool which scans the UDF's to create HTLM pages but I didn't bother. Most UDF's have additional info like an example which need to be written. To my opinion every library and program need a manual, a CHM file and/or website. Precision Helper can also created the pages for a help manual website.

For the images in my programs and in a manual I use Inkscape and the Gimp.

[water]

Thanks a lot!

I already can generate the html files from a UDF. So I just need to play with the tool you suggested and create the CHM. Great 😃

[PeterVerbeek]

That's right. The only thing you need is a stylesheet (css file) to make your html pages look nice. I guess you're familair how a website is build so you know what a css file is.

[PeterVerbeek]

Another tip I can give you. If you want to show a CHM file to an user of your app, you need to do this in a certain way. Fortunately the miscellaneous section of Pal has 2 UDF's for this: _CHMShow() and _CHMShowOnF1().

[PeterVerbeek]

The 1.20 version of PAL has one handy function called _WindowForceToPrimaryMonitor(). When you have a mechanism of saving and restoring a GUI window position, it could be that the GUI is restored beyond the desktop due to a change of the desktop or a monitor deactivation.

;~ restore GUI to former position as stored in $SavedPos[]
$hMyGUI = GUICreate("My amazing app", 500, 300, $SavedPos[0], $SavedPos[2])
_WindowForceToPrimaryMonitor($hMyGUI)   ; if needed force GUI to primary monitor when $SavedPos[] is outside desktop area

 

[dmob]

On 1/28/2020 at 6:03 PM, PeterVerbeek said:

Let me hear if you need more info

I have installed Precision Helper, and already have most of the HTML help pages required for the manual for my app, however I am stumped as to how to put them all together into a decent .chm file with index, TOC, etc. Is there a resource you can recommend where I can find beginners' (step-by-step) tutorial/how-to?

[PeterVerbeek]

Start Precision Helper to create a new project in a folder (I usually create a folder called Help in my AutoIt project folder). At the left you'll find the TOC, Index and tabs such as Settings. Add a topic in the TOC and select a HTML file by clicking the "Select topic" button (right to the Table of Contents). Keep adding topics and subtopics to create the manual/help. You can drag a topic to change its position in the TOC. Then add search keys in the Index, same procedure as topics. The green Run button creates the chm file and shows it. One neat trick is putting your HTML editor in the Precision Helper settings so it can be started by the clicking the Edit button.

I've included an image of the manual I made for the Peace equalizer. In orange some pointers on how to create a chm.

Edited February 27, 2020 by PeterVerbeek

[dmob]

Thank you @PeterVerbeek that should give me a good start

[PeterVerbeek]

No problem, @dmob

[HighlanderSword]

Hello,

 

When I open the CHM file and click on a function like _ WindowWidth I see no details at all

 

 

[PeterVerbeek]

You should get what's shown below. Do get any details, say on the first topic? I haven't encounter an issue Windows not correctly displaying a chm file.

As an alternative I've included a zip file which can be displayed in a browser. Unzip to a folder and open index.htm.

 

htmlhelp.zip

Edited March 3, 2020 by PeterVerbeek

[benners]

It's a Microsoft security restriction stopping the display. Its impossible to view CHM files that are stored on a network drive unless you lower the restrictions on the Local Intranet zone to allow CHM files to be displayed

[PeterVerbeek]

@benners Thanks, I didn't know that. As a chm is built from html pages, obviously it could be like a browser pose a security issue on networks.

[bowain]

Right click on CHM, click properties, at bottom of properties dialog box, click unblock. This is assuming you have admin rights. AFAIK you only have to do this once. I've not looked but seems there might be an easier way, maybe a reg hack but this works for a one off.

[PeterVerbeek]

@bowain Thanks for the tip. I've put it on the Pal website on SourceForge.

[PeterVerbeek]

This library has been extended to include functions which return the window coordinates according to the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) on Windows Vista and higher. The DWM has different coordinates than the AutoIt functions report. This is due to features like window shadows and animation. You'll find the DWM functions in the new version 1.23 on the PAL SourceForge website.

[PeterVerbeek]

Version 1.24 released. Some shortcut window state detection functions like _WindowMinimized() checking if a window is minimized. And the _GUIGetBkColor() is able to retrieve the background color according to the (internal) window class which should be the theme background color.

[Werty]

On 2/23/2020 at 12:16 PM, PeterVerbeek said:

The 1.20 version of PAL has one handy function called _WindowForceToPrimaryMonitor(). When you have a mechanism of saving and restoring a GUI window position, it could be that the GUI is restored beyond the desktop due to a change of the desktop or a monitor deactivation.

I usually just right-click the taskbar and choose "Cascade windows", then it comes back to primary monitor.