Custom Controls

The ability to easily use attractive custom controls is, I believe, one of the factors that has given Microsoft's Visual Basic such a devoted following (as will Visual C++ soon have). But it is best not to forget that custom controls are relatively easy to create on ObjectWindows. Most of the hard work being handled by the base classes of the OWL framework.

The custom control that I will create will be used to represent a slide control, of the kind found on old TV sets, Graphic Equalisers or Fader controls on Audio Mixing decks. I assume that before reading this article you are at least familiar with the basics of ObjectWindows.

The first stage is to create the bitmaps for our controls. These are called SLIDBASE.BMP for background of the slider and SLIDBUTT.BMP for the button. Both bitmaps being created using resource workshop.

The button is intended to traverse the dark area in the centre of the base. The bottom of the control represents 0%, the top 100%.

Before I start on a description of the stages needed to animate these simple bitmaps and create a reusable custom control, I need to define some constants as follows:

const int MAXPOINT = 19;

const int SLIDERHEIGHT = 112; 
const int SLIDERWIDTH = 40;

const int BUTTONWIDTH = 20; 
const int BUTTONHEIGHT = 10;

const int XOFFSET  = SLIDERWIDTH/2 - BUTTONWIDTH/2;

const int ARROWWIDTH = 16; 
const int ARROWHEIGHT = 16;

const int DOWNX = 3; 
const int DOWNY = 94;

const int UPX = 22; 
const int UPY = 94;

const int TEXTPOSX = 4; 
const int TEXTPOSY = 4;

We need a number of include files, OWL.H for the ObjectWindows system, CONTROL.H to supply the base class from which our custom control is derived, BWINDOW.H, to supply a Borland Window type (TBWindow) into which the position of the control as a percentage of maximum is displayed. STRSTREAM.H and IOMANIP.H are required to format the numbers displayed in the percentage window.

The name of the new custom control is to be TMyScroll. For those not yet totally au fait with ObjectWindows nomenclature, the leading letter 'T' is used to denote that this is a Type of MyScroll. At this point we also use a macro (_CLASSDEF). This is used to typedef references and pointers to the class. In this case the statement:

_CLASSDEF(TMyScroll)

generates the following statements:

class _CLASSTYPE TMyScroll;
typedef TMyScroll  FAR * PTMyScroll; 
typedef TMyScroll _FAR & RTMyScroll; 
typedef TMyScroll _FAR * _FAR & RPTMyScroll; 
typedef const TMyScroll _FAR * PCTMyScroll; 
typedef const TMyScroll _FAR & RCTMyScroll;

This is a convenient way of generating all the typedefs you may require for the class.

Our TMyScroll class is publicly derived from TControl, and responds to the mouse left button being pressed and released, and the mouse being moved while over the custom control. We therefore need to capture these events and process them. This is done using the DDVT (Dynamic Dispatch Virtual Tables) of Object Windows. The DDVT uses a Borland specific extension to the C++ language in order to semi-automatically allow us to tap into the message processing loop. This is achieved with the declaration:

virtual void MyOispatchHandler(RTMessage) =
[DispatchValue];

The only windows message, in addition to the mouse ones already mentioned, that we are required to handle is the paint message. Each time windows wants the control to be drawn, it will send a WMPAINT message, this is trapped by using the Dispatch value of WM_FIRST+WM_PAINT

All the messages not specifically catered for are handled by the base class (TControl) so we need not worry about them.

We also need a number of values retained by the class, these include the number of units by which the control moves for one click of the arrow buttons (Delta), the values represented by the top and bottom of the slidebar range, (I've conveniently fixed them to 0% and 100%, but they could take other ranges). A series of Boolean values used to indicate if buttons have been pressed (and therefore require shading ), the physical position of the thumbnail and the value represented by the thumbnail position (in the range of BottomOfRange to TopOfRange).

// class for the new scroll bar 
class TMyScroll : public TControl 
{ 
protected:
    int Delta;    // The amount by which the thumbnail moves
                  // for each click of the arrow buttons 
    int BottomOfRange,
        TopOfRange;
    BOOL DownButton,    // logicals used to decide which 
        UpButton,        // buttons need to be inverted
        SliderButton;
    int CurrentValue,        // The current value of the control
                             // in the range BottomOfRange to TopOfRange
        ThumbnailPosition; // Physical position of thumbnail in window

    virtual LPSTR GetClassName() { return "TMyScroll";} 
    virtual void SetupWindow(); 
public:
    TMyScroll(PTWindowsObject AParent, int AnID,
              int X, int Y, PTModule AModule = NULL);

    virtual void SetRange(int LoVal, int HiVal); 
    virtual void GetRange(int& LoVal, int& HiVal);

    virtual int GetPos();
    virtual void SetPos(int ThumbnailPosition);

    virtual WORD Transfer(Pvoid DataPtr, WORD TransferFlag);

    // DDVT response functions
    virtual void WMLButtonDown(RTMessage)
                    = [WM_FIRST + WM_LBUTTONDOWN]; 
    virtual void WMLButtonUp(RTMessage)
                    = [WM_FIRST + WM_LBUTTONUP]; 
    virtual void WMMouseMove(RTMessage)
                    = [WM_FIRST + WM_MOUSEMOVE]; 
    virtual void WMPaint(RTMessage)
                    = [WM_FIRST + WM_PAINT];
};

The constructor simply sets the start position of the control.

