Dynamic Dialog Class

Marcel Scherpenisse

Rate me:

4.52/5 (17 votes)

19 Jun 2002

278.1K

Create dialogs dynamically, and easily, without the need for a dialog resource script.

Sample Image Testappliction - TestDynDialog.gif

Dynamic Dialog class

These classes are being used for displaying a modal/modelles dialog, on which the controls are dynamically added, without the need of having a dialog template as resource. These classes were developed as base classes for use in a script parser, where users can build there own dialogs, using a VB-script alike language. So basically there can be any number of controls on the dialog, at any place on the dialog.

Global structure of the `CDynDialogEx` class:

class is derived of CDialog
in the class there is an array of CDynDialogItemEx pointers, the dialog controls
class includes DoDataExchange() function.
add controls to dialog through function AddDlgControl()

Global structure of the `CDynDialogItemEx` class:

class is derived of CWnd
holds the data of the control that was added to the dialog, like the caption, the rectangle, etc.
creates the controls on the dialog

Small piece of sample code on how to use the classes

void CTestDynDialogDlg::OnButton1();
{
    int nRadio1 = 0;
    //Create a rectangle in dialog units, where the control should be placed
    CRect rect(10,5,60,19);
    
    CDynDialogEx dlg(this);     //create the dynamic dialog, using this as parent window
    dlg.SetWindowTitle(_T("Dynamic Dialog : WindowTitle....."));

    //Add a button control at the given position
    dlg.AddDlgControl(_T("BUTTON"),    // Type of control OR classname of the control
            _T("Press me!"),    // Caption of control
            STYLE_BUTTON,    // dwStyle of control
            EXSTYLE_BUTTON,    // dwStyleEx of control
            &rect,    // Position of control on dialog in dialog units, default = NULL
            NULL,    // void pointer to variable use for DDX, default = NULL
            IDC_DYN_BUTTON);    // ID of the contol, default = zero

    //Add a group of radio buttons
    //variable nRadio1 is used for DDX
    dlg.AddDlgControl(_T("BUTTON"), _T("Radio1Caption 1"), 
                      STYLE_RADIO_GROUP, EXSTYLE_RADIO, NULL, (void*)&nRadio1);
    dlg.AddDlgControl(_T("BUTTON"), _T("Radio1Caption 2"), 
                      STYLE_RADIO, EXSTYLE_RADIO);

    //Now show me the dialog
    dlg.DoModal()
}

Working explained

CDynDialogEx::AddDlgControl() function creates new object of class CDynDialogItemEx and adds it to the array of controls. Function also checks/sets the size of the dialog, so the control is seen on the dialog.
CDynDialogEx::DoModal() function initializes the DLGTEMPLATE structure using the selected font and calls CDialog::InitModalIndirect() for modal dialogs or CDialog::CreateIndirect() for modless dialogs
CDynDialogEx::OnCreate() function creates all the controls on the dialog
CDynDialogItemEx::CreateEx() does nothing (ActiveX controls) or creates the window
CDynDialogEx::OnInitDialog() function repositions all the controls on the dialog or creates the ActiveX controls
CDynDialogItemEx::SetWindowPos() function converts from dialog units to screen units and creates ActiveX control

Update 18-06-2002

Class CDynDialogItemEx now derived from CWnd instead of heaving a CWnd member
Added modless gialog possibility as supposed by CodeBuddy. (CDynDialogEx::SetUseModeless())
Added subclassed controls, because I needed them. After adding the control you can use SubclassDlgItem with the Control_ID returned by calling CDynDialogEx::AddSubclassedDlgControl()
Improved DDX_Control support for dialog items
Added partial ActiveX controls support. Partial because the controls are created, but there is no support for the EVENT_SINK! But there is code for creating licensed controls dynamicly.
Added examples for modeless dialog, adding and filling a CListbox, an ActiveX control on a dialog

Tip!

CResizableDialog

Possible extensions:

improving ActiveX controls support, specially EVENT_SINK related
adding Menus dynamically to the dialog
...

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here

Written By

Marcel Scherpenisse

Software Developer

Netherlands

This member has not yet provided a Biography. Assume it's interesting and varied, and probably something to do with programming.

Use Ctrl+Left/Right to switch messages, Ctrl+Up/Down to switch threads, Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right to switch pages.