how to make a modal always on top gui windows

[Zomp]

Forgive me if I don't know the right words. I have a GUI window and a button on it which opens another GUI window. Such window has to lay over the window it has been call and it must prevent the user to focus previous windows of the same AutoIt script.

Which commands or flags have I to use to open such window?

Thanks.

Edited August 25, 2008 by Zomp

[Andreik]

Forgive me if I don't know the right words. I have a GUI window and a button on it which opens another GUI window. Such window has to lay over the other window and it must prevent the user to focus previous windows of the same AutoIt script.

How can I do it?

Create a GUI with $WS_EX_TOPMOST style.

[Zomp]

Create a GUI with $WS_EX_TOPMOST style.

Well, I have tried, but I also want that the "back" window remains no selectable while the foreground window is open. Similarly to waht happens when I open a "save as" dialog: any temptative to select to the back window yields a beep.

Is it possible?

[Andreik]

Try WinSetOnTop().

[Bert]

You can also change the parent using GuiSetState(@SW_HIDE) while the child is active. When the child is closed, then use GuiSetState(@SW_SHOW) to show the parent again.

[SmOke_N]

You can pass the main GUI's handle to the next GUI to open as it's parent GUI, and place the main GUI's handle in the parent hwnd parameter of the new GUI.

Before doing this, you want to LOCK the parent with GUISetState() + @SW_LOCK and then unlock it when you are done with the child GUI with GUISetState() + @SW_UNLOCK.

[Zomp]

You can pass the main GUI's handle to the next GUI to open as it's parent GUI, and place the main GUI's handle in the parent hwnd parameter of the new GUI.

Before doing this, you want to LOCK the parent with GUISetState() + @SW_LOCK and then unlock it when you are done with the child GUI with GUISetState() + @SW_UNLOCK.

Sorry, I have tried but without success. In the following toy example, I can close the application even if the background window is locked. Am I doing anything wrong?

#include <GUIConstants.au3>


$back=Guicreate("")
$close=GUICtrlCreateButton("close",10,10)
$open=GUICtrlCreateButton("open",10,50)
guisetstate(@SW_SHOW)
$fore=Guicreate("","","","","","",$WS_EX_TOPMOST,$back)
guisetstate(@SW_HIDE)

While true
    $msg=GUIGetMsg()
    Switch $msg
        case $close
            Exit
        case $open
            guisetstate(GUISetState() + @SW_LOCK,$back)
            guisetstate(@sw_show,$fore)
    EndSwitch
WEnd

exit

[martin]

Sorry, I have tried but without success. In the following toy example, I can close the application even if the background window is locked. Am I doing anything wrong?

#include <GUIConstants.au3>


$back=Guicreate("")
$close=GUICtrlCreateButton("close",10,10)
$open=GUICtrlCreateButton("open",10,50)
guisetstate(@SW_SHOW)
$fore=Guicreate("","","","","","",$WS_EX_TOPMOST,$back)
guisetstate(@SW_HIDE)

While true
    $msg=GUIGetMsg()
    Switch $msg
        case $close
            Exit
        case $open
            guisetstate(GUISetState() + @SW_LOCK,$back)
            guisetstate(@sw_show,$fore)
    EndSwitch
WEnd

exit

You need

case $open
            guisetstate(@SW_DISABLE,$back)
            guisetstate(@sw_show,$fore)

Then when you want to get back to the 'back' gui set @SW_ENABLE. I think @SW_LOCK just stops repainting.

You need some way to get back at the moment because in your example there is no way to close the script once the 'back' gui is disabled.

[Zomp]

You need

case $open
            guisetstate(@SW_DISABLE,$back)
            guisetstate(@sw_show,$fore)

Then when you want to get back to the 'back' gui set @SW_ENABLE. I think @SW_LOCK just stops repainting.

You need some way to get back at the moment because in your example there is no way to close the script once the 'back' gui is disabled.

Perfect! Many thanks.

[DYONISII]

hey guys!

could you help me a bit?

i need a modal fileopendialog so i have the following code:

GUISetState(@SW_DISABLE, $parent)
$retval = FileOpenDialog("Select File", "", "All (*.*)", 1)
GUISetState(@SW_ENABLE, $parent)

following is my dilemma:

after closing the fileopendialog window, either by selecting a file or by cancel, the main window loses focus. my option for the moment is "WinActivate" after i enable the parent window.

my other option is to use @SW_HIDE and @SW_SHOW, but the preference for the moment is not to hide the $parent window, but rather let it stand there.

thanks in advance for your help!

Edited December 19, 2008 by DYONISII

[DYONISII]

found it!

the last parameter of fileopendialog is "hwnd." including it would make the dialog box modal. hehehe...

[babelpatcher]

found it!

the last parameter of fileopendialog is "hwnd." including it would make the dialog box modal. hehehe...

can you or anyone tell me how to set the hwnd correctly?

i have same problem here

[Melba23]

babelpatcher,

Stick with just one thread at a time please.

M23