TMyScroll::TMyScroll(PTWindowsObject AParent, int AnID, 
                     int X, int Y, PTModule AModule)
        : TControl(AParent, AnID, NULL, X, Y, 40, 112, AModule) 
{
    Delta =1;    // Amount to add when the user presses an arrow
    ThumbnailPosition = ZEROPOINT;     // start position for thumbnail
    CurrentValue = 0; // initial value of control
    DownButton = FALSE;    // set all buttons off
    UpButton = FALSE;
    SliderButton = FALSE; 
}

SetupWindow is used to perform any post-constructor initialisation tasks. In this case, sets the range of values the control will report. In this case between zero and 100. The call to the base class's SetupWindow must not be forgotten, in this case the order in which it is called is not significant.

// sets up the range 0..100 
void TMyScroll::SetupWindow()
{
    SetRange(0,100); 
    TControl::SetupWindow(); 
}

The SetRange member function is not too exciting either, it is used to represent the minimum and maximum values that can be expressed by the control.

void TMyScroll::SetRange(int LoVal, int HiVal)
{
    BottomOfRange = LoVal;
    TopOfRange    = HiVal; 
}

The GetRange member function returns (as reference) the values set up with SetRange.

void TMyScroll::GetRange(int& LoVal, int& HiVal)
{
    LoVal = BottomOfRange; 
    HiVal  = TopOfRange;
}

The GetPos member function returns the current setting of the thumbnail in the range set by SetRange (not in percent).

int TMyScroll::GetPos() 
{
    return CurrentValue;
}

The SetPos member function (like GetPos) sets the current setting in the range (and units) used in SetRange. If the position set is different from the current position, the physical position of the slider is recalculated and the control is invalidated, thus redrawing the complete control.

void TMyScroll::SetPos(int NewPos) 
{
    int LoVal, HiVal;
    // get the current control range
    GetRange(LoVal, HiVal);
    // see if the new value is in range
    if (NewPos > HiVal)
        NewPos = HiVal; 
    else if (NewPos < LoVal)
        NewPos = LoVal;

    if (CurrentValue != NewPos) // if the position has changed 
    {
        CurrentValue = NewPos; 
        ThumbnailPosition = ZEROPOINT -
            ((CurrentValue - BottomOfRange)
            * (ZEROPOINT -MAXPOINT)
            / (TopOfRange - BottomOfRange));
        // Redraw the control 
        InvalidateRect(HWindow, NULL, FALSE);
    }
}

The Transfer member function is not used by this control, but is provided in case you wish to use the control in conjunction with a Transfer buffer.

WORD TMyScroll::Transfer(Pvoid DataPtr, WORD TransferFlag) 
{
    // transfer the thumb position
    int* NewPtr = (int*) DataPtr;
    if (TransferFlag == TF_GETDATA) 
        *NewPtr = CurrentValue;
    else
        SetPos(*NewPtr);
    return sizeof(int); 
}

The WMMoveMouse member function is used to detect the new position of the mouse, and to use that information to decide on the position of the slide button, or if the mouse has moved outside the immediate area of the button.

void TMyScroll::WMMouseMove(RTMessage Msg) 
{
    if (SliderButton &&
        (Msg.LP.Lo<XOFFSET ||
          Msg.LP.Lo>XOFFSET+BUTTONWIDTH)) 
        SliderButton = FALSE;

    if (SliderButton && Msg.LP.Hi>=MAXPOINT &&
        Msg.LP.Hi<=ZEROPOINT) 
    {
        int LoVal, HiVal;
        // get the current control range
        GetRange(LoVal, HiVal);

        // Redraw the control 
        SetPos((ZEROPOINT-Msg.LP.Hi)*
            (TppOfRange-BottomOfRange)/
            (ZEROPOINT-MAXPOINT));
    }
}

The WMLButtonDown member function determines if the mouse button was pressed in either of the arrow buttons or on the slider button. If this is the case, the appropriate flag is set.

void TMyScroll::WMLButtonDown(RTMessage Msg)
{
    RECT rRect; 
    RECT lRect; 
    RECT sRect;

    // Set the area of the right button 
    SetRect(&rRect, UPX, UPY, UPX + ARROWWIDTH, UPY +
                    ARROWHEIGHT);
    // Set the area of the left button 
    SetRect(&lRect, DOWNX, DOWNY, DOWNX + ARROWWIDTH,
                    DOWNY + ARROWHEIGHT); 
    // Set the area of the slider button 
    SetRect(&sRect, XOFFSET, ThumbnailPosition, XOFFSET +
                    BUTTONWIDTH, ThumbnailPosition + BUTTONHEIGHT);
    // Check for up arrow
    if (PtInRect(&rRect,MAKEPOINT(Msg.LP)))
    {
        UpButton = TRUE;
        SetPos(GetPos() + Delta); 
    }
    // check for down arrow
    else if (PtInRect(&lRect,MAKEPOINT(Msg.LP))) 
    {
        DownButton = TRUE;
        SetPos(GetPos() - Delta); 
    }
    else if (PtInRect(&sRect,MAKEPOINT(Msg.LP))) 
    {
        SliderButton = TRUE; 
    } 
}

