Visual Basic

display web site correctly for most resoultions?

9-Aug-06 3:11

I have done something similar to this.

I made one table that contained the data I wanted all in one table, all in order. The data had a three level hierarcy (Parent - 1, child - 2, grandchild -3). So when I looped through the table I would check the level and create a node accordingly.

    Private Sub PopulateNavigationTree()<br />
        TopicTreeView.BeginUpdate()<br />
<br />
        TopicTreeView.Nodes.Clear()<br />
<br />
        Dim parentNode As TreeNode<br />
        Dim childNode As TreeNode<br />
        'Dim fullPath As String<br />
<br />
        Dim iLevel As Integer = 0<br />
<br />
        Dim baseNode As TreeNode = TopicTreeView.Nodes.Add("Topics")<br />
<br />
        ' init to valid values for safety<br />
        parentNode = baseNode<br />
        childNode = baseNode<br />
<br />
        Dim myRow As DataRow<br />
        If m_TreeDataSet.Tables.Count > 0 Then<br />
            If m_TreeDataSet.Tables(0).Rows.Count > 0 Then<br />
<br />
                For Each myRow In m_TreeDataSet.Tables(0).Rows<br />
                    iLevel = CType(myRow.Item("Level").ToString, Integer)<br />
                    If iLevel = 1 Then<br />
                        parentNode = baseNode.Nodes.Add(myRow.Item("Topic").ToString)<br />
                    ElseIf iLevel = 2 Then<br />
                        childNode = parentNode.Nodes.Add(myRow.Item("Topic").ToString)<br />
                    Else<br />
                        childNode.Nodes.Add(myRow.Item("Topic").ToString)<br />
                    End If<br />
<br />
<br />
                Next<br />
            End If<br />
<br />
        Else<br />
            ' TO DO: add error message here<br />
        End If<br />
        TopicTreeView.CollapseAll()<br />
        baseNode.Expand()<br />
        TopicTreeView.EndUpdate()<br />
    End Sub<br />

ii_noname_ii8-Aug-06 22:54

ii_noname_ii

8-Aug-06 22:54

Hi,

almost done with my project (I thought...)
functionality is 100%, but I don't wanna put "best viewed on MY computer" on the bottom of the page...hehe

But when I try to view it in 1024*768 it looks awful...
And 800*600 is even worse (so bad u couldn't even click some of the buttons)
I need help, and general tips on how I can now modify things to fit for crappy resolutions (=> 1024*768 and 800*600)
I had been using absolute positions..
Now I've come to the conclusion I need to use pixels for text sizes...
The goal I think would be to get it to fit PERFECT for 1024 at least, and 800*600 users should be used to crap anyway...
(although I would like it to be usable for them too, this is a professional app and I cannot say "bha f' em")

Just not sure how to get on with this, any general tips or links will be very appreciated...
Please help..? Hmmm | :|

Re: display web site correctly for most resoultions?

Leah_Garrett9-Aug-06 3:24

Re: display web site correctly for most resoultions?

9-Aug-06 3:24

Smaller resolutions can be hard to work with. Usually it something that is part of the requirements up front, you work out what resolutions your users have and find some compromise resolution you agree to work toward.

How much of your screen is in absolute positions? Could you rearrange things so some sections are fixed and others able to be resized, like the codeproject front page which has two fixed columns and a centre column that is resizable? This pattern works well with a variety of resolutions.

ii_noname_ii9-Aug-06 4:31

ii_noname_ii

9-Aug-06 4:31

I have to make sure it looks perfect for 1024 (*768) which I THINK is the most common... (stressing think cos it seems like a horribly small res to me..)

But since I worked with absolute positions in my main frame (top frame is title, log off button, etc; left frame is menu):
my main problems are:

I want the menu frame to fit no matter what (I'm guessing pixels is the way then, using the text of longest menu item and just testing out...)(the easy part)

Now on main frame, lots of things happen, datagrids, trees, buttons, etc, everything..
But when I tested on 1024 or 800, some buttons are under labels (unclickable), and u need to scroll to left and right an awful lot...
My main concern is making sure NOTHING EVER crosses (like my labels and buttons)...
What would be the best way to make sure of that? Positioning??
(I recently migrated from classic asp to .net and always refused to use "design view"; this is my first time creating a web app with design and my phobia of it is far from cured after this experience...)

Re: display web site correctly for most resoultions?

Leah_Garrett9-Aug-06 4:57

Re: display web site correctly for most resoultions? [modified]

9-Aug-06 4:57

Mainly I have worked with tables for organising layout. Tables could help you with ensuring that sections do not overlap.

For the menu you might find some sample html menus online that could help.

ii_noname_ii9-Aug-06 20:13

ii_noname_ii

9-Aug-06 20:13

Thx for replies,

I was afraid I would have to use tables... :/
I guess it's the best way...