The WMLButton member function sets all the buttons to inactive and invalidates the control to redraw.

void TMyScroll::WMLButtonUp(RTMessage Msg) 
{
    DownButton = FALSE; 
    UpButton = FALSE; 
    SliderButton = FALSE; 
    InvalidateRect(HWindow, NULL, FALSE);
}

This is the big one! The WMPaint member function is responsible for drawing the custom control.  Firstly the backdrop is redrawn and the slider button deposited in the appropriate position. The percentage value is written to the little window on the top of the control and then, depending on the flags set, one or other of the arrow buttons is inverted to show that it is being pressed.

void TMyScroll::WMPaint(RTMessage) 
{
    HDC         hDC, MemDC;
    HBITMAP     OldBitmap;
    HBRUSH      OldBrush;
    RECT        Rect;
    PAINTSTRUCT ps;
    int         BMHeight;

    memset(&ps,0x00,sizeof(PAINTSTRUCT)); 
    hDC = BeginPaint(HWindow, &ps); 
    // draw the up arrow 
    GetClientRect(HWindow,&Rect); 
    MemDC = CreateCompatibleDC(hDC); 
    OldBitmap = (HBITMAP)SelectObject(MemDC,
                    LoadBitmap( GetApplication()->hlnstance,
                                "SLIDBASE"));
    StretchBlt(hDC, 0, 0, Rect.right, Rect.bottom, 
               MemDC,0,0,39,111,
               SRCCOPY); 
    DeleteObject( SelectObject( MemDC, LoadBitmap(
                  GetApplication()->hInstance, "SLIDBUTT")));
    BitBlt(hDC, XOFFSET, ThumbnailPosition, 20, 10,
           MemDC,0,0,SRCCOPY);
    DeleteObject(SelectObject(MemDC, OldBitmap)); DeleteDC(MemDC);

    // display the number
    char buffer[6];
    ostrstream num(buffer,sizeof(buffer));
    num << setw(3) << GetPos() << "%" << ends;
    HFONT hFont = CreateFont(14,7,0,0,400,0,0,0,
                    OEM__CHARSET, OUT_DEFAULT_PRECIS,
                    CLIP_DEFAULT_PRECIS, DEFAULT_QUALITY,
                    DEFAULT_PITCH|FF_DONTCARE, "system");
    SelectObject(hDC,hFont);

    DWORD BkGrnd = SetBkColor(hDC,
                    GetPixel(hDC,TEXTPOSX,TEXTPOSY)); 
    TextOut(hDC,TEXTPOSX,TEXTPOSY,buffer,4); 
    DeleteObject(hFont); 
    SetBkColor(hDC,BkGrnd);

    RECT rRect; 
    RECT lRect; 
    SetRect(&rRect, UPX, UPY, UPX + ARROWWIDTH, UPY +
            ARROWHEIGHT); 
    SetRect(&lRect, DOWNX, DOWNY, DOWNX + ARROWWIDTH,
            DOWNY + ARROWHEIGHT); 
    // Check for up arrow 
    if (UpButton) 
    {
        InvertRect(hDC,&rRect); 
    }
    // check for down arrow 
    else if (DownButton)
    {
        InvertRect(hDC,&lRect);
    }

    EndPaint(HWindow, &ps);
}

All that is now left is to create the main window (in this case a BWCC gray window) and to instantiate several Sliders to demonstrate their use, and to create the necessary Application class and the WinMain function.

class MyWindow : public TBWindow
{
public:
    TMyScroll* TheScroller[4];
    MyWindow(PTWindowsObject AParent, LPSTR ATitle);
};

MyWindow::MyWindow(PTWindowsObject AParent, LPSTR ATitle) 
        : TBWindow (AParent, ATitle)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
    {
        TheScroller[i] = new TMyScroll(this, 
                        200 + i, 10 + 100 * (i % 2),
                        10 + 100 * (i % 2));
    } 
}

class MyApp : public TApplication
{
public:
    MyApp(LPSTR ApName, HANDLE Inst, HANDLE Prevlnst,
          LPSTR CmdLine, int CmdShow) 
       : TApplication( ApName, Inst, PrevInst, CmdLine, CmdShow) {}
    virtual void InitMainWindow();
};

void MyApp::InitMainWindow() 
{
    MainWindow = new MyWindow(NULL, "Custom Control");
}

int PASCAL WinMain (HANDLE Inst, HANDLE PrevInst,
                    LPSTR CmdLine, int CmdShow ) 
{
    MyApp X("Custom Control App",
            Inst,PrevInst,CmdLine,CmdShow);
    X.Run();
    return X.Status; 
}