For menu, I already like mine (really cool :P)
Just not sure how to set up the left frame so it fits menu on all resolutions...
Unless some1 has a better idea, I'm going to work my way to the right pixel width so it fits perfectly for 1024, and not so bad if the little arrows are not showing for 800*600 users, and anyone over 1024 has room enough for a little extra margin after menu (looks better too)

Again, thx for replies, very nice. Cool | :cool:

-- modified at 4:38 Thursday 10th August, 2006

Actually, just moving my visual studio window from 1 screen (high res) to another (low res), and making sure it fits both...

How to refer to a control from inside a class?

IlanTal8-Aug-06 21:32

8-Aug-06 21:32

Using VB.NET I have defined a class (the first of many to come if it works). Inside the class I have
Public Function Init()

Inside the Init funtion I would like to change the caption of some of the objects on the form. Likewise, I would like to fill a combo box with class specific information.

What I can't figure out is how do I refer to an object on the form in order to change its caption, or fill the contents of its combo box?

In my example I have a button called Test1. If I add inside the Init() function Test1.Text="My test", it doesn't know what to do with it. Since I could do this in VB6, I'm sure there must be a way to do it. I just don't know the proper method.

Can anyone tell me the secret?

Thanks,
Ilan

Guffa8-Aug-06 22:31

Guffa

8-Aug-06 22:31

The controls are members of the form class, you need a reference to the instance of the form to reach the controls in it.

You can either send along a reference to the form, or a reference to the specific control, to the method. I would suggest the later, so that the method doesn't have to be bothered with the name of the control.

---
b { font-weight: normal; }

IlanTal9-Aug-06 0:17

9-Aug-06 0:17

Thanks for the help, but I'm still too new to understand exactly what you are saying.
If I write "Form1" it comes up with a list of suggestions like ActiveForm etc. which don't look like they will help.
If I type Form1.Test1.Text="my Test", it doesn't know what I'm talking about.

How exactly do I get the reference to the instance of the form? Is there something like GetParent()? This is probably trivial to you, but I'm missing the link.

Thanks,
Ilan

IlanTal9-Aug-06 0:28

9-Aug-06 0:28

You suggest to send along a reference to the form. How do I do this?
In the form where the class is called do I do something like

myScope.Init(this)

where Init is defined something like

Public Function Init(CWnd* wnd1)

(I know the syntax must be wrong but I'm used to c++.)
Preferably I'd like the class to know something about Form1 without my having to explicitly send something, but if I must send it explicity, please give me the exact syntax in order to do so.

Thanks,
Ilan

Guffa9-Aug-06 2:08

Guffa

9-Aug-06 2:08

You don't have to specify when you use pointers/references in C#. All objects are always handled using references. You should specify the data type of the return value from the function, though.

Public Function Init(Form1 mainForm) As String

Now you can call it from Form1:

result = myScope.Init(this)

---
b { font-weight: normal; }

IlanTal9-Aug-06 3:11

9-Aug-06 3:11

Thanks for your help.
I think you got slightly confused as to who changes who.
I want the function to change the form.

In any case your help was enough to get me going. It doesn't recognize 'this', but on the other hand it knows what 'Me' is. Likewise it doesn't know what 'Form1 mainForm' is but it does know what 'ByRef mainForm As Form1' is.

As far a return values, I return a simple status value and apparently it has no troubles with integer return values. Something more complicated like a string would most likely demand your syntax.

In any case I used:
Public Function Init(ByRef mainForm As Form1)
Dim stat As Integer = DS_SUCCESS
mainForm.Test1.Text = "my Test"

and I called it by
stat = myScope.Init(Me)

and it finally changed the button text. (Not that I really want to change that button's text, but I do want to know how to change other things on demand.)

Do you know if I could save the value of mainForm in my class in case I need it outside of the Init function? I could make it a class variable, but the question is if it could change? My gut feeling is that it wouldn't change since it is the main form.

Thanks again,
Ilan

Leah_Garrett9-Aug-06 4:31

9-Aug-06 4:31

You can save the value of mainForm in your class as a class variable.

If the mainForm is the first form that is created and the last form that closes then it will not change.

Dave Kreskowiak9-Aug-06 4:52

Dave Kreskowiak

9-Aug-06 4:52

That is nice and all, but completely bad practice in an Object Oriented language.

You're other class is now forever tied to this form and only this form. You'll never be able to reuse it in any other project, or even any other form, unless it's built speicifically with this class in mind.

Any code that changes the form should remain in the form's code, not in a seperate class. The form's code is responsible for updating the UI it's showing. If your class has to return a value that changes the form, the form code should be evaluating that return value and making any necessary changes. Keep the UI code in the UI layer, not the business layer.

Dave Kreskowiak
Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

IlanTal9-Aug-06 19:16

9-Aug-06 19:16

Thanks Dave. You are right. I have very little experience with Visual Basic so it was a struggle to get ANYTHING to work. However since I'm at the start it should be fairly easy to change it to return things to the form and have the form make the changes.

Ilan